CONSECRATION AT KIWITEA.

Feilding Star, Volume XII, Issue 106, 28 February 1891, Page 2

CONSECRATION AT KIWITEA.

>.. . Theconsecratiqn of the new Church at Kiwitea naturally excited ..considerable, interest amongst the settlers Hh i that neighborhood and in Feilding. The ceremony had been arranged for at an earlier date, and postponed owing to the Primate's* late sudden illness. Last Wednesdayy howeyer, His Lordship and Mrs Hadfield, accompanied by the Rev. Aand Mrs Herruon, drove up to the Kiwitea, when the Primate and Mrs Hadfield were, entertained by Mrs Levett, at Ratanui. . The Bishop inspected and expressed /himself well satisfied with the external appearance of the Church, in the -after-., noonl At 7 p.m.- the Consecration Service began by the reception of the Bishop by the Rev. A. Hermon and the members of the Committee, Messrs Banks, Church, Gorry, Jacob, Teinpler and Varley, at the entrance of the Church, where a petition was presented by the Rev. A. "Hermon and two members of the Committee on behalf of the members of the Church resident in Kiwitea, praying His Lordship to dedicate and consecrate the Church for the sole purpose of Divine worship, according to the rites and ceremonies of the Church of the Province of New Zealand commonly called the Church of England, and to set it apart from all common and profane uses under the name of §t. Agnes at Kiwitea. The name was given in , accordance with the expressed wish of A. R. Levett, Esq., the donor of the site:(orie acre in ail), uporipart of which the Church has been erected. A procession was then formed, the Bishop leading the Y an > an d ' reading the 24th Psalm. At the close of .the'"' Consecration Service the Bishop, . seated at the communion table, read the ' sentence of consecration, after which a hymn having been sung, the Rev. A. > Hermon read the ordinary evening pray- • ers with proper Psalms and special^ lessons, to. the end of the 3rd collect. After i"'. another hymn, the Bishop preached an earnest: and impressive sermon from : Genesis 12, verses 6-.10,- towards the close i of which, he took occasion to- express his > satisfaction with the building ) itself, and his gratification that the set- . tiers should have erected so suitable a Church where they might meet together b for united worship. f The offertory, amounting to £3 .4s lOd, i was on behalf of the Church Furnishing i Fund. .The congregation was large, and ; the service ;throughout was marked by a i. hearty .congregational and reverential r spirit. 1 r; The Primate ana Mrs Hadfield left for *, Wangahui by the express train on Thursdav.