MRS HAMPSON’S MISSION.

Western Star, Issue 455, 22 June 1881, Page 2

MRS HAMPSON’S MISSION.

AB VIEWED BT A OOUKTJiV 3ETTI.BH. On visiting Invercargill; one is struck with the fact that the question on the lips, of the many is, Have you heard Mrs HdirifP son ? Of a truth the public mind has been sorely exercised of late by that lady, and the rival schools of theology have hurled the Bible and the Apostle Paul at each others’ heads till some at all events of the combatants have in the coiifu ioii'and din of the' strife overlooked the importance of holuim* and propounding their vioWa With .duo charity towards those from whom theV differ. Had the worthy Apostie lived in our days* it appears 10 me more than probable that ho would have b'eeu moved to ddd another verso to the admirable 13th chapter of I. Corinthians, to read as follows ; “ Though I holdsound views as to the position of women in' the church, and refuse by my example fcp sanction anything out of the usual, and yel have no charity—that abiding' grace—it profiteth me nothing.” For myself I find little difficulty in showing respect to honest bhlief, however different it may be to my own, and can! understand the refusing to puf anything but the moat literal! construction ori any words, and do tfish' to exercise due charity towards all those who do so ; but I would, at the same time, claim from them in' return the exercise of charity towards myself. Conscientiously holding that certain of the expressions of the Apostle which they’ build so much on only refer to meetings of the church for the transaction of business or discipline, that certain others may be no more’ binding in the present day than those relating to dress or customs long past, such as* say, the saluting one ariother with a holy kiss, and that in any case exceptional gifts cannot be bound by general rule, I found m'y way ; with many others to hear the lady preariherand, like many others, enojyed the' service' immensely. Of bourse, as might bebXpected« opinions differ widely as to Mrs Hamps'oa’tf gifts. Certain lukewarm friends think it just possible that he who in Balaam's time' preached through the agency of an ass mW now-a-days' preach through the agency of apoor weak woman, and her more opfen op. ponents affirm that on the stage ber no'wers' would be reckoned but third class. Leaving tins latter assertion, which may after all have' little bearing on her gifts as a preacher for experts m matters theatrical to deblle Tmust express the conviction that notwithstanding cerlamj'minor defects, her elocution .s on he whole so good, that as a speaker, to* my mind she surpasses anything I have hea*il m Southland. If (lie manner be but third class for the stage it certainly appears to'me to be first-class' for the Southland prilpit, preferable even to that of the Rev. Dr Somerville, who visited us some three years' ff' J attubute her success as a' speaker.howem, as some haVe dope, to* the' fact ch#

Uhe has graduated from no college, but from hospitals and the like, appears to me to be the setting up of a position that is quite untenable. To my mind, her . success is rather to 'he attributed to tho fact that she is endowed ’by nature wilb considerable ofitoncal ability, land that her heart is thoroughly in her -work. Had she had the advantage of a college education it would doubtless have saved her from ‘some minor defects, which could n 0 t hut jar 'on the educated ear. Yet, notwithstanding ’all defects, it appears to me that as a Ihreadher she Iwdiild. Onjoy.a very high .pines in. the NeV Zealand pulpit, pigh educational attainments are not absolutely necessary to en*ut‘9 sticoess, as witness Moody, 'who it is said, On- one occasion preached from Iwhat he . felled a word pf fire letters, .and left the critical among his hearers, iu.doubt asj, to whether, be could not count tho length ofi 'fire or could not spell his felt, the word! *" able." In any. case I could not listen to; Mrs Hampton without .being ptrnck with tho 1 tapt that she had something to sav and had! i;istiidied .well h.ow to say that.something most; to her hearers.. There was with ’her no spoiling tbe beauty of hymns or' 'scripture with lengthy remarks of a. weak or' 'irrelevanti nature, no speaking as if against; ’time, hut preaching of such a nature Jhbnt| 'when, tiioie was up, one regretted the fact’ that she must needk. close and resume her* f «eat. But now a word, with, regardto evan - -gelistio missions. , .While a firm believer in religion, in evangelistic services apd revival ’meetings, it at.the same time eerfainly.,dops-. ’appear -to, me impossible to approve of all, 'that is.'.said or done when the excitement is; high. Tlie preacher, whether male or female, j ’may occasionally forget the fact that to .cxt.pl' 'the great doings '..of self is not preaching' /Christ, and. the professed converts while un--'deniably giving proof of present sincerity in ‘standing boldly up before , a houseful and ’With stammering tongue declaring their new' round joy, may nevertheless be led to forget that admonition which, all past experience proves to be specially needed at revival-times ; l‘‘X<et him that thinketh he stendeth takeheed lest he. fall.”, .Notwithstanding all that may be ’aaid af a qualifying nature with regard to mis-• ' sion work, it is peverthejess gratifying to know 'that there is at present appearances of good 'resulting from. Mrs Sampson’s mission, that ‘ some professing Christians have experienced : a time;©?, refreshing and revival, and that hot ;.a few of the careless are professing conversion. Time will , prow us ; all, both professing 'Christians of-Jong, standing, and new fledged ‘converts.. ■ The religion. Which is soul saving, ‘saves from sin, givep the victory-.over the ‘World, the. flesh and the devil, and.ultimatoly 'makes the, Christian ,to become a living epistle 'knownandread of all.moh.