UNITED CHURCH SERVICE

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 110, 3 February 1941, Page 9

UNITED CHURCH SERVICE

Address By Bishop O£ Wellington NEED FOR DIVINE GUIDANCE Simply impressive, a united service in commemoration of the jubilee of the borough of Lower Hutt was held in the grandstand of the Recreation Ground, Lower Hutt, last night. A crowd which no church in Wellington could accommodate began to assemble from 6.30 o’clock, and half an hour later there was not a vacant seat. The service, which was conducted almost throughout in natural light and before tlie inspiring and beautiful bushelad Wainui hills, was arranged by the Lower Hutt Ministers’ Fraternal Association. The address was given by the Bishop of Wellington, the Kt. Rev. H. St. Barbe Holland, who took as his text a phrase from Revelations 21 : 18, “The city was pure gold.” When a borough became a city, said Bishop Holland, it became possessed of new opportunities, of new responsibilities; it could not escape these, but there must also be a movement toward a goal. A borough became a city not merely by receiving a charter and the name of a city. Bishop Holland asked the assembly if it had thought of a goal. If it bad not, God had. He had more to do with cities tbau most people thought. The Bible began with a garden and ended with a city. God thought not only in terms of the individual soul, but also in terms of community life. Now that Lower Hutt was a city, its community must brace itself for the more vigorous opportunities of creating a city in which God had the controlling influence. Bishop Holland reminded the mayor of Lower Hutt, Mr. Andrews, and his councillors of their sacred trust. If they thought in terms of service to God, he said, their problems of townplanning, of housing, of reading and refuse-destruction, would find their own solutions. The services the mayor and councillors rendered could make community life more beautiful and healthful. The community of a city should be one big family, said Bishop Holland, every member careful of his fellow’s needs, watchful of his welfare. Lower Hutt people by dedicating their lives to the service of Him who could create a city of pure gold, would make all the difference between the new city being one of pure gold and being one of clay. In a city of pure gold, Bishop Holland concluded, would grow the children who would become the citizens of Heaven. The dedication of the representatives of Lower Hutt City to God for the fulfilment of Christian ideals in the future was conducted by the Rev. H. E. K. Fry (Anglican). Other ministers of religion who took part in the service were the Rev. J. T. Macky (Presbyterian), the Rev. E. AV. Batts (Baptist), Pastor R. Simpson (Church of Christ), the Rev. K. A. Bell (Congregational Church), Captain P. Smith (Salvation Army), the Rev. F. J. Parker (Methodist), the Rev. J. E. Lopdell (Presbyterian). The Rev. Fry attended Bishop Holland. The Lower Hutt Civic Band, under the conductorship of Mr. L. Richards, accompanied the hymns and played as the congregation dispersed.

PARADE SHOWS MARCH OF TIME Lacking only a bullock wagon, a march of time procession through the city streets to the Recreation Ground showed the progress of Lower Hutt from the early days. Business firms made a large contribution to the procession, oldtime cars being a feature. One, first on the road In 1901, was still running under its own power. There was a telling float in support of the National Savings movement. The Lower Hutt company of the National Alilitary Reserve, 160 strong, a signals company of the AVomen’s AVar Auxiliary, Boy Scouts, Girl Guides, pipers, the Lower Hutt Civic Band, sports teams of girls from business firms, who marched well, and other organizations took part. There was a crowd of 4000 at the Recreation Ground where the display was described through loudspeakers.