DIAMOND JUBILEE

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 201, 22 May 1936, Page 2

DIAMOND JUBILEE

Special Services at St. Mark’s Church LARGE CONGREGATIONS Special services yesterday marked the beginning of the celebration of the diamond jubilee of the consecration of St. .Murk’s Church, there being large and representative congregations. The celebration will be continued on Sunday, and on Tuesday next a social reunion will bp held. Yesterday morning at 7.30 and 10 Holy Communion was conducted, and at night there was a festal evensong service, the preacher being the Rev. N. F. E. Robertshawe. The choir sang the anthem “Sing of the Lord.’ by Henry Smart. Mr. L. S. AVatkius, who was at the organ, will, on June 1 next, have completed 40 years as organist at St. Mark’s. Rev. E. MeLeavey, St. Barnabas Church, Roseneath, read the second lesson, Rev. V. G. A’enimore, curate of the parish, conducted evensong, and the Rt. Rev. Dr. T. H. Sprott, gave the Benediction. Speaking from the text John iv, 38, “Other men laboured. and ye are entered into their labours,” Air. Robertshawe said that the text referred to Christ, who preached to a hostile world and by His power of conversion prepared the minds of his hearers to accept willingly the message which should be given by His disciples. Those who began the work in St. Mark’s parish had not met with hostile hearers, but had faced great difficulties of a scattered population, small means, and all the difficulties of building up a parish from its beginning. A church had to be erected, also a parish hall and a vicarage. For tho first few years.the great necessity was to overcome debt. The untiring perseverance and enthusiasm of the late Rev. Richard Coffey, supported by a loyal band of workers had overcome those difficulties, and had later enabled the church to be enlarged and a vigorous and devoted congregation to be drawn together. During the later years of Mr. Coffey's life he was able to lay aside certain sums of money which at his death were increased by his own personal bequests. To-day the parish had entered into the labours of the faithful clergy and laitv who in past years had so nobly built up the foundations of tae parish. But the real success of that early work was not because men had been drawn to Mr. Coffey and had remained loyal to him, but it. was because he had handed them to God so that God might fulfil His purpose through them. Referring to St. Paul’s words in 1 Co. iii. 6, “I have planted, Apollos' watered; but God have the increase.” Air. Robertshawe said that that was surely the aim of a true priest. The individual workers might be forgotten, but God so worked thrqugli them that the tradition of noble service and a desire only to serve God’s glory was handed on. This then was the tradition of which St. Alark’s Church should be proud, ami all those who had once lived in ike parish should feel inspired by such •j tradition. Even though they moved away from the boundaries of the parish, yet their work for God would never cease as long aS they lived. Their aim would be to let their light so shine before men that men should see their good works and glorify their Father who is in heaven.