HOLY TRINITY CHURCH, LYTTELTON.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 1409, 2 September 1872, Page 2

HOLY TRINITY CHURCH, LYTTELTON.

The induction of the Rev F. Pember, M.A., as Incumbent of tho Parish of Holy Trinity, Lyttelton, took place yesterday after morning prayer. A large congregation filled the ohurch. The service was semi-choral, Mr C. Hodge presiding at tho organ. The hymns sung were 215, 127, and 205 from "Hymns Ancient; and Modern," which were used in .the church for the first time. Prayers were read by the Rev F. Pember, who also read fche leßsons for the day, Jeremiah v. and Matthew ii. The induction took place at the conclusion of the Litany. Tho Bishop advanced to the Communion rails, the Incumbent elect, and

fche,two churchwardens (Dr Donald and Dr Rouse); : being outside fche rails, bufc within the Chancel. - The Bishop said: Dearly beloved in tho I Lord — -I present unto you the Rev. Frederick Pember, M.A., who having been duly nominated to the cure of this parish of the Holy Trinity, Lyttelton, by the nominators of the diocese and the nominators of this parish, has applied to me for institution into tho cure, and has also made and subscribed before me the declarations which in this case are required ; and I, having full confidence in his fidelity, morals, learning, sound doctrine, and diligence, have given unto him these letters of institution, which will now be read unto you. And I do declare him thereby to be duly and canonically instituted into the cure and parish of the Holy Trinity, Lyttelton. His Lordship then read the letters of institution and handed them to fche Incumbent. Dr Donald, as senior churchwarden, presented fche keys of the church saying — In the name and on behalf of the parish* of the Holy Trinity, Lyttelton, I do receivo and acknowledge you the Roverend Frederick Peruber, M.A., as Curate and Incumbent of the same, and in token thereof I give into your hand the keys of this church. The Incumbent said : — " I, Frederick Pember, receive theso keys of the House of God at your hands as the pledges of my institution and of your recognition of me on behalf of this parish as curate and incumbent- of the samo : and I promise, by the help of God, to be for you and for those in this parish, who are, or may be, committed to my care, a faithful minister of Christ. In the namo of tho Father, and of the Son, and of fche Holy Ghost. Amen." The Bishop then offered up the following prayer : — " Almighty God, Giver of all good things, Who by Thy Holy Spirit hast appointed.divers orders of Ministers in Thy Church, mercifully behold this Thy servant vow called to the. office of curate of this parish, and so replenish him with the truth of Thy doctrine, and adorn him with innocency of life, that both by word aud deed he may faithfully serve Thee iv this office to the glory of Thy name, and tho edifying of this portion of Thy Church ; and grant, wo beseech Thee, to this Thy people now committed to his care, that under his ministry thoy may daily increase and go forward in- the knowledge and faith of Thee and of Thy Son by the Holy Ghost. So that, as well by this Thy Minister and by them over whom he has been appointed Minister, Thy Holy name may be for ever ■ glorified, and Thy blessed kingdom enlarged through Jesu3 Christ, our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee in the unity of fche Holy Spirit, one God, world without end. Amen." ; The Ante-Communion service was then pro« ceeded with, Jthe Epistle being read by theRev F. Pember, and tho Gospel by the Bishop. The sermon, of which tho following is a sketch, was preached by the Bishop from Cor. Ist, c. iii.. v. 9, " For wo are labourers together with God : ye are God's husbandry, yo are God's building." Did they nofc know that the Apostle spoko by direct inspiration of tho Holy Ghost, it would be almost proaumption on his part to say "wo are labourers together with God." Although salvation was of Go r d, it had pleased Him that salvation should be effected through tho instrumentality of men. God could effect tho salvation of souls without the aid of men, yet it had pleased Him to use human agency to carry on His great work. If forgiveness of sins was from God, still it was for men to proclaim that God was willing to forgive sins for Je3iis Christ's- sake. Every good and overy perfect gift was of God, but it came to man through human channels, and therefore, although the excellency of the power was of God, still God had employed mon as a means through which that power was applied, and in that sense they might say, " We are labourers together with God." Special assistance was promised to God's ministers in carrying on His work, bufc it waa given only to those who really laboured in it. If it were a. minister's sole aim to labour for the glory of God, sooner or later his work would be blessed to the people amongst whom ho laboured. Thus, then, tho power was of God, but the minister was the means through which God was pleased to apply that power. They had that day taken part in the institution of a minister to the cure of that parish. The appointment of a minister always deeply concerned fcho whole body of tho diocesan church. He was set over a particular portion specially to watch and labour for the salvation of souls ; he was entrusted with a certain sphere of action wherein he was specially required to labour for God. Every Christian delighted in what was dono in the service of God, and in tho worship of His house, and ifc would be part of the duty of their minister to help them in fulfilling their duty as priests unto God. He, too, as their appointed teacher, must show himself to be an approved worker rightly dividing the word of truth, so that they might all exhibit a visible growth in Christian life. No real labourer would, however, be satisfied with having only laboured in tho house of God ; he was appointed to watch over the souls of his flock, and to do this ho must look after individuals after the pattern of Christ, who showed himself to bo the good shepherd of His sheep. A parish priest must be a pastor as well as an evangelist; he must be moro than a preacher, he must look after tho souls of his flock. But whilst fcho minister was thus called upon to labour, tho concurrence and co-operation of his parishioners was also necessary. Thoy must nofc neglect to take their part in the service of God, they must labour in their vocation with their minister ; they were to be in the world a leaven to leaven, a light to lighten, and a salt to season it. In a word, they wore to be fellow-labourers wifch their minister in bringing .sinners to God. They should magnify his office, they should-respeefc and lovo him for Christ's sake ; they should remember too thafc the labourer was worthy of his hire, and they should ever bear their

minister in prayer before the throne of grace. Every Christian man ond woman had a mission to fulfil in God's husbandry ; to every one God gave the opportunity and power to fulfil it if they would only use those opportunities and powers. And if they did so, they might be said to be labourers together with God. The Holy Communion was celebrated at the close of the sermon, there being forty communicants. The offertory, which was in aid of fche minister's stipend fund, amounted to £4 16s sd. The service was concluded by the Bishop pronouncing the benediction.