TARANAKI ARCHDEACONRY.

Taranaki Daily News, 19 December 1919, Page 4

TARANAKI ARCHDEACONRY.

CHORAL FESTIVAL REVIVED. ■ A^ r the lapse of a feiMber «f tAM the Choral Festival for the Archde&cohry of Taranaki was revived yesterday* when a service, in which the combined St " '<**•>» StratQ, and Waitora, and a few individual members of other choirs (about 42 in all)# took part, was held in St. Mary's Church, In addition to the choristers there were also present the following clergy: The Van. Archd. Evans, Revs! fl G -Harvie (St. Mary's), H. A. Favett (Te Henui), C. W. Howard (Stratford), IVIS,1 VI S, (faitara), « nd A. H. Baraett (Blaok Blocks Mission). Mr. R. Neville Renaud presided at the organ. The service included hymns and canticles and the anthem "And the Glory" (Handel), and was rendered in a most reverent and devotional spirit. It wa» a means of Inspiration to those who rent dered it as well as to the congregation,' which was a one. No d6ubt now that the festival had been revived, it will be looked forward to as an annua! reunion of the choirs of the Archdeaconry, and a good deal more ance will attach to it than was the case on this occasion, and doubtless a wider interest will be shown in it. In the course of a short toxical ad' dress, Archdeacon Evans, who took for his text, the words: '1 will sing with the spirit, and I will sing, with the understanding also," congratulated the choir* and clergy on the revival of the festival. It had been of great use in the past, and If continued would be of still greater use in the futufe. It had two great advantages, the first being that it promoted unity and friendship. Many congregatioiia felt in ah isolated position, and the festival would help to break down that feeling. The aim of everyone should he to make people realise ■ that the Church was one all through New Zealand—to get hack to the principle of the e&rly Christian Church. The festival also had a decided social advantage. In the second place it should create a higher ideal for publio worship. In this respect he put in a strong plea for a simple service in which the whole congregation' could participate, as against services which were sung almost by choirs alone. • He expressed a regret that in spite of all its beauties Hymns Ancient and Modern contained many hymns which were pitched too high for ordinary congregations. As a general motto for choirs the preacher said: "In the conduct of Christian worship our music should be simple and congregational." He was fw th \ BUho P of the Dioeese they had one who wholeheartedly sun. ported this ideal. He then thanked the ?£ the ' r , attel ' dance and for the emce they had rendered. He hoped, they would go back to their parishes sz .r, P At the conclusion of the service. th« nsitrng choralists were entertained to' iupper by St Mary's choir.