HARVEST THANKSGIVING FESTIVALS.

Waikato Times, Volume XXII, Issue 1816, 26 February 1884, Page 2

HARVEST THANKSGIVING FESTIVALS.

-#. Kihikihi. A harvest thanksgiving or festival was held in the Anglican church here, last Friday evening, at which the Rev. Mr Phillips officiated, assisted by the lay-reader Mr Hutchinson. The church which was beautifully decorated with flowers and evergreens, besides having a good display of fruit and vegetables, was crowded to excess ; many who <ume were unable to gain admittance owing to want of room. Several buggies came up from Te Awamutu with members of the congregation from that township, besides members who came on horseback to attend the service.—(Own Correspondent.) St. John's Te Awamutu. The annual harvest festival was held in St. John's Chinch on Sunday evening, visitors from Kihikihi and Alexandra being present. The church was splendidly decorated with flowers, boughs, and ears of wheat and oats. The arrangement ot these and fruit and vegetables was the most artistic I have ever seen, and surpnsed and pleased every one. The decoration of the leading desk was particularly good ; ears of rye were arranged round the top, while up the front were rows of evergreens interspersed with fruit and flowers The altar rails were decorated in a similar manner. On the communhn table weio various kinds of fruit and flowers. Along the foot of the table extending the full length, was a splendid display of apples and other fruit. There were also two arches, one at the entrance of the communion rails and the other over the aisle at the entrance to the choir. The Rev.Mr Phillips conducted the service, winch was a full choral one, assisted by Mr Win»tone. The Anthem was taken from the 3(ith Chapter of Ezekicl. "Ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers," and was exceedingly well rendeied. The te\t was fiom Leviticus, 25 verses Ito 5, the clergyman preaching a very impressive sermon. Every seat was j full, about 180 persons being piesent.— (Own Correspondent.) S. Andrew's, Cambridge. The annual harvest festival in connection with S. Andiew's Church, Cambridge, was held on Sunday last. During the previous day a number of the members of the congregation devoted their services to the decoration of the interior of the chutch, and the mateiial, consisting of oats, wheat, and other cereals, vegetables, root plants of every description, fiuits and flowers of evei'y possible kind and variety, were contributed by the settlers of the suiiounding distiict in gieat abundance. On Snndny morninsr the church presented a very striking appeal - ance. All the various productions of the earth were arranged in tasteful oider, the fnut and flower-, pi esented an aspect of a a biiiliaut character, and the style of decoration, generally, was simple and tasteful in the extieme. The appearance of the church on Sunday excelled anything of the kindhitheito attempted. At both morning and evening service the church was qrowded, the congregation representing ' various outlying districts. In the moi mug the Rev. E. H. Gulliver, M.A., preached the festival sermon, taking for his te\t Galatians VI, 7 v. " Be not deceived : God is not mocked, for whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also leap.' 1 In the evening the rev. gentleman took for his text John IV, part of 35 v. " Lift up your eyes and look on the fields, for they are white and ready to hanest." Both sermons were of an appiopiinte character and were eloquent and scholaily discourses.

S- Peter's, Hamilton. The annual Harvest Thanksgiving Festival was celebrated in this chuich on Sunday. The chuich was prettily decorated with a profusion of grain, fiuit, vegetables and evergreens, which had been contributed by the parishioners and by filends in the Cambridge distiict. Mr Sharp, of the Cambridge Nursery, generously forwarded a large parcel of fruit and flowers, and Mr John Runciman, Broadmeadows, sent a bountiful supply of wheat and oat sheaves. Considerable pains had been taken with the decorations, and the church generally presented a very pleasing appearance, particulaily the chancel, the te^tive appearance of which was enhanced by a display of elegantly-worked banners. The arrangement of fiuit and flowers on the altar and pulpit displayed great taste. The festival commenced with an early celebration of the Holy Communion at eight o'clock, at which there were about twenty-five communicants. The eleven o'clock service was choral throughout, and was laigely attended, all the available sitting room in the church being occupied. The service opened with hymn 382 (A. and M ) The Rev. William Calder (All Saints Auckland) said the prayers; the Rev. R. O'C. Biggs, incumbent of the paiish, read the lessons and preached an excellent and appropriate sermon from Psalm CXLVII, "A joyful and pleasant thing it is to be thankful." The music throughout was most efficiently rendered by a strong choir of twenty-four voices. At Evensong the full capacity of the church was again called into requisition. The Rev. R. O'C. Biggs said the prayers, and the Rev. William Calder read the special lessons, and pieached a characteristically appropriate sermon, taking for his text the beginning of the Gospel of S. John. This service was also choial, and Stainer's beautiful anthem, " Ye shall dwell in the land," was sung in a manner which reflected the highest credit on the choir. The solo work was particularly good, At both services special psalms, lessons, oolleots and hymns were introduced, as authorised by the General Synod of the Church in New Zealand, as well as by both Houses of Convocation. We understand that the offertories were exceptionally large. The bright and hearty nature of the services throughout the day must have been a source of gratification to both clergy and people.