HARVEST FESTIVAL.

Waikato Times, Volume XXX, Issue 2433, 14 February 1888, Page 2

HARVEST FESTIVAL.

The annual Thanksgiving Services for the harvest were held in S. Peter's Church 011 Sunday last. The interior of the buil ling was very tastefully decorated for the occasion, without being in any way overdone with that amount of profuseness so often seen in our churches, where the displays are excessive, converting them into temporary market gardener's shows, and outrage not only good taste but even the original spirit and intention of tho ancient custom of bringingto the altar, as gift-offerings, the first-fruits of corn and the essentials for the support of life. On the altar were arranged in beautiful order a small but choice collection of fruits, wheat and other cereals, relieved with a setting of flowers, ferns and lycopodiuins. On the floor, at each side of the altar, was a single sheaf of wheat. The chancel rails were mounted with small twists of grain in the stalk. The pulpit was the chef d'ouvre of tho ladies, being dressed in exquisite taste with flowers and fruit. So also were the side windows, each of which was dressed with bands of ripened grain and small collections of fruit very artistically arranged. XIIO arches of tho side aisles were dressed with festoons of ripened oats, with a basket of fruit suspended from the centre of each arch. Tho font was decorated in perfect and excellent taste with moss, ferns, lycopodiunis, and garlanded with a festoon of ripe grain, with a setting of miniature sheaves at its base. There was a good attendance at the eight • o'clock celebration, at which Archdeacon Dudley and the Rov. R. O'C. Biggs, the incumbent officiated. A large congregation assembled at the II o'clock service, wtiicli'"was choral, Archdeacon Dudley, Rev. R. O'C. Biggs, and the lay-readers, Mr Swarbrick and Col, Forbes olliciated. The choir was in full force, and rendered the various pieces most efficiently. The harvest hymn, "Wc plough the fields and scatter the good seed on the land,;' and the communion hymn, "Author of lifo divine, who hast a table spread," were sung very heartily. The Archdeacon preached a very excellent sermon from the text taken from 4 chapters. John, 37 v. "Onesoweth and another reapeth," from which he drew in simple and feeling language, lessons full of import and instruction. Fully forty communicants remained for Iloly Communion Archdeacon Dudley being the celebrant, assisted by tho Incumbent. The afternoon scrvico for children was largely attended, the church being crowded with tho little folks, who wove addressed by the Archdeacon. At evonsong the church had a full congregation There was full choral service ; the anthem, taken from the 30 chapter of Ezekiel, and beginning, "And ye shall dwell in the hand," was beautifully rendered by the choir, the solo parts being taken by Mr J. S. Ldgeenmbe (bass), and Mi's Conuell (soprano). Tho grand harvest hymn, " The sower went forth sewing'' was joined iu by the whole congregation in a thorough manner, and also the hymn, " Praise, O Praise, our God, our King." Archdeacon I)udley again preached a very eloquent sermon, taking iiis text troro the 8 phapter S. Luke, 15th verse, in which he expounded 01) the various lessons to be found in that sublime parable. It will be gratifying to church people te know that Archdeacon Dudley expressed himself as pleased and very favourably impressed with the beauty of the services at S, Peter's, and the devotional aspect of the congregation generally.