CONSECRATION OF THE CHURCH OF ST. JOHN THE EVANGELIST, NAPIER.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume II, Issue 87, 6 February 1863, Page 3

CONSECRATION OF THE CHURCH OF ST. JOHN THE EVANGELIST, NAPIER.

It is not every one who, even in the old country, has witnessed tlie dedication of a building to the worship of Almighty God.

The greater part of us have worshipped in churches of such an age, that the thought of how, ami when, they were set apart, with prayer and praise, for the service of God, never perhaps, entered our minds. But whether the sight were new or old, we are sure no one could have looked upon the consecration of our little church, on Sunday last by the Bishop of the Diocese (Wellington,) with any feelings but those of deep interest and great thankfulness. For nearly twelve months we have been in use of the building for the purposes of divine worship, but the comfort and satisfaction, of taking part in such a service, as that we are now speaking of, has hitherto been denied us, in consequence of a heavy debt lying against the laud on which the church stands. Thanks to the generosity of the Bishop, and the cooperation of church members, this has lately been removed, and provision made for its final liquidation, without leaving any risk on the church property. We take this opportunity of noticing also, the very appropriate and handsome gift, by Mrs. Abraham, of a Reading Desk, tastefully carved out of a very well selected piece of Rimu.

At the usual hour of morning service, the Bishop, in his robes, proceeded to the church, at the porch of which he was met by the officiating minister, church wardens, vestrymen, trustees, and nominators. The diocesan churchwarden then read the following petition to the Bishop : Right Reverend Father ix God, — We, whose names are hereunto annexed, being the officiating minister, churchwardens, vestrymen, trustees, nominators, and other office heavers of the Church of St. John in this town of Napier, having regard to the more reverential performance of the worship offered to Almighty God, desire that you will consecrate and set apart to His service this Church, with all its furniture, which has been built by the alms of the parishioners and others, upon lands conveyed to the Trustees of the General Synod of the Church of England in New Zealand. (Here follow the signatures.) The Bishop, after receiving it, entered the Church and walked up the aisle, followed by the officiating clergyman, the churchwardens, and office bearers, repeating alternately the verses of the 24th Psalm. Then the Bishop read the Exhortation and Prayers in the first portion of the Consecration Service ; and after being seated within the communion rails, read the following answer to the petition, and having signed and sealed it, delivered it to the churchwardens : Ix the Name of God, Amex. I, Charles John, by Divine permission, Bishop of Wellington, New Zealand, taking into consideration the pious and religious desires of the trustees, churchwardens, vestrymen, syuodsmen and other office bearers, and members of the Parish of Bt. John the Evangelist, in the town of Napier, in the Province of Hawke’s Bay, to have their Church consecrated, do hereby decree that the Church, as delineated in the accompanying plan, shall be set apart from all common uses, and do, by our Episcopal authority, consecrate it to the service of the Holy and Blessed Trinity , to be kept in a reverential and becoming manner, by the curate, trustees, churchwardens, and vestry of the Parish.

The ordinary service was then proceeded with. The 84th, 122nd, and 132nd Pslros. were substituted for the psalms of the day. The special lessons were I. Kings viii.., v. 22 to 62 ; and Heb. x., v. 19 to 26. The metrical Psalms were the 84th, verses 1, 2,4, 10 and 12, and the 100th. The Epistle, Rev. ch. xxi., v. 9to end. The Gospel, John ch. ii., v. 13 to end. The full and hearty manner in which the responses were made throughout, told plainly how entirely the congregation entered into the spirit of the special service in which they were engaged. The Bishop’s sermon, a very earnest and impressive one, was on Isaiah Ivii, 15. The tenor of it went to show from Scripture the truth that the Almighty GOD who inhabiteth Eternity, also dwelleth in holy places, both in His spiritual Church, and in fabrics consecrated to His worship, and still more intimately in the hearts of His worshippers. vHe insisted on the necessity of personal religion, but more particularly on the duty of the Catholic Fellowship and united worship of the Family of GOD.

The service concluded with the administration of the Holy Communion.