HARVEST THANKSGIVING AT FAIRLIE CREEK.

Timaru Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 3599, 13 April 1886, Page 3

HARVEST THANKSGIVING AT FAIRLIE CREEK.

*- — : — A harvest thanksgiving eervico wns conducted by the Bov. Mr Preston, at Fairlio Creek on Sunday lost in the Union Church. The church was very tastefully decorated 1 around the interior being hung cars of barley, oats, etc., and around the pulpit wero flowers, stalks of different groin, overgroens, etc. ■ On the communion tab'o a bounteous display of the fruits of the earth wbb made, which were artistically arranged, and had a very i pleasing effect. On entering the church the • first thing to catch the eye wero the words i " The harvest is tho end of the world, the 1 reapers are tho angels " ; the letters being ; formed of poplar leaves en a white ground, presenting a very pretty appearance. The Rev. Mr Preston preached an appro- ' priato eermon taking for his text 10th. chap. 1 Ist Corinthians 26th verse — "For the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof." 1 Ho said they wera gathered there that day to publicly express their thanksgiving to tho 1 Almighty Father for hia blessings at this season of tho year. It was the custom of the Jewa to celebrate it by a thanksgiving festival, and thus it was the custom banded down to them from ancient limes to do the same thing in the Christian church, 'l'liis earth belongs to God, and tho fulness thereof is ll is. Ho could withhold a plenteous harvest if it wns His good pleasure to do so. Whatever man 1 mi.htsny lt think to the contrary, it was the Almighty that was ruling and directing all 1 tho fiffuirs of this world j nothing in the world happened by clmnco. Tho hand of God unil the footprints of tho Almighty could be seon everywhere. Dark indeod was that soul which could not' realise the presence of ; God. No season of the year was »o calculated to call forth praise and thanksgiving as the season of. harvest. If they only had the 1 power to tako in al a glance all that the ' busy hand of man was doing in the harvest season ; if thoy could see tho vast > heaps of corn and fruit, and if they con- ' Bidcred whose hand gave all this, their praise and gratitude mu6t fill every heart. God could withhold His good gifts from them, and ' He did so at times to teach them to be more 1 dependent upon Him. Many a man who was prosperous and had gathered a store of wealth 1 in this world had said "my own right hand 1 has got this wealth ;" but was it so? Take 1 for example the farmer. They all knew there was a great difference in the success of an [ experienced farmer and one who was inexperienced. The first had knowledge ; had energy, and cultivated his ground wisely and well j put in the right crop to pay, and never lost a chance of turning the land to profit. ' The other was the opposite of that ; nothing ' seemed to thrive with him. But was it right 1 for the prosperous man to say "my own right ' hand has got me all this wealth." Where 1 would be. his success if God did not • give him power to obtain this wealth ? If God, for instance, had deprived him of his intellect or had taken away his 1 strength and energy things would have turned out differently with him. When seasons of ' drought came, for instance, and food for cattle wes scarce ; crops ruined by blight, by 1 rust, by mildew ; when tho turnip crop failed on account of the fly, or Btorms destroyed tho crops, few people saw the hand of God in that ; they put it down to natural causes. The harvest season reminded them of tho harvest which was the end of the world and which, was God's harvest day, when tho angels would be the reapers. It waa only (hen that God's true people would be gathered together. Let them realise that; let them realise what they owed to God. If man would only aoe things aright they would strive to correot their ways, and God's blessings would he showered upon this earth, and there would be no neglect of God's Sabbath Day. They would not see men reapiDg and 1 gathering m their crops on the Lord's Day. Then peeple, both rich and poor, young and old, would be seen flocking to the House of God to thank Him for His goodness. The great harvest day of God was fast approaching, and what thoy sowed on this earth they would reap in eternity. Those who sowed in tears in this Tvorld would reap in joy in eternity. In a little while God's harvest day would dawn, and all faith--1 ful to Him would reap their eternal reward. Nothibg could be truer than this; -nothing njoro sure than that he who soweth to the flesh in this world should of the flesh reap corruption ; but he who soweth to the spirit should reap life everlasting. Then let them not only believe in God, but strive with all 1 their power to serve him faithfully; In conclusion, Mr Preston referred to the Jews 'in Egypt, and the plagues that God sent to them for their disobedience. Such plagues might be sent unto them if they did not harken unto God. So let them rejoice in the Lord, not only on this day, for Mb good gifts, but, rejoice at' all times. Bejoice in ; tho : Lord always, and again ho would eay, "Be-

jqice, stand fast in the faith j acquit yourselves like men," The service, which all througti'Tvas very interesting, was then brought to a close.