TRINITY WESLEYAN CHURCH, HAMILTON.

Waikato Times, Volume XVIII, Issue 1486, 12 January 1882, Page 2

TRINITY WESLEYAN CHURCH, HAMILTON.

Opening Service. The handsome new church, erected by the Wesleyan community of Hamilton, was opened for public worship on Tuesday evening, the service being conducted by the Rev. Thomas Spurgeon. There was a very large congregation, a goodly proportion of whom came from other districts. The service commenced with hymn 592, Wesley's hymns, followed by prayer. The preacher read, for the eveniug'slesson, 1 Kings, Bth chapter, commenting upon the text. After prayer, and hymn 678, Mr Spurgeon delivered a discourse, taking his text from the lesson just read, 1 Kings, Bth chapter, part of verse 30, "And hear thou in heaven, thy dwelling place : and when thou hearest, forgive." He divided the subject into three portions, dealing with the facts that heaven is God's dwelling place, that God hears prayer, and that God forgives. Upon this text, or these sub-divisions of a text, the preacher dwelt in eloquent language, calculated to appeal no less forcibly to the understanding than the heart. Mr Spurgeon deprecated, at the outset, the anxiety manifested by many people to know what heaven, the Lord's dwelling place, was like. He could not tell them where heaven was, but he could show them the way there. That way was through the Lord Jesus. But he warned them against believing that God dwelt exclusively in heaven. Upon this point an anecdote was related of an infidel who offered a child an orange if he could tell him where God was, and who was confounded when the child replied, "I will give you two oranges if you can tell me where He is not." God was everywhere ; they could not escape him. If they took the wings of the morning and flew to the uttermost parts of the earth, there would He be still. But though He was everywhere, He chiefly loved to dwell in the lowly, the humble, and contrite heart, and if they wished to know where the Lord dwelt, let them make a temple in their hearts fit to receive him. Churches were not to be regarded as being more holy than other places, and, speaking of this, he felt constrained to give utterance to an idea which had often occurred to him. If men would only recognise that God was everywhere they would lose much of that superstition which they now attach to places and times. God was not to be found only in certain places and at certain times ; He was with them always, and wheresoever they went ; they could hear His voice in the thunderstorm, and see His benignant smile in the glad sunshine. It was well to have a house of prayer, but they ought not to confine their devotions to that. In many parts of England it was the practice to open the churches at stated times on week days, so that the people could go in and pray ; but, he asked, could they not put up their petitions to God as well in their own homes, could they not lift up their voices in supplication to Him in the green fields, under the blue sky, just as well as within those damp and often gloomy piles ? And even as there need be no particular place wherein to pray, so also was there no limit to the subjects about which they might offer up their prayers. Nor was it necessary that they should be children of God. If they could not pray as His children, let them pray as the children of the devil. In either case God would hear them. After drawiDg a vivid picture of the unforgiven sinner, the preacher concluded by exhorting them all to accept Jesus Christ as their substitute, and so escape from the consequences of their sins. He had taken the burden of sin upon Himself in order that they who belived on him might be saved. H e had scarcely said a word about their new church, but it wasnot a thoughtless omission. If they wanted to consecrate that building the best and surest way to do it was to consecrate themselves. The tenor of the whole discoiirse went in favor of the efficacy of prayer, and the rev. gentleman solemnly assured his hearers that he, personally, had proof of what he advanced. The brief epitome given above, can, of course convey no adequate idea of the sermon or of the singular charm possessed by the preacher. Although a young man, fresh from college, Mr Spurgeon speaks with the air and authority of a man who has observed much, as one in whose heart there dwells the widest sympathy for his fellows. The address, both as regards the matter and the manner, was excellent. His diction is singularly pure and choice, and there is an almost total absence of that exaggeration so commonly found in the discourses of young men. After the sermon the Rev. C. Griffin announced that a soiree in further celebration of the church would be held the following evening in the Volunteer Hall, to be followed by a meeting in the church, and that the opening services would be continued on Sunday ' next, when the Rev. A. Carrick, of St. Apdrew's Presbyterian Church, Auckland, would conduct the services morning and evening. A collection was, then taken up, and after singing the Hymn 972, the benediction was pronounced by the Rev. Mr Spurgeon.

Soiree. In further celebration , of the opening of the .new Wesleyan Church, a soiree w,as held .in. the Volunteer Hall, last "evening.; Tea, which was on the table at, 6.30 o'clock, was provided by Mesdames Gribble, Maunderj Gleeson^ Cox, Lovell and Griffin, assisted by MdUe3. Gribble,; JJovell, Maunder, RbtbwelT and Shortt. About 130 persons sat down to an ex.cellent repast, f and gave evidence pf their satisfaction.* ' *' f "' v j . ;. tAfter tea had-been discussed, those present adjourned to'thene^ church, when a.'progranurie of *Mdre|aes, sejec-, tioris, &c.l was'pfovidedV songs by/ Mrs Mqjcl^tjshj^irra^GrleWo^ . ''and a , clarionet' "solo^bylMr^MackjbitdsH^ ' fmd aiddre§fS^ aU\gf aJiighly/mter^s^B^;, ;chaiticto:^Sy '-» Btis^Worshife 1 tfie -. Mayor* \m6 psided»l^B (Mn*Mltdn r4 glad 6 and'SpurgVonVt^'i'r^aiM? tJnflsn/s3 tofel'

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