Waipiro Bay.

Waiapu Church Gazette, Volume XV, Issue 10, 1 April 1925, Page 324

Waipiro Bay.

On Thursday March sth the Bishop of the Diocese arrived m this parish and was given the usual hearty welcome by many old friends. On Saturday.he played m a cricket match at ijtokomaru Bay, being entertained-by the local club. On Sunday the usual services were held and at the evening service six candidates were presented for confirmation. The church was well filled and i\\\ listened attentively to an inspiring address. * The Bishop anHPJincedr the appointment .of %; Mrs gtlgh^tp^hfl fission- Jlouse iii hi%

talk to the Maoris, as Miss Davis has been advised by her doctor not to return to Tokomaru. Bay. Very real sympathy was expressed by all for Miss Davis who for the past eighteen months. has had such poor health. Mrs Hughes will be welcomed by Maoris and pakehas as a fitting successor. On Tuesday a full vestry' meeting was held at . Waipiro Bay, the Bishop was present by special invitation from . the Vicar: The business of the meeting was. the -proposed subdivision of the parish. The two northern r members suggested dividing the parochial district between Ruatorea and Waipiro Bay leaving Ruatorea m the Te Araroa district. The : southern members agreed to this arrangement and the Bishop gave his consent. This division will take place as from April Ist next. " '."■•,- ; ." : '- ' ' -.""• Iri the evening the beautiful new brick church was opened. ' The 'l&te Mr Selwyn Golsbfo was the architect,' •Messrs -Burr - arid [ Mirfield . of Gisborne ? supervising architects, ' and - Mi* Frank Thompson' the " contractor. The latter furnished and fitted it throughout with the exception of font, .pulpit and altar. The whole work is a great credit to them all. The altar, reredos and pulpit m oiled rimu are! the' work of Mr Geo. Smith, of Gisborne arid cost approximately £100. These also show very fine workmanship. The total, cost is approx. £3500. On account of the "epidemic the consecration had to-be postponed, so the service was plain Evensong with four hymns, the first being sung m procession. The Bishop was attended by the Rev. P. Kohere as Chaplain, and Messrs McKenna and Haerewa (Lay Readers) from the north were also robed. The Vicar read the prayers and the Rev. Pine Tamahori conducted his Maori choir. Miss Beale capably filled the position of organist. His Lorsdhip spoke from the text St. Matth. xii., 6. "I say unto you that m this place is one 'greater than the Temple." He referred to the fact that from, the beginning of history. God who is everywhere chose particular places to meet man. He instanced Moses meeting God iri the Burning Bush and the great Temples that were raised m Jerusalem so that man. .might' get close to .God." Ever, since, men had, built 'churches. in order that "man might *get~ as^close- as "possible to Gfp6\'7~y r 7 -Vr """:"'" : : His "Lordship expressed "his deep gratitude that th& Church had .bjbeft . built m. lasting : material. Latterlythe Church ; had lagged behind in ' X^lpWJt'fed k«! Wrings* J .Tfce¥g had'

been great, improvement m the domestic; buildings, dwelling, houses and so forth but the Church buildings had not shown the same marked improvement. Thank God here m Waipiro Bay we had. got something good and something that would last; The Bishop asked the large congregation of Maoris and pakehas to use the Church as a place for quiet and private prayer. He said during the whole period of eleven years m which he had been Bishop, he had only once been into a Church and found a Maori on his knees prayirig, and he was a Ngapuhi. . He, urged -the people to look after their magnificent House of God and to keep it clean. He asked them to keep on enriching and adding to its beauty. He referred to the custom the Maoris had of putting up costly tombstones as a memorial to their departed which were frequently very hideous. How nice it would be if , they -would put up a lovely stained glass w^dow 4ntp..the church as V a memprijal'^and 'a''; siinple^C^oss V. over their- departed; .'; "•■':': c \ V-..VH--" -,'7*--His Lordship concluded -by.^s^ing the: people^TtCLi be A vfijy .; $m" CBurch- which was- dfiff eifent- f . ifoitf^has*. ing'a fearful superstition • abOiit 'thfe' bricks and boards; ' Correctly . speaking only a Priest should enter -.the sanctuary. To speak as little as possible m a church and then only m a whisper. To remember, that "m this place is One greater than the Temple." .'.■;• On Wednesday the Bishop, "proceeded .to Makarika. Station and thence to Jerusalem, Ruatorea,. Tiiparoa and Mangahanea.