“TO THE GLORY OF GOD”

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12615, 27 November 1926, Page 6

“TO THE GLORY OF GOD”

NEW METHODIST CHURCH CEREMONY AT LOWER HUH GOVERNOR-GENERAL’S ADVICE The foundation-stone of the New Methodist Church at lower Hutt was laid yesterday by his Excellency the Governor-General (Sir Charles Fergussonl who. in recalling the efforts of the »arly settlers in the spread of Christianity in New r Zealand struck a high note, and urged those of the present '.go to use the old associations as a /aide to their future activities—always striving for better lives and greater jharacter. Prior to the laying of the stone, his Excellency was welcomed by the Mayor of Lower Hutt (Mr TV. T. Strand), who said that Methodism had played a large part in the development of the Hutt Valley. In the first ship to sail into this harbour and land on the Petono beach there had been some old Methodist families, the children of whom had resided in the district ever sinoq, and whose good work was manifest in the strides which the church had made. It was an honour that the name of his Excellency would remain on the stone for future generations to see and to recall. SOMETHING OF THE PAST The Rev. N. Rowe, the resident minister, welcomed the Governor-Gen-eral on behalf of the church, and declared that the willing response to the request to perform the function had given the people the greatest gratification. It had been shown by addresses presented and services rendered that New Zealand held a loyal people, and it was recognised by all that the greatest foreign policy of the British Empire •was its foreign mission policy in the Christian church. The church they that day represented occupied a conspicuous place in this field, and had done so over the past hundred years. The activities of this church in this district dated back to the time when the first immigrant ship came here nearly 87 years ago, and when the people had met in a raupo hut to worship. There had been four Methodist churches there, the first of these having provided a sanctuary for the people in more ways than one, for the ferocity of the Maoris during the Maori wars made it a place of shelter. In fact, there was present that day one who had been born in the old TVesleyan Church over 80 years ago.. The people welcomed hi 9 Excellency also because of his own sake, for thb sake of his work, and for the influence that both her Excellency and himself had exerted on behalf of the people here. Both had endeared themselves to the people of the Dominion. TO THOSE WHO COME His Excellency thanked those who had spoken for the words of welcome, and said he regarded his performance of this action not only as a duty, but also as a great pleasure. He had heard with a great deal of interest the early history of the church as outlined, although in a sense it was not new history to his ears, for he remembered, 53 years ago, the fact that representatives of the church used to tome to Government House to visit his father. None who read the history of New Zealand, not the history of Polynesia, or had travelled around the islands, could fail to appreciate the wonderful work which the church had carried out in this part of the world during the past 100 years. In fact, the history of this part of the world was wrapped up with the history of the church. His Excellency referred to the great debt of gratitude which the people of the present age owed to the early settlers, not only for the part they played in the development of the oountry, but also for the virtues and examples which they had left, the best legacy 9? aJI being the virtue of Christian life. “I hope ana pray,” he went on, •‘that the recollection of all that they did may be treasured by us and handed down to those who come after us. OLD ASSOCIATIONS “It must be somewhat with mixed feelings that the change from the old church to the new is made. Naturally the new building is a matter for rejoicing, for it is a sign of progress, and those who first envisaged the scheme and laboured to see it through must be happy that their dream is well on the way to being realised. There are always small regrets at parting from the old and beginning with the new, however, and you will look back with some regret at parting from the old associations in the old church—a place that has been wrapped up in your lives and the lives of those who came before you. That is inevitable. It will be these old associations that will inspire you to consecrate your new church, which will be a place of quiet, peace, and reverence, which you remember so well from the old building. “These associations will enable you to do something in the new church to urge you on to make it worthy of those who came before you. “This building is to be erected to the glory of God. Hotf can we really bring this home to our hearts? I know that everything that goes on inside the building Will he for the glory of God, but all these ceremonies are landmarks in our lives, and we can make them of use. STONE BY STONE “All of us—if we look back on the past and think ot the present—must acknowledge that a good deal lies in ourselves. It may have been Borne little thing that we have left undone which we should have done; it may i have been the consciousness that we < lacked some sympathy or some moral 1 courage—it does not matter. As we see this building going up stone by ( stone, we—each one of us—should j try to build up our characters at the \ same time. You see this growing j and you feel that you have made a * definite advance to something higher < in your lives, and you then know < that you are erecting this edifice to * the glory of God. What you would J do to-day is not to say: ‘What man- J ner of stones are these,’ but to say: * k TVhat manner of men?’ c “There should be ono prayer in our , minds to-day: Pray for tho peace of j Jerusalem. ‘They shall prosper that i love Him. Peace be within thy i souls. For thy sake and thy com- 1 panions, I wish thee prosperity.’ ” < The dedicatory prayer was recited * by the Rev. 0. Eaton, after which the Rev. J. A. Lochore extended thanks to his Excellency. , Representatives of sister churches \ then paid their tributes to the enter- $ prise of those who had erected the new structure. J