Anniversary Services.

Thames Star, Volume XXX, Issue 9111, 4 July 1898, Page 3

Anniversary Services.

MARY STREET CHURCH,

Nine years have passed since our local Baptist and Congregationalists united for public worship, and yesterday special services were held in celebration of the event. The season was not propitious for any elaborate decoration of the building, but the rostrum was tastefully decorated. Large congregations assembled at each service and were privileged to hear two powerful sermons by the Rev. A. H. Collins, pastor of the Tonsonby Baptist Chutch, Auckland. In the morning the rev. gentleman took as his text the words " Strength and beauty are in his sauct vary." By way of introduction, strength and beauty were declared the permanent elements of all true religious life, Turning first to the wonderful building to which the words of the text literally refer, the preacher spoke of the attention it attracted before the finger of God wrote ' Ichabod " upon its cedar walls. He pointed out that its material and architectural splendour were not really great compared with present day achievements, but that its truest value lay ia the fact that when Solomon'B Temple was completed, the Jews, for the first time in their history, had a fixed religious home, the effect of which w« to give them a unity of religious and national life not previously enjoyed. Mr Collins went on to show that it was not material splendour that made a sanctuary but the presence of God—felt alike by the worshipper in the plain village meeting-house or in the stately minster. [The preacher paused awhile to impress apou his hearers that religion aud conduct are what make up the best of life ; that God had placed them iv the woiJd to build character, to serve him, to do duty]. Reverting tr his theme, thepreacher said " strength" must come first and •' art " mast be subordinate te it To reverse the order he held to be disastrous, and yet that seemed to be the tendency of " this nervous, spineless age " in which there was too much seeking after the veneer of life, too much forgetfulness of the Bible teaching that there was no beauty which waa not built upon pillars of strength. He would not, however, be misunderstood. He did not think there was anything sacred in ugliness, but he believed that the graces and adornments of life should rest on the strength of truth and reality and that a quickened and revived religious life will show itself in grater reverence aud more regard lor the sanctuary. IJe warned his hearers that it were better to return to the plain, barn-like structures where their forefathers worshipped, rather than have part or lot in a ritual that tempests the heart away from the simplicities and spiritualities of pure worship. He urged them to school themselves and their children in such a regard for the sanctuary aa would ensure reverence and even sacrifice on its behalf. He feared that "strength" was not a quality to day generally attributed to the Church, but God had declared •• On this rock will I build my Church "and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it," He therefore called upon all Christians to cultivate the spirit of brothevhood which, others seeing, would be constrained to say " We will go with you for we perceive that Gtod is with you," for it was their duty, not only to be strong in the Lord, but aid the comiug of his kingdom by so delineating the character of their Father in Heaven that living men, like the dyiug Kingsley, shall say, "Oh, how beautiful Gk>d must be,"

la the evening the words '• Your Father which 19 in Heaven" were the basis of a masterly exposirtou of the doctrine of the Diviue Fatherhood, which, as the preacher demonstrated, sheds such a wonderiul light upon the docirine of Diviue Providence, and not only upon that but aUo upon the equally difficult doctrine of prayer, and further that this teaching of Jesus did much to expla.n the Doc trine of Judgment. 'the rev. gentleman showed that the same doct^ne explained the doctrine of salvation, and, in conclusion, moat impressively asked, " Was it not a shame that men who had this Father lived as though they were orphans in His world ?" and besought his hearers each and all to getlfcck to the Father's feet, crying "]4Bier I have sinned." The Choir muster«d in full force and in addition to the ordinary music suitable for the occasion, rendered Jackson's "Te Deum Laudamus,'' and the anthems " God be merciful to us" and " Arise, shine, for the light is come' (Perkins), The collections for the day were in aid of the church funds, and amounted to £6 7s 9d. . To-morrow night, the annual social of members and friends will complete the celebration of this anniversary.