Otorohanga.

King Country Chronicle, Volume IV, Issue 258, 11 May 1910, Page 5

Otorohanga.

An Occasional Correspondent. The Rev. E. S. Wayne has been paying his first visit to Otorohanga. Services were held at 11 a.m., 2.30 and 7 p.m. In the evening special hymns were sung and in the sermon mention was made of the death of Mr Clark, who was buried on Tuesday week. The text was taken from St. Luke xiv., 27: "Whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple." Mr Wayne said the Christian's hope rested on the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and that the comfort of the burial service was summed up in the words "The dead in Christ shall rise first." He asked all to consider the words in the text, calling upon all for service now and promising those who serve Him, that where He is, there shall they be also, and asked that sympathy should be shewn not only outwardly but in prayer to God for all those who mourn, that their sorrow might draw them nearer to God, and so into closer union with the dead in Christ, and that the end of sorrow might be even now a coming to Christ, a nearness to Him that would be complete at the resurrection of the just to eternal life. A meeting was held on Monday night, in one of the rooms in Mr Newton's boarding house, kindly lent for the purpose. The church committee and a few others including ladies being present. No formal business was done, the present committee agreeing to continue in office. Mr Wayne said he was glad of the opportunity of meeting those present, and that he was much encouraged by the kind reception he was receiving everywhere. One of the subjects about which he wished to speak and ask their advice was the possibility of making this district independent of the Home Mission. He thought that many of the people did not know that the stipend was now paid from the Home Mission fund came from subscriptions and offertories to help new districts and thinly populated settlements to pay missioners. Over £2OOO a year is now spent in carrying on this work and he knew that people in new settlements were asking for clergy and church services and offering to do all in their power to raise money, if only they could get help from the Home Mission, and yet no help could be given for want of funds. He felt that no district should go pn accepting the loving gift or charity from the Mission fund after it was possible to do without it. Mr Matthews explained that this matter had received the earnest consideration of the committee and a number of church' members had been approached. In all cases they had promised support, but the matter needed to be brought before the people and an

organised effort made to see how many would help. For the future fortnightly services will be held in Otorohanga, due notice of which will be given in the "Chronicle." A meeting of ladies is to be held at an early date to welcome Mr and Mrs Wayne.