ST. JOHN'S CHURCH.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1584, 30 October 1912, Page 8

ST. JOHN'S CHURCH.

AXXIVEIiSARY SOCIAL. Tho commemoration of tho Sillh nnniversiirv of SI. John's Church mis brought lo a clow! last evening by a social meeting held in.tho liall of tho church. There was, a good attendance of members and adherents of the congroKiilion, .and the proceedings proved to by of a verv atlraclive and interesting or,(kT. There was an excellent musical programme, consisting of anthems by the choir, h.Io items by .Mr. ilaughan liarnetl, mcinlicrs of tho choir, and other.*. 'J'lierj was oiily o;ic speaker, the Hcv. It. K. Davics, iI.A., ot Knox Church, Dunedin, wlio occupied the pulpit on Sunday last. In introducing .Mr, Davies to fno mating, Dr. CJibb took occasion to congratulate llic congregation'on the work of Hit post year, and rei'trrod with especial pleasure to the collection last Sunday of 0:135. He reminded them that next year was their diamond jnbilc?, ami indicated some of tho features of the demonstration of which they then, all being well, intended to hold.

Replying to Dr. Gibb's felicitations, tho liev. IFr. Daries emphasised the honoured position which St. John's held iu tho I'rosbjterianism of New Zealand, and their annual report showed that they were Presbyterian in tho best senso of tho term. They thought' of and gave to others, and realised their responsibility to the weaker congregations and the great schemes of tho general church.' It was with a rare pleasure ho Had noted the place tho minister held in tho esteem and nffection of tho congregation. Ho assured them that this was paralleled by the place Dr.Uibb held iu the esteem of the church from one end of the laud to the other. Presbyterian ministers were all bishops in tho New Testament sense of the term, but Dr. Gibb he regarded as the archbishop. A minister's life was a trying one, and needed all the succours and support his people could possibly givo him. Ho suggested especially the kind of support .that was given by. the church members ' who became personal'workers. Tho increase of (ho number of such workers had been perhaps the most imprcssivo feature of the recent mission iu Dunedin. In Knox Church they had « band of 70 or 80 pledged to this kind of service. He indicated three features ol this work. First, to pray for the minister and work for the. cause in their own congregation. Second, to bring' others by personal persuasion within the hearing of the Gospel. Third, when occasion arose, nnd it would bo sure to nrise, to speak fo men face to face about the great concerns of the soul nnd the kingdom of Clod. Tho work would never be done rightly till their coii'.'reir.'itions realised their personal responsibility,' An cider of his own church, a man of culture and great ability, had been recently inspired to undertake .this'kind of work. He had begun with his own family, speaking' for the/ first time to its members of their relations, with God. Personally, that man was of a reticent disposition, but he had done this tiling, and found a blessing in it. Mr. Davies said that his own temperament was that of a student averse to such work, but he knew this had to be overcome. Though he found it far easier to speak (o a great gathering of people than to one man, yet-ho know Hrat foce-to-face speeclt must find a place in his dailv work.