: Hankow, Ist May, 1904, The New Church of St. John the Evangelist, in the British Concession was consecrated to-day, Sunday, the Feast of St. Philip and St. James, The hour was fixed at ton o'clock, a half-hour earlier than usual, for the convenience of the Blue-jackets in harbour, who are regular attendants upon Divine Service in this Church. The downpour of rain prevented the. sailors from attending, but a good-sized congregation from the community was present. The services were simple and yet beautiful and deeply impressive. The Right Reverend G. E. Moule, D.D., the long journey to Hankow to officiate for the Bishop of Hankow on this occasion. Ho was assisted by the Clergy of the American Church Mission, which for many has conducted the services in Church.
The Bishop and Clergy 0 the door of the Church by the Trustees, AK. Craddock, Esq., and W. 8. Livingstone, Esq. The other Trustee, Gordon, Esq., was not able to be present. The procession moved up the middle aisle to the Communion Table, repeating alternately Psalm XXIV. After this op was presented with the Deed Bi ice-Consul. The Bishop then rust by V. L. Savage, Esq., the
read the Deed which was written in the year 1874 at the time when the Church in Hankow was disestablished by H. M. Government and turned over asa gift to the British Community of Hankow. The Deed declared the conditions under which the Church was held.
Then followed the (consecration Service proper, the order of which had been neatly bound in leaflets and placed in the pews. At the close of this service Hymn number 395 A. and M. was sung and the regular service for the day was begun by the Re. vered James Jackson, Rector of Boone School, Wuchang. Pealms and Lessons appropriate to the occasion were used, the Rev. 8. H. Littell reading the Lessons.
At the close of Morning Prayer and after the singing of Hymn Ni 397 the} Bishop proceeded with the beautiful Liturgy of the Communion Service of the Church of England. After another Hymn No. 215 was sung, the sermon was preached by Bishop Moule. It was a Tare privilege to hear his voice among us. He alluded warmly snd tenderly to the Iste Bishop of Hankow, the Right Reverend J. A. Ingle, who was to have pésformed the act of consecration.
He spoke gratefully of the. work of the American Church Mission for the Church, referring especially to the labonre of the Chaplain. The Bishop set forth in his sermon the spiritual realities for which the Church stood and held forth before the congregation a high ideal of Christian life and work, reminding us of the relation between our lives and those of the Chinese among whom we live.
Tt was, as can well be imagined, time of great, rejoicing for the congregation of St. John's Church to assemble again in a Church" home. The new Church is a substantial and very attractive structure of red brick with trimmings of granite. It is a little larger than the old edifice and will sent about 250 people: Much credit is due to the painstaking interest and careful oversight of the Trustees who have given considerable thought and attention to the rebuilding. We remember, too, with titude the generosity of the five British inns, whose guarantees and generous subscriptions have with the subscriptions of others of the Church's friends done s0 much to make to-day's success possible. Our heart and minds have been carried back to the late lamented Erskine T. Pym, Esq, who as Trustee of the church was so zealous and largely instrumental in securing its rebuilding.
In a rapidly growing foreign community like Hankow, which seems des. tined to become a very important contre, it is a real satisfaction to know that the Church of God is there and at work and is providing for the needs of those who have come far from home to cast their lot in foreign land. For them now in Hankow there has been reopened a House of Prayer.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.