BAPTIST CHURCH.

Waikato Times, Volume LVII, Issue 8054, 12 November 1906, Page 2

BAPTIST CHURCH.

OPENING SERVICES. " Then Bhalt thou ciuae the trumpet of the jubilee to sound . . . and ye shall hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim 'iberty throughout all the land" no doubt ran recurrently through the minds of those members of the Auckland Baptist T ibermcle who journeyed to Hamilton on Friday in order to fittingly dedicate their now church for the se.vice of God and the uplifting of man—hy the way, to the ordinary layman, the terms se»m synonymous—as an earnest of their sense ot gratitude for the mercies and opportunities of the fifty years that have elapsed sinetheir first public worship in Auckland. Sod e sixty strong, the city contingent, when reir - forced by local adherent! of their sect, made a godly assemblage, and the proceedings throughout were marked with that spontaneity which forms the chief charm of those religious bodies to which man has given the name of nonconfor mist. In the afternoon a dedication servioa was conducted by the Kev. Joseph Ciark, pastor of the Ta> ernacle, opening with the singing of the thankful doxology, followed by invocation and the reading of a portion of the scriptures. Then the Rev. T. A. Williams offered up a dedication prayer, previous to the Rev. Alfred North deliver, ing his sermm. Taking as his text the words "God is a spirit; and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth," (St. John fourth chapter 24th verse) Mr North dwelt on the equality of all before the Creator, with the text as the charter of spiritual liberty. The worship of God n.mt be in aocordance with His nature, which was spiritual, and worship must therefore ba spiritual and not formal, involving the exercise of all one's spiritual powers and in accordince with conviction and reality. The text was the chartor of deliverance from bondage, in worship, to form, to place, to men. It was the conviction that conscience must rule spiritual worship that caused the pionoer baptists to become separatists, and at all costs—costs of fines and bonds, and tortures and death—to maintain meetings for worship dominated and directed by loyalty to cpnsoience aud to God. At the service a duet was rendered by Misses Ellingham and Hall. In the evening a large number sat down to a dainty tea provided by lady members and adherents. The church was crowdei to the doors for the public m-teting, over which Air G. C. Garlick preside!. On the platform were the Revs. T. Fee (Wesleyan) and P. J. M urs (Primitive Methodist), and fraternal greetings wera received from the Rev. J. E. Adams (Presbyterian) at present in the South. After devotional services, the anthem " Corae into His Courts" was rendered by the Hamilton choir, a combination trained by Mr R. Fewell to a pitoh of exoeilenoe, comparing much more than favourably with those of older churohes. 'I he chairman, in a brief speeoh, outlined the ourse of events which led to the gathering, and oalled upon the Rev. W. Perry for an address, the subject of whic'i was " Steadfastness." The Rev. A. E. Kirkwood (Mt. Rjskill) followed with appropriate remarks on memorials and tributes, and the Rev. F. 11 Sneyd (Mt. Eien), contrived to send the audience away in a happy spirit by adroitly blending humour and solemnity, wit and wisom. During the evening Miss Jackson (of Auckland) contributed the solo " I know that my Redeemer Liveth" and Mr B. Bullen '• All hail the Power." The ohoir added greatly to the pleasure of the meeting by their rendition of several anthems. Votes of thanks tendered by Rev. Joseph Clark and Mr H. Morgan, to all who in any way assisted the oause, followed by the doxology and benediction, closed a meeting full ot brght auguries for a successful and useful future. The Church, which stands at the corner of Victoria and London-streets, has no pretensions to external beauty, but inside presents a very cosy appearance. In fact no puns have been spared to give the church as homelike an air as possible; it is well-finished and sufficiently lighted both by day and by night; ample window and two double light incandescent burners of 250 candle power eioh, with auxiliary burners, providing for this. One feature worthy of note and adoption, is seating by means of chairs instead of the ofttimes uncomfortable pews; altogether accommodation is provided for 2UO worshippers. A word of praise is certainly due to those who carried out the wotk for the manner in which they put their best into it; nam jly the architect, Mr H. A. Ilolman, of Auckland, builder and c n'ractor, Mr S. H. Tirrell; painter, Mr H. Fricker ; plumbers, Messrs Gutteridge and Pocock. The furnishings were for tho greater pirt donated by Auckland Biptists, the organ being tne gift of a prominent member of the Tabernacle.