THE MARSDEN CENTENARY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXXIII, Issue 15901, 12 April 1912, Page 9

THE MARSDEN CENTENARY.

[Per Press Association.] AUCKLAND, April 11. In the month of February, 1915., New Zealand will have the opportunity of celebrating what Bishop Crossley referred to at tlio Church of England Men’s Society Conference “as the most remarkable anniversary that the dominion has experienced, namely, the centenary of the introduction of the Cross of Jesus Christ with its message, its hope and its healing.” In celebration of this great event, ho said, the Bishop and diocese of Auckland had been requested to arrange for the holding of the first great' and united church Congress for New Zealand. “ The name of Marsden,” continued the president, “ is to he enrolled on tlio list of heroes in tho battle line of God, and we would he unworthy inheritors of the sacrifice and daring of himself and his comrade missionaries if wc did not make a great movo to witness to the world that on the hundredth anniversary of the landing of Marsden we were desirous of commemorating the event by some great and common action.”( Applause.) Tlio speaker said lie had little doubt that tney would be able to obtain visits by bishops, not only from Australia, but from Canada, the United States, the Church of England, the Church of Ireland, and the Episcopal Church of Scotland, and probably from South Africa. He desired to ask the Church of England Men’s Society thus early to join in making the Marsden centenary an occasion, not only of a flourish of trumpets, but. of a penitential resolve to he up and doing, ns was Marsden when lie preached the Gospel at the Bay of Islands. (Applause.)