OPENING OF THE NEW WESLEYAN CHURCH SPRINGSTON.

Press, Volume XXI, Issue 2400, 15 April 1873, Page 2

OPENING OF THE NEW WESLEYAN CHURCH SPRINGSTON.

This church was opened on __„_ a ]ut Three services were held ; tho ong In tt morning by the Rev Mr Buller; that in !'" afternoon by the Rev Mr Keall, and that • the evening by the Rev Mr Fitchett \l" collections at the three services amounLi, nearly £10. nm to Thti church is a very handsome one n • 44 feet square, in the shape of a Greek cm and is built in the early EnglisHistyle Tlf 1 platform, reading desk, and communio-rail! are of polished New Zealand woods carnd very fairly. There are three triple .\XI windows in the building, and nine sinkThere are two entrance porches and a vestry and the building will hold about 300 peori' On Monday a tea meeting and miriefestival, in comroemoratiou of tho oncn ing of the church, was,he%.A lar*. marquee and the old chapel,-which is no? used only for the school, were ustf for the tea trays. A service was held at 3 pan, by the • Rev Mr Buller, aud y u largely attended. About 120 peoplefroftitwii came up by the midday train, and were col veyed in fourteen traps from Rollestoc ti Springston. Many, of them were members of the Durham'street choir, who carao up to give the " Dettingen Te Deum," undet the leadership of. Mr Spensley. The trays, tvie\v« .ia number,: were provided by Mesdama F. Wright, W. Lawry. F. Lawry, Dalton, Huh** bard, E. Wells, J., Silvester, W. Taylor, Cotton, "Kime, and'two bachelor's tabled presided over by Mra Berry. About SGOsat down, and we need not say. the faro was excellent' Tea being over and the tables cleared.an adjpurnment was made to ths new church where the "DettingenTeTJeum" was performed. Considering ffehe. weather, there was a capital njanj coming great distances for the' purpose o! helping their friends at Springston. Mr Spensley conducted, Mr Landergan presided .at the harmonium, -Mr me* siding at the bass viol, jind between thirty and forty of the choir were present. *• ; The Rev Messrs Bailer; Keall, Harper, and several other gentlemen occupied the platform, the Rev J. Buller presiding. The proceedings opened with the hymn, "Before Jehovah's awful throne." Rev Mr Keall engaged in ;prayer, aftes which the "Te ; Deum'' commenced. The church-was crowded,, but the" acoustic properties bijing gopd, it did not in any way interfere as it often does in small country places with tha successful rendering of the muafcJ •

- The opening chorus, -" W& -praise. Thee on God," was sung with spirit. lii'-'All the earth ,does worship Thee," Misa Kent took the alto lead, her lower notes beisj clear and sweet. The chorus was takeu ap well. The trio, "To Thee all a_|?i<' was omitted. "To Thee Chprubim ati Ser&phim" was given with good .cfiect, In the quartette and chorus, "The glorious com-pauy of the ' apostles, 0 ; Mr Mcttroy sang the bass solo, the • other parts being taken by Mrs Allen (treble), L MiEi Kent (alto), Mr Jones (tenor). Thiaaborwas also well rendered, the grace movement, at the end being especially noticeable. Tho chorus " Thine honorable true," foilovred. The solo and chorus, "Thou art the King of glory,'' the* solo being taken by Mr il'liroy, brought the first part to a conclusion.

During the interval the financial statement was made by the Rev Mr Keall. He stated that at the foundation soiree,' £140' bud been raised. They had collected by mesas of books, .£2.17. , The Christmas tea meeting realised £37 12s 6_*. On Sunday last, „9 fo 4d had been taken at the collections f and today, in spite of the wet weather, SHjiessthrf £29 10s had been taken? making a 'iotas d £439 2s lOd. The expense had been paid to contractors, £375 ; printing, clock, kc., !•/•?, making in all, £423. But iri spite of the apparent balance, there were other debts tot >,vould soon fall due, and they must Ms* their efforts. ' i: • | V.v / I

.-. Rev Mr Buller made : a htpowus speech, which evoked roars of laughter. The Rev 'Mr Keall then iutt-oduced fte Rev Mr Harper, the new mioifter, to the meeting.' '. . ■ The Rev gentleman spoke warmly ia favor of Canterbury as far as he hud seen i*. especially admiring the railwayicomm-tu'es-fcion. and seemed to have no doubt, that ho aud the Springston.people would gel oa well together. * The second part was preceded by the* chorus ",We praise Thee, oh God," : Agtest many of the hearers being very""a__io«* to have it repeated, it was sung even bei'*' than on the first occasion. The second ps* commenced, the tenor solo, M.Whea ,Jte& tookest upon Thee," which was taken hj® Jones, and sung carefully but hardly w »thsi much expression as-Ave have heard it,, J" 3 following chorus," " When Thou hsd'sß o?®' come," was to our mind the best etort oj,* 8 choir during the 1 evening. Tiie trip M l»oosittest at the Right Hand of God,"'wss6aog by Miss Kent (alto), Mr Jones (teat© »r Mcllroy (bass). The adagio, motsmentui this was very fine and was followed bj w* grand-choruses "We therefore Pray Thee, and," Day by Day." _ An interval followed; during whica a- 1 Mr Buller addressed the meeting. )( „ The bass solo, "Vouchsafe, Oh Un, JX J. T. M. Smith sang admirably that he took it up without practice. 1"« magnificent chorus, " Oh Lord, in Thee W«e I trusted," brought a very successful rendering of thia great work to a close. 1* ffSS sung with great and was warmly W" plauded.. It is seldom that wrSpnpP* friends have had an opportunity*'°?J} 5. such splendid music so ably reflderea, an we think that they fully appreciated it. Miss Kent and Mr Mcllrqy eaagj*-. throughout; all Miss Kent's solos partieslarly were all rendered with great clears* of articulation and expression. « Mr Lawry proposed a hearty vote w thanks to Mr Spensley and the choir, if"? was secondedby Mr PESB__tAN, and came 8 with great applause. , ...» The Rev Mr Keall was excessively gJ»* that the Rev Mr Buller was present. »'* speeches had been no.ins%uificantpart oi eveuiug'a amusement, and he thought ' there could be no better way of s P e ° dln £„| an" anniversary than in hearing such g* Bl.

music. .i. a + Mr, Spensley said that he was sorry wthey had no more music to give t&em w» night. He should be happy to come &ga< on auother occurrence. f 0 f The Rev Mr Keall proposed a vow* thanks to the ladies who had provided which was warmly responded to. ._ The Doxology was sung aud the new t> terminated. nhrisi.The ladies and gentlemen from l „ r ,L, n church were then entertained at supK the old chapel, and that being c^ mps they were conveyed to RolleStOß .* belonging to the residents, whence wej talceu to ghrifltchurcb by special « a * a '