BERESFORD-STREET CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XIX, Issue 6340, 14 March 1882, Page 3

BERESFORD-STREET CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.

ANNIVERSARY SOIREE AND PUDLIC

MEKTINU,

A tea and public meeting in connection with the anniversary of the Congregational Church, Beresford-street, was held last evening. Tea was taken in the Beresford Hall, twelve ladies of the congregati.>a presiding at the tables. Tho public meeting tjok place iu the cburch.

The Rev. J. Robertson (p.istor of the church) presided. There were al<o in the pulpit: The Revs. Dr. Kosoby, W. J. H ibens T. Haraer, W. Morley, and Mr. Lyons (secretary). The chuirmau read a letter from the Kev. Mr. Spurgeon, who- regretted hia inability to be present at the meeting. The meeting opened with prayer, and the choir rendered mi authem.

The Kev. J. KobE3Tson said they had met to celebrate the 2!)tu anniversary of the Church, the sixth or seventh of the building, md the fifth of their union as pastor and people. During the whole period they had stood in the relation of pastor aud peuple he was very thankful for the measure of usefulness and for the prosperity which had been vouchsafed to them. They had Uone one good work during the past year, viz., that of the galleries in the church. The galleries had killed the echo which was helping to kill him. Prior to this work being done he had hid dilficulty iG getting anyone to take the service for him when he desired, but now he hart ho such difliculty. The gallery had coat very much more inoncy than they anticipated at first, but they hud done a good thing and done it well. He hoped the congregation would respond to the clfort which would be made preseutly to remove'the debt from the gallery. The gallery had cost £S2O. Thure was now a debt of less than £300 on it, and there were some promises which would considerably reduce tuis ; and he trusted before the present half-year closed, the whole debt would be removed. Mr. Robertson said he hoped to be of more help to them than he had been. He spolie encouragingly of tue week evening services. He requested tho congregation to remember in their prayer* he whom God bad sent to minister to them. Mr. Robertson then called on the secretary to read the anuual report.

Mr. Lyons read the report, which showed that the church was in a flourishing state. O,i the 31st of December hist there were 298 names on the members' roll, and the congregation was large and increasing. The attendance at the Sunday-school showed a slight fallini; out from the previous year.

The Rev. Dr. Roseby, of Dunedin, then addressed the meeting, tie said he had been more than eleven years in Duneilin, and had never visited Auckland before, but he was already more than satisfied with this delightful and beautiful city. Huceuld venture in predicting forthis pare of the colony a great and glorious future. The magnificence uf the forest scenery here could not be equalled by any in the neighbourhood of the city iu which ha resided. Lust Saturday he and some friends had visited the magnificent Waitakerei Falls. Though the he was gratified with the opportunity of seeing the beautiful forest scenery, and when they reached their destination, he much admired the beauty of the falls, lie was still more delighted with the good work of, ami tho evidently vigorous life of that church. Dr. llosoby referred to the energy, zeal, and effectiveness with which the paotor of the church was labouring. He then spoke of the good arising from ministers associating with each other occasionally, and said ho would go back to Duuediu stimulated and encouraged in his labours by reason of the fellowship aud association lie hid enjoyed in Auckland. Why should not the Churches cultivate these relations of friendship and fellowship with one another? In tliu South Island they had already made a very promising beginning in this direction. A. few months <igo they had associated together in Duuediu representatives from Christcnurch, Timaru, Oamaru, Port Chalmers, Liwrenco, and South DunediD. They proposed to hold the next meeting in Christchurch. Thoy looked forward to having representatives from Wellington uud NelsDn present. Why should not Auckland also bo represented—which contained the strongest, richest, ind most prosperous Church of the Congregationalist order in the colony ? He looked forwaid to the Auckland Cliurcb joining in this endeavour to promote the united cooperation and fellowship of Churches of their order in the colon}-. He might avow himself a Congregationalist from conviction. His early years had been spent in another Church, and the natural inclination arising from ties of association would have given his life a. different turn to what it subsequently got, had he not, when he arrived at maturity, decided to join the CougregatioiiAlists, and become a minister. Uβ felt that there was a degree of freedom in Congregationalism—honest freedom—that could be exercised without putting any strain apon his conscience, and therefore he, out of deliberate conviction, joined that Church, and became a minister. The freedom of Congregationalism had always been dear to him. In England they had had n glorious history, aud they in this laud were tho inheritors of a splendid tradition. Why should not they here do something worthy of their fathers, who had purchased that liberty so clearly ? Why should not the Churches in this colony strengthen each other's bunds? Independency in its isolation was a protest against spiritual despotism. Let them aim here more aud muro at combination and union in the Congregational Churches. He brought to the Chuiuli the corJial and affectionate greetings from their brethren from afar, and tho Dunedin Church congratulated them in the successful prosecution of the Master's work. In conclusion, he said he hoped before long to again have the privilege of preaching in the church in Auckland, and of addressing a meeting of the Congregational people.

Tho Kev. J. KonERTSOS hoped the union of tho Cougre-iitiiwiiili-it Churches iu Sow Zealand would aoon bo brou-rlit about.

The Kev. W. Moklev (Wesley.-in), who will shortly leave this city for another sphere of labour, then delivered nn instructive and pertinent address ou " Tl>e Use of the Bible." He recommended the daily reading of epistles — rather than chapters. He then referred to the daily text books. The Bible ought to be used more in the w,\y of comparing Scripture with Scripture, and it should be studied more consecutively. He thought there was si habit in the Free Churches of reading ouly a portion of the Word, Hud they might in this matter take a lesson from the Episcopalian Church. The Free Church prencheis, also, were liable to run into "ruts," and get into certain grooves. He thought if in the Free Churches they could adopt some modification of the plan adopted by

the Church of England it would be very much to the advantage of the congregations. The Kct. Mr. HaBE.VS addressed the meeting. Referring to whit Dr. Koseby h»d said u to tli* desirableness of a union, he remembered that in ISGG, be wrote from ChrUtchurch beseeching tho ministers in Auckland to think about a union, and tw j-iin in mime effort of association on the p.rt of tun Independent Churches of the colony. 1,, 1375 h » made another attempt. The Kev. Wa.ioiv Diviea had been in this c.lony mme eleven years, and during .vll tuis time l lc ( iile 3 p ei l(er) hud never met him, but h ..1 .l o! ,» 5O two ye*r» a ? -o in Sydney. It was time the preaent <Ute of things in this respect cine to nn end. Supposing it cost the Auckland Uharcli £20 —it would be £20 well .pent. He hoped the day was oot far distant when ther« would be a Cungi-egatinnalist Union i u Saw Zealand. The "isolation" which hail been leferred to, diil not exist iu the early put uf the Church's history, it arose at a later time. As an instance of how infrequently the ministers in New Zealand saw each other, hi »iiil he waa two yens aud 11-half in Ohiiatcliurcii before he met;t Congregßtiouali-st minister. lie thanked God for the couditiun of the Church in Auckland, and wlnt ho believed to be its true prosperity. Speaking of the church building —Mr. Habens said there never was a wj.-so place to speak in thau that building a few years ago ; tbe tirst time he opeaeil his mouth in prayer iu it he thought he should ba obliged to , stop, there seemed to be voices shouting at him troiu various parts of the church. The acoustic properties of the building were now, he thought, perfect. In speaking of the p.wtor of th. church, Mr. Habens said be was a iirnn whose straightforwardness, simplicity, and sincerity a iid what he meant, and who spoke so that all who heard him must know this, and this went a lon» way to make a. good preacher. The speaker then referred to the temptation in the preaent day to worlJliness ; but whatever their work might be, they should do it with a feeling iu their hearts that they were doing that work in the way they believed God would have them, to do it. If they did their work so, though, secular in outward, form, it might be a verysacrament to tbeirspirits and lives. In the prea terrible degree. After some further temarks on the subject, Mr. Habens spok<j of the methodical reading of the Scriptures, referred to by others who had addressed the meeting, and his own efforts to promote it. In conclusion, be csngratulated the pastor and the members of which the church was at the present anniversary.

The choir, under Mr. HooteD, sansj at intervals during the evening. The meeting terminated with prayer.