CHURCH OF ENGLAND.

Evening Post, Volume XCIII, Issue 45, 21 February 1917, Page 13

CHURCH OF ENGLAND.

MASTERTON PARISH

The history, of...Church life in Masterton is practically the same as it is in al! colonial settlements. A few settlers arrivad, then, as loirg as they were not xiumerous enough to havo clergy "of ilieir own, their spiritual wants were ministered to by . some neighbouring pastor. This duty fell upon the Rev. William Ronaldson, and from 1856-68 he ministered in the Wairarapa district. In .1864 the' Rev. D. Desbois was appointed to Mastorton,..he being the first vicar placed in charge.' As he was only in deacon's orders, Mr. 'Eonaldson was still called upon to do much work in the parish. Services at that time were held occasionally, as it **as. possible for the clergy to arrange. •. Climatic conditions played a prominent part in Church life, and on more than one. occasion the old church grounds were flooded. In 1868 the Eev.. A. Knel} was chosen vicar, not only of Mastorton, but. a large parochial district, embracing Masterton, Carterton, Greytoivn, Featherston, and their surroundings. In 1875 the district was* divided, :the Eev. J. If. Teakle being appointed lo the northern districts with headquarters at Masterton. The Diocesan Synod report for 1876 contains this note in "the finance column: "Masterton has had-a minister of its own to support for. the first time this year." Mr. Knell Ws made rural dean- of the Wairarapa, and resided at Greytown-, until his death; on ,29th March, 1893. . . . FOUNDATIONS " BEOAD AND DEEP." In 1880 the Tainui district -was detached, and Masterton was constituted „ a separate paris"h.« The Eev. W. E. Paige was then appointed to Masterton, and remained in charge until 1894. During the ministry Church life acquired a more permanent aspect, and he was able j to begin to build upon the foundations j which his devoted predecessors had laid broad and deep. (Vide the official history). In 1894 Mr. ( Paige returned to England, where he died in 1908. Mr. Paige was succeeded by the Eev. A. C. Yorke, formerly of St. Matthew's (Dunedin) and St. Peter's (Quecistown). Mr. Xorke left for England in 1897, when the Eev. P. W. Earee was appointed. Mr. Earee worked in the parish for eight years, when he, too, returned to England. From 1905 until 1908 the Eev. A. M. Johnson, now vicar of St. Paul's, Wellington, was in' charge. On his resigning, in 1908, the Eev.. H. Watson, the present vicar of St. Peter's, Wellington, was reappointed, and ho was succeeded in 1915 by the Key. John Walker, now vicar of Masterton.

The splendid .iiew church was consecrated by the Bishop of Wellington on St. Matthew's Day, 1913, and stands now as a fitting monument to tho ■willing work of years gone by. In early days a day school was used for divine worship, and in 1864 a small building was erected on the old site. This served for ten years, when it was cut in half and attached to each side of a new structure, the whole making seating accommodation for 230. This building- was consecrated by Bishop Hadfield on 2nd May, 1878.