THE BISHOP OF WAIAPU.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3361, 30 October 1911, Page 5

THE BISHOP OF WAIAPU.

SPECIAL SERAHCES AT HOLY TRINITY CHURCH.

Special services were held at Holy Trinity Church yesterday in connection with the visit of the Right Rev. A. AY. Averill, Bishop of AVaiapu, to this portion of his extensive diocese. At 7.30 a.m. there was a celebration of the Holy Eucharist, his Lordship being the celebrant. The Bishop was assisted at the service by the A'icar of Holy Trinity (Rev. L. Dawson Thomas) and" the Revs. \V. H. Roberts and F. AA T . Chatterton. The number attending constituted a record for an early morning service. At 11 a.m. Choral Alattins were sung by the AHcar, the clergy taking part being the Revs. AV. H. Roberts and Al. AvT Butterfield.

At this service there was a church parade of a detachment of the Defence and High School Cadets. A number of South African veterans were also present. Bishop Averill preached the sermon, and gave a very powerful address from Luke 11., the second part of the 49th verse: “Wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?” In the afternoon, at 2.30, the Bishop, accompanied by the Vicar, journeyed out to Mangapapa, and conducted service at St. John’s Hall, which was officially opened by his Lordship on Friday 'evening. In his sermon his Lordship drew comparisons between spiritual light and spiritual darkness. Holy Trinity Church was crowded for the evening service last night, it being estimated .that fully 450 people were present. A special mission service was held. The Vicar conducted the service, the lessons being read by the Rev. F. W. Chatterton. The Bishop of Waiapu delivered two powerful evangelical sermons. His first discourse was _on the subject of spiritual sight. In this beautiful world of ours, lie stated, many sights and sounds existed, which could not be seen or heard by the finite mind. When Jesus was baptized the heavens were opened; the spiritual world was unfolded. It was only when Jesus gave people spiritual sight that they could see Him. But we had to cqme to God before we could get this spiritual sight. It would be remembered that Christ could do nothing at Nazareth because of the unbelief of the people. Jesus will never override man’s freewill, and we had to come to Him before we could receive that spiritual sight which made all things clear. His Lordship preached his second discourse from the text, ‘Tear God and keep His Commandments, for this is the whole matter.” At times of great national joy or sorrow, lie stated, the religious instinct was quickened and awakened. He could well remember the “Black Week” during the Boer War, when the whole of London was on its knees. That instinct ought to prevail and govern our lives at all times. The spiritual instinct was a tender plant, which became atrophied unless it were used, and God would take it away if man did not use it. His Lordship instanced pride, worldliness, and the grosser sins as militating most against the religious instinct in man. Many people’s lives were so full that there _ was no room in them for God. He abjured his hearers not to drift .into animalism, and reminded them that ‘‘man shall not live by bread alone, but by any word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” It was the religious instinct which moves the will*; the will makes moral decisions, which form habits; and habits shaped destiny. The question they had to ask themselves. was: Whether am I going to be with God, or drift into a life of alienation? The question was worth asking. This evening ,at 7.30 o’clock, Bishop Averill- will meet the parishioners o f Kaiti at the schoolhouse, for the purpose of discussing church extension in that suburb. To-morrow afternoon his Lordship will address the mothers in Holy Trinity Church at 2.30 o’clock in the afternoon. In the evening the Bishop will attend a meeting in Holy Trinity schoolroom, at which the central church extension scheme will- be discussed.