PRESBYTERIAN SERVICES

Taranaki Daily News, 11 September 1934, Page 8

PRESBYTERIAN SERVICES

LARGE NUMBERS ATTEND. St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, Stratford, has been packed for the services conducted by the Rev. John Paterson, M.A., Wanganui, who commenced a series of services on Sunday that will extend to Friday. Both the morning and evening services on Sunday saw th- church accommodation overtaxed. The evening service was a special one for young people, and Mr. Paterson spoke on the parable of the talents. The choir gave two anthems and Mr. P. T. Aitken a solo. There were no services yesterday, but to-night the speaker will discuss an interesting and important topic in “What is the Value of Christianity to Civilisation?” Evening services will be held to-mor-row, Thursday and Friday commencing at 7.45 p.m. but presaged with singing by the choir at 7.30 p.m. Mr. Paterson will also give an address to the P.W.M.U. at 2.45 p.m. on Friday. Speaking to an exceedingly large congregation at the special evening service for young people Mr. Paterson chose the parable of the talents, emphasising the rebuke administered by Christ to the third servant who buried h ; s share and allowed it to lie useless.

Children, said the preacher, were in the same position. They should not be put aWay where they learn nothing and became useless, but should be given the opportunity to increase their spiritual worth. Their natural Christian instincts should be' developed and brought out. Young people should realise that their parents, ministers and school teachers were much older and more experienced than they, and they should not try to mould their ideas, but should let them-, selves be fashioned according to the experience gained by their elders. “You are still young, and do not perhaps realise the full wisdom of this advice, but as you grow older the majority of you will grow wise and adapt your lives accordingly,” he said.

Nothing on this earth was made perfect by our Lord, he continued. He made everything in its crude form so that man could derive pleasure in bringing this crude material to perfection. The briar rose was the form in which this flower was put upon the earth, but since then man had striven to improve it and today there were many beautiful varieties of this flower. A similar instance could be traced in the development of the domestic animals. Originally cows were crude animals giving a small yield of inferior quality milk. To-day the cow had been brought to its present state of efficient production. Everything could be improved by use. To more fully explain the process of development with use he spoke of a famous painting depicting our Lord knocking at a door. Critics commenting on the picture had one fault to find with it. There was no handle to the door. No, said the painter, the door ’s ,the door to our heart and can only be opened from the inside when we are prepared to accept Christ, hence there was <no handle on the outside of the door. TOKO FLAG FIVE HUNDRED. GIRL GUIDE FUNDS BENEFIT. There was a good number, including visitors from Kahouri bridge, at the flag five hundred party at Toko on Thursday to raise funds for the Girl Guides. The winning table consisted of Misses Isbister and Harper and Messrs. H. Lind and H. Grierson. A cake made by Mrs. Rowe and iced by v Miss K. Jones was won by Mr. E. D. Jones. After supper a dance was held, music being played by Mr. and Mrs. Chainey and Mr. Harper. Mr. J. Martin was master of ceremonies. Prizes for-Monte Carlos, donated by Mrs. Rowe and Mrs. Ferguson, were won by Miss C. Milne and Mr. Stallard and Miss Bessie Jones and Mr. H. Ancejl. NEW ZEALAND ON THE SCREEN. FINE FEATURE AT THE PLAZA. “Romantic New Zealand,” a full-length feature, containing 6000 feet of film, which includes shots of characteristic New Zealand scenery and a concise description of the development of the country from the days of Captain Cook, will open a twoday season at the Plaza Theatre. Stratford, to-day with a matinee at 1.30 p.m. and the usual evening screening. There will be a special school matinee at 3 p.m. to-morrow, and the final showing to-mor-row night. For the special matinee arrangements are being made for the pupils of nearly all the schools within a fivemile radius to attend. In dramatic fashion the feature unfolds the story of Aotearoa. The coming of Captain Cook is followed by colourful phases of pioneer life with bright descriptive talk to give the atmosphere of the pvriod depicted. The majestic splendour of New Zealand scenery runs through the picture as a background with all the variety that has made New Zealand famous. Towering alpine peaks and dazzling glaciers, stupendous fiord walls, grim volcanic peaks, cones of which Egmont is a leader, tracts of bush, rivers cutting their way through gorges and meandering over fertile flats—those are items in the most comprehensive film that has . ever been made in New Zealand. Technically the film is a credit to New Zealand enterprise as many views are reproduced in their true colours by a New Zealand process. The supporting programme comprises 5600 feet of comedies and cartoons. ADVERTISERS’ ANNOUNCEMENTS. A long night old-time dance will be held by Mrs. Marchant at the Frontiersmen’s Rooms on Friday next. A public address will be given in the Parish hall, Stratford, to-morrow at 8 p.m. by Colonel S. J. E. Closey, M.C., V.D., who will speak on social credit for New Zealand. A special invitation is extended to returned soldiers. Dance patrons proposing to attend the “Hurrah for Douglas” grand dance should note that the date is Thursday, September 13, not on Wednesday, September 12.