THE BAPTIST CONFERENCE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18686, 16 October 1922, Page 6

THE BAPTIST CONFERENCE

GRAND CONCERT. Under the experienced leadership of Mr James Dixon, with Mrs Ibbotson as organist and Mrs Leech as pianiste, the combined Baptist choirs of the city and suburbs rendered a concert of special excellence on Saturday evening in the Hanover Street Church. The choir comprised 130 voices, and was well balanced. The choruses were given with expression and effectiveness,.and evidenced careful training on the part of thp conductor.' Tho church was completely filled

The choir rendered tho choruses “ Send Out Thy Light ” (Gounod), “ Hoiv Lovely Are the Messengers ” (Mendelssohn), ” And the Glory ” and “ The Hallelujah Chorus,” from “ I’he Messiah.” All were highly appreciated by the audience, and did great credit to the singers. Miss Wilkinson, L.A.8., sang “ Love’s a Merchant” and an encore; Mr W. Mitchell, “Toreador Song” and Henley’s “luvictus”; Mr Laurie North, “The Yeomans Wedding Song” and “ Homing”; Mr’John Leech, “Mother o’ Mine” and'” I Will, Remember You ”; Mrs Wilfred Andrews, “Song of India”- (Rimsky-Koraskow), “ Trooper Johnny Ludlow,” and “ My Nigger Babby ”; and Mr W. Strang, “ Tomorrow ” and “ The Muliteer.” All the items were rendered with artistic skill, and afforded much pleasure to the listeners. The Lyric Four sang “ Soldiers’ Chorus,” from “Faust,” and “Because.” Miss Jean Baird gave “ Lecyne ” and another selection as violin solos, and was warmly applauded. Miss Todd delighted the audience by reciting “The Highwayman,” “The Royal Heart,” “The Bobolink,” and “Grandma® Will Bay.” At the close of the concert Mr W. J. Bardsley (chairman of the Conference Committee) expressed the hearty thanks of the committee" lor the admirable programme which the united choirs had presented, and tendered special thanks to the friends "who had assisted the choirs. Tho concert closed with the National Anthem, after which a flashlight photograph of the choir was taken as a memento of its united and very successful effort. ■

HARBOUR EXCURSION. Over 700 persons boarded the Waikana on Saturday afternoon for'a trip down the bay to the Heads. They landed for a short time at the Spit, where afternoon tea. was enjoyed, and returned to the wharf at 5.30. The wind was rather too high and cold for perfect comfort, but the outing was greatly enjoyed. The visiting delegates found the excursion a welcome interlude to the strain of conference business. SUNDAY SERVICES. The annual missionary sermon was preached yesterday morning in the Hanover Street Church by the Rev. John Laird, of Nelson, who dealt with the inherent missionary character of Christianity and with tlie matured conviction of file Apostle Paul that it was worthy to be received by all men. Christianity was essentially missionary because of • its own transcendent glory us the revelation of God in His infinite graciousness; -and because all men everywhere needed the teaching which the Evangel of Christ presented as to the worth of humanity and the claims of brotherhood. The triumphs of the missionary cause in all lands proved how ■perfectly Christianity was adopted to meet the needs of mankind. Nowhere had Christianity suffered defeat. The future of the world was boiled up with the acceptance or the rejection of Christ's Gospel. Christ died for all the world, and all the world ought to know it. * A living Church was inevitably a missionary Church, and must pray, and give, and hope for the expansion of ' Christianity. The devotional part of the service was impressively conducted by the Rov. A. N. Collins, of New Plymouth. * A Bible class rally was held in the afternoon, when the Rev. E. H. Radford, of Potone, spoke on the splendid opportunities of usefulness which these times of ours presented to young men and young women. As Esther responded to the call to jysk death itself to save her people from threatened destruction, so the young of our day should respond to the call of Christ and His Church to devote themselves to the service of humanity in various forms of ministry. Adolescence was the period of decision, and nothing could be wiser than the resolve to use life to benefit others. Home was the first scone of service, and as the home was so would society be. The young should prepare themselves for the great privilege of parenthood. Mr Frank B. Adams presided, and there was a largo attendance, which took a keen interest in the proceedings. The church was crowded in the evening, when the Rev. Joseph N. Kemp, of the Auckland Tabernacle, preached from Titus ii. 9: “For the grace of God which bringeth salvation to all men hath appeared,” etc.“ His topic was the manifestation of grace and the kind of people which that grace expected to produce. Grace, he said, was the free.outflow of the love of God, regardless of the worth of the objects on which it rests. The salvation which grace brought .was complete deliverance from sin, the penalty of it, and the tyranny of it. God's purpose was the restoration of man in the wholeness of his humanity. Ho who came to save was coming again in glory. Meanwhile all who followed Him were in duly bound to practice all the gravest virtues of a righteous life. The Rev. R. S. Gray and the Re,v, R. 11. Knowles Kempton also took part in the service. An open-air Gospel service w r as held in the Octagon at the close of the church service by the Rev. C. W. Dunoumb,* of Pal-, merston North, and addresses were delivered' by the Rev. Harold Goring, of Timaru, and the Rev. T. Keith Ewen. of Hastings.