HOLY TRINITY CHURCH.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXXV, Issue 3971, 30 June 1913, Page 5

HOLY TRINITY CHURCH.

SERVICE OF DEDICATION. AN IMPRESSIVE CEREMONY. The massive and beautiful edifice, the new Holy Trinity Church, which was recently opened, was dedicated yesterday morning by Right Rev. Dr. Avcrill, Bishop of Waiapu, assisted by the vicar (Rev L. Dawson Thomas) and Venerable Archdeacon Williams and other clergy. The church was occupied by a crowded congregation, and the service of dedication was duly impressive. The full order of the service of dedication was proceeded with, and then the Bishop pronounced the sentence of dedication. THE SISHOP’S ADDRESS. AN INSPIRING EXHORTATION. His Lordship delivered a telling sermon from Psalms 122-4, “Whither the tribes go up, the tribes oil the Lord, unto the testimony of Israel, to give thanks unto the name of the Lord.” The preacher commenced by congratulating the parish on its beautiful church, and said ho would like to see all the churches inscribed over the entrance like an old Norfolk church with the words, “Think and thank God.” If they would all think more they would be able to thank more, and their ideals of worship would be raised infinitely higher than at the present time. There was nothing more enervating to the spiritual life than tho too common conception of regarding the church from the point of view of ourselves instead of God, in spite of the fact that we commonly spoke of the church as a nlace of worship. If we all had no difficulty in realising that cathedrals were built for God and not for men, then there would be no reason for so much listening to the cramped, narrow-minded view which said, “Why was this space taken and this material spent, whereas it might have been used and the superfluous space devoted to libraries and town halls.” Cathedrals were triumphs, and Jesus loved a spirit of unselfishness. His Lordship said that men of modern times flattered themselves as being more practical in these days. Nothing was more magnificent in the young life of the colonies than the erection of buildings and the training of the mind to a sense of the beautiful. Our colonial life was still in its infancy as compared to the rock from which we broke, but the time had surely arrived when we _ should put away 'childish things, particularly that littleness of mind which resented criticisih. Our minds were set_ too much on things effeminate and limited. Our religious ideas revolved around ourselves, and we thought of' God too much in relation to ourselves, instead of thinking of ourselves m relation to God. The popular conception to build for our own use was the idea of most of the modern church builders. He hoped that the erection of this large and permanent church in Gisborne was the indication of _a tone of nobler ideals. He hoped it would mean a rise from the lower to the higher ideals of religious life, which was worship. His Lordship expressed sorrow that the dedication of the church had to be postponed on account of his illness. The fact emphasised a truth that since Trinity Sunday the' congregation had worshipped in a church which was their own, and now, by virtue of its dedication, became God’s, and lie hoped that from that day they would endeavor to guide themselves to the higher ideals of Christian worship; viz., praise and thanksgiving. They assembled together to render thanks for the great blessings they had received at His hands, and to ask for those things which were most lequisite and necessary for us.’ The true ideal of worship pulverised any excuses for irregular attendance at church. If they were to live in the atmosphere of Christianity they must learn to breathe that atmosphere now. Lastly, the Bishop concluded, he wanted to see the people of this diocese and this district rising to both, nobler and higher ideas of churchmanship and Christian worship, rather than merely to think- of saving their souls, which, reduced to religion, was a kind of spiritual life insurance. One’s soul was his own, and chaiacter was built on that, as character was a matter of devotion, the ideals heino- praise and thanksgiving, which were’ infinitely higher and more inspiring than those built up on mere selfish conception of religious life and teaching. We ought to look on religion as a civic, as well as a national dutv, and refrain from conveitmg the Sabbath into a day of pleasure. • r desire,” he concluded, that this church will be all that I have endeavored to show that it should be in m 'Bi™ Ayerill preached at other services during the day. . „ After last evening’s service a le Deum was sung, as an act of thanksgiving for the completion of the d Hdy Eucharist was celebrated after the morning service, a large number of communicants remaining.