BAPTIST CHURCH.

Timaru Herald, Volume LI, Issue 4920, 30 August 1890, Page 4

BAPTIST CHURCH.

The anniversary of the Timaru Baptist Church waa celebrated on Thursday m the customary manner by a social tea and after meeting, both held m the chapel. The farmer was well attonded and an abundance of good things had been provided. The tables were presided over by Meidames Clirkson, Murgatroyd, Fairbourne, PalleßOn, King, Penrose, Turner, and Misses CunniDgham, Penrose, and Hoberts, assisted by Misses Emmerson, Olarkson, Ogden, Cox, Arthur, Knowles, Westerman, Murgatroyd, and Beigate. For the after meeting the building was fairly filled and a couple of hours were spont pleasantly and instructively with alternations of music and addresses. The pastor, the Bey. 0. O. Brown, presided, the Beva K. D. Cecil and W. J. Williams lent fraternal assistance, and the Bey W. Woollass would have dono so but was prevented by indispoiition. After ft devotional opening and an item by the choir, the first of many fjleaaingly given during the evening, The senior elder, Mr W. Ponroso, mado a report on the year's progress and finances. This was congratulatory m tone. In spite of many changes and fluctuations they had held their own m numbers, and aa for finances they were m the pleasant and unusual position of having a credit balance. The receipts for the year ended Juno were £229, expenditure £220, credit balance £9. He trusted they were entering upon a year of equal prosperity. Ihere was however an equivalent to a millstone around their neck m a debt of £600. It was no use quoting proverbs such as " Where there's a will there's a way," when it was a question of getting rid of a church debt. They bed, however, started on a way which he hoped would prove a straight way to the goal they desired to roach, freedom from debt, this was the borrowing on £10 debentures repayable by instalments and free of interest. Ten had been taken, and he would be pleased to distribute more of the hits of paper. In conclusion he again congratulated their pastor on the prosperity of th« past year and trnsted that the future wooM be equally prosperous. ■The Her. Mr ' Brown reminded his conffrngation of the doubts folt when ho came six year* ago, whether be would be able to remain

twelve months. He had been here six times as long as that, and looked forward to five or six years moro. He also referred briofly to finances, mentioning that the interest charge had been reduced from 8 per cent on £450 to 7 per o?nt on £350, a further loan of £100 having been obtained without interest. Interest was like tho daughter of tho horseleech, always crying •'■ give, give," and m the fix years he had been here they hai paid almost as much as the principal debt m interest. It would be better for churches as for individuals to keep out of debt. He was very pleased to Bay that they had a very happy year, there had been no disputing or squabbling of any kind, each one had worked earnestly and with single mind for the good of the church. He had much pleasure m introducing the Rev. Mr Cecil and tendering him a hearty welcome to their platform. The Rev. Mr Cecil then gavo an admirablo address on the value of denominational divisions to the cause of religion. Ho recognised one great church of Christ under many f orms.and argued from aualogieß m nature that such divisions were part of the purpose of the great head of tho ohurch. There were numberlees different kinds of trees, but all were recognised as trees j on any oue tree no two leaves were alike, yet all were leaves ; there were different races of mankind, yet all were men, no two men even were fully aliko. Denominational divisions had been proved to be necessary to activity m religious life. Whenever any ono church, became dominant and subjected all to its rales, religion became a mere dead formality and even a source of corruption. Dissent and secession had always produced more vigorous life m tho parent church, which waa compelled to emulate tho activity of the seceders. The diversities were not greater than those among the colours of the solar spectrum, which, combined, formed ] the perfect white light of day, and the fundamental unity underlying the superficial diversities was seen m the fact that all denominations could sing the same hymns of praise, reverence tho same noble self-Baorifioes, those of Father Damien for instance. Those divisions were themselves a source of power also, for when leaders of various denominations acted m concert, as m the cause of temperance, or m mediating m strikes, the laying aside of their differences gave their action and counsel much greater weight. At the same time denominational division might be pushed too far, and, speaking for himself only, lie considered the Baptists and Congregationnlists of Tiraaru should coalesce, as they had done m many cases ia the Old Country. Mr Cecil was warmly applauded on concluding a long and most interesting ad-

cress.

The Rev.W. J. Williams, humorously congratulated the congregation on haying got their tea meeting safety over before the supply of coal bad been completely stopped, and following the Rev. Mr Cecil remarked that such an occasion as that was one of those when tbe ministers of Timaru could very well forget their differences. Alluding to the singing of the choir, he pointed out the fact that Ohristianity is the "only religion that finds any part of its expression m hearty song. Most nations have their national songs, whioh appeal strongly to the people of those nations, and to these only. The songs of Christianity, appealed to Christians of all nations ; he had heard one sung m Chinese, by Chinese, as heartily as by English people. Joining m these songs all national and social distinctions melted away.

The Rev. Chairman proposed votes of thanks to the visiting ministers, to the choir, and to the ladies who had provided and presided at the tea, and these having been carried by acclamation, the meeting closed with a hymn and the benediction.