NEW BUILDING

Dominion, Volume 27, Issue 187, 7 May 1934, Page 10

NEW BUILDING

Presbyterian Church Dedicated SERVICE AT KELBURN Ceremony Performed by the Assembly Moderator Every seat, in the Koiburn Presbyterian Churcli was filled on Saturday afternoon for the service of dedication after its enlargement and renovation. The Rt. Rev. I). D. Scott, Moderator of the General Assembly, performed the ceremony and preached the sermon, and the Rev. J. Hubbard, minister of the church, conducted the service. Others who assisted were the Rev. J. R. Blanchard. Moderator of the Wellington Presbytery, who led a praver of intercession, the Rev. RInglis, clerk of the Presbytery, who read the Old Testament lesson, and the Hon. A. Hamilton, PostmasterGeneral, who reais the New Testament lesson. Mr. Scott took as his text Acts ii, 1 (“And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.”). Two great facts of human life were seen in the private personality and in the community of personalities, he said. Each person in his own soul felt himself distinct from all others and could not disclose all his inner life. Yet, although there was that enormous privacy, human beings could not live in complete detachment—they needed society. Every content of our thought wah socially derived, social pressure having been brought to bear from the day of birth. Christianity had begun as a group movement, ■ and Christ’s first thought had been to found the fellowship of the disciples. Thus from the very first the church was a group movement. The idea, now so prevalent, that association with the church was not vital, was then quite unknown and undreamt of.

Man’s Debt to Church. The speaker denied that one did not require to go to church to believe in God and the gospel of Jesus Christ, as men said to-day. The positive belief they had in God was something they derived from missionary propaganda in past ages. No man knew how much he owed to the church for his moral beliefs and impulses. It was said quite glibly that the church was so divided that one did not know with which part one should become identified. was not such a difficulty. As in choosing a diet, man could soon decide what was good for his soul. Moreover, in the Christian Church there were some truths on which she knew no division. “In the New. Testament the Christian is also a churchman. They were altogether with the church and for the church, and so may it be in the life of this congregation,” concluded Mr. Scott. In addition to the ministers who assisted in the service there were also present the Revs. C. J. Tocker .(Invercargill) and F. J. Usher, and the following members of the Wellington Presbytery :—The Revs. L. H. Hunt, J. E. Lopdell, J. C. Loan, A. A. Armstrong, P. J. Wainwright, F. H. AVilkinson, AV. Gilmour, G. AV. Hunt. J. H. McKenzie, E. J. Orange, D. M. Hercus, and W. R. Milne. Apologies were received from the Revs. J. T. Mackay, Wm. Shirer and L. J. Boulton Smith, and Messrs. W. Greig, AV. Hopkirk and A. Smith. At a special re-opening service yesterday morning, Rev. J. R. Blanchard dedicated the new pulpit, baptismal font, lectern, and communion table in the church. f History of Congregation. The enlargement has become necessary as the result of 25 years’ rapid growth by the congregation. The genesis of the Kelburn congregation took effect in August, 1905, when a gathering of worshippers assembled on each alternate sabbath evening in the residence of the late J. P. Campbell, of Upland Road. The number attending justified an arrangement being made in April, 1907, with the Anglican authorities for the use of their church-room alternately with the Anglican services. This continued until February, 1909, by which time the land upon which the church stands had been acquired at a cost of £825, toward which £225 was in hand. On the 28th of that month the church-room whs opened for divine service. The! architect, on this occasion was Mr. W. Gray Young, and. to-day the churcli was fortunate’indeed to be able to turn to Mr. Young again. For some time the conditions did not allow of a. settled minister, and services were conducted by supply ministers. Among the 1 first-of these was the Rev. Hector Maclean, later minister of St. Andrews, Dunedin, and now Professor of Old Testament Studies in Ormond College, Melbourne. He was followed by Rev. Charles Connor, of Napier, who did excellent work, visiting the district and building up the nucleus of what has now become one of the strongest suburban churches in New Zealand. First Minister.

The cause continued to grow and in Novemlier 1909, the congregation was in a position to call their first minister, the Rev. A. C. SV. Standage. M.A., now of Maori Hill, Dunedin. Under his devoted service, rapid progress was made. The church was enlarged, a Sunday school hall with Bible class rooms was erected and a manse was built. As showing the devotion and enthusiasm manifested by the members, it may be noted that on no occasion was application made for a grant-in-aid from the Home Mission or sustentation funds. In July, 1919. the Rev. Mr. Standage having accepted a call to another charge, the Rev. AA’illiam Day became the second minister of the charge. For eleven years until September. 1929. Mr. Day carried on a faithful ministry, building wisely and surely upon the splendid foundation that, had been laid. In February. 1930, the Rev. John Hubbard. M.A.. 8.D., was inducted to the Kelburn Charge. During his brief ministry the membership has almost doubled, the debt has been cleared off the old church and the present handsome addition erected. The addition is of peculiar interest in that there is a chancel end with provision for a stained-glass window. The pulpit is one side of the chancel and n lectern is placed on the opposite side. The communion table is placed at the back of the chancel, occupying a position of prominence as symbolical of the outstanding doctrine of the church — the Cross of Jesus Christ.

A beautiful baptismal font, presented by the Bible classes, is in position just "below and to the right o” the pulpit. The chancel is a line piece of work, specially designed by M". 55'. Gray Young. The builder and contractor was Mr. E. Griffin, of Northland-