CELEBRATION OF JUBILEE

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21727, 9 March 1936, Page 13

CELEBRATION OF JUBILEE

- ST. MATTHEW’S ANGLICAN CHURCH SEVERAL SERVICES HELD There were excellent attendances at all the jubilee services held at St. Matthew’s Church, St. Albans, yesterday. A communion service was held , at 8 a.m. At the'morning service at 11o'clock, the Rev. J. F. Feron, the vicar of the church, was the preacher. During the afternoon, a special children’s service was conducted, the girls’ choir wearing, for the first time; their new robes of blue. The ancient ceremony of “the Clipping of the Church” was held over for a fine day. Although the weather was still very wet. there was another excellent attendance at the evening service, when ,the preacher was again the vicar. During the service an anthem was sung by the choir. To-night, the celebrations will be continued, when, a special jubilee concert will b.< given by the choir. Tomorrow, the date on which the church was originally consecrated, 60 years ago, there will be Holy Communion services &t 7 a.m. and 10 a.m J , and a full Festal Evensong at 7.30 pjn. After Evensong a parish social will be held in the parish hall, All old or present parishioners are invited to the' celebrations. SERMON AT ANNIVERSARY SERVICE LESSONS OF THE EARLY CHRISTIANS The urgent need for people of the ! present day to follow the footsteps of the early Christians, and decide their destinies by the lessons they had learnt from their ancestors,, was emphasised yesterday morning by the Rev. J. F. Feron, in a sermon, at a service at St Matthew’s Church. St Albans, to commemorate the sixtieth anniversary of the founding of this church. At the same time, said Mr Feron, everybody should also develop their own originality and think of the future. Mr Feron took his text from the Acts of the Apostles, 111., 6: “Silver and gold have I hone; but that I have I give to thee.” These were the words of Peter, spoken during his many days spent in spreading the cause of Christianity. When he had spoken these words, he had been able to grant to the man he was speaking to health, one of the greatest gifts of all. The 60 years of the existence of the St. Albans Church seemed extreihely short when one considered the ceaseless fight that had been made to preserve and spread Christianity since it had first been preached by Christ nearly 2000 years ago, “In the Full Light of Day” Christianity, said Mr Feron, had been started in no “hole in the corner” way. It had been founded in the full light oi day. It had been spread to every corner of the Mediterranean, which, at that time comprised the snown world. By degrees, the doctrines had spread to England, and much later to the shores of New Zealand, In this way St. Matthew’s parishioners, had their duty to perform in carrying on the work which had been carried on for nearly 2000 years. The history of the early Christians was more exciting and marked with greater struggles, than any thriller, said Mr Feron. One of the most remarkable things was the way in which these early Christians had thrown them-, selves wholeheartedly into their relig-. ion ahd had not spared bloodshed or strife for their beliefs. They had believed implicitly in their faith and were not afraid to make great sacrifices for their beliefs. He had sometimes wondered that in some of the more troubled and heathen times that the little shark of Christianity had not been completely extinguished. A Big Problem Just as in the past the church and the nation as a whole had had troubled times, present day Christians were faced with a huge problem. They should benefit from the experiences of the past No one could affordto throw away the experience of his forefathers. “Blit nobody can celebrate the past, however, without a thought for the future,” Mr Feron said. It was every bit as important that people should think of the days to come and try to find suitable solutions to the momentous problems which confronted the world at the present time. At times it could be almost wondered if the Christians of the present day ha d nearly the courage and fortitude of the old Christians. There was a great need for some of the bravery and.; strength which these ancient Christians had displayed. Although there could be no doubt that the world was a much better place to-day, than it was 2000 years ago, the problems which confronted Christianity were tremendous. Men should face these problems in the same way as the early Christians had faced the filthy, hostile words, and the prospect of bloodshed and death. “Back to the Wall” There was a feeling in many quarters these days that Christianity had failed and had its “back to the wall,” On the other hand, there were others wbo wouM go into their shell and accept this statement; by so doing thev were admitting defeat and letting the ungodly go by. This was not in the fine manner of the old Christians, who would not tolerate cowardice or halfheartedness. . -The intolerant nature of the old Christians was one pf their finest characteristics. They would not stand for frills, they demanded the real truth. Christian atmosphere prevailed in the present conditions the better, Mr Feron continued. The flag should not be lowered in defeat, asthis wa ? a sigh of cowardice. „ .3? 1 ' ® to-day had received the' gift and it, was their heritage and duty to hand it on. EIGHTIETH ANNIVERSARY ST; ANDREW’S PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH Good congregations attended the services held at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church yesterday to celebrate the eightieth anniversary of the church. The preacher at the morning service, the Rev. J. Lawson Robinson, tlie minister of the church, took as histext the First Letter of Timothy 1, 13. “The Church and the Modem World” was the text of the sermon given by Mr Lawson Robinson at the evening service, which, in spite of the unfavourable was well attended; The service was followed by communion. ’ - ■■ v Next Sunday, the celebrations will be continued, when the preacher will be the Rev. J. R. Blanchard, minister of St. John’s Church,. Wellington.