ST, MARY'S CHURCH

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 257, 6 December 1909, Page 3

ST, MARY'S CHURCH

ANNIVERSARY SERVICES. There were large congregations at all services yesterday at St. Mary's Church to celebrate the sixty-sixth anniversary of the appointment of its first vicar, the late Rev. Mr. Bolland. The preacher for the day was the Rev. A, Fowler, ot Remuera.

At the morning service the epistle for the day was Romans xv., 4. Referring to the Advent season, the preacher pointed out mat the lesaon of the services for the day was the call of God through His written Word, the keynote being struck in the words of the beautiful collect, the work of Crunmeir and the Reformers who restored the written Word of God to its proper place in our English service book, and on which, as the revelation of God to man, all the teaching of the Church must be based, as plainly stated in the Sixth Article ol Religion. He urged upon the congregation the duty of treating the Book with reverence, of taking heed how they heard, and to let the teaching of tl.fc. Word be carried into their daily lives. He then referred to St. Mary's, aainii versary. "To-day, my brethren," he said, "is your anniversary day; a day

..«™v„.„,arai 6 W io appointment 01 tne first minister of this parish, of the man set apart to teach the Word of God and to lead in the service and worship of God those who in this place desired to worship after the manner of their fathers; a day recording that one more year in this House of God has passed. When provision had been made for the ministry of the church in the person of the Rev. Bolland, your forefathers began

this fine house of God, building these thick walls in the grace of God, desiring here to worship God after the manner of their race. Most of them now have gone to their rest. A younger generation has taken their place end entered into their labors. Our fathers sowed in faith, and oftentimes in sorrow, that we might reap in joy; and on every festival of this church there should be a great spirit of thankfulness for what i those clergy and pioneers did here in Church and State. They did their works faithfully and well, and their works do follow them. And we have, as I said, entered into their labors'. They mane provision for the ministry; they built this place that in it God Almighty and All Holy might be worshipped and re eeive the honor, thanks, and praise ' which is His due, and which He expects from us unworthy mortals. And then ; this place was built that they and their children and their rhilriren'a nl,ii,ir D ., .

should come here to hear the Word ol God and receive instruction in the wil. of our Heavenly Father. . . . Are we doing our best to worthily fill the place of those who have gone before us? Arc we seeing that that work must not stand still, but shall make progress? They little realised how the work would grow from such a modest beginning, but they were willing to do their part m faith. They never despised the day of small things. That work begun so humbly may extend, if we do our part faithfully, until it is crowned by seeing a Bishop of Taranalri, with his'seat in this church. A great task it seems at the present time, but where faithful work is done for God He will give the increase in His good time. . . In the Holy Catholic Church are found both good and bad, but in the Communion of Saints all are holy. It is formed o.f (those known only to God, of the living and of those at rest, who, realising their [privileges as members of the Holy Catholic Church, love and serve their God in sincerity and truth, and daily strive to follow the narrow path which leadeth unto life. In this communion of saints we are all linked with those who have gone before us and who worshipped God in this place, and who for all we know yet worship here this day. It is one church above and beneath, one

at, rest, the other at war ; united in Christ, bound up, both we and they, in the same bundle of life with the Lord our God. . . . Our festival may eacn year speak of changes, but it also speaks of a great unity. They began the work. We are expected to carry it on, and to increase and extend it. We saw them here worshipping their God. In a few short years we shall lay down the work and join them beyond the veil, and others will enter into our laliors. Shall our work be worthy of theirs? My brethren, we must labor. We ca inot share their joy without carrying on their work. Well for us if the Wonl of God sown in this place takes such root in our hearts that it brings tortii in us the fruit of good works—worKs done for the glory of God for the good of his church. . ." I

In the evening the preacher took his text from Acta xviii., verse l.">: ''He thanked God and took courage.'' Tintest referred, of course, to the apostle Paul. He had had his vicissitudes in life, sometimes greatly encouraged a)id often discouraged, having his joys and his disappointments'. Xow lie was under arrest, but the Word of Hod Jiad been, well sown by him in Asia, and Jia'u spread to Rome. Xow in this dark hour lie was met by Christians, converts of his own, and meeting these followers [of the Lord he thanked God and took courage. At an anniversary festival a congregation can look backwards and forwards backward with thankfulness to God for all Bis ncA-ies,' for li<*. privileges now enjoyed through the labor and foresight of others, and, despite the tips and downs, take courage from the lessons of the past to face the future. - In realising that other men have labored and- that they have entered into their labors they must feel it their duty to continue and extend the work. They should not leave this work to -the clergy alone, but all the flock of Christ should exercise the priesthood of the laity. All should endeavor to build up themselves and others in the faith. All should endeavor to prevent the waste and stop the leaks. All should wait upon the Holy Ghost for His renewing power. In this way they would secure true success—not the success of outward display and organisation, but the true inward success, men, women, and children laying their worship and their work at the feet of God, thanking God for the past, having -faith in Him for the future.