ST. JAMES' CHURCH.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 70, 23 March 1935, Page 6

ST. JAMES' CHURCH.

70TH ANNIVERSARY. COMMEMORATION SERMON. SERVICES TO-MORROW WEEK. On the last day of this month, tomorrow week, a sermon of more than passing interest will be preached in a Presbyterian Church in Auckland. The church is St. James', in Wellington Place, and the sermon will be precisely the same as that given 70 years ago, when the church was opened. St James' Church was the outcome of a movement on the part of St. Andrew's Church, under the ministry of the late Rev. D. Bruce, D.D., to establish Sunday schools on the western side of the city, where the population, by 1807, was rapidly increasing. Three school thus established, were united to meet in an old mill, known as "SoppettV situated in Sub";:iently ß ;l y i,an was built on the west side of Hobson Street at a 0., of £450. to serve as a day Behoof a Sunday school and a place of woislup. 1,, 1800 the Rev. George Brown, M.A. took .Sunday evening services here Two years later, on January S. the Presbvtery formed the new district into a new charge under the name of St. James'. The first minister was tne Rev Peter Mason, of Turakina. On Julv li. 1864, the congregation addressed a call to the Rev. .lames Hill, who was the assistant of the Rev. D. Bruce of St Andrew's. Mr. Hill was inducted on July i>, 1864. During his ministry the new church was built on a site -iveii by Mr. William Gorric. " ()u March 26, 70 years ago, the opening service was preached by the Rev. •Tolin Gorrie. According to a report from the "Southern Cross," dated Monday March 27, "the service commenced by singing the 100 th Psalm, to the stately old tune of Old Hundredth, by the choir, under the conduct of their instructor, Mr. Westmoreland. . . The text was Isaiah xvii, 13, an eloquent and appropriate discourse." In the afternoon the pastor, Mr. Hill, preached. The same newspaper said: "The sermon was excellent and practical. First Samuel, x 20: And there went witli him a band of men whose hearts God had touched.'" The total collection was £170. The church cost £3300, of which £325 had been contributed prior to the opening. The remainder was cleared by 1873.

Mr. Macnicol's Ministry. Although -Mr. Hill was the first pastor, tlie name most closely associated with the story of the church it that of the Rev. R. K. Macnicol, who was inducted on February :!, IS(J9. For a time the congregation of the church was much reduced through the exodus to the Thames goldflekU; but as the city grew, so did the church, until the time came when St, James' started services in Remuera and Ponsonby. From that movement sprang the congregations of ■St. Luke's and St. Stephen's. The Sunday' school also expanded, and on June 1.1." 1870, the St. James' hall W.as opened. In April, 100?,, Mr. Macnicol retired. After him came' the Rev. R. L. Walker in that year: the Rev. G. Patereon in 1921; the Rev. E. I\. Harries, 1024; and the Rev. Ferguson Fish, the present minister, who was inducted in September, 1034. ,

The Rev, Tv. L. Walker will preach at the services to-morrow week, the anniversary ceremonies.