MAORI HILL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

Evening Star, Issue 17923, 20 March 1922, Page 3

MAORI HILL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

UNVEILING CEREMONY. Tba special services wore continued at the new Maori Hill Presbyterian Church yesterday morning, afternoon, and evening. In the morning u communion i-ervico was bold, the clergy officiating being the Rev. H. H. Barton and the Rev. A. M. Finlayson. The preacher was Ml' Barton, who took his test from the second verco of the thirtysecond chapter of Isaiah. In tho afternoon a Bible class rally was held, advantage being taken of the opportunity to mr.<eil a roll of honor bearing the names of those who had fallen in tho war. The church was fully iwwpied. In the absence of an organ a awt orchestra bad been got together, under w>e conductorship of Mr G. Scott and tho Vadership of Mr J. A. Wallace. Tho choir sang "And the Glory of tho Lord,' arid led the Hinging, tho orchestra closing tho sendee with a well-played selection. During the afternoon eervice a portion of Scripture was read by Mr W. Johnson.

The Rev. Mr Barton expressed the hope that the meeting might be a source of comfort and love. Tho boys and girls ho saw around him were growing to manhood and womanhood, and he hoped that, they would stand for good, and seek to make the world bettor for those in it.

Mr TV. J. Craig extended a hearty welcome to all those who had come from a distance: to assist in the service. It was extremely gratifying to see so many of (heir young people present. The Rev. G. 11. Jupp, rcplving to thrso words of welcome, sn.id they did rejoice with tho Maori Hill people avzr having such a nice now church. Bo had been the first student who had charge of that congregation. Wo were all face to fuc? with a new order of things—they were different from the things of the pa=t. There was n tremendous call to them; such a call n*_harl never before been made. There seemed to bo a longing on the part of all to get some help towards things they had never been able to get before. They realised that there was something in tVo glory of God: something in tho very words that they had never felt, before. Tho world was asking what was the meaning of if. all, and saying we want hrlo. How was this to be met? The difficulty was that men would not come to the Church to get help. But the Bible chures could bring them help. They wanted to affirm the necessity for re'igion—f'at was an absolute necessity for all. Religion wars a mutter of reason; not e matter of fotm. The Rev. TV. R. Hutchison said that at a certain stage in hi? career h" had been a student in the Maori Hill B : blc Class. He offered his congrahi'at'ors upon the progress the church had made since that lime. He wanted to speak of their brothers who had given themselvt-s as a sacrifice in the war. Tho Great TV,;r was past; but that did not mean that we were ever to forgo 1 ;, it. and they could not have had a more appropriate occasion upon which to rciwmber it than that day. One thing that had been deeply impressed upon him when ho camo in contact with the men on active service was that they never lost confidence and hope. They knew that the cans" for which fiiey fought was founded upon librrty. justice, and righteonciies*. A ."rent outstanding feature amonest. th°m had been a snirit of comradeship in time of danger. There was in human nature something that had enabled them to rise above the moment and rise superior to death. Those men wlio had gone forward were strong, loved Ife, but took all risks. The man who died as a mattea of duty was not conquered by death; he conquered death. The Rev. Mr Barton mentioned that the Toll of honor was the gift of Mr and Mrs Geo. Scott, and that it contained between fifty and sixtv nnmns of those who had been connected with the congregation. Mrs S. C. Scott, who was to unveil the roll, was the mother of four soldiers whose name appeared upon the roll. Mrs Scott then unveiled the roll of honor, and the 'Last Post' was sounded from near the main entrance to the church. The Rev. D. Dutton having pronounced the Bendiction, the Eervice terminated. EVENING SERVICE. The church was again filled in the evening, when a special service in connection with the opening of the church was conducted by Rev. Professor Hewitson, B.A. The lesson, which was read by Rev. A. M. Finlayson, was Philippians, chapter iii. Professor Hewitson based his sermon on Acts xxi., verso, 39: "But Paul said, I am a man which am a Jew of Tarsus, a city in Cilioia, a citzen of no mean city." Tho text, tho preacher said, epoke of " the patriotism of St. Paul" or " the national consciousness of St. Paul," and this was tho subject ho wished to speak upon. The Jews, the preacher said, were tho most widely dispersed race in the world. They were to be found everywhere—in China, in the Steppes of Asia, and in the heart of Africa, and no nation among whom they dwelt had been able to assimilate them. They remained distinct, the most pure-blooded race in the world. They had been persecuted, been tortured, flogged, spat upon, yet, how proud they had remained. Many of them had made groat names in the world of statecraft, of finance, and literature. Paul was proud of being a Jew, a member of such a unique and great race. Paul was not only proud of his race; he was proud of the religion of his race. His persecution of the Christians before his conversion was an indication of the. intensity with which he loved Judaism. And later, after he had become a Christian, he still remained a Jew, and gloried in the privileges of a Jew. He regarded Christ as the consummation of Judaism, and was pleased to Buffer the loss of all things for His sako. Paxil was proud of being a Jew, because he was proud of the religion of the Jews. Have we anything to bo proud of in the facts that we are Britons? the , preacher asked. We were a mixed race, a m.xture of Celt, Saxon, Dane, Teuton; yet to-day we w«to remarkably unified a.:d bad distinctly national characteristics. America was a mixed race, but she had not yet digested all her elements. TVe should not boast, bub wo Bad great things to be p-oud cf. Not only as literature, but as a living forco tho Bible was great. It was tho r/o&b spirtual things in our literature, or tho most spiritual thing that we inherit. There was no book that would do so nnch for the community as tho Bible. There wee books that produced moral ulcers, but the Bible tnado strong men. Tho Bible, raid the preacher, was not so well known as it shculd be, and not even by Christian people. If, was our greatest English classic, yet perhap-, there were church people who did not spend on© hour in three months in good, honest reading of the Bible.