ST. JOHN'S CHURCH

Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 112, 14 May 1935, Page 11

ST. JOHN'S CHURCH

ANNIVERSARY EVENT

FOUNDATION-STONE LAYING Today marks the fiftieth anniversary of the laying of the foundation stone of St. John's Church, Willis Street. The building was erected as a result of the old church having been destroyed by fire on May 9, 1884. No special celebrations of the event are to be held, but in December, when the fiftieth anniversary of the opening of the church will occur, there will be gatherings appropriate to the occasion. The church was opened on December 6, 1885. The late Sir James Prendergast, K.C.M.G., who was the Chief Justice at that tune, laid the foundation stone, and the minister was the late Rev. James Paterson. Reference to old files of "The Post" recalls the ceremony. The proceedings opened with praise and prayer, and then, at the request of the Rev. Mr. Paterson, Mr. James Smith read a statement of the financial position of the church. This showed that at the completion of the building contract the church's indebtedness would be £1699.. In his address to the gathering the Rev. Mr. Paterson said that the site of the old church had been extended, and by that means it had been possible to erect a much roomier and more handsome building. It was a building which would possess greater convenience than that destroyed by the fire, and would be more in keeping with the requirements of the time and the city. Sir James Prendergast, to mark the occasion, was presented with a silver trowel and a silver-plated mallet. Mr. Thomas McKenzie read, a list of the articles that had been deposited in a bottle underneath the stone. The list was as follows:— Report of Kirk session for 1885, papers in old. foundation stone, report of kirk session for 1873, report of kirk 9oSSi? D nJ Or 1874> "Evening Post," June «St ' <Trlbune." June 28, 1875 New Zealand Times," June 29, 1875, Mr. Paterson's sermon on the fire Wew Zealand Mail," May 23, 1884, New Zealand Times," May 10 1884 'Evening Post," May 13, 1885, "Evening Post," May 9, 1884, "New Zealand Times," May 14, 1885, "Evening Press," May 13, 1885; coins in the previous foundation stone—threepenny bit, 1872 ffi79enCe',,} B + -4> Shilling' 1863' fiorin>. \oii' addltlonal coins, half-crown, 1846, penny, 1863, penny, 1868, halfpenny, i ß 6i ( card of the architect MrMcKenzie remarked that the coins were the gift of a very old ladyGrannie Lyell—and might truly be said to be the widow's mite. The committee, therefore, did not wish to detract from the gift by adding to if