FOUNDATION-STONE LAID.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIII, Issue 95, 23 April 1902, Page 2

FOUNDATION-STONE LAID.

AN IMPRESSIVE CEREMONY,

One of the most important events in the ecclesiastical history of Auckland took place to-day, when the foundation-stone of St. Matthew's stone church was laid by His Excellency the Governor with full Masonic honours. A large crowd gathered, to •fitness the ceremony, every available inch of room on the site being crowded with interested spectators.

The ceremony was the consummation of years of patient waiting, the fund having been originally started in 1852, with a donation of £10 by the Rev. Archdeacon Lush. From this the fund has grown until it now totals £30,000, a sufficient sum to erect what will prove the handsomest church in New Zealand, and that will rank high in comparison with the best in Australia. The Wellesleystreet front of the site was gaily decorated with bunting.

Among those present who were accommodated with front seats were Captain Mitchell and Mrs Coombes, two of the oldest living- members of St. Matthew's congregation. The Masonic gathering was one of the largest held by the c»-aft in this city, a feature being the public appearance together of all the four Constitutions of the order. The members of the various lodges assembled in the lecture hall at the V.M.C.A. Buildings, where after the lodge was duly opened, the brethren received instructions as to the order of procession from R.W. Bro. Geo. H. Powley, P.G.W., and Grand Director of Ceremonies. The brethren then filed out and were marshalled in Albert street •by Bro. Powley, aided by the assistant directors of ceremonies, Bro. W. W. Day, Bro. Wm. Caron, and Bro. Captain Grant. The Grand Lodges of the various Constitutions then joined the procession, which moved off to the church, the junior lodges leading. The Grand Master, Bro. A. S. Russell, came last, with the officers of the Grand Lodge, N.Z.C. There were also present:—Bro. C. C. McMillan, D.G.M. of E.C., Acting-Deputy Grand Master for the day;Bro. W. J. Rees, P.D.G.M. of 1.C., Acting-Senior Grand Warden; Bro. Wm. McCullough, P.D.G.M. of the S.C., Acting-Junior Grand Warden; Bro. Archdeacon Calder, Grand Chaplain; and Bro. Malcolm Niccol, Grand Secretary. The subordinate lodges of ■the various Constitutions were well represented, the W.M. and officers of the principal lodges attending in regalia, and making an impressive display. The procession marched to St. Matthew's Chnrch, where the opening service was held. AT THE CHURCH. The ceremony began with a short service in the church. The clergy and the men and boys of the massed, choirs from the various churches assembled at the schoolrootn, and at a quarter-past twelve marched to the church, where they were met by the Most Rev. the Primate (Bishop Cowie) and his, chaplains (the Revs. C. M. Nelson and E. M. Cowie). The following clergy were present: —Canons Mac Murray and Haselden, the Eev. Dr. O'Callaghan, the Revs. W. E. Gillam, Marshall, J. T. Davies, J. K. Davis, Dv Rieu, Carver, Kirkbride, Beck, Fowler, Budd, Tisdall, McWilliam, Harrison, Aston, Cubitt, Watson, Dobson, Devenish, and Wilson. The Rev. W. Gray Dixon, Moderator of the, Auckland Presbytery, was also present. i Among those present in the procession were the theological students from St. John's College. On arrival at the church the clergy, Choirs and Freemasons took up their positions, and the public, who had teen kept out up till this time, quickly filled all the remaining space in the church. The Freemasons occupied the central seats. The service began with the singing of hymn 239, " Christ is Our Cornerstone," as the procession entered the church. Then was said a Collect, followed by the Lord's Prayer. Then ■was sung ~Psalm 122, " 1 was Glad [When They Said Unto Me, Let Us Go Into the House, of the Lord,'* and 'Psalm 132, " Lord, Kemember David." Then was read the lesson, I. Chronacles xxix. to v 21. After this followed the Te Deum (Westbury's seting). The effect of the massing of jthe choirs was seen in this, the music being splendidly sung. ■ The Primate then gave a short address. He said: —"It is half a cenitury since the people of St. Matthew's \ with the help of outside friends began to collect funds for the erection «?¥• a permanent church on this site. Scarcely any of those who contributed to the fund are still .with us. Ow--sng to the circumstances of the colfny in earlier days, and as a result <of the careful management of the founding fund by the trustees, the (comparatively small sum originally Obtained has grown to what it is at the present time' Ai beautiful design has been provided for the perananent church; and the people of /the diocese will be much disappointed if it is not carried out in its enitirety. Should the funds now available not be sufficient for this purpose, the present parishioners will, no doubt, exert themselves to make jup the deficiency. Our gratitude to 'those who have done so much for St. Matthew's in the past wall be shown test by our following their example in this matter." Then followed the processional hymn, "The Church's one foundation," sung with very much .impressiveness by the whole assembly. This Concluded the service in the church. This over, the Primate, clergy and choir preceded the Grand Master and ■Brethren to the Wellesley-street gate, the choir taking up the places reserved for them, 'f'he Primate, accompanied by his chaplain, and his commissary (Rev. Canon Nelson), iook his seat in the reserve roped toff round the stone. The Grand Lodges took up their position first in !the same enclosure, the other Brethren filling the space reserved for [them. Brothers Alex. S. Russell ((Grand Master of N.Z. Con.), C. C. ifMcMiUun (D.G.M., E.CO. W. J. ttlees (P.G.M, of I.C), W. McCul- . Sough (P.G.M., S.C., North Island), M. Niceol (Gen Sec), Arch. Calder .[(Grand Chaplain), and the cup and titool bearers of the Grand Lodge toarched between the father Lodges Jto the central enclosure. \, Justbefore one o'clock cheers axi-

nounced the arrival of His Excellency jthe Governor and Lady Ranlurly, and a moment later the Governor's carriage arrived, escorted by a detachment iof the Auckland Mounted Rifles. His Excellency and Lady Ranfurly, who were accompanied by the Hon. C. Hill Trevor, A.D.C., And Capt. Boscawen, Hon. A.D.C., were conducted to the enclosure round the stone, while the choirs sang "God Save the King," which was taken up by the assembly The Grand Master, Mr. A. S. Russell, opened the actual service with an address, in which he set forth the duties of Masons. He said they were the possessors of ..secrets, concealed from all n^n, which had been handed down from the remote past, and it devolved on them to preserve those secrets inviolate, that they might be transmitted to posterity. They were assembled to assist in building a house which they prayed God to prosper if it seemed good to him. It was the first duty of Masons to invoke the blessing of the Great Architect of the universe on anything they undertook, and he asked them to join with the Grand Chaplain in prayer.

Archdeacon Calder, Grand Chaplain^ then led in prayer, after which the choir sang the anthem, "Behold, How Good" (Uarke).

The M.W. the Grand Master then directed the Grand Secretary to deposit within a cavity of the stone the t following memorials of the event and period:

V "Star" of last evening and a "Herald" of this morning, a number of the first postage stamps issued in King Edward's reign, a copy of the latest "Church Gazette," the last report of St. Matthew's vestry, a piece of oak from the Canterbury Cathedral, built in the eleventh century, a piece of stone from St. Andrew's Cathedral, Holy Island, a photograph of a letter from Bishop Selwyn to the Archbishop of Canterbury, accepting the see of New Zealand, and the following letter written on parchment: "This stone was laid on Wednesday, 20th April, Anno Lucis 5902, Anno Domini 1902, with Masonic honours, by the Most Worshipful Grand Master of the Ancient, Free and Accepted Masons of New Zealand, Brother Alexander Stuart Russel, and His Excellency the Governor Brother the Eight Hon. the Earl of Ranfurly. The estimated cost of the building is about £30,000, and it is to be erected ouE of accumulated funds raised by subscription commencing in 1853, and started a,nd husbanded for many years hy the late Mr. T. Weston. In the year 1863 the funds had increased to £5000, and the vestry resolved to erect a wooden church out of other funds, and to trust and hope that in twenty or thirty years their children would be able to erect such a building as was to be erected." Here follow the names of the architect, vicar, wardens and vestry of St. Matthew's, and the contractors ror the new church.

The Grand Master said the memorials would be so placed as to withstand the fray of the elements, and bear witness to the energy and culture of the time, when in the future the foundations of the church might be laid bare.

The M.W. Grand Master (Bro. A. S. Russell) then said with the assistance of the members of the worshipful order present he would proceed to well and truly lay the cornerstone

The working-tools were then delivered b"y the architect to . the M.W. Grand Master, who presented the square, level and plumb-rule to the District and Provincial Grand Master's.

Tim's ceremony was saluted by the brethren with grand honours once. This was followed by the choir singing, " All Glorj' to the Lord on High."

The stone was then lowered to the second mark, and saluted with grand honours twice, and was followed by the same chant.

The stone was then lowered to the base and bedded, and' was saluted with grand honours three times, followed by the same chant- The 'spectacle of the many white-gloved hands rising together as the Masonic grand honours were paid was a very, novel and striking1 sight.

The M.W. Grand Master then said: " This stone has been tried and proved by the proper instruments of masonry. They found it well and skilfully done in accordance with the rites of the ancient order of Masons. I have .therefore pleasure in handing to the "Governor the gavel and inviting him to declare the stone laid." The Governor then accepted the gavel, and after tapping the stone declared it well and truly laid.

An invocation by the Grand Chaplain, after which the instruments of his office were handed to the architect, Mr E. Barjley, by theW.M. The stone, which bears the following inscription:— "St. Matthew's Church, Lavs Deo. This stone was laid by His Excellency the Governor of this colony, the Rig-lit Hon. the Earl of Ranfurly, G.C.M.G., St. George's Day, 1902," is of Mount Eden basalt and weighs about a ton and a half. It forms a portion of the base of the tower and faces Wellesley-street. The work of making and inscribing the stone was carried out by Mr W. j Thomas. The trowel bore on its face a representation of the new church, and on its reverse side was the inscription: "Presented to the Right Hon. the Earl of. Ranfurly, G.C.M.G., Governor of NewZealand,on the occasion of the laying of the foundation stone of St. Matthew's Church, Auckland, St. George's Day, 1902." The mallet, which was presented by the architect, bore a silver plate inscribed: "St. Matthew's Church, Auckland, St. George's Day, 1902." The M.W. and Grand Master then called upon the elements of consecration—corn, oil and wine—to be poured out upon the stone. Corn, oil and wine were then poured' out upon the stone by the brethren appointed for the purpose. THE GRANDMASTER'S SPEECH. The Most Worshipful the Grand Master (Brother A. S. Russell) then addressed the assembly. He said that Ayords failed him to express the pleasure he and all Masons felt in contributing by their efforts to place as firmly as on a rock this temple, in which, would be placed another of the many pulpits from which have been preached glory tb God and peace and gobdwill towards men. Occasions of this kind were deemed opportune by the head of the craft.

From time immemorial it had been the pleasant duty. <M the craft to take part in laying* the corner stone of edifices such as this, thus contributing to the public weal, from days of the Roman colleges of builders from which they claimed to be descended. The symbolism of the corner stone was full of significance, as it must be a perfect square, and its solid contents a cube. The square was -the symbol of morality, and the cube of truth. The stone was set between the north, the direction of darkness, and the east, the direction of light, illustrating the Masonic progress from darkness to light, from ignorance to knowledge. The permanency of this corner stone, which would remain firm after the building fell away into decay, was intended to remind Masons of the sure foundations of. immortality. Thus Masons and all men must stand the crucial test before being judged by the Master of all souls to be worthy of a place in the eternal house: This work they, as Masons, felt they had peculiar claims to do by the right of heredity. The Grand Master then proceeded to trace briefly the origin of the order, and said that the tools of the operative sense had become the s,ymbols of the speculative sense. Their institution was founded on the principles of brotherly love, relief and truth, which were built upon faith, hope and charity. Their charity extended to all men, and their faith was in the promises of the Great Architect, and their hope in that immortality promised to all who should follow the Master. Surely such an institution, founded on such principles, must command the respect of the world.

His Excellency then addressed the assembly. He said the stone was the, commencement of a work contemplated fifty years ago, and some of the original subscribers were now alive. One of those who collected for the fund when ft first began had written that the church that was to be built was not to be unworthy of the great purpose to which it was to be dedicated, so that it would be an example to settlers in church architecture, and lead to the erection of good churches throughont the land. - The money they had collected had now arrived at such a figure that that church had been commenced, and it was believed that it would be the finest church building in New Zealand, thus carrying out the wishes expressed by the writer. He concluded by sajing. "Ma.y this building not only be a thing of beauty, but also a benefit and cause of good to the city of Auckland."'

Then followed hymn 394 (A. and M.), during the singing of which a collection was taken up for mission work in the parish of St. Matthew's.

The Benediction was then pronounced by the Primate, and shortly afterwards the Governor and Lady Ranfurly took their departure amid cheers from the assembled Masons. Thus ended a very impressive ceremony.

The Masons then re-formed and inarched to the V.M.C.A,, where the Lodge was again tyled. before the brethren dispersed. Luncheon in the Strand Cafe followed, and to-night a conversazione will be held in the Choral Hall, the proceeds going towards the Parish Mission.