The First Unitarian Church is New Zealand.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume III, Issue 196, 31 August 1901, Page 3

The First Unitarian Church is New Zealand.

o Last Saturday afternoon (August 17ibj, says the Auckland Graphic, tho ceremony of the laying of tbs foundation stone of the first Unitarian Church in Nor.' Zealand took plaao in Pousonby Hoad, Auckland, The Rev. \V, Jeilie conducted tho 'proceedings, and after reading portions of the Scripture, oll'erod up a dedicatory prayer. The foundation atones vote laid by tho Rev, Mr Joliio and Captain Lamb, of Mafia.--augi Head-*, who wars both presented with handsome silver trowels by tha congregations. The Rov. Mr Jeliio, addressing those present, said : —I greet you in the name and spirit of Him whoso nmo wo bear; { congratulate you in tho beginning of tho ' fruition o I many hopes and labours. Wo raise thiii church in no snirit of antagonism to other churches, in no spirit cf narrow aactariamam. Tho city of God has its family, its (Lends and neighbours, whose independence and interdependence make it a true city. We aspire to be one family in tho city of God. The significance of this event lies in its unexampled freedom. I think we may claim to be the first church in this city. It is our caie to keep the present and the future alike unfettered in creed, ritual, or even uamo. The spirit of Gou is like the wind that bloweth where t liatotfa; and we build no barriers that may not be taken down at a moment’s notice, to allow ourselves and those who come after us perfect liberty to follow every leading of the spirit of reverence and truth. Never was such a free foundation more needed. You are aware of the prodigious changes of our time. A truer philosophy of human nature is lifting it out of tho wreck of its abasement, and declaring that salvation means deliverance, not from future wrath, but from present sin. Larger views of history are teaching the rise and not tha fall of man, with an assurance of human progress bearing us towards an unseen goal. The conceptions of science are everywhere revolutionising our religious ideas. Tho democratic movement of the time is inspiring tha charchas with nobler iduas and fresh enthusiasm, nvorywhere it is spring-time in tho world of thought. Everywhere thera are fresh acceptations of truth to tho service of humanity. Our work is to serve man. We are definitely on the side of the new ideas of religion, partly because wq cannot help p ourselves, partly because we know that tho now ideas are more helpful than tho old. This is to bo a place of Divine Barvice, but wa rent ember that the service to which the Master calls is the service of man. That service will take the form of prayer and preaching, to quicken within us tha springs of a higher life. But it will not be confined to that. It will also take whatever form of brotherly helpful nos.-’ the needs of those wo touch may demand and we can supply. Thera will be no artificial restraints on our knowledge our judgment or our affections. If our true church has not the largest sympathies, it ought to have. If it is not most deeply devout, it ought to be. For we value our freedom only as a moans to this eud—that it makes us riper, richer and more enriching. “For God and humanity - " is our motto. To this service wo dedicate outbuilding. To this service we dedicate ourselves. May the spirit of the Master hallow ail our work.