ORDINATION SERVICE

Evening Star, Issue 21072, 8 April 1932, Page 11

ORDINATION SERVICE

PASTOR FLOWER The ordination of Pastor Tom Flower took place in tho Port Chalmers Congregational Church last evening, llev, James M. Smeeth being the presiding minister, and associated with him were the chairman of tho Congregational Union of New Zealand, Mr J. A. Wilkinson, and llevs. Albert Mead, M.A., Win. M. Grant, and A. H. Wallace. Tho ordination prayer and charge were delivered by the Rev. Albert Mead, M.A. The service was very impressive, added interest being created by the fact that it was sixty-seven years since such a service had been held in tho Port Chalmers Congregational Church. Tho candidate, having satisfied the tests of tho Congregational College Examining Board, and having duly passed through tho prescribed years of pastoral work and general Christian experience, meeting with the acceptance, approval, and love of those congregations committed to his charge, was called upon by the presiding minister to make the customary declaration of his leading in tho Christian faith, and of the call of God to seek the profession of a minister and ordination to that holy office. In this he outlined his call and training in Durham and in New Zealand, his early Christian home influences, the pastoral work that was interrupted by the European War, and afterwards resumed when peace was proclaimed, and his earnest desiro to serve Christ and His church in the fullest manner possible.

The congregation stood during the ordination prayer, and whilst this was proceeding the ordinand knelt for the laying on of hands. The charge to the newly-ordained minister was then given by Rev. Albert Mead, M.A. He prefaced his address with a few sentences relating to the duties and privileges of a Christian minister, and presented to Rev. Tom Flower a copy of Dr John Oman’s book, ‘ The Office of the Ministry.’ Taking as a text the words ‘Fulfil Thy Ministry (1 Tim., iv., 8), the preacher said it was clear that Paul sometimes thought of a ministry which was of a collective nature, as belonging to the whole church of the living God, and 'in writing to the Ephesian Christians he referred to the “work of the ministry,” indicating the distributor! of many and varied gifts amongst mankind for the “ building up of the body of Christ.” That suggested the broad truth which they, as Congrcgationalists, adhered to, that all were “ministers of His,” everyone having some special gift which contributed to the perfection of the whole. They were, however, thinking at that time of the special form of ministry which arose out of the necessity of the church. It had been found necessary to set men aside that they could pray, think, speak, and act for the edification of the body of Christ, and it was into that special form of ministry the nowly-ordained minister had been called. J)r Garvie had said, “As men think of the ministry, so they will think of the church,” and the world judged the church, and very largely the Christ, by those in the ministry. Their responsibility was to fulfil their ministry, to give full proof of its values and graces. Mr Mead then spoke of the ministry as a profession, but that depended upon what they understood by the word. In past days men' bad chosen a profession for the sake of enhancing the character of that profession for the betterment of mankind. A man might choose a profession without of necessity having the wellbeing of humanity at heart, but in religion human wellbeing was the ultimate determinate factor.

Tlie ministry was also a vocation. That inferred there was something lo “ voice,” to declare, to proclaim. For that reason Paid exhorted Timothy not merely to give “ diligence to show thyself approved unto God,” but also to “ study ” to he a workman that needeth not to be ashamed handling aright the word of truth.” The Word was Jesus Christ’s in that Ho expressed the ideal, conveyed the thought; the vocation was first and foremost to declare Jesus as the Word of God. There was no greater temptation and no greater danger to-day than that of the tendency to dissipate energy, to spread one’s time over too many things. To neglect the essential thing was to miss everything. The preacher concluded with an apt illustration. An old Puritan divine had written in alt his books, “ William Perkins, thou art a minister of the Word; mind thy business.”

The service was impressive throughout. Mr Kenneth Roy presided at the organ. Prior to the closing hymn and the Benediction, the ceremony of giving the right hand of fellowship to the liev. Tom Flower was observed by those officiating.