HANOVER STREET BAPTIST CHURCH.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15185, 3 July 1911, Page 7

HANOVER STREET BAPTIST CHURCH.

Special services wero .held at Hanover ™ Church yesterday to commemorate tho forty-seventh anniversary of the Church, and were as largely attended as tho limited accommodation during rebuilding would permit. Tho pastor of the church, Rev. n . Hay, conducted both services, but was assisted at the morning service by several of tho deacons—viz., Messrs A. S. Adams, H. H. Driver, and A. C. Stowairt, whileothers led in prayer. It is customary to havo an exchange of pulpits on the occasion of an' anniversary, but tho innovation of this homely family eervice, in which deacons who have for so long been connected with tho church took part along with the pastor, was evidently appreciated by tho congregation. In the evening Mr Hay preached an inspiring sermon from Ephesia-ns i, verse 17, to end of chapter, which was concisely stated as presenting a great. vision, a great Saviour, and a great church. "It is well for us to look into great truths," said Mr Hay. "They savo us from being pessimists,' from being worried to death by tho bothering concerns of common life, and from being lost amid tho petty divisions that exist amongst us as a people and a race. Thero is a wonderful power in a great vision. Ono can never afterwards be quite the same. Saul of Tarsus, on the road to Damascus, had a vision of the crucified, but risen Christ, and tho exceeding greatness of His power, and as the revelation. grew upon him ho became, gieat himself—ho became tho mountain soul that withstood tho fierce •hostility of tho world, and,' liko adamant, rising above tho wildest sea, he defied cvory power of darkness and of Hell. That vision abkles like all the great things of life and eternity. Gibbon, the historian, describes the triumph of the most majestio masterpieces of Roman architecture. Whilo tho fretwork and fancywork and delicato carvings were destroyed by tho' iconoclast, the towering columns and colossal arches defied both time and vandal. And the vision unfolded in this great passage is living still. It is the vision of a great Saviour. Why-that coming forth from tho glory clad in humility, but with eyes aflame with a light that the ages cannot see, and carrying at His girdle tho invisible keys of Hades and of death? Why that tread-, ing with bleeding feet tho slopes of Calvary, which no one clso eouldi tread aa the Saviour of tho world? Why that crashing sound from the gates of Hades, and that trembling of the very pillars of eternity as the Christ emerges from this secret places of the- dead? Why? That Ho might bo a groat Saviour and that tho greatness of his powor .might be realised by thoso who believe. And this great vision, and this gTcat Saviour, and a great faith made great lives and great souls, and tlieso make a great church. It is not her wealth, it is not lier social prestige, it is not her numbers that make the church great, but her vision and her faith, and the power of the Groat Saviour realised in her life, i Such a great church mav this church be.".