Temuka Wesleyan Church.

Temuka Leader, Issue 3559, 13 March 1900, Page 3

Temuka Wesleyan Church.

HARVEST THANKSGIVING. On Sunday last harvest thanksgiving and farewell services were conducted by the Rev, W. Tinsley, who, Laving been granted a year’s leave of absence, is about to visit the Old Country to recruit his health. The church was beautifully decorated with flowers, evergreens, and fruit. Festoons of evergreens, in which were entwined wisps of corn, were hung across the building. The walls were adorned with beautiful wreaths and other devices, and the pulpit was regularly banked with choice flowers, fruit, and evergreens. The graceful toistois was used with fine effect. Altogether the decorations were very light and pretty, and reflected much credit on those who were responsible for them, viz'., Mrs Buxton, Miss Brown, Miss G Brown, Miss Cooper, Miss E. Cooper, Miss Hope, and Mr S. Wright, working with, and under the direction of Mr John Hoi well. In the morning the rev. gentleman took for his text part of the 17ch verse of the 14th chapter of the Gospel of St. Luke— Bread enough, and to spare.” On these words, taken from the parable of the prodigal son, he preached a telling sermon. He was glad that they had gathered together to celebrate the harvest festival. They had toiled in the fields—ploughing and sowing—and now they had harvest. In olden times they had harvest festivals, and it was their customary for the people to bring a portion of the fruits of the earth to God—the giver of all things—and he hoped that that morning they would not only sing praises, with their voices, but also give of their substance towards God’s work. He divided his text into three parts-lst. Bread; 2nd, Enough; 3rd, To Spare. Dealing with the word bread, he said, they felt they were safe in using the word to denote spiritual life. Bread was God’s own gift, and was indispensible. The first words that were inculcated at their motner’s knee were: “ Give us this day our daily bread.” There was nowhere where they could see the gifts of God to man as well as in the cornfield. Man might do the work and plant the seed, but without the gifts of God, the sunshine and rain, all was useless. Even the heathen recognised this. Bread met our material wants, and the Gospel supplied all our spiritual wants. They could educate a man to any extent, but, while it might make him intellectually more clever, it would not make him better. jThe hope for the world was in the uplifting power of the Lord Jesus Christ. Bread was indespensible —they could not live long without it. The want of bread, or famine, was a terrible thing, and the speaker gave instances in illustration of this. In New Zealand, happily, there was not much probability of famine. Then the text mentioned bread “ enough.” They had just received news of the terrible sufferings of those in Ladysmith and Mafeking, where they had not bread enough. There was one trait in the prodigal’s character that seemed to him to | be very beautiful—viz., his trust in his

father. This was what they should all ’ have in their heavenly Father. Whateve a their trials, they should remember that God’s grace was sufficient for all. There was a time coming when all would have to enter the grim valley—the Gospel of the Lord would be sufficient to help them, even there. Then they had enough, and “to spare,”—for the children, for their neighbour. Were they doing their duty to their children. Did they recognise their responsibilities ? They thought about their bodies, and they fed and clothed them, but they seemed to forget abouc their spiritual welfare. This should not be. Then their neighbours. What were they doing for them 7 Could not they bring someone to church to share the benefits they were receiving ? He felt that as Christians they lacked gratitude to God. Spiritually they were too supine. They wanted more consistency between their creed and their actions. The Bread of Life was the best bread —always good, always fresh, never stale. Those who had it could never die. THE MINISTER’S BENEDICTION.

la the evening the Eev. W. Tinsley took for his text. Numbers vi.,' 24, 25, 26 “ The Lord Bless thee, and keep thee : The Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee and give thee Peace.” He said this benediction was his sincere prayer that night when he addressed them for the last time—for some time at any rate, and perhaps for all time. They knew not what possibilities the future might have in store for them, and 12 months was a long period of time. For his own part he hoped that he might be sparedt» comeback to labour among them, but, if he was, some of those present might not be there to greet him ; ifehey might have passed away for ever. This was just the feeling that had possession of him and made him feel that the occasion was a solemn one. In twelve months there would be many changes. But he wanted the service to be one of gladness, and to leave, a very deep and lasting impression and confirming them to the service of their Lord, Jesus Christ. In a home in Christchurch where he sometimes stayed they had a beautiful clock that went for a whole year, being wound up every Christmas Day. He felt that he would like to wind them up that sight so that they might go on doing well until his return, and he wished that he himself might be wound up likewise. He had east about for a suitable text, ■but he could, not find a better one than that he had selected. He hoped that the Great Father in Heaven would pour npon them the blessing referred to in the text. He then likened the text to a chain with six beautiful links, and dealt with each link in a most telliug manner. He dealt with the right uses of wealth of all kinds, pointing out that they were only stewards—for they had been bought with the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. His last word to them was “Take £he Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour.’ He had wished to thank them for all the great kindnesses they had done him. He wished to thank the officers for the willing and valued services they had given ,- the ladies of the guild for valuable aid, freely given whenever an appeal . had been made to them. He wished to thank the loving

hearts and willing hands who had made their church so beautiful for their harvest festival. He could not flatter, but from the depths of his heart he could say that during the 27 years of his ministry in New Zealand he had never spent two years so happily as here, and never found people so ready to help. One thing had weighed heavily on him. For some time he had been suffering from an affliction, and he had not been able to sustain, to his own satis-

faction, his reputation of being a good “ pastoral minister/’ and go among them as he would have wished, having to stay at home, and lie hoped they would forgive him for this. He wished to acknowledge his indebtedness to the Press. He recognised the Press of to-day as the most potent factor for rhe uplifting of the race, and if they could get a sanctified press, working with the pulpit, the world would soon be won for the Master. He thanked the press most sincerely for the excellent reports and notices given to f?im from time to time. He thanked them all and felt he could not close more fittingly than in the words of his text—M.ay the Lord bless thee, and keep thee ; the Lord make His face shine upon thee : the Lord Ifit up His .countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.” The congregations at both services were large, at the evening one particularly so. The hymns were appropriate to the occasions, Miss Tinsley ably presiding at the organ. At the evening service the lesson was read by Mr Parkin, and prayers were offered up by Messrs J. W. Miles and J. Hrowa,

At the conclusion of the service the opportunity was taken by many to wish Mr and Mrs Tinsley good-bye.

Dexabture oe Mu Tinsley. The Rev. Mr Tinsley, Mrs Tinsley, and Master Tinsley left for Christchurch last evening - ’oy the express train, a large number assembling to see them off. At Christchurch they will stay for a day or two, and then travel on to the Hot Lake District. From Auckland they will proceed to Sydney, leaving there on April 7 by the Prinz Regent Luitpold and expect to arrive in England in the first week in June. We wish them a very pleasant holiday and a safe return.