ST. JOHN’S CHURCH

Dominion, Volume 20, Issue 149, 21 March 1927, Page 10

ST. JOHN’S CHURCH

— -- ■ — . .. INSTALLATION OF REV. J. R. BLANCHARD The Rev. J. R. Blanchard, 8.A., who has recently taken charge of St. John’s Presbyterian Church, Willis Street, Wellington, conducted the services at the church yesterday, preaching both morning and evening to large congregations. At the morning service the new pastor was introduced to 'the congregation by the Rev. W. Gray Dixon, who said he was convinced that a wise choice had been made. He mentioned Mr. Blanchard’s work in the Commonwealth, affirming that a minister who had, in the discharge of his duty, mastered the vast spaces of Western Australia by aeroplane, would not shrink from the work in Wellington. The Rev. Mr. Blanchard at the morning service gave two impressive addresses, the first to the young people present, the text being “Cleanse thou me from my secret faults.” In the sermon to the congregation, the subject being “an equipment for Christian service,” the preacher said that ■ various emotions of necessity moved him standing in the place he did that dav. There was a strangeness, and an unfamiliarity in the position; and he asked, who did not stand in awe for a moment before the unknown ? He experienced a quiet consciousness of the difficulty in following the outstanding men who had done in their turn so" much to make the name of St. John’s Church great. He was the youngest minister to whom the congregation had entrusted its destinies, and he humbly, but hopefullv, presented himself before them. He urged his hearers to keep in mind the need for loftier aspirations in regard to the Christian life, and a determination to personally follow, with loyalty and devotion, the living God and Saviour. Continuing, the Rev. Blanchard said, there was at present a need, for a greater spirit of hopefulness, in the Church; too manv people inside the church were allowing themselves to be browbeaten bv outside opinions. He, for one, however, felt exceedingly sanguine as to the future, because of the increasing number of men and women who were following the Lord Jesus. , At the evening service the subject. was “The Adventure of the Christian L 'a ' strong choir led the singing at the services.