CHAPTER IV.
Thirty years ago there was little preaching and printing in and around Castlemaine—a place then scarcely known by name. One morning a written notice met the eye of a churchman and gladdened his heart by the announcement that a minister of the Church of England was to preach that day under a large gumtree near Heape’s Store, at Lever Point, Moonlight Flat. The arrival of the hour was guessed at, for watches were not then in every fob; but one or two had gathered below the gum-tree when a young gentleman dressed in a black suit drew near. He was spared the usual “Joe” given to those unfortunates who from necessity had to sport a “bell-topper,” for to the credit of the digger, be it said, the Lord’s day has been, from the first days of gold workings, observed with becoming propriety. The advancing stranger seemed by his very gait to be a clergyman. He took his stand under the tree, and began to read the beautiful service for morning prayer. One or two gathered round, and soon, about a dozen diggers stood under the canopy of Heaven and listened to the form of sound words uttered by the man of God. One came and another went, but about a score remained until the termination of the service. Strange to say, not two of the congregation were baptised or shepherded by the same pastor, for all were far from the homes of their youth. Gruff and grim, with mud bespattered dress, the bearded men were as orderly as could be expected, and had put their pipes into their pockets. Prayer ended, the minister began, “Fellow diggers,—I am a stranger to you all, and we are all strangers to each other. This is the first time I ever preached extempore, or in the open air, and under the blue vault of Heaven, and although I had prepared a written discourse, yet I feel constrained to speak to you about that for which we are all searching.” He did so, and with beautiful simplicity persuaded them not to be less anxious for the gold in the gospel than for the gold in the ground. “Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal.” The sermon ended, and all parted after the solemn benediction. Not long after this young minister met with a sudden death in the vicinity of Melbourne, and he is now gone to receive the treasure which he laid up in Heaven.
