PRESBYTERIAN WORK.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 243, 15 October 1931, Page 8

PRESBYTERIAN WORK.

ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION. MEETING IN ST. ANDREW'S. TRIBUTES BY OTHER CHURCHES. The 75th anniversary of the formation of the Presbytery of Auckland was celebrated in true Presbyterian fashion in St. Andrew's Church last evening. The Moderator, Mr. S. J. Harbutt, presided over a fully representative gathering of clergy, congregations, and friends. Greetings or congratulations were extended either personally or by message from sister churches and other religious or civic institutions as well as from the Primate .of New Zealand, the Roman Catholic Bishop of Auckland, Rabbi S. A. Goldstein,'and representatives of the Salvation Army, Methodist, Baptist, and Congregational Churches,- the Church of Christ, and the Mayor of Auckland.

The order of service included hymns, Scripture reading, prayers, and addresses. The St. Andrew's Quartet contributed several anthems.

In welcoming those present, Mr. Harbutt remarked upon the large number of clergy and ministers belonging to other denominations. He made it clear that they were not celebrating the advent of Presbyterian ism in Auckland, but the 75th anniversary of the formation of the first Presbytery, the members of which were the Revs. John Macky, moderator, David Bruce, clerk, T. Norrie, R. McKinney, and Messrs. Wm. Gorrie (St. Andrew's) and James Wallace (Otahuhu). The anniversary service was being held in the same building as that in which the first meeting of the Presbytery was held. In those far-off' days the brethren of the Methodist Church helped considerably, as they were doing to-day.

Methodists' Assistance. The Rev. W. J. Comrie, who was intimately. connected with the early days in Auckland, gave a historical account of the Presbytery. He said lie was the first Auckland-born boy to enter the ministry, and for 70 years he had been connected with the Church in Auckland. The first service in St. Andrew's was conducted by the Rev. Walter Lawry, superintendent of the* Methodist Church. Valuable assistance and help was given by various Methodist ministers till the Rev. David Bruce arrived to take charge. Then the Auckland Presbytery was formed, and three years later the New Hebrides was selected as a mission field. The General Assembly was constituted in 1861, and the first meeting was held in Auckland in 1862. On the southern members .returning to Dunedin some hitch occurred and it was not till 40 years later—in 1901 —that the Presbyterian Church in New Zealand was reunited under one Assembly. Mr. Comrie paid high tribute to the men who formed the first Presbytery and said, incidentally, that now 25 per cent of the population was Presbyterian. Many Presbyterians had taken prominent places in the city's civic and other affairs. "We have a glorious heritage and a glorious privilege —aTe we living up_ to it?" asked Mr. Comrie in conclusion. "May God make us worthy of them both." Co-operation and Friendship/>■ The Rev. Dr. C. H. Laws, representing the .Methodist Church, recalled as some of the choicest moments of his life the times when he was associated with some of the older ministers of the Presbyterian Church. In 1885, when he came from Napier to study at King's College, he had attended services at St. Andrew's presided over by the late Rev. Alex. Carrick. Dr. Laws said he personally could see no difference between Methodists and Presbyterians in the *~-esentation of the Gospel. He thought the union of the Churches would not present insuperable difficulties. Representing hi 3 Worship the Mayor, who was unavoidably absent, the deputy-Mayor, Mr. A. J. Entrican, extended the city's warmest, congratulations and best wishes to the Presbytery. Mr. Entrican also P a id high tribute to the early pioneers of Church and State in the city of Auckland, who took early opportunities to worship God publicly. Messages of friendship and good will 'were brought by the Rev. E. D. Patchett from the Auckland Ministers' Association, and the Council of Christian Congregations. He said the whole community had been enriched by the contribution the Presbyterian Church had made to its spiritual and moral wellbeing through the years. .