CONSECRATION OF S. PETER'S HAMILTON.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2323, 31 May 1887, Page 2

CONSECRATION OF S. PETER'S HAMILTON.

The consecration of this Church by I the • Bishop of the Diocese took place yesterday, Whitmonday. His Lordship, arrived in Hamilton on Saturday, and-took up: his quarters at Gwynne's Hotel. • ' ; The Bishop preached on Sunday morning at S. Peter's, and in the afternoon at Tama-, here; in the evening, after evensongJ $Kerite of confirmation was administered to twenty young people, of whom we were glad to! see the boys predominated. _ His;.Lordsh;ip's address was given in a,kind, an,d,,.,hoiriely manner, and was listened to attentively; by both the candidates and their' assembled friends. ' : : ,1 ; ! t "' '_ j The service of consecratiori commenced at 11 ' o'clock yesterday morning, the Bishop passing the members of the choir, the representative parishioners and the members of the Church Society, as he walked round the Church from the vestry to the north'door. Here the Bishop was met by the churchwardens, who, ,in the. name of the Incumbent, themselves and others, prayed his Lordship to consecrate the Church in accordance with the- rites of the Church of the Province of New Zealand, commonly called "The Church of England.'' The Bishop having signi Red his willingness to accede to the prayer of the petitioners, commenced the service by reading the first verse of the 24th Psalm, which was then continued by the choir, who followed the Bishop in procession to the steps of the sanctuary before taking 'their places in the stalls. The Bishop' was attended by the Archdeacon of Waikato, the Incumbent of the Parish, and the Rev. James Marshall, of Te Aroha. The Rev. R. G. Boler, of Te | Awamutu, acted as chaplain to his Lordship. .. The service mainly consisted of the reading of the Deed of Consecration by Mr S. T. Seddon, who acted as Chancellor, to which document the Bishop added his signature, and then everything was done, that the supporters of the Church had long worked for and looked forward to. Matins and the celebration of Holy, Communion followed. The Bishop was' celebrant with the Archdeacon and Incumbent as Deacon and Sub-Deacon, respectively. The sermon, preached by the Rev, J. Marshall, was appropriate to the occasion. The Church was crowded at this service by friends in Hamilton and the surrounding country, while at the confirmation service on the previous evening many people could not gain admittance. A passage from Mr Marshall's sermon was certainly appropriate to the occasion, to the Church, to the Incumbent, and to the lay workers. "Let S. Peter's be, an example to the Diocese, and not a warning," were the preacher's words. Here in Hamilton, at a time of unexampled depression, the Church has thrown off every impediment to a successful work. A Church, open always, supported by the voluntary offerings of its members, with its fittings appropriate to the purpose for which they are dedicated, and with everything: "done decently and in order," is surely an example to the Diocese, and to all this is added the satisfactory basis of the work, a Church free from debt. We cannot conclude this notice without specially mentioning the excellence of the music, which was marked with the usual good taste and care that directs this portion of the services. Mr A. Swarbrick filled the office of director of ceremonies with conspicuous ability. Subsequently the Vestry, choir, and parishioners of S. Peter's entertained his Lordship, the clergy, and the visitors at a luncheon at Gwynne's hotel. The collation was served in the hostess's best style, and was thoroughly enjoyed by all present. The Bishop returned to Auckland last night.