CHORAL FESTIVAL.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIV, Issue 4573, 8 June 1923, Page 1

CHORAL FESTIVAL.

ANGLICAN CHOIRS AT THAMES. Notwithstanding the extreme inclemency of the weather on Monday last representatives of the choirs of St. Paul’s (Paeroa), St. John’s (Waihi), and St. Mark’s (Te Aroha), together with the vicars of the respective parishes, journeyed to Thames to take part in the Choral Festival, which had been arranged by Mr Herbert Webb, organist and choirmaster of St. George’s Church, Thames. The choir of St. Matthew’s, Morrinsville, was prevented from attending owing to the wet weather, and the long journey necessitated over bad roads. The visitors on arrival at St. George’s shortly after midday were met by the vicar, the Rev. A. E. Beck, Mr Webb, and members of the choir and church, and made very heartily welcome. It had been the intention of the Thames people to take their guests for a drive along the Coast Road, but Jupiter Pluvius negatived the proposal. They were, however, indefatigable in their efforts to entertain their visitors, and the time passed very pleasantly in social intercourse with the members of the various choirs, and in looking over St. George’s Church, a very handsome and interesting building erected in the early seventies, when the Thames was booming. Incidentally, it was mentioned' that . St. George’s is the third largest church in this part of the Diocese, St. Matthew’s and St. Mary’s pro Cathedral, Auckland, being the two larger ones. z

A very. dainty cold luncheon was served in the Parish Hall, adjacent to the church, and afterwards a number of visitors adjourned to the church, where Mr Webb gave them t,he rare treat of listening to some beautiful selections on the pipe organ. The instrument, which is a very sweettoned one, was a gift t,o the church many years ago by an old parishioner.

From half-past three till nearly five o’clock was devoted to a rehearsal in the churjch, and a very noticeable feature of the singing was the excellent precision with which the choir of sixty voices, drawn from four different parishes, and without any combined practice, chanted the psalms and sang the music of the Office. After the rehearsal am adjournment was again made to the Parish Hall, where tea was partaken of. The tables were then put aside, and in the interval before the time for the service the. young people enjoyed themselves dancing to the merry strains of a violin-and piano. The service was full-choral evensong and sermon, .and probably no more dignified or impressive church service has ever before been offered in this district.' The procession of choir boys and men, eassocked and surpliced, followed by the clergy in their robes, moved from the vestry down the nor.th aisle singing the hymn “0 Word of God Above,” and proceeding up the centre of the nave took their places in the chancel, where the ladies of the choir, in the black gowns, which is the uniform adopted in this church',, had already taken their places. The prayers were intoned by the Rev. A. R. Barnett, vicar of Waihi, Mr Dale, a lay-reader of Waihi, read the first lesson, and the Rev. F. B. Dobson, vicar of Paeroa, the second lesson. The Magniflcat and Nunc dimittis were taken with fine effect t.o Bunnett in A, and the anthem of the office was Woodward’s “The Radiant Morn.” The Rev. R. Connolly, vicar of Te Aroha, preached a most earnest and eloquent sermon, in which he emphasised the truth that sacrifice—definite personal sacrifice—and religion were inseparable, and have been so from the earliest times and amongst all peoples. After the sermon the anthem “How lovely are the messengers,” from Mendelssohn’s St. Paul, was sung by the choir, and the excellence of the rendering showed that not only had much care been given to its rehearsal but that the choristers had caught the devotional beauty of Mendelssohn’s lovely music. The vicar of Thames pronounced the Benediction, and a~ solemn Te Deum was sung before the Altar as an act of thanksgiving. The Recessional hymn was “Our day of praise is done,” and with it closed a most, impressive and inspiring act of worship. In the Parish Hall afterwards supper was served, and the Rev. A. E. Beck in a happy little speech thanked the visiting choirs for coming through to join with his people in this corporate act of praise, and said that it, was hoped to make this an annual festival. f

Mr F. M. Strange, of Te Aroha, re • turned thanks on behalf of the visiting choirs for the hearty welcome and splendid hospitality which had been accorded them. The Rev. RConnolly called for three cheers for Thames, which were heartily given and followed by the singing of “For they are jolly good fellows.” At, about 10 P.m. the visitors began to depart on the return journey to their respective parishes, all feeling refreshed and inspired by the pleasant intercourse with the church workers of other parishes, and all looking forward with pleasure to the next choral festival at Thames.