CHURCH JUBILEE.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20524, 18 April 1932, Page 11

CHURCH JUBILEE.

CELEBRATIONS AT TAI * TAPU. HISTORY OF METHODIST CONGREGATION. ''Be jubilee of the opening of the prejnt tfethbdist Church building at Tai hpo was efclebrated by special services jnfaeted yesterday by the Kev. M. A. Jtgby Pratt, president of the McthriMConference. At the morning service I, Pratt gave a brief address to the (Jildieu appropriate to the occasion, and jnicledto the congregation on the subjstt, "Interrogating our Yesterdays." It as his text the words, ''isk now Of the days that are past" (Drateroiosiy, Chapter 4, verse 32). After introducing his theme, the jteaehei aaid that the day-of jubilee auked oift of the high tides of the akud&r. Ib'yas a day that broke the wnotOJf oshe years. It put an arpest npos'tbe wheels and pulses of life, ad; movement slowed dovn them to' ; tryto spell lot the ligniffeance of the years. The Ckrclv&ftctyttftled up to an eminence. Bat ft# a'ttairod was not the nnmit'olitheir aim. It was a peak ten tie/ieight of which tliey could mey the' Way they had travelled and tan titfdf'thejr could gaze to tho 1 To-day, saiid the theyelasped hands with both ttai TOspj' and' their children. Tho jut ud the future alike took hold pf eonld not escape from their ptedijß nor be indifferent to their to- • < .. ■ ■ ' • said that ie day was to dtbmfc the' opening of their present tho Bev. Edward The first Methodist serhad been conducted by HB&ftef in the house of Mr ■B«|L|OTr years later a section HBSufttured and a small' church enlarged in 1874, but 1 1881, the Kev. James Bulfoundation stone of ®present "edifice. jjlfr-i-i I""' The pioneers. W brought a heritage of preacher aid. The piothe foundations of. church ed to develop community ffere men of enterprise, If-Bacriilce, and spiritual lad laboured with sweat tiength of brain, and courand zeal for God. They trustees of .a : noble lierit-ad-silenced the voices of > but they had reared men stone or bronze, but in lffiir, : in noble character and eals -and aspirations. But I not upon human service. _ Divine blessing. . The '®en a -vital link in the d's redeeming purpose, lay had learned the right The glory- .of the past i liye upon it. To humble Jsterday. spoke in serious linded them of opportunMolvea broken, time misflay had gone. They could brought' another chance of yesterday bade them ftlniii'■> r . POrtnilitv of to-day. The not always reach ediatel y- They had inheritttMpil * ? toils and sacrifices 2"l nto a B re y past. But as inn t . J. Qva the past so did they ittQ, , ft <Ntant future. Let them ilienili ? u , name or soil their hon'n<'ked backward eni otion swayed tubs of to-morrow. The ySSLvn 8 * stimulate them to &n< i impel them to be s®cestry and their inBKfa. .J? iee J es terday would likinin.i ' nervQ them* as they °PPortunity that ibe Sfta °? ht t0 them - The real m«L?f piTln g Past was in its was of wisdom for to-mor-Sro* ta r . e< * the preacher, "had M-f <«* about the coming ljtt# 1 service, Mr Pratt me ssage of tho innST® 68 were well attended yr\ • was rendered.