BAPTIST CHURCH.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 13350, 7 April 1914, Page 4

BAPTIST CHURCH.

Judging by the spirit and tone of the / 'given at tlie. Baptist Tabernacle 7; last night, • the success of., the, Rev. P. J. ■ 'WainMi'ight's ministry in Gisborne is assured. The occasion M*as a welcome •tendered, the new pastor... -.There .w t as, a : representatiXje^gathering, over-Sv'hich Mr TV E. TaiieycUffe,.pr,"r s i4, e d, ai'idf.. with, him 'on the platform^ were representative's of other denominations and.,, leaders of the ■various organisations in connection M'ith the church, , • „ >■'...•,.'. The chairman read apologies from the Rev. J. A.; Lpchoi*e, Dr. iW. P. Porter, •and Rev. 7 Rempton (Auckland). .The Rev. E. , AwKerM*aa*d, President of the 'Baptist Union, M-rofe as follows -i — "I am 'so* very -sorry- that' r«, could ,10t jojn personally- in- your gatherings in connection with the settlement, of your new minister, , Rev. P. J. Wainwright. I 'should have* been, delighted to. be present so as to renew old Iriendships and make new ones among the people of Gisborne. 'It "was my privielge as president of the. 'Auckland auxiliary to welcome i Rev. ik\\. Lamb on liis \ settlement, and I well remember the heartiness and wealth of the people reception of their iiew pastor.;, Apd now. as president of the Union' l' .most heartily congratulate the Church.on fhaving received .Mr Wainwright's acpeptnace to its call' tof, the pastorate., _ The growing , importance of your city makes_ il; necessary, that v the pulpit of. the feaptis,t Church sl*,o;uid be occupied by a man of /sterling worth. Such a man I believe you have in your new minister. I am sure I am express- • ing the unanimous, wish of the executive of the Baptist Union when, I say that we hope that under Mr Wainwright "s ministry and with the co-operation- of a united and loyal church the work at Gisborne may grow from' more to more. ■ The ■ y Baptists of New Zealand' have a great "heritage and- a. .correspondingly freat responsibility. See to it that Gisborne fulfils its full share of the latter by drawing upon its full share of the former. Kindly express my personal greetings to Mr Wainwright and my best -wishes for a long and happy, pastorate." -The Rev. 11. S Gr£y," secretary' of the Union, telegraphed as7follpws, from Dunedin : "Union's -greetings and wishes for long and happy service." Mr Toneyciiffe. , said change's came : about, and..,- sometimes they wei-e good aiid sometime--, tliey, were not. The few changes made in their church showed the happy feelings tliat existed, and enabled them to look -forward to a profitable ministry under M>" ■: Waimvright. -He was .quite sure, God. had answered their prayers in sending' Mr Wainwright amongst ihem. Mr Toneyciiffe then referred to. the fact that in. all ages- God had had. his servants to carry on His work, and sqid that 'Mr -Wainwright 'had, , been sent amongst them to carry on' the ' work, and they must rally round him , and uphold-*-his hands. They must be radiators . tp, reflect, tthe Light. In calling on the Rev. W. Granl to spepk, the chairman referred to the' debt of gratitude the Baptists, owed the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand, pointing out that all their divinity students, were trained in the thejologieal collegia of'their Presbyterian brethren in DuinecJin. The Rev. W.j Grant said he M*as pleas- - ed the relation's' between, their churches were such as they were,. "' He .said he had the privijegef and , opportunity on Friday night of addressing thie neM-'min<-ist-er, and now he haa the privilege' and opportunity 'of. addressing the congregation. Referring. 'to .the .changes. Mr Grant said. he". had met 'fyur Baptist ministers during the seven years he had been in Gisborne. His impressions of the new ..minister! were good; .t-hfrit he was a man of vision, .which. Mas a neces-: sary qualification for' his work. He 'was also a mail of method, And the speaker hoped t'he. .new 'minister .would soon, have them all wording.,, . Mr- .Grant urged them to be loyal and prayerful, so that the work of the hew minister. would 7be successful. They wowlch find'- Mr '.Wainwright very outspoken, and probably he would tread on their corns. "Wejlj get rid of the corns,", added Mr Grant. He had much pleasure in extending a hearty . [welcome to the new pastor. [A Words of welcome were then spoken by Ml* Str^cki „{fpr the Bible; class), Mr Crafts (for. the. Sunday school), Mr E. A. Jones (for the. C.E. Society), .and- M r Ff S. Malcolm (for the choir). The Itev. F.> W. Chatterton .'expressed' the pleaaure it gave him^ as a, member of the old historic. church, in .being', pre-.. - sent to join in .the welcome .to Mr .Wainwright. He trusted they would find they could all co-operate in the -work of ' the Master. < They Mere living in a Strenuous agej and there was no time for laziness . amongst" chui*ch people. ' There M*a« plenty to be done, and with the manifold activities which churches undertook and the demand made upon the minister 3 time, lie. trusted Mr Wainwright'-' would have a little time allowed him for , that, necessary "quiet" for meditation,, ,and he hoped the members of the congregation would, not grudge their pastor a little time to himself. They must not -expect- impossibilities from. jthe, minister. . If they co-operated to <lo their share .of the work, a great deal would bfe accomplished. Mr Chatterton said he looked forward to the time when' a great' deal of' „ that overlapping would have had its d^y- and w.henytbere .wpuld.be a great -union off the, Christian, churches. _... ",W,e •cdhnot say, . when that * will come . about, ' he remarked, "but "I can see signs of it." Continuing, the Rev. Air Chatterton pointed out .that it : was not, always what^a minister ' said . so much as what he was that told ; therefore they shorn Id remember that they, could all preach • sermons by their manner of living. , *Mr J. A. Jones, in a speech lull pf Wit and humor, extended a welcome on behalf of the Methodists. He said Mr Wainwright had come tp work amongst, some of .the finest people it had ..been hia (Mr J,on6s') privilege to come in contact with. , He ur,^ed the people to inspire their pastor 'by., their sympathy, and said ho was of opinion that there -was a great future before the Gisborne ,- Baptist Church. "■Ensign Ave'nell also spoke words , of welcome. He said Mr Wainwright' had cdlne with.fa great reputation, and he* hoped his Christian ministry, would far exceed his reputation. A'greatdeal depended on the sympathy"' which existed between pastor and people, and. that sympathy should be backed /up . by work bv the people seconding the pastor in ail' that he did. He hoped Mr Wainwright's ministry would be fraught with much blessing. .:,,......-. » Mr H. East, on behalf of the deacons of the church, also extended h welcome to Mr Waiinvright. A cordial reception was accorded the Rev. Mr Wainwright when he rose to reply. He said he first, of' all wished to return thanks to those who had siin£. He diso thanked the speakers for all tlje kind things they had said, and said that , perhaps his mniistry would show tliat the Church of Jesus Christ- was a bigger church tlian either the Baptist or English or any other church. He hoped the time would come when they, would see the glowing ideal Mr Chatterton hinted at. What a grand thing it .would be. Me said, to have an executive drawn • from all the churches lo consider the problems of Gisborne. Continuing, Mr Wainwright said he believed if they 0,11 put their., shoulders. ,to the wheel they, might have to enlarge their church. During the evening songs were sung bv Messrs Downie and Holmes and Miss Glover, wliilst Miss G. Hoare and Mr Stan Hoare plaved the accompaniments.,