Historic And Beautiful Church At Parnell

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31659, 20 April 1968, Page 5

Historic And Beautiful Church At Parnell

(Specially written for “The Press” bu Rev. R. T. WEARNE) In the old Anglican church at Parnell, Auckland, known as Saint Stephen’s Chapel, was signed the deed which gave the Church of New Zealand its own Constitution. This was on June 13,1857. The story of Saint Stephen’s dates from May 29, 1842, when George Augustus Selwyn arrived in Auckland as New Zealand’s first Anglican Bishop. He stayed at Judges Bay with an old college friend, Sir William Martin, first Chief Justice. The first church was consecrated on December 1, 1844, but collapsed during a hurricane. It was of stone, and it is said that unwashed sea sand was used for the mortar. Undeterred, the Bishop with the help of Frederick Thatcher designed the present church. Thatcher, who was an architect later became a vicar of the Church of England. He, with the help of Bishop Selwyn designed the 16 or so charming wooden churches dotted throughout the Auckland Province, now known as Selwyn Churches. Built in wood this delight-: ful little church of St Stephen was completed in 1857. Seating For 40 It is in the form of a Greek Cross and seats about 40 people, has a small bell turret at the crossing of the roofs, and embodies the essentia] characteristics of the Selwyn Churches. The interior of the chapel is very simple with dark stained wood and a beautiful altar.

There is no coloured glass in the small lead windows, but a warm glow of red haircord on the floor. Carved in a panel across the altar are the words "Here on the thirteenth day of June, 1857 was signed the Constitution of the Church of the Province.” The bell of Saint Stephen’s Is worthy of mention. It is inscribed with the name of Joshua Watson (Born 1771Died 1858) as well as that of the makers, C. and G. Mears. The successors of that firm, Mears and Steinbank, have the following entry in their records, dated March 1858: "For the new Church in New Zealand per the Rev. F. A. Marriott, a bell 3-1-24—£36-0-6." It is assumed that Joshua Watson presented the bell. He was a doctor of civil laws and is believed to have been an uncle of Mrs Selwyn. The land on which the church stands is owned by the Church, but the churchyard and the surrounding slopes are administered by the Auckland City Council. It was through the efforts of a small association of descendants of some who are buried in the churchyard that the council became interested in the work of preserving this historic feature. Pioneers’ Graves j The council erected a lychgate at the Judge Street entrance to commemorate New (Zealand’s centenary and the | early missionaries. ; For a long time the church had only one service a year, on Saint Stephen’s day. Services are now held regularly. The congregation all but fills the church. In the well-kept churchyard with its paths and beautiful flower beds, can be seen scores of graves of Auckland’s pioneers. Weather and time have

obliterated the lettering on many of the tombstones. Perhaps a few names from the inscriptions are worthy of mention: Charles and Hannah Baker, who died within months of of each other in 1875, had both been missionaries in New Zealand for 47 years. Against the cool rustling bamboos is the grave of John Smith, one of the defenders of Lucknow and his wife, Lauretta, granddaughter of the Rev. John King, a colleague of the Rev. Samuel Marsden, 1814. On another we read the name of Thomas Outhwaite and his sister June. He was the first Registrar of the Supreme Court in New Zealand. The stone to Joseph Rainsford, deputy assistant superintendent of the military store staff was erected by his widow and brother officers “serving in New Zealand,” 1864. There is the grave of a 17-year-old Maori who died in 1862. Among the clergy who are buried here are Archdeacon Clarke, Archdeacon Kissling, Archdeacon Dudley, the Rev. Robert Burrows, and the Rev. Samuel Kempthorne, the Rev. Rota Waitoa, and Bishop Cowie. The Rev. Rota Waitoa was the first Maori to be ordained to the Christian Ministry. He was ordained in 1853. Bishop Cowie was Selwyn’s successor as Bishop of Auckland, 1867-1902, and Primate of New Zealand 1895-1902. No date marks the tablet “Placed as a mark of respect by the blind of the Colony,” but the last word gives the answer. So in Saint Stephen’s at i Parnell one finds the history of the Church, in the grave--1 yard, the history of Auck- : land’s pioneers. i The little church is still in an excellent state of preservation.