The Hawaiian gazette., 1882-10-25
Rev. Mr.. Cook at Fort s.. Church.

Fort Street Church was crowded to its utmost
capacity on tie evening of Sunday the 22d inst.
the ostensibe object of the unusually large gath
ering being to listen to q sermon OF address from
the Rev. Joseph Cook, who is vel! known to peo-
pie in the Eastern States of America by his "Alon
day Noon Lectures" Mr.. Cook was a through
passenger per steamer ZealqHdia from Australia
for San Francisco and the time of the steamers
arrival gave the opportunity desired, to hear the
reverend gentleman After the usual preliminary
exercises Of the evening service had been finished
Mr.. j. A. Cruzan. the pastor Of the church. intro
duced Rev. Mr. Cook as an old friend. stating that
he (Air. Cruzani had first heard the gentleman in
1875, when there was less than 100 people present
as regular audience and had afterwards heard
Mr.. Cooke when the audience were numbered by
thousands
Rev. Mr.. Cook took for the text Of the evening.
Mathew xvi.3. "And in the morning It will be
foul weather to-day; for the sky is red and lower
ing. o ye hrpocrites, We can discern the face of
the sky: but can ye not discern the signs of the
timesf''
The preacher divided his text into three heads
the personal. national and cosmopolitan signs Of
the times" There were two personal signs Of the
times. First the love Of sin and second the r1iIt
Of it. From these he urged his hearers to deliver
themselves If they desired to enjoy the happiness
of the hereafter. The national signs of the times
was the advance of Christianity and as especially
noticeable among the islands Of Micronesia and
Polynesia de thought the great question was
Can Christianity sustain itself on these islands,
can II adapt itself to the mixed races sprinQnQ up
Can il make the Government interested in the
moral welfare Of the people," if so the Islands
wero safe, otherwise they would be ultimately
wrecked and God would visit his displeasure by
casting the people to the four winds OF the earth.
The cosmopolitan sign was the noticeable spread
Of Christianity to that extent which severed the
distinction Of foreign lands: there were now no
foreign lands TO Christianity. The Roman En-
pire IN its day was vast, and Cesar could not ac-
complish the journey around 1t in less than 100
days. To-day the world itself in its whole entirety
can be encircled in 20 days, and in this latter
Christian Empire, the sound OF Christian bells on
the shore and Christian lights the sea are per
petually within sound and sight Of one another
He had seen church in Japan built by confribu-
tons from these islands, and In which His Majesty
the King had delivered an address. He predicted
glorious future for these islands Other signs
were the separation Of Church and State the SEEM
ing growth Of nfidelity. This the Lecturer attrib
ued TO the cheapness Of printing and the habit Of
self thought The speaker thought that the world
was like young man going 10 college; passing
through its Sophmorc years, or in that transitory
state where It knows enough 10 ask questions only.
Massachusetts at present bad more small philoso-
piers 20 the square foot than all the other States
Mr.. Cook considered that Christianity was now
secure and constantly on the march OF progress.
After reciting his creed in series Of three verses,
the speaker Joined with the audience in silent
prayer. and then departed for the Zeaiasdfa.