ST. MARY'S CHURCH.

Taranaki Daily News, 29 November 1915, Page 5

ST. MARY'S CHURCH.

NEW TRANSEPT AND CHAPEL . CONSECRATED BY BISHOP AVERILL. TRIBUTE TO THE LATE ARCHDEACON GOVETT. Yesterday was a memorable day in the splendid history of St. Mary's Church, New Plymouth. It .was the seventy-second anniversary of the first Anglican service held at New Plymouth, and the importance of the occasion was intensified by the consecration of a transept and lady chapel, which have been added to St. Mary's as a memorial to the late Archdeacon Govett. The consecration service was carried out by Dr. Averill, Bishop of Auckland, assisted by the Ven. Archdeacon Evans and the Rev. A. H. Colvile and the Rev. A. Fowler, and it was most impressive and appropriate. There was a very large congregation, and in addition to the consistent attendees at St. Mary's were a number of old parishioners who were friends and contemporaries of the late Archdeacon Govett, while a number of Veterans, the Mayor, and Borough Councillors were also present. In the course of bis sermon, the Bishop paid a generous tribute to the important part which the late Archdeacon Govett had played in the early history of the Anglican Church in Taranaki. Taking his text from the first verse of Psalm 132, "Lord remember David . . .", Dr. Averill stressed the honor due to those who had gone before, and who had created things and laid the foundations for structures by which those who lived to-day benefited. One of the most wonderful revelations of the future would be the realisation that the lives of people resembled the geological lives of rocks, and that human lives were, like the lives of rocks, composed of various stratas. Various influences had come into our lives and had settled down into a solid formation of character. It was the influences which had gone before, it was the early stratas, which now provided the solid form of character, and which were responsible for what was best to-day. While, for instance, they thanked God for how men had, and' were still doing, their duty in laying down their lives for King and Country, one's first thought should be that the Lord remembered them and that they were upholding the lives of others. He emphasised the regard and honor which was due to ■ those who had gone before, and the Lord remembered them. He was sure there were many there that day who felt that in regard to the late Archdeacon Govett, and there was something material and something fitting in associating with such a memorial the name of one who had served his generaion faithfully. There was something peculiarly fitting in commemorating a life devoted to the service of God and humanity, by having that life commemorated with a building devoted to the worship of God. The name of the late Archdeacon Govett would always be associated with St. Mary's, with the parish, and with the district, for it was largely through his good work and his generosity that the church occupied its present position in the community. He had done all he could for the church in the service of God, and he had given of his best. He was content largely to live for the lives of others, he laid the foundation for others to work upon, and his life and his work entitled him to an honored name. In offering to God that memorial of the late Archdeacon's good work, they were also pleased to thank God for the life of another of His servants, the Rev. W. Bolland, who was the first vicar of the parish, and who laid the foundation of the church in the parish, In the early and difficult days of Taranaki the Rev. Bolland was largely instrumental in erecting St. Mary's Church. During his short life and brief ministry—before an early and pathetic death—the Rev. Bolland saw the vision of a worthy church in New Plymouth, and he laid the foundation work, which was now remembered with gratitude by Taranaki. It was certainly something very fitting that the late Archdeacon Govett should have been laid to rest alongside his friend and co-worker in the beautiful and quiet surroundings of the church of which they had provided the foundation. I It was also a matter for thankfulness that the memorial to the late Archdeacon was divided into two parts, viz., endowment for a black-block mission and a permanent addition to St. Mary's Church. As the work of the Archdeacon extended far and wide into the Taranaki province, and as his sympathy ever went out to Pakehas and Maoris in the regions beyond New Plymouth, it was fitting that his memorial should do likewise. And, again, it was right and fitting that the name of the Rev. H. 11. Brown should be associated with the Archdeacon for his noble work in the country. In conclusion, Dr. Averill said ho rejoiced to be there that day, and to see representatives of the town present. He also rejoiced to see the Veterans, for he knew what a strength and support they were to the community. We had to thank God for enabling the pioneers to come out from the Old Country and establish this district of Taranaki. They were honoring u number of useful churchmen and useful citizens. The world's troubles of to-day arose from dishonoring God. When men regarded God as an abstract, or as a mere name or unknown quantity, they were injuring themselves and others in the community. They did not injure God; it was themselves and their friends who suffered. By doing this men were stunting their naturesdepriving themselves of the creative power of reverence, obedience, devotion, sympathy, justice, and love—without which they were akin to devils. The world had worshipped intellectualism, science, and materialism, instead of God. They had based' civilisation on false gods, and this religion of theirs was recoiling in thejr hands. The war was bringing some men and some nations back to God, and he asked was it going to bring our own country back to God ? "If not," added Dr. Averill, "you may get high prices for cattle, butter, anil wool, but the. standard of morality will decline to such an extent that we shall raise up a deadlier foe within our borders than the foes without. God has been crowded out, dethroned and ignored. We have either to restore Him to his rightful place in our individual and eerfcwate Hit. o*;owi»V> ,

OHURCH AM) SOCIAL LIFS. TENDENCY TO ABUSE FREEDOM. Preaching at St. Mary's Church at tM evening service, Dr. Averill took his text' from the Ephesians, chapter v., verte* 17 and 18. He said the church must insist upon a proper sense of proportion, without frowning upon social life, and j the church wag the friend to and not the enemy of lightheadedness. This liberty, however, must not deteriorate into licentiousness, but at the same time there should he no banning of lawful pleasures and recreations. The ten- ; dency to-day was towards an abuse of this freedom. The sense of proportion \ was lacking, because the true refinement of spirit was lacking. Accidents of life could not give a man the spirit of a gentleman, because the spirit of a gentle- ' man consisted, not in abundance of what he possessed, but in the refinement of hi ssoul and mind. A gentleman revealed himself not in what lie did, but in the way lie did a tiling. "For fifty years this parish enjoyed the inestimable privilege of the ministry and work of a man of true refinement of mind and soul," he con« tinned, "and doubtless this parish! .will reflect something of this spirit. It is right mid fitting, therefore, that such! \ a life should be commemorated." ;Ptocci'ding, Dr. Averill said the church must ■ utter a warning note against the abuseof liberty. Clergy, as well ;)s the polic* and magistrates, knew something of lite below the surface. God's antidote foa undue wordly excitement was n,ot a de-* ; sire to check enthusiasm, "hut to control 'i and sanctify it. and direct it into useful -hannels for the highest welfare of ', humanity. In tJ e afternoon, a children's ser« vice was held, the attendance being very, large. The Bishop gave an interesting address to the. children, outlining the history of the church, its foundation and' the work of its former ministers. The simplicity of his language made the ser< Vice a memorable and interest Tug' one foil the children. THE OFFERTORIES. The offertories at the morning servie*) amounted to £11"), while in the evening £4l was taken up, A portion of this total (about :C(iO) will be devoted to the memorial to the late Rev. W. BoU land, while the balance will be employed; for furnishing the new transept and'fflft extensions to the vestry.