The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1895-09-24
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could hardly sink lower than IL hai
when It regards service of God and tn,
ministrattons of religion as matter,
which may be as lightly laid aside "a 4
concert by the band. As | have already
said, the question for you to consider IL
whether any responsibility rests upon
the Anglican Church for this decay OF
religion. Suppose an attempt were to
be made to close the churches in Sydney
or in Auckland, would not the laity
have made their voice heard that II
must not be. And IL there were that
earnestness and that unity in the Angli-
can Church here that there should be,
although our church may be numerical.
! ly small IL would have voice that would
be listened to. But how can a strong
protest come from those who are them
selves Indifferent With what force
could the members of the church unite
in complaint of the churches being
closed, when there are some who let
weeks pass without being seen within
these walls, and Others to whom 1t
might be retorted, Have you never
voluntarily staid away from church for
three Sundays at time, for the most
trivial reasonsg
Now there is no evil in the world, but,
il rightly used, may be productive of
good. There is many treasure which
is not valued until it is lost. And it will
not have been in vain that this closing
OF the churches has taken place, II it
has caused many to realize what other
wise they would not have realized, what
they would have been deprived Of IL in
stead of being closed for three weeks
the churches had been shut for three
months. If such a realization makes
you value your church privileges in a
way you have not hitherto Valued them
and causes all the members of the
church to resolve that their place
in the congregation shall not in
future remain unoccupied, except
for weighty reasons, then il ever
IL should be proposed again, when Gods
judgements fall upon the city, that its
inhabitants should initiate the example
of Asa and trust to the physicians,
without seeking to the Lord as well,
you will have voice that must make
itself respected.
But there may be some who say,
cuul0 not the duties of religion be
equally well performed in private, IL it
was thought necessary by the author
tiles to prohibit all public assemblies? 1t
may be asked-llas not our Saviour
Himself told us to pray in private, with
the promise that our Father which
seeth in secret will reward us openly?
That is true. But, He, Himself, has at
tached to public prayer blessing he
yond that given to prayer by ourselves.
Where two or three are gathered to.
gether in His name. He has promised
to be in the midst of them" And the
reason of this is that the chuch is much
more than collection of individuals
The Baptism of each infant is not the
adding of grain of wheat to the gener-
al heap on the granary floor, to remain
in its single separate individuality.
IL IL its incorporation in body.
We became members of Christ, and 80
were brought into fellowship one with
another as the grains of wheat
are when after being ground they are
united in one loaf. Hence il
will be clear to you that we have
religious duties, and acts of service
which can only be performed in union
with others. Common worship was the
mark of the church in its infant days.
1t is in common worship that we realize
as we cannot in our private prayers that
our fellowship is with the Father, and
with his son Jesus Christ, and through
him we have fellowship one with An.
other And consequently, if any pre-
tend that no wrong is committed, no
violence done to religion. by putting a
stop to the common worship of our
Assembled Lord in the House of God,
such persons show themselves to be ig-
norant of the first principles Of Christian
itv, which require it's disciples to con-
tuuc "steadlast in the Apostles doc
trine and fellowship, aud in the break
ing of the bread, aud in the prayers;"
which ia,plles the assembling of the
whole body with one accord in one
place, for common prayer and common
worship. ami then common benediction
Of the Almighty Spirit.