MORAY PLAGE CHURCH

Evening Star, Issue 22798, 5 November 1937, Page 1

MORAY PLAGE CHURCH

SEVENTY-FIFTH ANNIVERSARY' CONTINUATION OF CELEBRATION? The seventy-fifth anniversary of the foundation of the Moray Place Congregational Church was celebrated last night at a public meeting in the View Street Hall, subsequent to a conversazione. The Rev. Albert Mead presided, and tho Hon. W. Downie Stewart gave an address. “ A great deal has been said of the falling away from religion, but this church has an exceptional record,” said Sir Mead, in his welcome. Four members claimed over 60 years’ membership, eight between 50 and 59 years, 16 between 40 and 49 years, 21 between 35 and 30 years. 45 over 20 years, and 29 between five and nine years. That evidenced their devotion and the steady persistence with which they held to religion, despite the talk of Christianity being played out and the church being dead. Briefly reviewing the history, he said the church had much for which it could he thankful in the work of the past. None of the present problems was new. “ Hats off to the past, coats off to the future—that is the challenge T give you,” said Mr Mend, who added that the jubilee should be an insniration in carrying out the cause and ideals of those who had gone before in private and civil life and the Kingdom of God.

The annual report was a don ted, on ' the motion of Mr J. A. M'Call and ( Mr W. J. M'Faul. who said the church was in a financially sound position. 'the Mayor (Rev. E. T. Cox) conveyed the greetings of the city to the minister and congregation. (By its history and traditions, the Congregational Church was the most radical of the Christian denominations, and had always played an important part in the spiritual and political lives. To this day at Home, its pastorate was a powerful influence.. The greetings of the Congregational Union of New Zealand were extended by the Rev. Harry Johnson, who spoke of the great service at Moray Place of successive ministers. The congratulations of the Ota so district were conveyed by Mr E. E. Wilkinson. Brief messages of good wishes were also given by the Rev. C. H. Olds (Council of Christian Congregations). Dean Cruiokshank tAnglicanl. and Rev. Professor S. E. Hunter (Presbyterian). Hon. W. Dowrn° Stewart said that the age of an ecclesiastical or lay body or of the indivsdilal;,jvß6 in itself, not to be regarded as praiseworthy, hut it was a great asset to a church, ,as. through the years, associations were formed. traditions established; and links formed between generations and families by marriages, births, .and the mark of separation. Age mellowed and made more deep those associations. The Moray Place Church had a record of long and continuous service, of which the nastor and members were justly proud. From the earliest days many public-spirited citizens had been members and built up its honourable history. He could claim adherence _to the church himself at one time during the pastorship of the Rev. _ W. , Saunders, who undertook, in his zeal for the solution of social problems, a study class on Sunday afternoons. It was a bold experiment on Mr Saunders’s nart to encourage the study of the problems from the Christian standpoint, as he hold, and perhaps rightly so, that the forces that governed in the last resort the destiny of society were moral, and that ultimately, all probems were those of character. He admired the endeavour of Mr Saunders to show that the church and its members were. interested in the problems exercising the mind of the man in the street. External legislation could be enacted to compel a man to maintain his family, but such an organisation as the church could, by teaching principles, inculcate in him domestic affection, which was the safeguard of the family. Legislation preserved boundaries between man and neighbour, but the church imbued him with, neighbourly spirit, making legislation superfluous and working out relationships between citizens more naturally than by the process of compulsion. “ Every student of public affairs must take count of the fact that there is on the one side a set of forces seeking to disintegrate society, and it is therefor© of the first moment that there should be, in a supreme degree, organisations such as the church, doing the exact opposite—drawing men together, irrespective of class, and seeking to integrate society, drawing men into common fellowship of good citizenship,” said Mr Stewart. “No organisation is a more beneficent, counteracting agency than the church, year in and year out. Therefore wo must welcome every opportunity of paying tribute to the work of the church, ite ministry, and its office-bearers. Even those who do not darken the portals of the church have their standards profoundly influenced by the standards set by the church.” In communities where churches wore non-existent, the people quickly dropped back into paganism. No class in the community provided such a fine example of self-abnegation and denial as the clergy, who made voluntary sacrifices for their ideals when, with their scholastic attainments and ability, they could make handsome incomes in commercial life. The abiding influence transported from the Old Country in the settlement of New Zealand was the maintenance, development, and expansion of the church, and all would hope that the Moray Place Church would go from strength to strength. Prayers were given by the Rev. C. G. W. Bycroft, and the benediction was pronounced by the Rev. A. 11. Wallace. Three anthems were sung by the choir, conducted by Mrs H. C. Campbell.