CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH

Evening Star, Issue 22277, 2 March 1936, Page 16

CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH

RESTORATION OF BUILDING SPECIAL SERVICES YESTERDAY Special services to celebrate the completion of alterations and improvements to the Moray Place Congregational Church were held yesterday, the Rev. Albert Mead presiding. Representatives from the Dunedin City Council and members of the Imperial Ex-service-men’s Association attended the evening service. Anthems rendered by the choir were ‘ Great Is the Lord ’ (Mar-, chant) and ‘Magnificat’ '(Pittman), Mr J. D. MTvechnie sang the solo ‘Bless the House.’ AVelcoraing the children to the morning service, Mr Mead addressed them on the words “ Let every man be careful how he builds” (1 Cor. iii., 10), and endeavoured to show that as builders we must learn to work together to. ward the completion of a plan just as we must also learn to live together if we would do the best work in life; that we are builders with God, who gives us materials to use for the building of character; and that the plan given to us is the pattern of life exhibited in that of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Speaking later on ‘ Restoration and Renewal,’ and taking the restoration work as symbolic of the spiritual reality, Mr Mead indicated that while man restored all the elements of his being to God, it was God Who through a life process renewed his spiritual being. “ This simple statement, then, bears us right into the heart of the Christian faith, which is supremely a religion of spiritual renewal made possible by man’s restoration,” said Mr Mead. ‘‘lt is not until we can say with Paul, ‘ I have committed to Him,’ that we can also say, ‘ If any man be in Christ he is a new creation.’ We have restored this church which as a building is our body, but it is God who renews the Church as His spiritual temple. Consider the springtime when the earth takes on a restored beauty through the power which renews her life. The glorious discovery of all the early Christian believers was that by restoring their lives to God Ho was enabled to renew the spiritual forces and make them new creatures. Having accomplished the work of the material being as represented by the completion of this building, we must seek and pray God to complete the larger achievement of renewal—that of our spiritual being.” At the evening service Mr Mead’s subject was ‘ The Work Completed,’ based on Haggai ii, 3,7, 9. “Who is left among you that saw this house in its former glory? And how do you see it now? 1 will fill this house with glory—the latter glory shall be greater than the former, saith the Lord of Hosts, and in this place will I give peace.” “Our prophet was a devotee of the unseen God, but also a lover of the visible temple which signified God’s holy presence in the midst of mankind.” said the preacher. “ Like many an English town the city of Jerusalem was built up around the Temple, indicating that religion was the central fact of man’s being. Though man may throw off one form of religion he readily accepts another, as is illustrated in Russia and Germany to-day, for man is incurably religious. Everything in Hebrew thought and action was coloured by a religious mind. After the return of the Jews from Babylon work was begun on the ruined temple, but remained unfinished for a long time. This saddened the mind of the prophet, and so lie exhorted them to see that it was inconsistent for them to be building or beautifying their own dwellings while neglecting God’s house. Many of us,” said Mr Mead, “ had thought the same thing about this church and so had been stimulated to action, notwithstanding probable financial difficulties. But now that work will not be finished until God fills the house with His glory. The vision and liope of our spiritual ancestors was that here souls might find peace through coming into harmony with God. May God .fill this house with His glory by helping us to make it a place where His sinning children may find relief, and His needy children find security. To be filled with divine glory it must ever be for the salvation and strengthening of men and women, and boys and girls. Then will our work be completed.