THE CHURCH

Southland Times, Issue 21097, 31 May 1930, Page 12

THE CHURCH

NEWS AND NOTES.

FROM PULPIT AND PEW. The Rev. S. Bailey will fake both services at St. Peter’s Methodist Church on Sunday and will administer the ■ Sacrament in the evening. A public enrolment of soldiers under the flag will be a feature of the Sunday evening service in the Salvation Army Citadel, Tay street. The ceremony will be conducted by Ensign Allan Montgomery. ■ On the Lord’s Day the Baptists of Invercargill are to be favoured by a visit from the Rev. Larcelles, the secretary of the Baptist Union of New Zealand. Mr Larcelles will preach in the Esk Street Church in the evening. What is religion ? Is it church-going and worship? Is it accepting certain beliefs? Or is conduct the main thing? Hear the Rev. C. H. Olds, 8.A., on the subject at the Central Methodist Church, Leet street, to-morrow evening.

The chief speakers at the Christian Endeavour anniversary in connection with the West Ham Central Mission, East London, were the Rev. E. Batts and the Rev. Graves, Baptist ministers of New Zealand, who are at present spending a month or two at the Mission Settlement.

A “Chrysanthemum Fair” is being held by the St. Andrew’s Ladies’ Guild on Wednesday and Thursday next. In connection with this sale of work entries are being received for exhibits of chrysanthemum blooms and decorated vases, bowls, etc. There will be the usual stalls and as the ladies have been working hard for some time there should be a very nice display of plain and fancy sewing. The service at St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church to-morrow evening will probably be unique of its kind. It is to be a special Orphans’ Club service. The Orphans’ Club will attend and members will participate in the service. The president, Brother J. D. Gilmore, will read the lesson; Brothers F. Johnston and T. A. Clark will sing solos, and a quartette party consisting of Brothers J. McCrostie, T. A. Clark, Allan Dunlop, and Kennedy Black will contribute a setting of “Lead, Kindly Light.” The church choir, under the baton of Mr H. P. Weston, will contribute an anthem (soloist, Miss Brown). Brother Rev. C. J. Tocker will be the preacher. The service is to be broadcasted from Station 4ZP.

NINETEEN-HUNDREDTII ANNIVERSARY OF PENTECOST.

“Pentecost,” says Dr Stanley Jones, "was intended by God for normal Christianity.” After writing his well-known book, "The Christ of The Round Table,” he resolved, so he says, to superannuate his pen for some years. That resolve was broken at the request of his publishers who wrote him expressing their desire that, in view of the Nineteen-Hundredth Anniversary of Pentecost throughout Christendom, he should write a book on the subject. The book which he has written and which is the latest from his pen, bears the title of “The Christ of Every Road” and is, as expressed in his own words “The gift of quiet hours and the request of the publishers.” The religious Communion content to be known as the “Churches of Christ” are making special preparations for a fitting celebration of this unique event. The first Pentecost did not just happen. It was preceded by prayer and preparation, then the Holy Spirit came in all the plenitude of His power. The Nineteen Hundredth Anniversary of His coming will be of little avail unless it presents a flood tide of spiritual impulses to the Church. The Church’s need is the need of power. She has numbers, buildings, organizations, financial resources, opportunities almost without limit; she has prophets, teachers, saints, but, in spite of all these she seems to lack vital power. That power is available to all in the Holy Spirit of God; the Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding, of power and great might. Believing all this the local congregation of the Church of Christ is seeking worthily to celebrate this great anniversarj' occasion and cordially invite all to attend The special services to be held in the chapel at Teviot street from June 1 to June 15, 1930. The whole purpose of the mission is to restore the Holy Spirit to His rightful place in the life of the Christian and the Church. All will find a warm welcome.

THE QUEEN AT POPLAR. VISIT TO WEST HAM CENTRAL MISSION. The following extract has been supplied by Sister Alice, who recently was trained as a deaconess at the West Ham Central Mission, East London, and is now the authorized representative for the same mission in New Zealand, and also devoting her time and interest to mission work in this city: The people of Poplar, and particularly those who are members of the various organizations connected with the West Ham Central Mission, gave her Majesty the Queen a wonderful reception,on March 21 when she visited the district for the purpose of seeing the many phases of work which are carried on at the mission. The visit had special relation to the 25th anniversary of the formation of the mothers’ meeting which has been celebrated by its 3,500 members during the week, but her Majesty expressed a desire that she might have the opportunity of seeing the other parts of this immense centre of religious, social and welfare work. It was a great day in the history of the mission, especially for the mothers’ meeting. It was really their day, but the whole of the organizations and the people of the district shared in it. Her Majesty’s visit was evidence of the keen interest which she takes in the work done among women through such organizations.

Premises in Barking road were gaily bedecked with flags and bunting in readiness for the Queen’s arrival and huge crowds assembled a long time before she was due to catch a glimpse of her as she passed into the children’s church. Punctually at 3.15 the Queen drove up to the entrance to the church, where she was accorded an enthusiastic welcome by the assembled throng; also a guard of honour of 200 of the children belonging to the Sunday school, which has a membership of well over 3,000. Her Majesty was received by the Rev. and Mrs Rowntree Clifford, the Rev. and Mrs. AV. Lord and Miss Clifford (the founders of the mission 33 years ago). After passing through the guard of honour the Queen paused to view the two pictures painted by Mr Harold Copping, which form the sign of the children’s church, and then visited the halls representing Worship, Work and Play. The Hall of Worship was filled with children when the Queen passed through. At the Memorial Church (the next block of buildings) were assembled Girl Guides, Scouts, Boys’ Brigade and District Nurses, and on the Queen’s arrival at the entrance to this magnificent building a peal of chiming bells, which are the mission’s memorial to the men who laid down their lives in the war, rang out their welcome. Her Majesty gazed upon a wonderful sight inside the church. The huge gathering rose, and the Queen walked down the centre aisle of the church under an archway of wantys, trimmed with flowers, and held by a guarH of honour formed of creche workers, seat stewards and registrars. Her Majesty took a seat upon the platform and the president (Mrs Rowntree Clifford) voiced the gratitude of the women for the visit. They knew that that- vast East End of London left very much to be desired and very much to be done, but by .that gracious act and wonderful condescension, she felt that the Queen had lifted all the womanhood of the East End and the womanhood of their great city nearer to the heart of God. The gathering then conveyed its greeting to the Queen by, each woman fluttering a white handkerchief, and Mrs Edmondson presented her Majesty with a bouquet of

flowers on behalf of the women. The Queen remained while Mr Ben Davies sang “Sally in our Alley.” Leaving the church her Majesty visited the Girls’ Club, the Men’s Club, the Canteen, the Angas Institute, and the Old Folks’ Home. At the end of her tour of inspection her Majesty went into the Marnham House Settlement (residence of the Sisters), where tea was served to her. The following were then presented to her Majesty: Mrs Marnham, Mrs L. Angas, Mrs Scroggie, Dr Margaret Thomson, Madame Jessie Strathern, A.R.A.M., Sister Kathleen, Sister Vera, Sister Hilda, Sister Mary, Mr Ben Davies and Gypsy Smith. At the conclusion of the visit, which extended over an hour and a quarter, the Queen left to the accompaniment of another peal from the chiming bells and cheering and waving of flags by the huge crowd.