OPENING OF THE HUTT WESLEYAN CHURCH.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4566, 8 November 1875, Page 3

OPENING OF THE HUTT WESLEYAN CHURCH.

Tlie new "Wesleyan. Church at the Hutt was opened by. special services yesterday morning, afternoon, and evening, the officiating clergymen being the "Revs. Messrs. Richard - aon, Morley, and Dewsbury, respectively. This church is just completed, and has many points about it to tend to the satisfaction doubtless felt by those principally concerned in erecting it. The building, which is strongly built, and with little pretension to external adornment, occupies a_ most desirable position, namely, on the main road, not far from the office of the "Wellington Country District Board. Being thus centrally situated, the convenience to the congregation can well be imagined, and the completion of the church is a source of great satisfaction ; not the less because the work of building it has taken some time. To proceed, however, to the description, the Hutt Wesleyan Church is a commodious house, and will seat as many persons as are likely to attend it for some time, unless, of course, the public works scheme should have the effect of suddenly causing the population to magnify much ; but the church can be added to at any time. There are three rows of seats, which have been constructed with a view to comfort, and the ventilation of the building is admirably provided for. Yesterday forenoon was particularly warm, and the church was well filled ; but the ventilation was so arranged as to make the atmosphere deliciously cool, and free from that discomfort which in most churches is productive generally of the fidgets, and promiscuous cases of unholy inattention to the words that drop from the minister’s mouth. The fittings are plain, which, indeed, is characteristic of Wesleyan and Presbyterian churches. For light, kerosene is used, there being two large chandeliers and pulpit lights. In the morning, service was opened by the Rev. Mr. Richardson in the usual way, but parts of the services were altered. The Dedication Anthem was sung, as also one of Mr. Saukey’s favorite hymns, “ What shall the Harvest be,” performed by the choir in a highly creditable manner ; and three little babies were baptised, a performance in which the congregation, as all congregations do, took the greatest interest. Mr. Richardson preached an eloquent and instructive sermon, his text being, “ But then God did dwell with mflTi on the earth.” He proceeded to show that we had as close a communication with God at the present time as the ancients had when the Lord used to make his presence manifest to them. His argument, in brief, was, “ God lives among men by living in individual hearts, and walking with his individual followers.” The spirit of God was widely offered to mankind, and not, as some persons would have it, confined to particular classes. Some persons thought God was specially to be found in sacramental emblems, as in the waifer, or in the sacred water of baptism. But it was quite contrary to the testimony of the sensesthat a waifer could become divine by any process that could be brought to bear upon it by man. The disciples were made aware of Christ’s

reality by the miracle of the tempest; but we no less believed that Christ was real and corporeal at the right hand of God m heaven, and we could not therefore believe m the tiation doctrine as to the divisibility of Christ. God used to appear on earth, hut that was at the time of religious infancy ; now we associate in spirit. If we were right-minded and seekin" to do God’s bidding and to love Him, He would be with us, but if totally negligent of Him and all His teachings, God would not he with us, would not enter our hearts, because He would not find o welcome there. We did not believe that a place could be made holy by the presence of a bishop as if by magic. There was a certain amount of respect due 1 to a church, in the same way as one felt a respect for the house of a neighbor. That building, for instance, though not specially holy by any process of sanctification, was God’s house, and therefore commanded respect. By some, again, images were supposed to contain the deity. One of the fundamental errors amongst certain people with regard to the way in which the Lord dwelt among men was explained in the word “touch.” This was like the rest an absurd error ; no man could be brought into direct oommunicatiou with the Lord through a process such as that. It was contrary to the spirit of God that a priest should have such power of consecration. Mr. Richardson concluded his sermon by particular allusion to the new church. Might it he a birth place of many souls in years to come. Those who desired to do so remained to partake of the sacrament. _____