THE JUBILEE.

Timaru Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 3965, 23 June 1887, Page 2

THE JUBILEE.

■» UNITED JUBILEE SERVICE. The United Jubilee service held m Trinity Presbyterian Church on Monday evening was very Ruccessful. Despite the darkness and dreariness of the night there were almost two huudred people present. The firat address was given by the Rev. Wm. Gillies, on the circulation of the Bible during the past fifty years. He quoted Voltaire's saying " that all the people wanted was bread and amusements;" but as loyal subjects of King Jesus as well as of Qneen Victoria vre believo they wanted religion also ; and we have reasons to thank God that this was one of the deepest seutiments of tha heart of our noble Queen. After sketching the great work being dono by Biblo Societies, to one of which, the British and Foreign, the Queen has for many years been a subscriber, of £200 per annum, he referred to an address which had just been issued by twelve M.L.C.'s and seven M.H.R.'s, which begins thus, "The provision m the Education Act, 1877, which prohibits the reading of the Bible m the Public Schools is, m our opinion, a stain on a comrminity professing to be Christians." The address calls upon tho electors to see that at the coming elections men may bo returned who will wipe out this stain. This, tho speaker said, was a consummation devoutly to be wished, a sentiment which tho hearty applause of the meeting endorsed. The

Rev. Mr Marten, Wesloyan Minister, then sketched rapidly the Evangelistic work of the past fifty years referring to the more prominent workers, and pointing out that this Evangelistic work had tended to bring the churches closer together, paving the way, it might bo, for their yet future union into one. Her Majesty was referred to a3 setting an example m this matter of union of the churches, which unfortunately is not followed out by tho church of which she is the Royal Head. When she is m Scotland sho always worships m the Presbyterian Church, and has oft expressed her appreciation of tho simplicity and earnostnessof its worship. The Rev. Mr Williams, Congregational minister.followed with an address on the Foreign Mission work uf the past fifty years, contrasting tho little that had been done at the beginning of that period with what is now being carried on. The statistics which he quoted of money given, of men employed, and of converts gained, showed a moat remarkable progress. Tho Rbv. Mr Brown, Baptist minister, next spoko upon the active and aggressive church work of the fifty years as specially illustrated by the Ragged Schools. He mentioned with honour their founder John Pounds, tho cobbler of Portsmouth, and then Dr Guthrio of Edinburgh, their great advocato and friend, as also Lord Shaftesbury, who had taken such a deep interest m all work of Christian benevolenco. The closing addresss was by the Rev. Mr Jones, Primitive Methodist minister, on the Temperance work of the fifty years,referringspecially^to the opposition it had to oncounter m fts earlier stages, and now its occupation of a permanent position among the questions of theday, and its having become such that all society of every rank are being made to boar tho responsibility of the attitude they assume toward it. The addresses were all interesting and instructive, and secured the marked favour of the audience. It may be safely said that it was one of the most enjoyable and satisfactory of all the Jubilee demonstrations. The meeting terminated with the singing of the first verse of the National Anthem.