ST. JOHN’S CHURCH

Greymouth Evening Star, 18 April 1929, Page 3

ST. JOHN’S CHURCH

SUCCESSFUL social

Members of Sf. Jqhn’s freshyterian Church ip QreyipOUth held an enjoyable conversazione in the pew Sunday school hall last e¥£ ni h£- Tlje pall was crpwhed' thP audience, giving each of the items ip ap appropriate concert programme upstipted appreciation. The Rey. T- N- Cuttie presided. A full choir was ip attendance under Mr. McMaster, apd rendered valuable assistance.

The singing of the impressive verses of the Old Hundred opened the function, a prayer, app the “Te Deum” sung by the choir, following. Miss C. Tennent, on behalf of the Young Women’s Guild then presented to Mr. Cuttie, as the representative of the Church in Greymouth, a beautiful piano, the Guild’s gift to the Church. In her appropriate speech, Miss/Tennent pointed out that “with due Scotch caution” the Guild had insured the instrument; and handed the deeps also tp M r - Cuttie, wh° briefly acknowledged the gifts, expressing the Church’s appreciation both of the gift anp of the “Scotch caution.”

The concert programme was then prpceeded with, those giving numbers, besides greatly appreciated anthems by the choir, being Misses Wise and McKay (pianoforte duet), Miss I. Kitchingham, vocal solo (The Holy City); and Misses McMasters —vocal duet (Whispering Hope); Miss Joyce Fowler, vocal solo (I Wonder if ever the Rose) and encore (One Fleeting Hour); a quintette, Misses J. Tennent, MpM ast ® r » I- Kitchingham and Messrs T. Tpnpept apd J. Bruertpn (Lead us Q Father); Mr. E. Johnston, vocal solos; Mr. N. McKnight, violin solo; Mr. McMaster, cornet solo and Miss B. Adkins, vocal solos. Miss B. Drake ably accpmpaniep throughout the evening. A few details of the erection of the new mansp and school were given by Mr. j. H a lfihleton, Chairman of the Church Works Committee. Mr. Hambleton poipted out that the contract price of the two buildings amounted to £4027. At present, he said, the Cpmrpittee had in hand in casp £2BB, the balance owing, £2,361/ 4/2 being covered by a loan of approximately £2,500 at 6 per cent. It had been the desire originally, the speaker said, to bpilp the new school adjacent to the chprch on the section at presept occupied pn the north side. However, negotiations for the purchase of the section Jiad failed. It had then been agreep to bpild the school partly fiehiiip the church. Tp-day the members of the Church possessed a group of buildings of which everybody could be proud. Mr. Hambleton paid a warm tribute to the fine workmanship shown by the contractors, and then handed the key of the manse to the Rev. T. N. Cuttie.

In his reply, Mr. Cuttie thanked the Committee for the key, and pointed put that no matter how big a part a congregation played in the provision of such a building, as the manse, when completed that building naturally became the property of the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand, and as the Church’s accredited representative in Greymouth, he was to occupy the new mansp on behalf of the ministers of the Church. He was glad to have seen the erection of such a beautiful and lasting building. He had to confess that he did not altogether like the idea, at first, of the new Manse being built, because he did not altogether like the Church going into debt over its erection. However, he quite realised the position. In regard to the Manse, three architects had been consulted with a view to the practicability of renovating the old one. They had immediately condemned the proposal. Not satisfied, the Committee had obtained the opinions of several practical constructors before deciding that to renovate the old building was not a wise project. Thus, said Mr. Cuttie, the decision to erect the new Manse was not solely on the Works Committee’s recommendation. To illustrate the condition the old building had been in, Mr. Cuttie pointed out that on investigation a cemetery of 12 dead rats, “in all stages etc.,” had been found in the lining of a room- As far as could be ascertained the rear portion of the building was 60 years old. In the lining of the house find been found two slips of paper, one ordering one hogshead of beer, and another ordering a further hogshead to replace the former “gone bad.” However the house was not then opcupjed by the Church. Now, no person could but agree that the Committee was wise to rebuild. Mr. CutHe then apologised for the absence of the Mayor (Mr. i. W. Greenslade), Rev. T. W- Armour, the Moderator of the Westland Churches, Rev. J. Heywsft’d and Rev. G. E- Brown (Methodist). Mr. Cuttie concluded his address with some interesting statistics showing the Church’s growth during the last ten years, which compared more favourably with the Dominion’s growth in population, than that of any other Church in New Zealand. The speaker later paid a tribute to the excellent conduct of the .contractor’s men while on the erection of the new buildings. An enjoyable supper was then handed round by Bible Class members, during Which, Mr. Kilpatrick recorded a vote of thanks to all those who had assisted in the function. The conversazione concluded with the pronouncement of the Benediction.