The Story of the Otago Church and Settlement (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1887 edition. Excerpt: ...of her impressive preaching, and the names of scores of converts who were quickened through her words, were added to our communion rolls. Two of our ministers, some years ago, visited one of the goldfields, and found, to their surprise, one-half of the population quite incapable, from a free indulgence in too deep potations. The popular storekeeper of the district, it seemed, had unhappily fractured his leg, and his friends, having gone to condole with him, had drunk immoderately of the whisky which he had bountifully supplied. "We had occasion once to pass a night in the quiet hamlet of Kingston, and we asked our host to allow us to conduct a short service in his house before retiring. That, although he was a Roman Catholic, he readily allowed. In our little company there were two young men from Nevis. One of them, after four years residence in those high regions, was on his way to Dunedin to take ship for Scotland. He told me it was the first time he had been asked to worship God since he had come to Otago, and he had begun to think that up-country, at least, there was no religion These were small centres somewhat remote and inaccessible, and overlooked in the earlier endeavours of the Church to plant Ordinances in more populous districts. Sad cases often met us of spiritual declension, and of dreadful apostacy from God. Some who had professed conversion in the Home country, and had entered with a joyous ardour upon Christian work, gave themselves with whole-hearted devotion to the pursuit of riches in this new land, and flung from them, one by one, the religious habits of the past, until not a shred of the Christianity which they once professed relieved the bitter worldliness that wrapped them round. "I would give all my wealth," cried one of...