METHODIST CENTENARY.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 March 1922, Page 6

METHODIST CENTENARY.

THANKSGIVING SERVICES. WHITELEY MEMORIAL CHURCH. Thanksgiving services in connection with the centenary of Methodism in New Zealand were held throughout the Dominion yesterday. In the New Plymouth churches there were large congregations, the Whiteley Memorial Church being well filled in the evening-

At the morning service the Rev. W. J. Elliott preached -from Samuel VII. 12, and in referring to the establishment and history of the church he cited the various reasons for gratitude and thanksgiving, and paid a tribute of reverent respect and praise to the early pioneers of the colony and the church.

In the afternoon a large concourse of Sunday School scholars, teachers, and office-bearers assembled in Whiteley Church, when most of the Sunday Schools of New Plymouth circuit were well represented. The service was conducted by the Rev. W. J. Elliott, who explained the object of it, and several Sunday School workers took part. The chief address was given by Mrs. Allan Douglas, a senior member of the honorary Sunday School staff. In the course of an interesting historical survey, the trials and the courage of the early missionaries and pioneers of New Plymouth were recalled, and the lessons of their life pointedly enforced. “Boys and girls,” said Mrs. Douglas, “let us go about looking for things to be thankful for.” The presiding minister next -introduced Miss Berry, a former resident, who, with several others, is to leave shortly to do duty as a missionary 7 nurse among the natives on the mission field. Miss Berry spoke a few timely words, and said good-bye to the scholars. Air. V. Griffiths addressed the gathering on the subject of loyalty. He stressed that the parents and scholars should be proud of the position Methodism had attained to. Loyalty, he said, was one of the greatest factors in the success of life. During the service a number of hymns were sung from the prepared order of service under the direction of Mr. R. Laurie Cooper. There was a large congregation in the evening, and the singing was of an inspiring quality. The soloists were Mrs. A. M. Mowlem and Mr. W. L, Hay, and the choir and orchestra rendered in a very effective manner Gounod’s “Send Out They Light.” and “Seek Ye the Lord,” by Roberts. The Rev. W. J. Elliott preached from Numbers X. 29: “We are journeying unto the place of which the Lord said. I will give it to you; come thou with us, and we will do thee good; for the Lord hath spoken good concerning Israel.” During the exposition of his theme the preacher said he hpped they hailed with no ignorant jubilation the hour to which they had come. It was Centenary Thanksgiving Da.y. The Giver of all good deserved their gratitude, and it should be spontaneous and definite. A hundred years of spiritual work in a country meant something more than could be put into human speech. The blight of heathenism had been banished, and the desert had blossomed as the rose. It was a great time, and they should be thankful for great things. Very wonderful things had happened, and were still happening in the Methodist Church. Be mindful, he urged, of its glorious past, and grateful for its rich and holy heritage. Their eyes turned to the church in hope and confidence, because its history seemed to spell gratitude and opportunity. Let them be thankful for the life and institutions of the church. It was sound at the core, in spite of all the froth and scum thrown to the surface of society. Its ethical life was true to spiritual ideals. They should he thankful for the type of Christianity the church represented. It was sound in the faith, catholic in spirit, and aggressive in work. It had increased faster than the rapidly increasing population, but more consecrated audacity and self-sacrifice were needed. The great things God had done, if properly appreciated, would help to lift them into a loftier region of loyalty and devotion to Christ and His church.