ARMY’S BIG DAY

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 443, 27 August 1928, Page 14

ARMY’S BIG DAY

CONGRESS HALL OPENED GOVERNOR-GENERAL PRAISES SERVICE “Now it is not enough to visit the widow and the fatherless, it is necessary to smooth out the rough places and clear away the stumbling blocks and to keep ourselves unspotted from the work.” The Governor-General, Sir Charles Fergusson gave this message to the Salvation Army at the opening of the new congress hall in Grey Avenue on Saturday afternoon. Sir Charles also gave them the message which had gone to the wavering army of Israel, “Speak unto the children of Israel that they may go forward.” The hall, he said, marked the beginning of a new era. Salvationists assembled in mass formation for the opening of the new Congress Hall. Half an hour before the ceremony the crowd partly clocked the road. A cheer went up for the Mayor of Auckland, Mr. G. Baildon, when he arrived, and shortly afterwards + he Governor-General, Sir Charles Fergusson, was received with the playing of the National Anthem and more cheers. At the call of Commissioner James Hay, who was master of ceremonies, the Army flag was hoisted on the tower. Then Sir Charles unlocked the door and declared the hall dedicated to “the glory of God and the salvation of His people.” “HONOUR AND PRIVILEGE” Sir Charles Fergusson said he looked upon it as a very great honour and privilege to take part in the ceremony, not only because it was interesting, solemn and important, but because it gave him an opportunity of expressing his sympathy with the Army and its great work. He could remember the very early days of the Army in New Zealand. His father, who was then GovernorGeneral, had spoken in stern rebuke to someone who had presumed to criticise the Army. “You don’t look fa.r enough ahead,” he had said. “You do not realise the importance of the movement nor the courage and bravery required.” It was no exaggeration to say that the Army commanded the respect and confidence of everyone. From its inception by its great founder, William Booth, the Army became one of the greatest agencies that grew up in the last century for the development of what might be termed social service, for besides the work it actually carried out it constantly offered an incentive and inspiration to others to undertake similar service. Such service demanded infinitely more earnestness and self-sacrifice and entailed far deeper responsibilities than it did in the old days; it involved not only the care of the afflicted, but the cure or removal of the bad conditions that led to the affliction. COST OF HALL Commissioner Hay said the hall -was not “fancifully or extravagantly beautiful,” but it was beautiful. He said that the land had cost £6,250 and the building £19,660, which was £660 more than the estimate. The progress made by the Army its. foundation was a worthy record. The first outstanding donation to the Army in the world came from a Scottish lady, who gave £70,000 to the institution 35 years ago. The Army now possessed £11,000,000 worth of property throughout the world; not that they were concerned about property, but it was a means to an end There were 15,000 Salvation Army centres and 23,000 officers administering to something like 2,000,000 Salvationists. Considering the size of the new building, which contained 15 rooms and several smaller halls, besides the main auditorium, Commissioner Hay thought the cost, which included the cost of the land, exceedingly reasonable. A message of congratulation to Auckland Salvationists was received from international headquarters and read, together with messages from Mr. W. E. Parry, M.P., and others. Colonel Knott, chief secretary of the Salvation Army in New Zealand, spoke a prayer of dedication, LieutenantColonel Gunn gave a Bible reading and the Army’s Auckland Silver Band played selections while a collection was taken. The ceremony concluded with the benediction, pronounced by the Rev. J. W. Kemp. RECORD SERVICES Special services were held during the week-end in connection with the opening of the new building. The attendances at these gatherings totalled 5,400, a record for the Army in Auckland. Over £ 200 was subscribed during the two days’ services toward the fund for repaying the balance of the cost of the building. Yesterday afternoon representatives or various social organisations in the city addressed a crowded gathering the speakers including Mr. Horace Stebbing, . representing the Young Citizens’ League, Mr. W. E. Bush representing the Y.M.C.A., Mr. S. Berry president of the Baptist Union, and Mr. F. N. Andrews, president of the Council of Christian Congregations. Last evening Commissioner Hay gave an evangelical address to a large congregation. SPIRITUAL f AWS NOT ANNULLED BY MATERIAL CHRISTIAN SCIENCE CHURCH “Christ Jesus” was the subject of the lesson-sermon in the Christian Science Church yesterday, the golden text being taken from John 1:14, “The Word, was made flesh, and dwelt among us (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father), full of grace and truth.” Citations from the Bible, with correlative passages from the Christian Science textbook (“Science and Health, with Key to the Scriptures,” by Mary Baker Eddy), which together comprised the lesson-sermon, included the following from Matthew 9:18, 23-26, “Behold there came a certain ruler, and worshipped him, saying, My daughter is even now dead: but come and lay Thy hand upon her, and she shall live. • • • And when Jesus came into the ruler’s house, and saw the minstrels and the people making a noise. He said unto them, Give place: for the maid is not dead, but slepeth. And they laughed him to scorn. But when the people were put forth, he went in and took her by the hand, and the maid arose. And 1 the fame hereof went abroad into all that land.” Among correlative passages cited from the Christian Science textbook was the following: "God never ordained a material law to annul the spiritual law. If there were such a materia] law, it would oppose the supremacy of Spirit, God, and impugn the wisdom of the Creator. Jesus walked on the waves, fed the multitude, healed the sick, and raised the dead in direct opposition to material laws. His acts were the demonstration of science, overcoming the false claims of material sense or law.” (Page 273.) '