CONGREGATIONAL. CHURCH SOIREE.

Tuapeka Times, Volume VI, Issue 326, 31 January 1874, Page 2

CONGREGATIONAL. CHURCH SOIREE.

The soiree in connection with the opening of the new Congregational C hureh, White* haven-street, as waa intimated in our last issue, was held in the Athenaeum on Tuesday evening. The hall -was literacy crammed* The tables were liberally provided with all kinds of edibles suited for the occasion. Tho following ladies presided at the tables, viz.: — Mesdames Silk, Bryant, Goldsmith, Alexander, Morison, Blundell, Leary, and Menzie* i and Misses Campbell, Chalmers, M'Leau, and Marjoram. After the tables were removed, the chair was taken by the Rev. Mr. Menzies, who was supported on his right by the Rev. Mr* Cameron, Mr. M'Lelland, and Mr. Paul Ah Chin, and on his left by the Revs. Dr. Rostby and Mr. Maxwell. The choir, numbering some eight or ten ladies and gentlemen, discoursed harmoniou^^ music at intervals during the evening. The Rev. Mr. Menzies, minister of tho congregation, in opening the public meet* ing, said it was usual for the Chair* man to explain the object of the meet* ing ; but they were all pretty well aware that they had met to celebrate the opening of the new Congregational Church. * From the early times of Tuapeka, Congregationalista were in the field with an eye to builiing a church at some future time. A section was purchased in Peel-street. These early efforts had been of material assistance to the Church. The section became valuable, and was ulti* mately sold at a good price' Part of the amount realised from that source was devote 1 to the purchase of a harmonium, and tae other part — £50 — was devoted to the purchase of the section in Whitehaven-street, on winch the new church is now builL Frienda had come forward nobly in their contributions towards the building. Mr.. Menzies then read a statement of the accounts, which shewed that the Church, in a very short time, would be all but free from debt. Th« present movement had originated at the last annual meeting of the Church. They4tffefk all anxious that, in the event of erect place of worship, it should be, if pos.. .j, clear of debt, and they had so far succeeded. The outlay would be about for £440, and they could now caU-ulate on a very small debt. He had to acknowledge the liberal support that had been given towards the building by the district — by people of all denominations. By the assistance of Dr. Roseby, £50 had been collected in Dunedin. Mr. J. C. Brown had collected £15 in Wellington j but h& might state that that was only owe of the many services rendered by Mr. Brown to the Church. He trusted now they had been eet on their feet they w.oidd keep there, and not» multiply pecuniary objects, until they saw their way clearly to carry them out. It had been his care all alon» to remember the woi-k they had in hand, wnere all their cares and responsibilities should be remembered; end he hoped that the place of worship they so auspiciously opened, would prove to be the birth place of many souls unto. God. He would not further detain the meeting, seeing he was so ably surrounded by friends who had - come to assist him in celebrating the opening of their Church. The choir wouli sing one of their pieces, ter which Mr. M'Lelland would address the meeting. . Choir — Anthem, " Erect Your Heada." Mr. M'Lelland, in a short address, drew attention to what he considered a very grevious evil amongst people, which he termed Sabbath sickness. s He found many people full of energy and life on the business daya of the week, but when Sabbath came round they were sure to, be " war the day than yesterday." Sure to be full of acnes and all kinds of sickness. Mr. M'Lelland then made some very pertinent remarks on the subject of lay .agency in the Church of God. He thought that agency was not utilised so tnuch as it ought to be, and he felt convinqe I the world would never be evangalised until lay agency was greatly increased. He therefore trusted that Mr. Menzies would receive much,, assistance from the members of his church, and by prayer labor and faith he had no doubt tha church would greatly prosper. The Chairman next called upon Dr. Roseby, who, in the course of his remarks, said thej had gathered on a most interesting occasion. The opening of a new church was an interesting event. In looking abroad over the land they could see the population rapidly growing, and other institutions coming into existence. It was therefore an important and blessed thing to find that with this growing population places were also established for the worsMp of Almighty Go 1. He thought the time had not yet "come when they had ceased to believe in God, and that all the sophisticated devices of the evil one ha 4 baan powerless to rob them of the dostrine of prayer. As they believed in God, in prayer, in the blessed' Gospel and the holy Scriptures as being the Word of God, he considered it became them to express joy and gUAiesa when a new place of worship was erJ»eJ. , However "* much he might dissent trotf^ the Assembly's Shorter Catechism, he alway^J felt the truthfulness andimpressivenessof the opening sentence of it, which said," Man_ was made to.gloriff Gkxi and enjoy- him for erer." The house they had built was meant as- a home for believing souls — a place to which believers might repair and be at home. It •was also a place for the proclamation of the gospel — a watch-tower on which their minister would stand and beseeci men to be reconciled to God. While they had reason to be thankftil that an additional place of worship hrd b?en erected, he did not forget that it' •waß a Congregational Church, and perhaps it would not be out of place to give^a. brief exposition of Coagregational-principles. He would therefoje say that Congregational doctrine* wer* Protestant or evangelical doctrine-. They believed iv one Mediator between Otod and man. and in the doctrines of the Reformation. They would stand or fall by tlie doctrine of Justification by faith ajpno. in Jesn« Christ." Repentance and faith with a renewal of heart by the Spirit of God. These doctrines were not by the Congregational body embraced in any specific formula; they had no articles of faith to which they subscribed. With regard to their church polity, it was simple and free, the ministers of their church were not bound by any human standard — they required to sign no articles. He himself would not care to do so. He believed in. the Holj Scriptures and.all he felt bound to do ttoo to accept the "Word of Ootl as Ms rule, of faith. Every church in the Congregational body had the right to govern itself ; theirs warn no religious hierarchy. The New Testament he considered gave people a wonderful liberty in these matters. He took the liberty to think that divinn spiritual life exhibited itself; in a vast variety of form? ; he- believed thatin a diversity of church polity they wer» accomplishing the g."and end of tne Christian life. He was very much etruck with a singularly beautiful medallion he once saw with the device on it of seven femalo figures, which were supposed to represent the Australasian colonies, Each had a pju-eicular characteristic. New South Wales botag taller than Victoria, and so onj an<2 round the medal were the striking wo^ # in Latin, which he would translat* — " This countenance is not the same countenance, nor ia it greatly different, there i> the similarity which makes the family likeness." So it was, he considered with the various denominations of Christians all over the world. In them could be recognized the brotherhood of the saints and the household ofGtod.

' «r^ 'PtuPAh Chra, Chinese Missionary, tMk'affdi'Mietlttjfe meeting. ' The Chairman, at the close of Mr. Ah Chin's fti&css, complimented him upon his increasing knowledge of the English language. He had »o dottbt as he improved in this matter his addresses would become of much greater interest; - We. Wm. Tdlcher could not but rejoice with Mr. Jtlennes in the accomplishment of an object so dear to his heart as the building of s church. He could not but admire the quiet and unpretentious way in which Mr. Menzies had gone about the work. Although they h»i a. good nest egg to begin with, Mr - Henries admonished them to caution and discretion, and the end has proved he was right. Tuapeka, he thought, might take credit to itself as being very catholic in its sympathies with all denominations. He had never seen a more large-hearted class of people? They assisted each church most liberally as its turn came round. He cone'uded by expressing a hope that Mr. Menzies would be spared to minister to his congregation for many years, and to see his work prosper in his hands. The Bey. Mr. Cameron was next called upon, and expressed himself pleased to hear •uch.a favorable report of their financial position. After referring to some remarks made by Mr. M'Lelland with regard to people criticising the minister's sermons, he said tha.t this was a critical age. Upon everybody and everything judgment was pronounced. Sacred things were not spaced. The Bible and Christianity, as a system, also, came in for their share. They -were called antiquated, and ; »t was said that the Christian religion had failed to renovate the world. He was of a very different opinion. The doctrine of Christ, he ?aid, had on it the due of its youth. He had been reading a speech of Dr* Duff's, delivered before the Free Church General Assembly in It was indeed a remarkable speech *by a remarkable man. A man who had from his early life devoted his attention to missionary work. After reading the speech, he could not but come to the conclus on that it was very onesided ; a prolonged we;?— the lamentation of a ?gocd man over the infidelity of the present •^age. It was one-sided, and did not by any means contain the whole truth. There was a bright light in the cloud, even although Dr. Duff seemed to lose sight of it. Christianity was shedding its light, fife, and purity in many parts, and was still the power of God unto - salvation. Let them look at the large cities and *cc what the Christian religion was doing to raise the people from the lowest degradation. Look at the vast benefits it had accomplished for the people in the colliery districts of England. Let them look at the great work which is going on in the New Hebrides. These islands were being won for Christ. Then again the Indian Missions had been very successful, and showed that Christianity in these parts was doing its work well and efficiently. He felt confident that Dr. Duff's difficulties were not insurmountable. They would remember, in the Scriptures, that when certain spies were sent to •view the land, they brought back a woeful account of its being inhabited by giants, &«.; but when others went a far more cheerful report was brought. They should not allow difficulties to enervate them, but rather let them stir them up to vigilence and action. There was one thing, as Christian Churches, he thought they should recognise more than they did. He referred to the agency of the Holy Spirit to make the' Word effective. When they thought that the waters were about to overcome them, let them remember with Luther that the Lord was above the flood — that Jesus Christ still lives and reigns. The Chairman endorsed the last speaker's temarks regarding Dr. Duff's address, which he had also read. It would be ensy for a man to bring a class of circumstances showing the yery opposite side of the picture from that presented by the Dr. Dr. Chalmers gave an illustration which was very applicable to this matter. As the radius of light and knowledge increased, so was the circle of darkness around it also, increased. Choir — Anthem, " God be Merciful " The Rev. Mr. Maxwell then addressed the meeting. When he had to, make a speech he had certain difficulties to contend against — firHt, to keep cool ; second, to know what to *ay ; third, to know how to say it ; and fpurth, to know how to stop. He was not without Bome,of these difficulties qn the present occasion. He was pleased to have the opportunity of visiting this pretty town of Lawrence, and specially so in connection with the opening of a Congregational Church in which his esteemed brother was to preach the Gospel. He congratulated all concerned in tbe erection of a neat and substantial place of worship, which was alike a credit to, their taste and liberality. He hoped it would ere . Long be altogether, free from debt. He trusted this was the beginning of better days, as he believed the. Congregational Church had * great work before it in New Zealand. The xcv. gentleman related several amusing and instructive anecdotes in illustration of his remarks, and concluded by appealing to the congregation to sustain their minister in every way they could. Choir — " Jerusalem my Happy Home." Dr. Halley, in proposing a vote of thanks to the speaker, said he had, with his father, k attended the opening of many Congregational Churches in the old country. He observed by the most recent papers that his father was still opening Congregational Churches. The vote was carried by acclamation. Dr. Roseby responded,' . Me. M' Alpine proposed a vote of thanks to the choir for their excellent music, which was also carried with applause. On the Rev. Mr. Cameron pronouncing the benediction, the meeting was brought to -a close.