THE CHURCHES

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 319, 5 October 1908, Page 5

THE CHURCHES

THORNDON METHODIST CHURCH ANNIVERSARY SERVICES. Special services were held in the Thorndon Methodist Church, Thorndon, yesterday. Tho occasion wiis tho anniversary of tho establishment of tho Sunday School. In honour of tho event the church was tastefully decorated with flowers and evergreens., In the morning the Rev. S. J. Serpell occupied the pulpit. Preaching on tho text, "Except ye bo converted and become as little children ye cannot enter tho Kingdom of. Heaven," he said that to enter into and remain in tho Kingdom of Heaven a cliildliko spirit must bo maintained. The service in tho afternoon was conducted by the Rev. E. P. Blamires, of Island Bay, whoso subject was "Our Father." The preacher drew a parallel between the earthly father, with his love and caro for his children, and: the Heavenly Father. In the evening the church was crowded to oxcess, and many wero unable to obtain scats. Tho Rev. C. Porter, who was tho preacher, spoke in regard to tho fight between- Goliath and David. Ho declared that the Bible was a book of battles, and that tho records of them wero, preserved in order to inspiro young men and' women in their struggle with the giant temptations and evils of life. The victories of to-day, ho said, influenced and practically determined tho battles of to-morrow. Referring to the contrast between the giant Goliath and David, the shepherd boy, Mr. Porter pointed out that so to-day the contestants in the battle against evil were apparently most unequal to tho fight. A feature of tho services was the singing of special hymns by the scholars, assisted by a largo choir. In this connection, praise is duo to tho conductor, Mr. Thos.. Sim, tho superintendent of the Sunday school, who trained the scholars. Miss Stokes presided at the organ, and Miss Winnie Stokes at the piano. Financially the services wero a great success. On Wednesday night a tea and public meeting will bo held. ANGLICAN JUBILEE. Tho celebration of the jubileo of the Anglican diocese of Wellington was continued yesterday. Special services with appropriate addresses wero held in St. Paul's ProCathedral. Preaching at the morning service, tho Rev. T. 11. Sprott referred to tho number of able and devoted men which were attracted to tho New Zealand Church in tho early days, and stated that, as a matter of fact, there was nothing to attract tho selfseeker. Bishop Abraham gavo up splendid prospects in tho Old Country to come to New Zealand, and an enormous amount of unselfish work had been done for tho church by clergymen and laymen. Though thero was nothing to attract the selfish, there was everything to attract the unselfish. Mr. Sprott went on to refer to tho vital power of Christianity, which was, ho said, still spreading over the world, and was attracting men of every raco. Tho Rev. A. M. Johnson; vicar of St. Mark's, was the preacher at tho evening service. In his sermon, based on Isaiah vi., 1-2, ho also made reference to tho jubilee. .