Patients and prisoners carol

A popular sea coast resort south of Dunedin: the mouth of the Brighton lagoon. - Otago Witness,...
A popular sea coast resort south of Dunedin: the mouth of the Brighton lagoon. - Otago Witness, 30.12.1914.
A bright and interesting Christmas service was conducted at the gaol yesterday morning by Mr F. G. Cumming, the agent of the Patients' and Prisoners' Aid Society.

His readings were Isaiah, chapter 53, and part of Matthew, chapter 2.

Mr Cumming gave a practical, terse, and short address on the first Christmas - ''Christ in Bethlehem'', and the second and individual Christmas - ''Christ in the Heart''.

The inmates present joined heartily in singing the Christmas hymns, led by the Hospital Choir.

This choir, conducted by Mr Logie, repeated some of the carols which they had sung in the Hospital the Sunday previous.

Mr Geo. Fenwick, chairman of Mr Cumming's committee, who was present with Mr Theomin, also a member of the committee, spoke some kindly words of greeting and counsel, emphasising the desire of the society to be of real help to those before him.

As an instance of what may be termed ''Christianity in action'', Mr Cumming had personally seen, during the week, that the wives and children of the prisoners received some help and cheer and season's greeting.

Each of the inmates was the recipient of a small bunch of flowers and a New Year card.

The proceedings closed with the singing of the National Anthem.

• On Christmas Day a united Christmas service was held in the Methodist Church, Port Chalmers, at 11 a.m., the Rev. G. T. Marshall (Methodist) and Ensign Lamond, of the Salvation Army, conducting the devotional part.

A large congregation was present. The Rev. W. M. Grant preached from Isaiah, ix, 6. After referring to the special circumstances of the war, as a call to prayer and faith, he said: ''Our thoughts to-day not only go out to the war, and to our brave people taking part in it, but we remember also, with especial thankfulness, the fact that 100 years ago to-day the gospel was publicly proclaimed for the first time in the land by the Rev. Samuel Marsden, the Anglican chaplain of New South Wales, whose church I have visited, and in which there are two marble tablets to his memory, one of them bearing this inscription: `Sacred to the memory of the Rev. Samuel Marsden, senior chaplain of this colony. The Father of the Australian Church, and founder of the New Zealand mission. This tribute to his memory was placed here by a New Zealand missionary, and his native converts at Wanganui. Obit. May 12, 1838. Aet 73.' I have stood with reverence by his grave in St. John's Cemetery, Parramatta. He was a man of fervent piety and apostolic zeal. In his love for souls he was led to New Zealand so that he might preach the gospel to the Maoris, whose ferocity and cannibalism at that time made them a terror to all who came into contact with them. And on Christmas Day 100 years ago - and that Christmas was also the Sabbath Day - in the Bay of Islands the glorious message of Christ's salvation was proclaimed by this servant of God.'' - ODT, 28.12.1914.

 


COPIES OF PICTURE AVAILABLE FROM ODT FRONT OFFICE, LOWER STUART ST, OR WWW.OTAGOIMAGES.CO.NZ

 

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