WADESTOWN CHURCH.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 432, 15 February 1909, Page 5

WADESTOWN CHURCH.

.i- ;;;.';;(;: OPENING SERVICE.:'( ;.-' (,;-The: very'inclement weather ;of Saturday., afterndon.' did not-.'seem <ip-.dam'p .the en--.th'usiasnr-.of- the Anglicans .of, .Wadestowii, (whb'iriustered in consider'able force toatfend (tbeppening. service.of.their new church.-'The preacher 'of'-the ;day; was the eloquent'-vicar; of St'. Paul'si-tho/Bev.; T. in'whose icharge.the.-Wadestpwn district;was: until its 'present ■ pastor, ■■ the .Rev. T.. G: Kay,, took -.charge-;.. Mr.:(Kay musfcertainly; be regarded 'as an;optimist.in this matter of church build-/ ;ing, as.ho faced the task without funds or en-, cburagement,:.: and, like many, battlers in a good 'cause, achieved -.victor)'.'; His; work in Northland is an enduring" monument- to strenuous efforts and. single-minded. devotion' ■to-duty, and now.He has the gratification of seeing :Wa'destbwn : possessing, a' substantial and orriate( place ;of worship, erected in , solid brick and ; mortar, and a: heritage'.of- the parishioners fdr (all time. Altho.ugh the sacred edifice'cost £1000, and the.internal furnish-, ing'a-very: considerable; item, the enterprise is entirely/free of. debt., The church has been (erected un'dor.the supervision of the.diocosan (architect;(Mr. F; de J.: Clere, .and occupies' a v commandirig : site, overlooking ■ the-Kaiwarra'

Gorge;".- , ;; - .'■l,^^:^ y*" , "'.) : ■"-■;- '' '•■'.■.■'•"'.'.■ ■■• : -- • At' Saturdayls ceremony the service • was conducted ifcy Mr. Kay, and: ah appropriate ;acr7:.ofi : was .preached .by Mr. Sprott.'- './He ,nu^o'.-. a. sympathetic reference X-α the .wreck, of i lie; Penguin, and \dwelt. upon the consola'tioiis•.;which the :Christian'Church offered'to its /votaries' in : those- times of sadness ' and desolation./: Thp ; preachqr paid a marked tribute "'to the, work of Mr. Kay, his old-time: curate,in embarking upon and seeing through these,church extensions: Their.new edifice ;inAWadestßwri,,:ho:;observed;.,wiis unlike many: other/places- of: diviiie^wo'rkship,.-which woro dimply builtVof: wood, and would only last for ithirtyor forty years.- This House of God was ■ enduring.- He "complimented the vicar and his flock on their...whole-heartedncss, in the 'enterprise, and.expressed his own particular •pleasure, as their former pastor, on finding :the state of religion so progressive in the district. ■'■ -'" : .'■'■;■: \ ■;':.'■.,] .." ' ■,-.'..', ■, "• ':'■■:■'■■!■.■■ : : The'clergy assisting at the serrice were'the ;Revs.,■■: M'Nickle ;i .'' (Kilbiriiie),':... Hanseir (Karori), 'and , Walker (Nowtown). ' ■ ... ; On Sunday'morning : the. church was filled ' with and an eloquent sermon preached.by'Mr: , Kay from tho test, "GoU. is love."/ A children's service, which held in the afternoon..'. There was again a large congregation in the evening. ... ■;','■ ■