FIRST CHURCH.

Evening Star, Issue 12874, 25 July 1906, Page 6

FIRST CHURCH.

A NEW SUNDAY SCHOOL AND A NEW ORGAN. QUESTIONS FOR THE CONGREGATION. For the last twenty years the First Church congregation have been talking of putting up a new Sunday school. About twelve months ago they made up their minds to bring the idea down from the clouds and do something. The first proposal was to erect the new building on the lawn in front of the Bible class room, keeping it so far back as not to interfere with the view of the church from Princes street. But upon mature consideration the Deacons’ Court realised that this would to some extent limit the grounds, which constitute on© of the attractive features of the property, and also in a measure minimise the appearance of the church by bringing another important object within the range of the eye to persons approaoliing by tto front; so it was decided to abandon the original scheme and ask Mr Salmond to draw fresh plans for a building to be put up on the bank in Macandrew street. These plans are now ready to be submitted to the annual meeting of the congregation called for to-morrow evening. The position is right on the steep slope of the Macandrew street frontage, nearly opposite the ‘ Daily Times ’ premises. This will be. a convenient place, and qnite separated from the church, so there need be no anxiety about keeping to the Gothic or any other style of architecture. The plans show a hall capable of seating 680 persons without putting anybody under the gallery. It is to be a three-sided gallery, and the space under it is devoted to the class rooms, leaving the open floor and the gallery available for general purposes Underneath the main toll there is a gymnasium 50ft long by 25ft wide, a big class room, a bathroom, and other conveniences. • It will lie a fine building if carried out as designed. The church meeting will also be asked to consider an organ scheme. About a month ago the Deacons’ Oonrt agreed to the pulpit being altered, and by the proposed arrangement the organ was to be put into a recess behind the pulpit. It was then found, however, that the shifting of the organ and the necessary alterations would cost a lot of money, and Mr Jesse Tinison, the organist, suggested that they might as well try to get a new organ of much greater size. Mr Tfimson personally beaded an effort in the direction of seeing what assistance was forthcoming, and during the past ten days he has promises and subscriptions amounting to between £SOO and £6OO. This, then, will be another question for the congregation—whether the outlook justifies the ordering of a new organ. Two years since an estimate and plans for a very fine instrument were obtained from the firm who built the big organ at Wellington, and if the congregation see their way to accept this offer First Church will possess one of the brat cbttrch organs in New Zealand.