KNOX CHURCH

Evening Star, Issue 17367, 1 June 1920, Page 10

KNOX CHURCH

INDUCTIOX OF TIIK REV. TULLOCH YUILLE. Members of Knox Church raid some from other churches assembled in numbers last night, fairly filling the floor scats, the occasion being the induction of the Rev. Tulloch Yuille as the fourth minister of the church. The Rev. J. C. Jamieson, .moderator of the Dunedin Presbytery, presided. Mr Gale (organist) and" the choir' were of great help in the preliminary service. ' Xo.v We Are Ambassadors' and 'How Lovely are the Messengers' were! sung during 'the collection. The Rev. J. M. Simpson preached the sermon, his text being: "Jesus Christ, the same yesterday and to-day and for ever." The great leaders of the" Church passed away one by one, but Christ's energy never lessened, and He was always able to raise up successors to carry on His Church. Theories of life, systems of thought, dogmas, nr.d institutions were all liable to change, and the boundaries of knowledge were ever shifting; but Jesus Christ was [Still the sum and substance of faith, and. iwhitever perils or difficulties might arise, ■they would only bring the Church nearer |to the unchangeable Christ. In regard to I the unrest of the world, and personal anxieties, Chrk-t was the abiding stay. This ! .bought should he a comfort to' all who were in distress about the present or the future. _ It was a glory to preach a Christ so precious, so perfect, and eo readv to pardon. The R«v. John Miller, interim moderator, narrated the steps that led up to the call. He said that the call was a. record numerically for Xew Zealand, if not for Australasia, it having been signed bv 822 members and 173 adherents. The_ question* set by the Declaratory Act of the Presbyterian Church were put by the moderator and answered, and the moderator put to the congregation the question r>s to whether thev testified their adherence to the call and were prepared to receive Mr Yuille, and provide him with maintenance and encouragement, the congregation signifying their acquiescence bv rising. The clerk of Presbvte'rv (the Rev. John Kilpatrick) intimated'to Mr Yuille that he was required to sign the formula embodying the set questions and answers, and this was done. I After a short prayer the moderator de- | clared Mr Yuille duly inducted. As in token, thereof he gave the new minister the right hand of fellowship, the organ invited the choir and congregation to sin!' " The Blessing' to Masons'setting. The other members of Presbytery present then filed- before the minister and shook hands with him This closed the ceremonial part of the sei-vice. The Rev. W. Gray Dixon gave the address to the minister, basing his rema-'ks on Paul's injunction to Archippus : "Take heed to the ministry which tl.ou hast rei reived- in the Lord, that thou fulfil it." Incidentally the rev. gentleman remarked that Mr Yuille was now the minister of , the largest congregation within the Pres- : bytcnan communion in Australasia, and | that he was commencing his ministry at ! the age at which Our Lord entered 'into His .glory. Two guarantees of' the success of his ministry were found in comradeship with the Apostles and in enclosure with Jesus Christ. The best minis-

ter was simply the fullest man. Mr Yuille ! was to be congratulated on his fine scholastic career. ]Je had been well equipped for the twentieth century message. The best wish he could bo given was that he would see with Christ's eves and live with Christ s hea'-t. The Rev. D. Dutton, in his address to the congregation, said that their responsibilities in relation to the work of the Church were not less important than' tho.se of the minister. They had the man of their choice, and now it was their dutv to ho united with him in heart and soul. "Let them remember that the minister could not bo in half a dozen places at once. Let them also bear in mind that there must be magnetism in the pews as well as in the pulpit, since'*Tf magnet could not attractsawdust. Good hearing was a necessary adjunct of good preaching. The dynamic of the Church was not "the eloquence of its preachers, but the Holv Ghost. The service ended at 9*.50, and as the congregation retired they were personally introduced to Mr Yuille bv the interim moderator (the Rev. J. Miller) and the session clerk (Mr T. G. Frvde).