Re-opening of St. Barnabas' Church.

Auckland Star, Volume XVII, Issue 200, 26 August 1886, Page 2

Re-opening of St. Barnabas' Church.

At four o'clock this afternoon St. Barnabas Church, Mount Eden, which has just undergone considerable enlargement, was opened—ln the unavoidable absence of Bishop Cowie—by tha Veil. Archdeacon Dudley, who is Incumbent or the parish. There was a very good attendance of tho parishionors, particularly of those of tho fairer sex, and the choir musUrod 1» strength under Mr Thomas H. Webb. The servico consisted of Evening Prayor with a few special prayers set by the Bishop from among those drawn up for tlio consecration of a church, and sacred musical selections, which the cholf rendered very effectively. A short and Interesting address ivas delivered by tho Incumbent, In tho course of It ho sketohed the history of the church of St. Barnabas He eaid that Id was originally built under tho late Archdeacon Ktesling nt St. Barnabas Point, Parnell, from plans supplied by the Hey. F. Thatcher. It wa» designee! |as a Maori church partly for the Maori population, which before the war used to come regularly to Mechanic'sßnyonmarketday. and stay over tho Sunday, and partly for tthe student's of St, Stephen's Native School. Beginlar Sunday morning and evening servioes were then conelucted in It under the auspices of Archdeacon Kissling, and the other member* of the Church Missionary Society assisted him. After a time, and in order to meet _• requirements of the growing European population, early morning and after services in English wcro also instituted. When the European population had still further increased St. Marys church w« built for their accommodation and thoy resorted thither instead. After the war tho Maorfes ceased to assemble at Mechanic's Bay and St. Barnabas' church accorelingly felt lute disuse. When at last It was taken over by tho present congregation ana removed" to Mount Eden It was little better than a cow-shed. Six or soven years ago It was restored nnd renovated, and the congregation lirst under tho Rev. Mr Sparling, next under tho Rev. Mr Davis, and last of all tinder the Hey. Mr Beatty, grew considerably, until th-3 restored building became altogether too small for their requirements. The church had th.reforo been doubled in size In accordance with a plan which admitted of bt ill further enlargement us the occasion arose and which at the samo timo did not tl est roy tho characteristic features of the original edifice. UnderMr Beatty's ministrations person* of diverse Mays of religious thinking were gathered together, and the congregation was a hearty and united one, with every promise of still further growth. Provision wns at present being mado for filling Mr Beatty's pines. A friend of Mr Beatty's—namely, the Roy, .7. 11. Sprott, M.A., now missionary at a parish in London —hnd been invited to accept the charge.; and If, as hoped, ho would aocopt, he might be expected to arrive amongst them In January next.