March 1941

The call of Lent is always urgent, but never more so than it is this year. This sacred season begins on Ash Wednesday, 26th February, and special services and addresses are provided to help us. Will you use the opportunities in the full?

During Lent we should deepen our own spiritual lives so that we may play a worthier part in making the world a better place. God calls us to leave some of the normal activities of our busy lives to get refreshment and inspiration for greater service.

If everybody used the 40 days of Lent to the limit, spiritual power would be generated on such a scale as to transform the world. Let us not fail. We should give more time to God in both private and public worship. We should join in the Holy Communion more often, read our Bible more frequently and carefully.

Let us determine now that from the start of this season we are going to faithful. Our cause will be the better for it and we shall make ourselves more worthy of that cause.

Your sincere friend and Vicar,

E. J. RICH.

LANTERN SERVICES

Startling and heart-searching disclosures have been made of the lack of knowledge of spiritual things in many children. This should not be. Our children have a right to be taught the faith which is the only adequate foundation on which strong characters can be built. One of the best ways of learning is through the eyes. On Friday evenings in Lent, in the Parish Hall, beginning on 28th February, at 7.30 p.m., lantern pictures will be shown. These pictures are very beautiful and the explanations given help the children to remember their message. Parents and friends of our girls and boys are asked to encourage them to come to these special lantern services. Similar services will be held at Kuripuni on Thursday.

MAGAZINE DONATIONS

Mrs L. B. Maunsell, £1; Mrs Mooney, 5/-; Mrs R. Gray, Mr J Snell, 3/6 each; Mrs Francis, Miss Rockel, 3/- each; Mrs J. A. Caldwell, 2/-; Mrs T. T. Denbee, 7/6; Miss A. Ashwell, 2/6.

IN MEMORIAM

On Saturday, 8th February, one of the great stalwarts of our parish, Mr E. Hale[1], passed to his rest, leaving behind him a glorious record of service to his church and the community. For nearly half-a-century he had been a member of St. Matthew’s, serving as Churchwarden, Vestryman and Synodsman. He was a foundation member of our C.E.M.S. His manly Christianity made him beloved and respected by all. Nothing was ever allowed to interfere with what he regarded as the privilege of joining in public worship and he was ever ready to witness to the supreme place his church had in his life. We shall miss his presence terribly but we thank God for his friendship in service, for his long and faithful life, for the fact that his passing was as he wished, and for the memory of a devoted Christian gentleman.

C.E.M.S.

The attendance at the February meeting was not quite up to our usual standard. However, there were over 20 of us present and the two papers on “The Christian Man and the State” were quite outstanding and the discussion which followed was both thoughtful and practical. It was a splendidly happy evening--the C.E.M.S. spirit at its best. At the next meeting the paper is “The Christian Man and His Neighbour,” written by the Rev. F. C. Long, of Wellington. Again searching questions which get down to the root of our problems are set down for discussion. The Diocesan Council has done real service to the Society by providing these outstanding addresses and distributing them to branches for study and discussion. The next meeting of our branch will be held in the Common Room of the Parish Hall, on Monday, 3rd March, at 7.45 p.m.

LIFE TODAY

Amid the strife and turmoil of our day many are thinking deeply. How can we make the best of life? How can we be worthy of the challenge of our day? How can be do something to overcome evil and create the conditions necessary for a better world? We want to know the answer to these questions. On Sunday mornings of Lent, the Archdeacon will preach a course of sermons on “Life Today.” The subjects will be:--

2nd March--“Life’s Recklessness.”

9th March--“Life’s Peace.”

16th March--“Life’s Fellowship.”

23rd March--“Life’s Purpose.”

30th March--“Life’s End.”

VALLEY OF DECISION

Many have warned us that this present year may well prove one of the most decisive in all history. It is a year when all Christians should show the reality of their faith by their actions. Spiritual power must be set free. God’s victory must come. How can we help in that? We want to help. We must not be content to be drifters. The crisis confronts us all. On one side or the other we must take our stand. At this critical moment then, we face the Valley of Decision, and the Archdeacon is taking that as a subject for a course of sermons on the Sunday evenings in Lent at St Matthew’s. Detailed subjects are:--

2nd March--“The Valley’s Challenge.”

9th March--“The Valley and God.”

16th March--“Turning Points in the Valley.”

23rd March--“Companionship in the Valley.”

30th March--“Upwards from the Valley.”

Easter Day--“Out of the Valley.”

TRIUMPHANT LIFE

Each Wednesday evening in Lent, beginning on Ash Wednesday, 26th February, at 7.30 p.m., a devotional mission service will be held in St Matthew’s Church. At these special services we shall remember our cause and Empire and all who have gone from our shores to serve. These services can be most helpful and we hope that this year the excellent attendances of former years will be even surpassed. We must not fail those we love. Our prayers can help them more than we know. The Archdeacon will preach on “Triumphant Life,” dealing with men and women of modern times who in danger and stress lived gloriously and made some contribution to human well-being. The subjects will be:--

26th February-- “Human Liberty.”

5th March-- “A Great Scheme.”

12th March-- “Awakening Millions.”

19th March-- “Power and Duty.”

26th March-- “Steadfast Faith.”

2nd April-- “A Gambler for God.”

9th April-- “Proving Worth.”

ADULT CONFIRMATION

On Monday, 31st March, at 7.30 p.m., in St. Matthew’s Church, our Bishop will conduct a special confirmation service for adults only. It looks as if there will be a large number to be confirmed. Adults who missed confirmation when they were younger, evidently appreciate our Bishop’s thoughtfulness in providing this special service for them. It is not too late to take advantage of this opportunity and if there are any other adults who wish to be confirmed they should communicate at once with the Clergy and arrangements will be made for their preparation.

SUBSCRIPTIONS

Once a year, generally inay and March, many parishioners make an annual donation towards the expenses of their Church. We all realise how imperative it is that Christian work and witness should be carried on. All who care for spiritual things are asked to help us by sending in their donation, and we ask any who do not help in this way to consider whether they could not join the band of subscribers. Help us maintain our position of a parish free of debt.

PARISH NOTES

Every Wednesday in Lent, beginning on Ash Wednesday, 26th February, there will be in St Matthew’s Church a celebration of the Holy Communion at 7 a.m., and a devotional Mission Service at 7.30 p.m.

The offerings at all services on Sunday, 2nd March, are given to the Melanesian Mission. Let us help them all we can.

No collections will be made at the week-day services in Lent. Self-denial offerings, placed in the boxes, will be given to Missions.

It has been good to notice increased attendances at the country services lately. This is most encouraging. We are glad to know, too, that the men of Bideford are organising a working-bee to renovate the Church building.

A harvest festival service will be held at Upper Plain on Sunday, 9th March, at 7 p.m.

Sunday Schools and Bible Classes have made an excellent start for the year’s work. No child should be denied the help religious education alone can give.

Happy Harvest Festival services were held at St. Matthew’s and at Kopuaranga on Sunday, 26th February. There were large congregations and after the services the harvest gifts were sent to Sedgley Home. The Home is grateful for this help.

On Palm Sunday, the annual procession of Palms will take place at 11 a.m. At 7 p.m. the annual renewal service of the C.E.M.S. is held, and the choir will, as in former years, render Passion-tide music.

KURIPUNI NOTES

The celebrations of the Holy Communion at the Church of the Epiphany will continue to be held on the second and fourth Sundays of the month, but will, in future, be held at 8 a.m. instead of 9 a.m.

On Thursdays in Lent, beginning on Thursday, 27th February, at 7.30 p.m., special lantern services will be held in the Epiphany Hall.

On the Sunday evenings of Lent, the Rev. V. W. Joblin will preach a course of sermons on “The Christian Faith,” dealing with--

2nd March-- “I Believe in God.”

16th March-- “I Believe in Jesus Christ.”

23rd March-- “I Believe in the Holy Ghost.”

30th March-- “I Believe in the Holy Catholic Church.”

6th April-- “I Believe in the Forgiveness of Sins.”

The Rev. H. Taepa will be the preacher on Sunday, 9th March.

CHRISTMAS GIFT

The Rev. J. E. Jones writes:

“It was grand to get your letter and to have news of dear old Masterton. I had to swallow very hard as I read your paragraph about the gift you have clubbed together to send me. One is so isolated in a place like Chapra and to feel one still has roots in a wider fellowship of old friends is most helpful and encouraging. That so many friends in Masterton still remember me and pray for me after my absence of nearly four years means a great deal to me. I cannot adequately thank you and all associated with you in this Christmas Gift.”

BAPTISMS

February--

1 Jill Edna Lawton

2 Graham Eric Norman Rogers

9 John Ronald Forsyth

Margaret Agnes Bell

14 Constance Clara Jean Walker

15 Robert David Young

Roger John Wyatt.

MARRIAGES

February

1 Raymond Lars Nielsen and Grace Beryl Grose

8 Erol Anzac McCann and Noela Annie Hope

15 Alan Henry Green and Constance Jean Hamilton.

BURIALS

February

1 Mande Scott

3 Eli Smith

4 Jane Sophia Franks

10 Ebenezer Hale

11 Hugo Gustav Horatio Kummer

12 Walter Douglas Wallace

17 Hugh Frederick Arthur Phillips

[1] MR. EBENEZER HALE

MASTERTON, This Day,

The death occurred on Saturday of Mr. Ebenezer Hale, Te Ore Ore Road, Masterton. Born at Nelson, in 1863, he was in his younger days an outstanding oarsman, and rowed for the now defunct Wakatu Rowing Club. Representing this club, he took part in many of the regattas at Wellington and Nelson. For many years he was in close touch with the various horticultural societies in the Wairarapa, and he was a foundation member of the New Zealand Horticultural Trades Association. He was also a member of the Wairarapa Nurserymen's Council, and one of the first borough councillors for the North Ward. He was chairman of the Lansdowne School Committee and a Masterton A. and P. Association member of long standing.

Evening Post, Volume CXXXI, Issue 35, 11 February 1941, Page 9

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