AT THE CHURCHES

Waihi Daily Telegraph, Volume XXX, Issue 8496, 1 August 1933, Page 2

AT THE CHURCHES

IMPRESSIVE METHODIST ' SERVICE

There was a good attendance at the service In the Methodist Church on Sunday evening, those present including the Mayor, Mr W. M. Wallnutt, and representatives of the management of the Waihi Gold Mining Company and of the Miners’ Union. Touching on the accident the Rev. G. Hall said lie thought the clearest lesson of this grevious happening was the thankfulness all felt for the long immunity they, as p community, had enjoyed from serious mining disasters. They were present to express that thankfulness. Such a feeling argued that there was One Who could and should be thanked; that they believed there was such a One; that He knew and cared for expressions of thankfulness. The speaked then drew a parallel between the lengthy protection enjoyed by the, people of Israel long ago ip the wilderness and the community pf Waihi, and said that the lesson of both was that behind all the works •of men was the power and presence of the eternal God. We flippantly

talked of “chance” and “luck” but the Bible knew no such irrational notion as that things happened anyhow or without cause. TURNING TO GOD As long as the world we moved in ran tolerably smoothly, we did not think of the power and presence of God, but as soon as some machine of our own contriving ran amok and stark death stared us in the face for a moment and passed us by, then we breathed a fervent “Thank God!”, whereas, if we thought more carefully, we should rather lift our hearts in adoring gratitude for the countless times we had been kept safe when no apparent dangers threatened. What we called the Laws of Nature could be nothing other than the continued, ceaseless expression of the will of a personal God. If human laws could not be kept in operation without the conscious agency of the State, how much more we heeded to postulate a Greater Power and Will to keep the laws in operation that governed the universe! So we all could say: God’s hand is ray perpetual guard. He guides me with His eye; Why should I then forget the Lord Whose love is ever nigh. “TOO OFTEN FORGET” But too often we did forget. We. however, could not help the question “If God’s love is ever nigh, why should sore and heart-breaking accidents happen at all?” rising to our lips. The question was not fully capable of answer, but there were glimpses of light upon it. For one thing, we needed reminders, often, that we were not almighty, that we were weak and erring creatures. We thought our works were great, but against the might of Nature they were small indeed. We were proud that we could burrow half a mile into the earth, but forgot that 4000 miles of unknown matter was still between us and its centre. Then, again, we might see the light of God gleaming on the peaks of pain; the light of understanding that there were things of more value than a smooth and easy and untroubled course of life. Such crisis as that of last Wednesday brought to birth devotion, sympathy, heroism, that otherwise would never be. Mr Hall closed by pointing out that the deepest lesson of the event was the uncertainty of time and the certainty of eternity. God had to send us sharp reminders of our own helplessness, of our need of Him, and of our sinful and lost estate until we yielded to the saving grace of the Son of His love, who died that we might live.

During the evening Mr W. W. Rowe rendered the song, “The Toilers,” in an effective and sympathetic manner. ST. JAMES’ There was a large congregation at the morning service in St. James’ Presbyterian Church, those in attendance including representatives of the Waihi Gold Mining Company, the Miners’ Union, the St. John Ambulance Brigade and public bodies. The Waihi Federal Band led the special hymns, which Avere sung with great heartiness. Special prayers were offered on behalf of the sufferers and sympathy was expressed with the relatives.

The preacher, the Rev. J. Ings, took for his text the incident related in Luke 13, of the fall of the water tower in Jerusalem, and the Lord’s comments on that accident of His day. The same principle guiding our attitude towards tragic happenings in our day. Public appreciation of the willing help rendered by professional and voluntary workers was stressed. Above all, the preacher stated that there was surely evidence of the interposition of Divine providence, as there was in the Great War, but that there was counsel, too, against the danger of neglecting to profit by such warnings of the uncertainty of human life. Special appreciation was expressed at the kindly solicitude of the Governor-General and the Lady Bledisloe, put so promptly and graciously in their message. .

Altogether the service was a most impressive one, and the congregation listened with eager attention. Prayers, hymns, psalms and Bible reading all tended to emphasise the lessons of profound gratitude to God for the marvellous deliverance from what might easily have been an infinitely more serious mishap, and a memorable service was brought to a close with the Benediction, followed by the singing of the National Anthem. OTHER CHURCHES

Holy Mass was offered by the Rev, Father G. Lockwood in St. Joseph’s Catholic Church at 10 a.m. “its a thanksgiving to God for the miraculous preservation from tragic death that might have befallen the men, who are now making satisfactory progress in the Waihi hospital.”

At St. John’s Anglican Church on Sunday morning special thanksgiving prayers were offered at the Communion service by the vicar, the Rev. H. J. Williams.