The Rev. John Elmslie.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXII, Issue 6653, 31 October 1888, Page 2

The Rev. John Elmslie.

Wo lake the following description of the Bey J. Elmslio (■who was for years resident hero), and of his church from o Christchurch paper of recent date : Tho congregation on Sunday night was a largo one. When the people were inside tho building the congregation did not seem so large as it was, because one could not see all who woro in tho gallery ,but when they all passed out into tho street it was apparent that tho people muster in large numbers at the evening service at St. Paul's. The members of the congregation were well dressed and prosperous looking. Glancing cursorily around at them one would concludo that they wero all well-to-do people, for whom the problem of poverty had no near personal interest. One could not help noticing, too, tho Btrongly marked, vigorously intellectual look of tho whole of tho congregation. Their manner of cntoring the church has a sturdiness »nd independence about it. Thoy walk quietly in and sit down in a matter of fact way. They do not, oxcopt in few cases, bow their heads upon taliDg their seats, but wlion they do pray they set about it, as they do about their worldly affairs, as if they meant to give their minds to if, and to do it in the completest and most thorough way possible. One fact I noticed at St Paul's, and that was there was a larger proportion of young men in the congregation than I havo seen in any church I havo yet visited. This I thought to be a very healthy sign of tho liveliness of religion among tho Preabyturiun people. Precisely at half -past six thn Roy. John Elmslio, the minister of the church, ascended tho stairs and entered tho pulpit, and in a clear, strong voice, and in sonorous tones, slowly read a psalm. Mr Klmslic, as ho is seen in the pulpit, has a most -\pnerablo and patriurchal appearance. Of course, as a minister of the Church which shook itself free from ceremonial and all which accompanies it, Mr Elmshc wears no vestments. The cole relief to his sombre black gown is the clerical whito ho. Mr Elmslie is, I should say, between fifty and sixty years of age. Ills hair is gray, Ins beard is greyer still. Time has brushod the hair from tho centre of his massivo head, and only a fringe at tho sides and at tho base of the head remains. His face is rugged, intellectual, shroud, and thoughtful, with a shade of sternness. There is nothing artificial about his manner, which i» characterised by c xtremo simplicity . That ho is practical, hns sound common sense, knows human nature, and has a certain amount of contempt for fashionable efforts to reclaim the sinner, was,l thought, evidenced by a romiirk made in his sermon anenttho procedure which some people consider nil that is necessary to bring bnck immoral young men to tho path of virtue. As vt ith hands upraised and grey-bearded face upturned he prays for his people, the Hoy. John Elmslio somehow sets one thinking of Tariousvonerable characters in sacred histon. Tlie coneludins words of one of these citeniporo petitions, " Lord bless our evening prayer," and Mr Elmslio's simple and trusling manner of saying them, were, I thought, extremely beautiful and impressn c. Mr Elmslie speaks well. He does not aim at being a rhetorician. Ho doe 3 not strivo to produce an effect, but succeeds in being offectivo without striving. He freely makes use of rnotaphors, and likes to illustrate his tliemo with examples from thoßiblc. Ho is not unimpassioned speaker. Ho is by no means omotional, but lie puts abundance of power, force, nnd pointedijesf into his utterances. Tho only mannerism which he possesses is a peculiar roll whichhe gives to the words when ho is reading tho Scriptures, as though unwilling to let the words leave his lips until ho was satisfied that they were duly rounded and lubricated. I particularly liked Mr Elmslie'a manner of in\oking tho benediction. In fact, 1 was altogether favourably impressed with tho vnner.ible minister of St. Paul's.