BAPTIST CHURCH.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume XXXX, Issue 5703, 13 September 1911, Page 4

BAPTIST CHURCH.

THE NEW TABERNACLE

■DEDICAT-TRY SERVICE

.Yesterday was a red-letter day in the history of the -liap.ti.st • t-ausie in Tauranga, .when tho new Tabernacle, which is sufficiently forward for the conduct of public worship, was formally opened by the representatives of the Auckland Baptist Auxiliary. The Rev. A.. .North, Secretary of tiie Auxiliary, and pastor of the .Ponsonby Church, presided. Amon-g the other t visitors pi*esent were Rev. W. R. Woolley ; President of the Auckland Baptist Auxiliary ; Rev. E. -A. Kirwbed,. of Grange R»ad Baptist Ohuroh, Auckland ; Rev,. Doug-las Mill, of Hamilton Baptist Church ;•■ Mr W. H. Lamb, treasurer of the Auckland Baptist Taiberneole ; Mr T. -F. Hill, secretary of the Auckland Baptish Tabernacle ; and Mr G*. C. Garlick, -secretary of, the Auckland Baptist Tabernacle Sunday School. The Roy. A. Hopper, Methodist Minister, of AVaihi, was also in attendance. Tho weather conditions were most unpropitious, and militated somewhat against the at-

tendance

The service opened with the hymn "Ye Nations, Round the Earth Re-

j°ice'" , A f The Rev. North then made a lew introductory remarks and said he rc^ gar-ded it as a great privilege to t-atoe part in the opening' service of the new church. He then read a fewpassages of scripture -appropriate to the occasion. He afterwards offered the dedicatory prayer, invoking the divine blessing on the new church, and returned thanksgiving for the help and gifts which had been forthcoming. . • The hymn "Thy Presence and rhy Glories Lord" was then rendered, after which the meeting was thrown open for a short season of prayer. The hymn "Jesus 'Where'er Thy People Meet There They Behold Thy Mercy-Seat," followed. ■ .. ' Rev Douglas Mill then delivered a stirring address. He considered it a irreat privilege to be asked to deliver the first address in the new Baptist Church of- Tauranga.. He thought the day was a most auspicious' one in-a spiritual sense tor the people of Taimanga, especially for the Baptist community. TLhe bdi.ldi.ng would stand as a place.for the development of the -best and truest in*'mankind. He considered that when the church was finished it would be a credit to all those Avho had been associated with it. J'he chuich would be the meeting place for believers, -but it existed for more than that, and would be the place vh-re the Gospel would be preached, arid where the sinner would be saved He exhorted tiiose who would be the workers at the church to welcome the sinner, but at the same time to keep the worldly aspect out of the ohurc* They should always keep the cross of Christ in its sacrificial and atoning place before the

The hymn "For This *ew House wc praise Thee" was then rendered, after -wbich the Rev. W. Barnett led in prayer, closing* the mooting With the benediction.