THE OPENING OF NEW ST. MARY'S.

Timaru Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 3714, 27 August 1886, Page 3

THE OPENING OF NEW ST. MARY'S.

» Yesterday -will long be remembered by the parishioners of St. Mary's, and the many members of tbo Episcopalian persuasion m South Canterbury, as tho day on which the new church was opened by the Lord Bishop of the Diocese, with the usual pomp and ceremony attendunt on such an occasion. The Yen. Archdeacon Harper, Incumbent, assisted by his choir and many prominent members of the church, hare for weeks past been working most assiduously to ensure that "Consecration Day " should be a great success, both from a religious and temporal point of view, and the admirable way the whole proceedings of yesterday passed off mußt have been a source of much pleasure and gratification' to them. Yesterday morning broke fin* and dear, but the cold keen wind from the southwest reminded people that winter had not entirely left us. During the early part oMTie service the sun shone out brilliantly^ but before the service had concluded heavy clouds had gathered, and a sleety rain was falling. The weather then continued variable and very cold for the Test of the day. At 10.30 a.m. the first hell,. began to ring, and people to assemble! at the main entrance where they were met by" ifessrs M. White, A. Stedman, F. H. Nuding, E. Cook, F. H. Oilman,, and J. Wilson Smith (Vestrymen), and shown to seats m .the church. Long before the town dock struck the hour of elevm every seat m the church was occupied, and as chairs had been placed m the aisles and at the back of the building, the •visitors who had arrived rather late were escorted to them. The day being Thursday accounted for the fact that the majority of the vast congregation was made up of ladies and children, most of the male members of the church having "tho daily round, the common task " to attend to. As the Archdeacon and the male members of the choir emerged from the door m the S.E. corner of the building the congregation rose, and the CONSECBATION BEBTICE Was at once commenced, the beautiful music of. the organ, and the stillness of the large assemblage importing a most solemn importance to the whole ceremony. The Archdeacon, attended by Mr Belfield Woolloombe (senior ohurchwarden) and the choir, then marohed down to the door at the west-end of the church and met the Bishop of the Diocese and the visiting clergy. The congregation was at this time still standing, and us His Lordship stepped into the church, Mr Woollcombe read and then delivered the following petition to him : — "To the Most Beverend Father m God, Henry John Cbitty, Bishop of Christchurch, .and Primate of the Church of the Province of New Zealand, commonly called the Church of England. "We the undersigned, . Henry William Harper, Incumbent of the parish of 'iimaru and Archdeacon of Timaru and Westland, and Belfield Woollcombe, William Montaguo Sims, churchwardens ; and Benjamin David Hibbard, William Priest, William Arthur Mason, John William Wraith Ziealer, Arthur Steadman, Frederick Hughes Nuding, Moses White, Thomas Herbert GKllman, Edmund Cook, members of the aforesaid Church, resident m the >parish of Timaru, beg to represent to your Lordnbip that a parcel of land, containing by admeasurement one rood and thirty-six perches more or less, and numbered as lots 325 and 326 on tho map or plan of the township of Timaru m the office of the Chief Surveyor of the provin ial district of Canterbury, m New Zealand, has been conveyed to your Lordship by the late William .Barnard Rhodes, the late Bobert He&ton Rhodes, and the late Georg» -Bhodes, as and for a site for a church, and by your Lordship bos been- conveyed to the Diocesan Board of Trustees 'of the Diocese of Christchurch, iip6n the: same' trusts and for the same purpose ; and -that a church -has- been built upon the taid parcel of land by the contributions of members of the aforesaid Church of the province of New Zealand, aided by a grant of money frdmtho Chhroh Property Trustees of the Diocese of Christobur )i, and that the said ohurch is fitted and Prepared for diviue worship. We therefore unjbly request jour Lor.lahip to consecrate the said church, and to- dedicate it, under the name of Saint: Mary, to the service of Almighty God. and for the celebration of His worship, the reading and preaching of His ' Word, and the ad ministration of His holy sacraments,, and other rites and ceremonies of Hit Church, according to the use of the Church of the province of New Zealand commonly called the Church of England/ ''.■■-." The Bishop at once signified his consent to consecrate the church according to tho prayer contained' in the petition, and preceded by the Rev. Walter Harper, bearing the pastoral staff, which is mode of New Zealand wood?, ornamented with silver and greenstone, found m the Colony, proceeded up the navo, the clergy fallowing him being the Bishop of Dunedin, the Deanof Christchurch, the Movs. A. Kerkham," A. Dunldey, C. Coates, W. Hare, J. Preston, Q. Foster, T. Jat per Stnjtii, T. Hamilton, t. C. Brady Bnd T. Flavell. The Primate and others attending upon him, the Incumbent and the choristers, then proceeded up the nave repeating therxiv. pialm, "'1 ho earth is the Lord's, and all that therein is," alternately, the Bishop commend'

ing the psalm. Arrived at the east end of tho church the Bishops and chaplains proceeded to the sanctuary and th« clergy and choir to their appointed places. The Bishop of Christchurch then rose and said : — " Dearly-beloved m the Lord, forasmuch os devout and holy men, as well under the law as under Ihe gospel, moved either by the inspiration of the blessed Spirit, or by the express command of God, or by their own sense of order and decency, have erected houses for the public worship of God and separated them from all profano and common uses, jn order to fill the minds of those who worship m them with greater reverence for His Glorious Majesty, and to affect their hearts with more devotion and humility m His service, which pious works have been approved of and graciously accepted by our Heavenly Father ; let ub not doubt but that ho will also favourably approve our present purpose of setting apart this place, m solemn manner, for the performance of the several offices of religious worship." Tho Bishop next invited all present to fuithf ully and devoutly pray for God's blessing on their undertaking, special prayers having been set apart for this purpose. The Bupplication »nded, the sentence of consecration was read by tho Rev. Walter Harper, and having been signed by His Lordship, was handed to Messrs B. Woolleombe and W. M. Sims, churchwardons, and the Bishop ordered it to bo enrolled and preserved among the muniments m the registry. Hymn 215, " He is the Head of the body— the Church," was next well sung by tho i hoir, after which the ordinary morning service of the EpL-copaliun Church was followod. The lessons were (1) I. Chron. xxir, 10-18 inclusive, by the Bey. Mr Flavell ; (2) Heb. x., 19-25 inclusive, by the Bey. Mr Coates. Just before the communion service the choir sang an anthem (psalm lix , 16-17, A. Sullivan), and during the- service just named the Rev. Walter Harper read the epistle (Kphesians ii., 13,) and Dean Jacobs the gospel (St. John ii., 13-18). Tho chanting of the Nicene Crcocl concluded, the Lord Bishop of the Dioccae delivered his CONSECRATION SERMON. ' His Lordship took for his text PBalm Ixviii. verse 35 — " O God, wonderful art Thou m Thy holy paces ; ever the God of Israel ; He will give strength and power to His people ; blessed be God !" After stating that the building where they met that day occupied tho site of (he first church erected at Timaru, His I.ordihip referred to tho primitive habits of the early followers of the Christian church, many of whom had had to worship God m the meanest buildings, m upper chambers, m dens of the earth, or under tho open heavens, when more suitable plaoes were unattainable. So it once was with | tho early settlers of Timaru ; they were compelled t ) be content with a place of worship m some degree proportional to their means. But it was otherwise now, and seeing that we had m this country m rich abundance, goodly stones, the choicest timber, and skilful workmen it was only fitting and right, was ourbounden duty, that we should use these things m God's service and for His honour. ;It was after all but little that we could reallydo m return for all that He had done for us. ' His Lordship then epoke shortly of the building of the temple at Jerusalem, and of the loving heart of David, which was prompted by God to build such a beautiful sanctuary, and con tinuing said that we were even now m tho I peculiar form and design of our churches but following, however imperfectly, the exampleset us many years ago. We givo to the churches of our best, or rather give them to Him m whose name they are built, go thut all can worthily worship Him m spirit and m truth Even what might appear to somo as mere ornamentation had its proper place and meaning, and was introduced into the tabernacles by the ordering of God. These ornaments were symbolical of the love we felt for God, and to those who frequented God's honse m faith it was a place ,where God would meet them to bless them, to offer them a richer outpouring of His grace, and a more plenteous redemption from the guilt and power of tin. His Lordship then made a powerful appeal to the congregation to have faith and trust m God, and hoped that the services to be conducted m that church would ever have God's blessing, and be productive of widespread good He reminded all that churches were built as a sign of the spirit of God m our midst, and the messages sent to us m Holy writ were far better understood when they were delivered m the house set apart for them, and, therefore, all who professed or had the great caute of Christianity at heart should sco that they attended Ins house regularly. As our space is limited, we have been compelled, with regret, to at ridge our report of His Lordship's sermon, which was throughout oloquent and impressive. '1 be sermon was followed by the offertory, which on this occasion was m aid of the building fund, after which the usual and two special prayerß were offered up, and the service was brought to a conclusion. At the communion service there were about 60 persons, and the celebrants were tho Bishops of Christchurch. and Dunedin, assisted by Dean Jacobs and the Bey. Walter Harper.