HANOVER STREET CHURCH.

Evening Star, Issue 15020, 31 October 1912, Page 8

HANOVER STREET CHURCH.

MISSIONARY RALLY. The services in connection with' the opening of the new Hanover Street Baptist Church were continued last evening. The function took the form of a united missionary rally, and there was a fairly good attendance of those interested in missionary work.

The Rev. Wm. Hay, who presided, said this was an important meeting, and although he could not expect to see the building filled each night of the opening services, he was well pleased with the number present. This church was considered a missionary clnrchy thereloie great enthusiasm should be manifested amongst its follower regarding this hra-ith of religious work. He mentioned that in the old church building about 28 years ago the Missionary Society- connected with the church was formed, and since then the society had had the honor of sending out several persons to preach the Gospel in foreign fields. There were still many young people who were waiting to be accepted. He hoped that the interest taken in the missionary work both in the foreign countries and our own land would be maintained and further deepened. Professor Hewitson, on behalf of the foreign Missionary Society, congratulated the Baptists on the completion of their church, and said they occupied a verv honorable position among the Christian's ot Dunedin in the work of God. He went on to say that the foreign mission interest should be at the heart of the church, and he fully realised that it was so with this particular church. The New Testament, he said, was purely a missionary book, and in support of this statement he quoted several passages. He then gave his hearers an outline of the formation of the for- >', gn -i«^v movemenfc > and mentioned Mr William Carey as being the pioneer of the work. Referring to the Student Volunteer movement, he said, in this the Baptist Church held a high position. In connection with the University Medical School there had lately been a great amount of Christian activity amongst the students, and this result was principalsdue to the good work of Dr William Pettit, a young Baptist, who was now a missionary in India. The speaker concluded by trusting that the same amount of zeal taken in the work in the past would be continued.

Mrs H. H. Driver was the next speaker, and look for her subject 'Woman's Ministry to Woman.' First of all she thanked the Lhurch Committee for the opportunity to give an address at one of the opening services. Continuing, she said all throngh the .New lestament names of women were IT u Cn l! oned -' and if the - v Tvero takej i 011 t of the book it would not bo of much interest. Women were appointed missionaries at the empty tomb of Christ, and were rightlv so appointed. These women realised that they were eared to serve. That was tho message to the women. They had seen fields that were open, and despite many hardships they had gone cut and assisted to preach the Gospel. It was said on good authority that the first missionary woman was Mrs Marshall, who, in the year 1800, started a school for girls. Thev now honored the memory of such an heroic woman. Mr David Abel, a missionary who had not risen much riea-rd of, returned jo England after a long stay in China, and it- was upon his report that the women of England were fully impressed with the condition of the women of the East. They then set to work, and sent out representatives, and we found to-day that the work iiad been prosperous ever since. Thirtv years ago there was not a hospital throughout all India, and it- was only through the women's movement that they were now established. It was the cry of the children that had appealed to the women. Mies Amy Bilson Carmichael told how children were married to heathen gods.. The voice of God wag* calling for the women to help.

The Rev. J. Douglas Mill, of Oamarn, spoke about the mission -work in our own land. Be/ore commencing he conveyed, congratulations on the opening of the new church from the Baptists of Oamaru. Regarding home and foreign missionary work, he said there was no difference, oiilv that in the East they were looking into the face of black people, who were -surrounded by superstition. The people in the. East needed the love of Christ as well as the people in Xew Zealand. Ho dwelt briefly on the tremendous need for assistance to preach the Ckxspel in some of the remote parts of Xew Zealand.. He said that.building should be the central point from which persons should go out to do good. People who are away from the preaching influences rarely saw a man of religion. Ther were living under difficulties, and it would be a great surprise to 6ee the condition under which eomo people -who occupied bush camps lived their lives. He gave an instance of this deplorable state in the King Country. Week in week out thev never heard a word of the Gospel. How -was this state of affairs going to be remedied? It was an easy thing for Baptists to say that they -were weak numerically and financially, and therefore some other denomination should shoulder the responsibility. He. mentioned that he had met two young men in Hamilton who were travelling round preaching the Goepel. They did not belong to any set church, but were purely out to witness'for Jesus Christ. Those, two men impressed him verv much. It was true we had not money to build churches, so we would have to "give them our young men. In conclusion he said: " May we, as a Baptist denomination, be able to supply these young men." The Chairman, in referring to the last speaker's remarks, stated that at present there was only one missionary travelling round, but there were a. number of young men knocking at the door to be accepted" and he hoped they would soon be in a position to admit them They were -ilso at present handicapped through the lack of pastors for some churches. They must have enthusiasm and liberality. He would like to see the denomination in this land ris/3 to the occasion and assist. He thanked the. speakers for their very able addresses. During the evening vocal solos were contributed by Miss Boyle. ('The Child of Nazareth') and Mr A. Spears ('The Lord is My Light'). A Scripture reading by the Chinese students, Messrs David Chin Goon and Matthew Chin Hay, was much appreciated, and a hymn ('The Lord is My Shepherd ') by the Chinese class con-nected-with the church was sung very well indeed.