NORTHERN PIONEER LODGE.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 1944, 29 March 1875, Page 2

NORTHERN PIONEER LODGE.

ANNIVERSARY SSEITVICE.

The anniversary service of the Northern Pioneer Lodge of Good Templars was held yesterday aftefnodn in St George's iHall. s ;Mr Browne* of the Kaueranga School .presided. The attendance was large,? arid some preliminary business in connection with the order having been disposed of, the general public were admitted, and the service commenced. An excellent... choir was present, and a harmonium provided. Mr Browne took for his text the Epistle of St. Paul *o the Hebrews, chap, 2, 18th verso — " For in that he himself hath suffered, he is able to succour them that are tempted." , .He dilated on the evil effects of temptation, and remarked upon the , necessity of i observing religion, not only on stated occasions and at home, but in' the ordinary avocations of life, and amid the busy hum of the business world, wbere the Lord was ever at hand ready to lend succour and guidance. Beferring to the many temptations held out to youth, the preacher spoke of dancing as follows:—" In dancing we know that there is, actually, no sin; but there are certain things which have an evil tendency, and it is to this we must look. There is no harm in turning a little off the main road, but we may loose ourselves in the many alleys and byerwaysi tl?at; shoot off from ifc. ;Sodn dancing.it is not sinful in itself; but it creates a taste for things which are.not; necessary. It is the same with drinking, when many persons administer to others, refreshments; jiih and thereby cause them, perhaps, to become drunkards, gamblers, and vicious persons, though the original intention was gooi." Mr Browne then _ co-ptih uejd his sermon with special reference to the order of Godcl Templars, as tending to better the general condition of the masses. At the" conclusion iof the sermon a collection wa< made, the proceeds to be devoted jointly to tfce Thames Hospital and Ladies 5 Benevolent Society. The anniversary celebration will be brought to a close by a soiree at St. George's Hall this evening.