ST. PAUL'S CHURCH

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18070, 12 May 1924, Page 10

ST. PAUL'S CHURCH

DIAMOND JUBILEE SERVICES. The Diamond' Jubilee of £t. Paul's Church was celebrated yesterday, the special preacher at both servi(?es being the Rev. El N. Merringtcn, M.A., PhD., of First Churcli, Dunedin. At the morning service his text was^ from Isaiah, chapter .60,. verse 18: "But ,hou shsilt call they walls salvation and thy gates praise." He pointed put that while these prophetic words applied in the first plaoe to the restore<l eitv of Jerusalem, after the return of the JewSr from exile, in their full, scope they were a description of no actual uity, hut of the j ideal Gity of Uod, wherein • dwelleth righteousness. might sneer at ideals, but wo a.ll cherished them and in all ages men longed for the perfect State" and the i perfect Church. Around such ft perr feet Church were the walls of salvation. Within it. was safety : from the sm and sorrow of life. Men • built up their refuges • based on. politics, on wealth, on, pleasure,' but only a refuge in , God, based on truth , and righteousness, could last. The gates of such an' idsjil city were rightly called Praise." for the gates stood for Justice, for liberty t for victory. lie pleaded with his hearers to. work tor the upbuilding of the Perfect''Church,, which amid the troubles of our age, would bring safely.to mankind and wluca by establishing justice .and liberty and winning victory for the ideais w Christ would fill the earth; \yith praise. At the morning service the - .Sursuiu, Gorda" and Jackson's -.'Te Deum" were sung. The anthem wai "Send Out Thy Light." and the solo by Miss V. Lnwry was "The King of Love My Shepherd Is." In the evening Dr Mernngton a text was from the first Corintiuuns, chapter 6", verse 20: "Ye are not your own, for ye are bought with a price. These words, said, the preacher were the distilled essence of Christianity; I'hey applied, not only to' the individual, or to the Church, • but to humanity. We were the heirs of the ages. Thi s was true of our physical life. Our birth was in a mother s pain. Our childhood meant care .ana worry to those who cared for .us.» Our education was based results' of the long struggles of.men in .the past.] Our national and civic liberties . had been won at a great cost of labour, and i suffering. So had our religion. The | preacher traced the struggles for reh- ; 5 gion in Scotland. This Dominion _had v been founded by noble pioneers into | whose heritage w© had entered. The , Church, celebrating ita 60 years of | work, must look back to tfe.e-loyaj founders and faithful ministers who haa builded what they were enjoy- i ing. We lived bv the saorifice of our- I selves. All worthy life was'hought with ) a price. lived by the sacrifice of Gpd. This is the great message •of Ihe Gospel. It placed the Cross of Sacri-" fice at the centre of life. During the service Mrs L. B. Salkeld sang the '.'Teach Me to Pray." The anthem was ''Came, at? ..Times, a Stillness." Mr Raynor White presided at the organ. There were very large congregations at both services.