ST. ALRAN'S CHURCH.
THE NEW BRICK CHANCEL.
I The foundation stone of the new brick chancel of St. Alban's Anglican Church on the Mt. Roskill road-—the first instal-
jment towards a proposed entire brick ;church —was.laid by Bishop Neligan on Saturday afternoon. The church of St. Albans is embraced in the parochial dis-trict-of St. Barnabas', of which the Rev. Mr McFarland is the vicar. The Rev. H. B. Wingfield is ourate-in-charge oi St. Alban's. The present church is a wooden structure of some 20 years' standing, and it is intended to gradually replace it by a brick church. The chancel, which is now being erected by Mr Gibson, is of semi-circular shape, and includes, in addition, a new organ loft. For this, presumably, a new organ will be required in the near future. The ceremony on Saturday was attended by a large congregation. Mr Messenger's band provided the instrumental music, and the vocal element was supplied by a strong choir of ladies and surplieed boys. The Bishop was accompanied by his chaplain, the Rev. M. Sutton, and the clergy of the parish were also present. The service was of the usual Anglican order, and included the consecration sentences and the lesson from Ezra iii. 10-11, describing the foundation stone laying of the Temple on the return of the Israelites from captivity In Babylon. The stone bore the following declaration: —"Ad majorem die glorian. This stone was laid by Moore Richard, Bishop of Auckland, August sth, 1905. Except ihe Lord build the house, their labour is but lost that build it (Psalm cxxvii)." In- the performance of the ceremony, Ilis Lordship used a silver-mounted mallet of native woods, given by Mr James Prince. In a cavity of the stone were placed a mason jar containing the day's "Star" and "Herald," an historical statement concerning St. Alban's Church, recording the fact that the work was i financed by subscriptions of the people, | mainly in small weekly sums, a programme of the day's proceedings, and the | names of officials of the church con- ! eeraed in the work. The Bishop delivered a sermon on the text of 1 Chron. xxix. 18. referring to Solomon's temple, and made refrrence to Saint Alban, tbe Roman Christian, on the site of whose martyrdom in Hertfordshire now stood a magnificent cathedral. Just as in the early days of the Israelites thp temple was the centre of the national life, so was the church of tq-day the outward expression of tbe national life and aspirations of the people. Some of the very utilitarian "people of the present day were surprised that so much of the Old Testament was devoted to the building and restoration of the Temple. But it was not waste of time for a nation to expend vast amounts of energy, thought, and care on the structure in which they gave expression to their national aspirations. The Temple led to sacrifices for God, and the national realisation of dependence on God produced a nations' unity which was for the nation's good. It produced high ideals. The only practical man was a man with an ideal; that which made a man was his capacity for forming ideals.
ST. ALRAN'S CHURCH.
Auckland Star, Volume XXXVI, Issue 187, 7 August 1905, Page 6
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