BAPTIST TABERNACLE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22107, 13 May 1935, Page 11

BAPTIST TABERNACLE

JUBILEE OF OPENING MANY GATHERINGS ARRANGED Jubilee meetings to commemorate the opening of the Auckland Baptist Tabernacle in 1885 will be held during this week, commencing to-night with a thanksgiving service at which the Revs. J. Laird and M. W. P. Lascelles, president and secretary respectively of the Baptist Union of New Zealand, will give greetings to the church from the denomination. For to-morrow evening an interesting programme has been prepared by the choirmaster, Mr. A. E, Wilson, under the tile, "Hymns and Tunes of Long Ago." Mr. Wilson has discovered some quaint incidents relating to the singing and composition of rnauy of the old favourite hymns, and in the course of the programme he will give explanatory comments. Church music of to-day will be contrasted with the methods used over 50 years ago and the development that has taken place will be shown in the various items. Old associations will be revived on Thursday afternoon, when the surviving members of the old Wellesley Street church will meet for a reunion tea at which the ltev. H. Knowles Kempton, a former minister of the Tabernacle, will preside. This will be followed bv a lantern lecture entitled, "These 50 Years," delivered by the ltev. Dr. Alexander Hodge. Many pictures having a great historical, and, in some cases, an amusing interest will be screened. For Saturday evening the young people of the Christian Endeavour and Sunday School have arranged a programme which will acknowledge the fine record of achievement as well as showing that there are those ready to bear responsibility for the future. The celebrations will conclude next Sunday with jubilee services at which special honour will be done to those who have long-standing connection with the Tabernacle and at the evening service a replica of the hymn sheet used on the occasion of the opening of the building will be used. The services will be conducted by • Dr. Hodge, assisted in the morning bv Mr. Knowles Kempton.