PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXVI, Issue 7566, 12 May 1919, Page 4

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.

MODERATOR'S OFFICIAL VISIT TO

WANGANUI.

It is ovw sixteen years Since the people of Waitgantti were honoufed by nil,: official %-isit from the Moderator or t?he PresbyteWai; Cfhurch of New Zealand, ■ and possibly the significance • o1 tlie visit ]to Wangonui of the Very Rev. W. Grayj Dixon, M.A., in this behalf will not "hi I realised by the community at large as it might be. The Presbyteran Church i>i New Zealand is the second largest community, and, for the time being,-our : visitor is the chairman of the General Assembly in its oversight of the church's ■~ various services and undertakings. The , Very Rev. W. Gray-Dixon and Strsvy' Dixon were accorded a hearty wetcOine to "VVangnnui at a Social gathering arranged by the ladies of St Paul's congregation and held in St. Paul's Hall on Saturday afternoon. There was a large attendance, and a very pleasant time was spent, during which the Moderator and Mrs Dixon were introduced to the congregation. -. ' Mr Robert Hughes presided, and tf iUi him on the platform were assembled the Moderator, the Mayor, Rev. D* McKenssie; Rev. Mecdonald Aspland, and Messrs W...J. 'freadwell and WiA, Bruce. The Mayor, on i behalf of the citizens of Wangattiiii very cordially, welcomed the Moderator and Mr&Dixon, and addresses of welcome were delivered by Messrs Hughes (St. Paul's, Sessidtt), Treadweli (St. Paul's Board ot Management), and Btuce (Wanganui Presbytery). The Moderator, in rising to reply* expressed his appreciation of the cordial welcome extended towards himself and his wife. He congratulated the, citizens of Waiiganni upon the growth of the town as compared with its size, upon the occasion ot his last visit, fie also spoke in congratulatory terms of the magnificent church and subsidiary buildings which had been built ■*— the church, judged from all points of .view, waft undoubtedly One of the fittest Presbyterian Churches in the Dominioii. Referring to other matters, the Moderator declared that he appeared among them in the interests of the unity and the historic continuity of the churcii. It was very strange that ;the sister national Church of the Empire, the Angiican communion, for which, they had - I all respect, and with which, as with 'every branch or the one catholic church, tifiey desired the fullest 00-operatiou, should so studiously, ignore their imtsino and national position. Aiigiicans spoke of themselves as is'oncoiu'orfnisis, but members of the Church of Scotland were nut Nonconformists. As a *natt«r , , of fact they would make themselves < •Nonconformists by joining the ChurcJi of Englnnd, whose piaw»s .of worslup ~ were in the Scottish Statute Book <le* • signatcd " Episcopalian meetitiy.-' houses.'' Surely it was, possible t'ui? i English and Scottish churchmen tOcoi- [ clially recognise one another. The Scot- : tish churchman, with •llfe rl>roader OUI- ; look, was amazed at the pathetic spectacJe ov English churchmen solemnly / shaking their Heads over supposed difliIculties in the way of united worship : ■ with Ohristians who held the same es- " sential catholic faith. They seemed to : ' share the spirit of the Highland, chief who, calling upon Governor Mac Nab, of Canada left his card with the .super/ scription "The Mac Nab." Returning.;• ! the call, thd Governor left a caM witti tlie de&:gnation, writ in large characters, "The Other Mac Nab." Especially in these times of enlightenment, it behoved every church to remember that there were more than one Mac Nab in the world. The court dress which he Iwore as Moderator was a badge of the historic position of the Presbyterian";' Church, us the Church in Scotland specially recognised by-ttte King. At the conclusion of th& address afternoon tea was dispensed by the ladies, and social intercourse indulged in. During the afternoon items were rendered by Misses Anderson (.violin solos) and Miss Jonston (vocal solo^.)** Yesterday the Moderator spent a bu<«y day. In the morning he conducted the service at St. Paul's, before a large congregation. He also conducted the ordination of Messrs F. Brown. W. A, Cameron and G. Humphrey as ciders of St. Paul's congregation. In the afternoon lie addressed the congregation of Knox Church, and in the evening the • congregation of St. Andrew's Church.