TEA AND PUBLIC MEETING.

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

TEA AND PUBLIC MEETING.

In spite of the •inclement weathei there was a large actx-ndance. at thy; tea meeting in the A evening. Long taoles were neatly arranged on the northern <a.nd southern sides of the church..;-* and full justice was; done to the dainties; provided, a number oi ' ladies attending .most; expeditiously to the wants of;all. Miss'Barnett hud charge <o*- the arrangements,/and! was a'fc-ly ; assisted by Mesdames Biggs, Carpenter, Toomathv, Schi eiber, Buttimore;and Fountain. After tea 'the tables were cleared and the chairs '"arranged..in position for /the public meeting. The ' Rev. W. R. Wd'oiley presided' and seated,oiii'•/■th-e' platform with him were the Uev. WBarnett, Rev. A. Hopper and the Auckland visitoi_A /

Under a the ; conductorsliip 7 pi 'the Re*v.; Douglas Mill,f the children Tiesent rendered with much spirit" the hymns : '''Dare/- <tp bo a Dan-tl," "Throw Out the Life Lina,'-*'•.'"Stand up for Jesus" and -/When. Ite Cometh." Miss Elsie A 1/oomath- conl.ri-; buted the recitation * 'Little '1 bin-; 'my.'-'- Later the Rev. Douglas : $iU sang "Ho Will Hold .''.Vie'A-ast,;" yno with the Rev, E. A. Kirwood rendered a duet "Nailed to the Ci-oss./' The hymns •'All Hail the Power oi Jesus' Name"' and "The Church's One .Foundation" were also given. •Miss .Barnett presided _at the organ and all the musical 'items were brightly rendered. After the Rev. A. Hopper ha«_ led in prayer,, the Rev. W. R. Woolley said the Auckland visitors were gLae. -to be present that evening and to see such a large gathering in spite 01 the inclement weather. He hoped that a Sunday School would soon be estabifehad in connection with th-3 church. He spoke ins high praise of the generosity of Rev. W.. Barnett whose gift of at-ree site had encouraged the early building of the church. On behalf of the Auckland Auxiliary he wished to thank Mr Barnett and all those who had contributed money and labour in connection with the building. He hoped that the promoters would do .their, best by earnest and enthusiastic effort to serve Christ. They were not there in antagonism; to other/churche!s, but wished^to supplement •! their work- The new church was situated a considerable distance from any other church -;and he thought /there was rooni arid w o rk for all of them in this growing district. There w a S need of their testimony and he hoped the members of other denominations would work cordially with the infant church. -, He knew the Rev. Barnett and knew he was sound and earnest, in his Av-ork : on behalf of Christ. After referring in eulogistic/ terms to the kind reception -accorded to the Auckland visitors, Mr Woolley fsaid he hoped to visit Tauranga again in brighter weather. ..'77, : .y. .. The Chairman tiien introduced tne Rev E.':-'A"i' Kirwood; ,- Secretary of the,. _Jew Asqeala«d Baptist Missionary Society. : -■A.'A/A/77/7-A/'. . ,/, A -.',,.. R«vv E. A: Kirwbcd said -he was sure it -must De a happy/day for Mr Ba-rnett and those f who 'had been as-

■SociaWad with him- i n the w 0 i*k "* ' erectmgvtiie church:, anvl he <*• to congratulate him and his f e |i,r *v workers. The church was ta_tv. Zf~ for table and com..* odious. They » always glad wt- -. ai -w chuich w * opened as the c...... 0 _ 0 hn st J 8 thereby helped i_J. The opaJL of a church was signitican. NT, ** ' served to show that the teaching Christ was aggressive and pr o gi!. " - sive. In spite of the opmions *oY some people ha beliexed that.- '«A? - golden day of the chuich was bt-jT ° to come. The Baptist Church stood for a full and free gospel. 1-h, p^A sent Avas an a.uspitoious occoasion and? -* he hoped that the woik now b«nj would be increasingly fiuitnn. -Q

Rev. A. North spoke of Re\\ \y Bai'nett-'.s generosity and _aid jj£ was delighted to see such a commodious building, with its line aco*V' tic qualities. He congratulated $/ Barnett on the fuliilment of hi3_*> sire and also Mrs Barnett, expiesj,, " ing regret that the weather conditions had prevented hei from fa. * ing present. Ihe new .lurch \\a Ss linked up with the t.(iuuh„s 0 l thu 1* Auckland -Baptist Auxiluuj, ihel&t,** ter -being a part of the BapUst Union of New! •Zealand., All the thuich. es of New _iealand were interested In the Tauranga church, und he hop. Ed the latter,when it ,\as a living church, would t>e intei eit ed naU of them. Further, the New /edls-frd church was linked up with the Hup. ' tists of the world. Dr. Clifford coin- * puted the Baptist* Alliance hud ""_/. *■ 000,000 enrolled ■membci.s, and en a reasonable basis it'was estimated.^- 1 that the Baptists of the w orid no/ *" aumbered over 30,000,000, ' which <- made them a very strong tKurch.v Tiie Tauranga church had, therefere,^ at the back of it an' enormous force,.;He toad recently] received intimation,'*, from Philadelphia that he had -been,, appointed a vice-president of the' Baptists World Alliance, and was its, representtative in New Zeal&ndr(Applausel)—There were thioe things* .which:. the. Baptists specially and . \ prominently emphasised, \i_ , U),*t& ] sole and sufficient authority ot h-oiy scripture, (2) the direct responsibility of each person to Almighty God,^ : (3) the brbtherhood of all believers/" Mr North referred to the Auckland? Sunday School Union, which -has -*' about 30,000 scholais and 3000* , teachers, and he hoped their new* Sunday School would join the organisation. - Riev. W. Barnett , was thon calledupon and said they v ould nob haty, had. the opportunity di meeting* Uioiq!" that evening*.but for the large-heart-edness of their Auckland friends. Hc~ had been gagaged in t\hristian work^ for nearly bfty years, and although^ he had been associated* with * tht* building* '"of several churches m Ne«K Zealand he had never experience*.-' such help as had |tioon received fro_i_ the Auckland people. Ihe fiiendg^. .Tauranga, too, were real genuine, friends, and many of them were n^ Baptists. Very liberal assistance had also been forthcoming from G£te ? I'a. To him it was a source , isfaction that their work was appro-;" ciatcd by the Auckland visitors. No^ that a home had 'been provided, for,,, them he hoped the Baptists of ranga would rally to the cause *-w help to make their own, chwoh V | living reality. ,"*'%' Mr W. R. Turner (architect{ fas'' \ the buildingt) movod— That a heart",' .. " vote of thanks to actordtd to all those gentlemen who had vifaited Tauranga on this auspicious occasion- He also congratulated the „ people of Auckland on their J generous work in helping the movements tor the erection" of the church., Mr C- F. J. Biggs (building con- _ tractor) seconded the vote, which was carried by acclamation. __r T. F. Hill (secretary of 'the , Auckland Baptist Tabernacle) acknowledged the vote. . He said a num ; oi other Auckland friends rad in-/ tended to be present, but owing to circumstances could not »_ave to\vn. I hey had, however, jom the * iipA best thing and comr ouUd yUona :^ tvon-j to the building. Mr Hill proposed ihjt a \ote oL thanks be accorded io .hu s i.'Ui«a* who had given such iiUraLai*wr tance lhat evening, aod the otews carried with enthusiasm. ** Rev W. 11. Woolley referred to &» excellent services of the -^{^S builder and moved ,t ~\« oi IJJJ~ to Messrs W. It- Turner and- C. * r «. »i Bigg-d, which * was tfft.iol "i °f ; J rt ( mation. -*,&& Shortly afOer Kime o'clock a-W^ memorable gathering wa^bio^DWO a close with the singing of thewv olo_y and the pronou-iceinenb o im* I •Jcn^diction by the U_v. \. Nor«. i The new building X sit.mte*! J** I the western side of Cameronf W^ I .between Tenth , and I^"* $£ *> ues. It is 60fb long and W and is capable of seating 350 pe^ The church will hu compioc-d » three or four .vocks' ti.-ne, and JV - be under the charge? of the "»[•'- Barnett,. who has been anting worker in the Baptist cause m * Zealand for a very long pcnoU*- , *■ >