EPISCOPAL VISIT TO OTAHUHU.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume I, Issue 6, 7 June 1873, Page 11

EPISCOPAL VISIT TO OTAHUHU.

Oar Sunday, May 11, ilia Lordship tho Right Rev. Dr Croke made his visitation in the parish cf Otahuhu. At eleven o'clock, shortly after the arrival of the Bishop, mass was commenced by the Eector of the district, the Rev Father O'Hara. The church was well filled, many persons having come from a considerable distance, from Papakura, P.ipatoitoi, Mongari, and .Panmure. There was also a good number of Protestants, mostly of the Church of England. After communion, his Lordahip gave a most practioal discourse on prayer, the necessity of hearing mass on all Sundays and holy days of obligation ; and the great spiritual advantages t-» be derived from attending that great and solemn sacifice with proper atteution and devotion. He spoke with great earnestness on the proper training of children, as well under parental care as in the schools ; on the necessity of using wholesome correction, to force, if need be, the proper direction of their minds, to respect their parents and superiors, to obey the law of God, to love hie holy Church and respect her lawa : and thus by training tho children to Christian habits, they would be ornaments to the Church, and peaceful, orderly, and useful members of society. He gave a sweeping condemnation to tho antichrietian secular schools, which would have the tendency of raising uu a generation of disorderly youths ; for independent of moral and religious restraint, and regardless of the divine law, and, consequently, of t!ie law of the country, they would be controlled only by physical force and the terror of severe laws. Hence the secular ajbteui of education offered but a gloomy prospect for the state of the world. He made his discourse Btill mora familiar by citing aeveral striking examples, bearing on theae subjects, which fell under his own observation. He concluded by exhorting all to attend sedulously to their prayers, to the hearing of mass, and to the training and bringing up ot their children in a Christian manner. When mass was finished, his Lordship again addressed the congregation, and especially those who were about to receive confirmation. He gave a clear exposition of that sacrament, and of the duties and obligations of those who receive it. Twenty-five were confirmed. Bis Lordship was well pleased with the Church, which looked very neat, and also with the appearanoa of the congregation, and the place in general.