THE EARLY CHURCHES.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18182, 19 September 1924, Page 11

THE EARLY CHURCHES.

TO TKZ EDITOE OP • ''TOT rKISS." Sir,r-Thanks' are due to"' you for opening your columns recently to the • very interesting discussion on the dates I of the opening of the oldest church buildings n. Canterbury. ■ May I take this opportunity of stating tttafc, the records of the early days in tho possession of the Diocesan ..Office "are in several respects incomjxletc? .We have the complete register of, the official acts of Bishop Harper, but little before his time, except copies of the minutes and correspondence of the Canterbury Association, and some other correspondence. Of the Diocesan and General Synod reports, -we havo only one complete set; of the "Church News" some numbers ars missing; and of the much earlier paper, 'Tho Church Quarterly," listed-in the early '6o's, -we'have less than half the numbers. Doubtless there are persons who have in their possession cqpies of theso', or other valuable records and papers. But there is much danger of their being 'lost. • ■ ; ■ May_l>ha.ve permission to ask, through you, that anyone having 6uch "documents, or papers likely to bo of interest in the historyof the Church,■mil either let me have them for safe custody or at least arrange that ulEmately thay may either come to this office or be dfiepodied efeewhesi& where 1

they will ho kept safely, and be 3' a .''" ablo for reference ? It very desi - able that wo should have duplicate, copic-s of many of the older pnut"? documents. — I am. etc.. T j; B. do GALV, LI. Diocesan Office. Christchurch. September L?t.h.