S. PETER'S CHURCH, HAMILTON. Dedication Festival.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2181, 1 July 1886, Page 2

S. PETER'S CHURCH, HAMILTON. Dedication Festival.

The Dedication Festival in connection ! with this Church was held on Tuesday I evening (S. Peter's Day.) There was a good congregation. The choir mustered strongly, being reinforced by utiinged instruments. The opening voluntary w«*t> " I waited for the Lord," the first and second violins taking the duet. The processional hymn No. 341, A and M, was sung to Sullivan's music with orchestral accompaniments, the effect being particularly strik ing. The preces and lesponses were sung t» Tallis, and the special psalm to chant*> by Smart and Tallis. The proper lesions for the day were read by the Incumbent and by the Archdeacon of Waikato, respectively, pr.tyers being said by the Rev. It. H. S. VValpole. The first anthem was * % As pants tho hart " from Spohr's " Crucifixion," the Milo being admirably rendered by Mibs Wild. The preacher was the Rev. (i. H. S. Walpolo, of St. Mary' 1 * Purnell, tiikinpc for hi-i te<t part ot the 10th verse of St. Luke •"», "Fear not, from henceforth thou shalt catch men." He first drew attention to the benefits to bo deiived from anniversaries, comparing them to anchorages, from whence to look back and reflect ; to look forward and resolve. Passing on to speak of S. Peter he quoted thoue lines from Tennyson's (Enone, " Self reverence, self knowledge, self control, these three alone lead life to sovereign power," and showed how the first of these wa9 instilled into S. Peter by our Lord's words to him, when brought to Him by hi» brother Andrew. "Thou art Simon, the son of Jona ; thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, a stone," And then, how, convinced by the miraculous draught of fishes, of the purity and power of Jesus, he wa-> brought to a knowledge of himself, which he showed by casting himself at the feet of Jesus and exclaiming, " Depart from me, for lama sinful man, O Lord." He then showed that, thus prepared for his work, S. Peter became a real power in the conversion of sinners. He concluded an eminently practical sermon by urging his hearers to realise their own greatness through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in them, and while distrusting themselves to go forth in Christ's strength, (not leaving it to the clergy alone, but each one a*> far as in him lay), and strive to brinef wanderers into the fold. During the offertory hymn 21 5 was sung, followed by Stainer's beautiful anthem, " I am Alpha and Omega," the solo being again taken by Mias Wild. After the Benediction the service concluded with the To Deum, sung to Gregorian tones. As a concluding voluntary the "War March of the Priusts,*' from Mendelssohn's "Athalie," was played by a compact orchestra, composed of first and second violin, viola and 'cello, backed by the oigan. The musical portion of the service was characterised by crispness and vigour, evidencing much care in its preparation, and the hearty encomiums freely bestowed upon the efforts of the choir must have been exceedingly gratifying to the accomplished choirmaster, to whom the incumbent and the congregation are under great obligations. The rendering of the second anthem was specially marked by precision in both time and tune. The orchestral music was most effective ; the 'cello part in the processional hymn "Onward Christian Soldiers " was particularly noticeable. 0)n the whole the service was undoubtedly the best, from a musical standpoint, that has ever been held in S. Peter's Church.

This is for scientific men : — Professor (.Teikie, with some geological friends, once paid a visit to Kington, in East Lothian, and was examining some rooks there which slope down to the road, when a ploughman passed. The rustic overheard the proiessor's remarks about the striking indication these standing rocks afforded of the motion of glaciers, and he stopped short, "The contoondit idiots !" he exclaimed, "(Jin the'd had to pay for as mony breeks as I've dune, they wad ken better what made the rocks qlaized !" His boys were in the habit of sliding in a sitting posture down the rocks. Road stopping notices by the Newcastle Ro id Board appear in this issue. Mr John Knox will sell at tho Hamilton Mart on Saturday, furniture, hams nnd bacon, poultry, potatoes. ttptcial attention is directed to the sellingoff notice in connection with the Hamilton Book Dopot.