CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXX, Issue 8581, 7 September 1888, Page 3

CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.

A very pleasant meeting was held in the Congregational Church at Timaru on Wednesday evening, to welcome the Rev Dr Hannay, one of the delegates from the Congregational Union of England and Wales to the Conference of that Church at Melbourne. Mr Lee, Dr Hannay’s companion, was also expected, but was detained by an engagement at Christchurch. The Rev Mr Taylor, pastor of the church, presided, and besides the guest of the evening there were present on the platform the Revs Gillies, Martin, Brown, and Woollas, all of whom, on behalf of their respective congregations, heartily welcomed Dr Hannay, and expressed their personal satisfaction at his visit to Timaru. Dr Hannay addressed tho meeting, speaking about an hour on various topics, giving wise counsel in a pleasant yet impressive discourse. The necessity for a union of effort among the churches, notwithstanding their varied government and minor differences of formal creed, was strongly insisted on, as their fundamental beliefs are now being attacked within and without, by sacerdotalism (ritualism) on the one hand, and by unbelief on the other. The duty of the preacher to enforce his convictions, whatever they may be, and of congregations to be receptive and to try to up to their own convictions, were expounded clearly, and the Christian life of a well living people shown to be of more worth than the most eloquent utterances from the pulpit. Tho visit of the delegates to New Zealand, which was purely fraternal and in no way official. Dr Hannay hoped would lead to tho drawing closer the bonds which bound the churches of the Colony with those of the Old Country, and lead to an exhibition of sympathy of a more practical kind than had hitherto been manifested. A hearty vote of thanks to the visitor for his presence and address was carried by acclamation, on the motion of Mr Tennont. Dr Hannay returned to Christchurch yesterday morning.