CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.

Timaru Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 4330, 6 September 1888, Page 3

CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.

1 Last evening a Bocial toa, followed by » > public gathering, was hold at the Congrega- » tional Church, to meet and welcome the Kov. > IV Hannay and Mr Lee, delegates from the 1 Oongrcgtitionnl Union of fLnijliiod and Vvalcs ? to the J übilea Conference of that denominaj tion about to be held at Melbourne, who are B " doing " New Zealand on their outward way. t The programme of the visitors lias been din--0 arranged in various ways, one result being a . postponement of their visit from last week to j this, and another the hindrance of Mr Lee 1 from visiting Timurunt all, he being detained . by an engagement near Christchurch. Dr s Hannaiy, however, came down yesterday from i Christehurcb, and his visit will be remembered with pleasure by all who attended the welcome meeting. A» the rev. gentleman explained, the delegates had no business to transact with tho New Zealand churchos, but they stipulated before leaving the Old Country that tboy should visit their New Zealand friends en route for their rendezvous, 'iheteawas well attended, and so also was tho after meeting. On tho platform, for the latter, the pustor of the church, tho Her. Mr Taylor, was supported by the Bevs. Gillies A (Presbyterian), Martin (Wesloyan), Brown y (Baptist), and Woollas (Primitive Mothodißt). Mr Taylor, in introducing Dr Hannay, spoko of tho visit of tho dolegatcs to tho colony as matter for congratulation, as linking the churches of thoir antipodes with those of tho Old Country, and eipreasod his pleasure at tho sympathy 6hown by other churches, as mamfostcd by tlio proseuco of thoir ministers and members of thoir congregations at tha meeting. Tho other \j<,a\ ministers, on behalf of themselves and their congregations, heartily welcomed tho visitor as the representative an individual whose work and speeches and writings had made him a man of mark in the chriiUan world. Dr Hannay then addrcsßod tho meetine, speaking for about an hour, in a quiot but most effective style, frequently enlivened with touches of dry humour, and "chaff" from controversial straw supplied by a suggestion made by Mr Gillies that tho Congregationalists aro 80 nearly Presbyterians — through thoir " Union " — that they might ai well amalgatnato at once. Ho did cot cure for amalgamation, but for union of effort ; a confederation of tho ohurohps for their one grand object, leaving each to pursue its own course in minor mattors, on tho sumo principle as tho British Kmpiro must fedoruto if at ail. Such a union or confederation was ovidonriy most necessary at tho pronont day, wFioti Christianity is being assorted on tho one hand by sßcordotalisniamlarovivalof mcdimval superstition (rilualiam), und on tho other by unbelief founded on science and historical oritiuiani. The wutuul rulutions of tho jireachcr and his Dock formed another Ihoinu

of wiso discaurse, and the truly Christian life of tho consregation was insisted upon as the measure of value for tbe church. In conclusion Dr. tfantiay expressed a hope that the 1 visit of tho delegate would be accepted as a token of the interest tuken in the colonial branches by the churches at Home, and that thoir report on their return would elicit sympathy in a more practical form than had been shown in the past. The reverend gentleman was warmly applauded on resuming his seat, and a hearty vote of thanks, proposed by Mr Tennant, seconded by Mr W. Jones, and supported by Mr George, was carried by acclamation. Dr Hannay left for Chri6tchurch, to catch the steamer, by the first train this morning.