IN THE CHURCHES

Waikato Independent, Volume XXXIII, Issue 2991, 20 April 1933, Page 3

IN THE CHURCHES

EASTER WEEK-END SERVICES

PARISH OF ST. ANDREW,

Special seasonal services were held throughout St. Andrew’s Anglican Parish on Good Friday and Sunday. On the former day a three-hours devotion was held in the afternoon and at 7.30 the Passion of the Lord was illustrated by lantern pictures from Hole’s “Life of Christ.” On Sunday special services were held throughout the Parish and were well attended. Trinity Presbyterian. On Good Friday a splendid united service of Methodist and Presbyterian congregations was held. There was a I largo attendance and a most appropriate order of service was presented. On Sunday there was a full church both morning and evening, the preacher being tho resident minister, the R-ev. A. C. McLean. In the morning Rev. Mr McLean spoke on “Worship or Doubt” and at night he entitled his address, “Standing Aloof from the Resurrection.’ ’ The Salvation Army. Easter meetings were conducted at tho Salvation Army by Captain Hay and Lieutenant Flintoif. Tho Crucifixion of our Lord was commemorated on Friday night. Sunday’s meetings were bright and happy, a note of rejoicing being sounded from the first song. Capt. Hay drew his lesson from the story of Mary in the Garden, when in one word she expressed her love, allegiance, confidence and obedience to the Lord Jesus. The night address given by tho Lieutenant revealed the triumphant work of Jesus Christ as with his last breath he shouted in victory, “It is finished.” The hall was attractively decorated in keeping with the season. One conversion was recorded. PICTURES OF CHRIST. The Bishop of Liverpool, the Bishop of Croydon, the Archdeacon of Northumberland, the Dean of Canterbury and the Moderator of the Church of Scotland are among the influential people who have taken up the question of the modern religious pictures which are put before children. In a letter they point out that “a child gets more vivid ideas of religion from pictures than from talk. False ideas so engendered take years to eradicate and in many instances are never discarded. One glimpse of a picture of Christ which suggests that Ho was effeminate or weak or merely depressed may easily destroy a living interest in Ham, and many discourses on the real manhood of Our Lord will not restore it.

“There are notable exceptions for which we arc grateful; but too many of the pictures in use in illustrated Bibles and prayer books, in gift books and in lantern slides, reflect a sentimentalism that is not only bad artistically but which suggests a false idea of Our Lord. Even the old masters, whose great pictures do so deeply satisfy many who revere Christ, often fail to meet the needs of children, largely because they are apt to pass over all that lny between the Infancy and the Passion Week. It is the Man of Nazareth in His strength and His joy and His interest in ordinary people who has power over the hearts of children. We call upon our teachers, our publishers and all who are interested in the spread of a true and vital religion to use pictures that show a Christ who will win the hearts of the young and whom they will want to follow.” Methodist Church. A special “sports” service, arranged by the Rev. J. Richards, was held in the Methodist Church as reported in our last issue.