CLARKS PLAT.

Tuapeka Times, Volume XVIII, Issue 1180, 16 September 1885, Page 5

CLARKS PLAT.

(From our own Correspondent.) The dancing class, which had a session of twelve evenings, had a " wind up " on Friday evening last. The Committee invited the parents and friends to a frugal entertainment in order that their efforts should be weighed by results. "Your own " was never a dancer, but being a friend of the young trippevs, he attended as a critic, to judge for myself. And from what he saw, and considering that the material to be worked upon was both raw and rough, the success was most marked. Several of the youngsters never heard the "godless fiddle" bafore. Mr John Nichol made an excellent M.C., and ifc must be said of him that he seems to be very attentive to the young. The music was supplied by Mr W. Robinson. We are simply a bucolic and pastoral people, and far removed from the busy haunts of a civilised community. Our opportunities and our privileges of getting good are few and meagre ; our friends are few — our censors many ; indeed, it is surprising that we are as good as we are. The church (the Presbyterian Church, I mean, aa we are all professed Presbyterians) has simply done nothing to fill the void. She only givea us twenty to twenty-five minutes' preaching six time a year, totalling 120 minutes, equal to two hours annually, with no week-night service. Now, if this is sufficient spiritual food for raising us up to a higher and holier elevation, then the central congregation must have abundance and to spare. There are eleven or twelve members at Olairks Flat and a large host of adherents. Not long ago there was elected a strong bpdy of elders, who are supposed to aid the minister in his multifarious labors in the maintenance of Gospel ordinances, in the outskirts of the parish. Now we shall suppose, for the sake of argument, that the said eleven are all " converted "(I uae ths term -with great caution),' are we fco perish for the bread of life, when others are supplied at the Master's table to the full and have to spare? Suppose these eleven men were converted Chinese. We should hear of the flag of victory flying upon every missionary platform from Exeter Hall to Japan. The Synod of Otago and Southland would appoint a missionary at, say, £150 per annum to minister to this most interesting people. The magazines would all blow about this inraid upon heathenism, and it is very probable that a ladies' committee would be appointed to visit this El Dorado of the Christian world. But it happens that we are the same flesh and blood and of kindred associations of British Christians. Of course I am only writing of ministering labor. I cannot leave the subject without paying a due meed of praise to the Wesleyan minister for the very 'efficient service in ministering to us once a month; and with much acceptance. Mr Griffin Bays nothing about dancing or any particular sin or sins ; he evidently belongs to a class of the old school who, at the command of the Saviour, went into the world and preached the Gospel. And the preaching of the Gospel has ever been and shall be until the last sinner ii brought into the fold of the Redeemer— " The power of God unto salvation." The session's deputy (Mr Robert Neill) also holds service once a month ; but still there are two Sundays in the month to fill in. The prayer meeting, which ib considered part of the church's machinery, has no being ; no blue ribbon meeting, although we number over 30 members; no lectures nor concerts ; nor any society hav-. ing for its object the moral elevation of the people. View thera things ye people with the eye of charity.