TRINITY CHURCH.

Gisborne Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1683, 26 February 1906, Page 2

TRINITY CHURCH.

HARVEST THANKSGIVING SERVICES.

The services in connection! with the harvest fostival in the above Church yesiGrday were cimpietoly soocos-fui. A band of willing workers had beautifully dpoorated the Church with corn, produce, and fruit. A feature of tb* deoratiens was on enormous losf presented «s a tbunk-ofiering by a local firm Very large congregations attend'd at a'l the services. Ttie Lord Bishop of P raia occupied the pu pit a** the 11 o'clock service. Dr. StuarG deliver* d a forcible address upon the words, *• Ye are God’s tilled ground.” A very large congregation of old friends welcomed His Lord-

ship. In bis references to the harvost festival. His Lordship contrasted the superior conditions under which we labored in this fertile land as compared with Persia, where they hsd to dig deep trenobos to get to the soil beneath the stnny surfaco. Daring the servioe an antbom was given from Psalm cxiv., '‘Great is the Lord and marvellous,” Mrs E. D. Smith singing the solo. Ia the afternoon at 2,45, Mr H. Nelson VYright addressed a greet gathering of children and their friends.

At tho ahoral evensong held at 7 o’olook, at which aorao difficulty was experienced ia seating tho largo oengrogation, the vioar of Trinity (Rev. Dawson Thomas) oooopied the pulpit, and delivered aspeaial disoourse on tho text, “ Thou shalt keep the feast of harvest.” The speaker spoke on the striking prosperity of the Poverty Bay district, and urged that church people should endeavor to build up a correspond-* ing sturdy church life in the parish. He appealed to them, as a thank offering, to hoartily take up the work of church extension in Gisborne. The Bishop of Persia also touohed upon this crying need at the morning service. He stated that he could well remombor the time when the present building was considered quite large enongb, but with the steady strides that Gisborne was making, and the increasing population, the need of a larger ohuroh had become very evident. Special musio was sung at all tho sot' vioos, the anthem in tho evening being, “ O Lord, how manifold are Thy works,” and a very successful and hearty harvest festival was brought to a close by singing the Doxology. Mr E- N. Sidebottom presided at the organ,