Clerical Society.

Waiapu Church Gazette, Volume XI, Issue 6, 1 December 1920, Page 333

Clerical Society.

The clergy of Northern Hawke's Bay assembled on All Saints' Day at Hastings for their monthly meeting, which will long be remembered on account of the beautiful Eucharist which" preceded . it m St. Matthew's Church, and the important subject chosen for discussion, the Lambeth letter on Reunion. At the request of the clergy the Rev. R, T. Hall, who celebrated, wore the full Eucharistic vestments. The Rev. 0. Gibson assisted the celebrant. The Hastings choir, numbering "about twenty, sang Merbe6ke's Music and, the celebrant sang his part, including the Comfortable Words. The "Benedictus gui Venit " and the " Agnus r } were used, and the Hymn for Unity was sung after the Consecration. , The service was most impressive and inspiring. The .Hastings choir are to be congratulated, if we may use the word of such a solemn service of ;. worship, on their excellent rendering 1

of the music, which was marked by reverence and a due appreciation of ' its solemnity and dignity. Mr Tombs, the organist and conductor, has evidently inspired the choir with some of his. rare sense of the true spirit of worship. The service how wonderfully true devotion,, can be helped by the use of the Church's own music sympathetically rendered. A fairly large number of laymen and lay women attended besides the _ clergy. , . -At the meeting held m the Vicarage immediately afterwards the Lambeth letter was discussed, a paper being read by Canon K. E. Maclean. At the. request of the clergy Canon Maclean handed . his paper to the local correspondent of the "Churchman" arid it has been -I accepted for publication m the January number. . ' . . * .. ■■ ■