TOC H OPENS NEW HEADQUARTERS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18938, 7 December 1929, Page 10

TOC H OPENS NEW HEADQUARTERS.

Celebrating the fourteenth anniversary of the foundation of the movement —which was started at Poperinghe in 1915—the Christchurch branch of Toe H this afternoon opened their new headquarters in Chester Street, opposite the old Fire Station. A large number of supporters of the movement gathered in the new rooms, homely in their furnishing, but giving evidence in the placards on the walls —“Abandon rank all ye who enter here”—of the spirit of the movement, which since the war years has spread through the world with growing force. The Rev O. W. Williams, padre to the Christchurch branch, welcomed the members and visitors. The building was bare as yet, he said, but they hoped in time to make it a meetingplace for the youth of the city. The big room, in which they were then, was to be converted into a gymnasium. On the same floor was to be the chapel, in which their “Lamp of Maintenance” was to be kept. Downstairs would be the padre’s room, or office, and the kitchen. The Rev Claude Brown, associate padre of Toe H in England, who is on a visit here, was the next speaker. He congratulated the local branch on the progress they had made. The present bareness of the rooms reminded him, he said, of the beginning of the movement in England, ten years before, when it seemed that the spirit of the movement was beyond attainment. Since then, however, it had spread through all the world. They had proved the truth of the quotation, which he gave to them as a message, “To do a serious thing well, it is not necessary to be dull.” The movement was essentially a youth movement, and the youth of the war generation, would soon have to hand on their torch to the youth of to-day. They had to servo youth and help' youth to serve, remembering that youth was rapidly nearing years of discretion. “Let us learn from youth, that we may be young,” he said. The opening ceremony was then performed by Bishop West-Watson, who was assisted by the Revs O. W. Williams and Claude Brown, the branch secretary, Mr J. Kerr, and Mr A. Penrose. The ceremony was a form of service in which the party moved from room to room, blessing each in turn, concluding with hymns and prayers in the chapel. Prior to the formal opening to-day the League of Women Helpers provided afternoon tea. This evening the members will hold a social, while tomorrow there will be a short service for members.