COMING OF THE CHURCH

Gisborne Times, Volume LXVI, Issue 10473, 31 December 1927, Page 12 (Supplement)

COMING OF THE CHURCH

SEQUEL TO KIDNAPPING INCIDENT.

EARLY SERVICES JN FOYKRTY BAY.

DAYS WHEN THERE WAS NO RESIDENT Af iXIS'IKR.

LAY’JEN CONDUCT DAPTiSMS AND BURIALS.

In the earliest days of .‘etUornont in Poverty Bay ana the East Const, church services «ere lew and iar between. Unconsciously the- w halers occasioned the visit of the first missionary. It seems that one of their number transported some Ngntiporou Natives to the Ray ut Islands and they were in danger amongst their oid enemies in the North. This outrage moved the Rev. Y.\ Williams, afterwards the. first Bishop of Waiapu, who was then stationed in the Ray of '.'.lands to intervene on their behalf, ff the Ngapidii had had their way, they would have lo ot the Ngatiporou as slaves. Rut Air. Williams secured their release and. chartering the schooner “Fortitude,” sailed with them to Hide’s Bnv. Loading there on January 8, 1834.. he proceeded to Waiapu. and returned them to their liapu. Ott this errand of mercy, Air. Williams was so well received that lie, later, suggested the establishment. of a mission station in that district. The Waiapu, he reported, surpassed any oilier place lie had seen for such a purpose. Meantime one of the Natives lie bad t-'kon hack to the Wa i a pit —one T;: uni .T ta ki s ra—with much zeal taught lii.s people all he had learned about the Christian religion. But lie was a warrior as well as a uiissioner and the story i.s told of him lending an attack on a pa at Caoe Runaway w t!i a musket m one hand and a Testament in the other. In 0: tuber 18.315. .Mr. AVilliins brought sis Native teachers tu the East Coast to help Taumatakura in his voluntary missionary work. The year followin''’ botli the Rev. W. Williams ami tin* Rev. Mr. Taylor came south and were again much impressed with ib“ pr«g”ess that bad been made. In December 1839, AH'. Williams with Ids- family remove'' *to Pris-rtv Ray and her.' established a permanent mission station.

c ounacu and grit.

Not a great deal is to-day accessible with re fora to Ihe early trials of Afr. Williams and bis family. Their persove ■■ranee, however, was well rewarded. Now and again they -had the company of a visiting < I erg 'nnn from sr in..' other district. Mr. Williams wielded a powerin' inHuoiico rmnurst the Natives, who were not disposed to molest them, admiring, as they did, their courage and grit. The Natives, indeed, displayed an,intuitive respect for justice ami reb -sacrifice. And thus it came a bout that Mr. Williams and those

associated wit!) them won the esteem and the confidence of • the Natives. On account of its isolated position the European population did not grow rapidly and thus it came about that the whalers and the traders, and afterwards some settlers made up the hulk of the white residents hereabouts till the beginning of the sixties. In due court:?. Native churches sprang up in this portion of the Dominion, and close to Gisborne the most notable was the old Maori Church u Haiti. The mission .station was established at Wnerengn-a-hikn. . Thfcn came the Hau Hau rebellion and the forced abandonment of the missoin quarters 'in 1863.

TROUBLES OF THE EARLY OtlOHCil.

ATo• now come to a time. 1871 to 1874, when there was no resident clergyman in Gisborne. It was in the former year that the late Win. Dean Lvsnar, father of Air. AY. D. I.ysnar, Af.P., took up his residence here. .His diary for the period no to June 2. 1872. is not available hut entries relating to later incidents make interesting reading in the light of the changed conditions of to-day. In the interval, until the establishment of a regular branch of the Anglican Church iu 1374. with the .11 ev. J. Murphy, M.A., as resident clergyman, Air. Lysnnr, it would seem, was mai'nly responsible for the conduct of services, ft is cii record under date June 2, 1874, that owing to alter-

at ions in the Court-house. the church service was read in the school-house. •Mr. I.ysnar was appr'nted one of the church committee, which held its first meeting at Cant. Richardson's house. The harmonium was then removed from the Court-house to the schoolhouse. On June 16 and June 23 Mr. 'Lv.suar read the service and sermon hut oil the 30th ho was taken ill with a bilious attack and Dr.. Nesbitt and Cant. Richardson took charge of the

( •'••ring s.'-vko. The '-olio tit is voted, amounted to £1 6s Sd. The early infant local church was not withuiit its troubles, for we read ■ that on the first Sunday in July Mrs. . Taylor, the first organist, objected to t’’“ children attending choir nrnetbe. Mr. Lvsnar read the service. On the succeeding Wednesday, the first practice of the. scholars was held, Mrs. livid playing the harmonium. ‘

SCHOOL USED BY ALL SECTS. It appears that, on July 13, Mr. Lysnar was appointed returning officer by Air. (now Bishop) Williams and the church lamps arrived that day hy the hav/era. Wednesday saw tin: lamps hung and the second practice of the scholars. Air. L; snar was then appointed choirmaster and continued to conduct’ the services. On August 4, the Rev. Air. Townsend conducted an alteiiioon service, the school-house addition being used for the first time. August 3.3 provides an item: “The Luna, from Napier, j with Dr. Nesbitt, Capt. Richardson I and others arrive. Amongst the mint- 1 her was; Air. Marshall, the late master of the Napier Grammar School, whom Bishop Williams purposes ordaining lor Poverty B:y.’’ Sadness betel the community during that week owing to the death of Airs. Goldsmith, who urns buried by Air. .Marshall. On August 22 a meeting of the church arid school committees was held to consider the question of religious services in the, school-house and it was agreed to open the building to all denominations’. The late Archdeacon Williams reached Gisborne on August 25 and conducted

.services la th afternoon and evening, The collection came to 235. CHURCH BUILDING A TOOTED.

On August 30, 1872, a public meeting was held to consider the question of erecting a church for the Church of England. The meeting did not, | however, organise for business, as there were only seven persons in attendance—Archdeacon Williams and ! Messrs. King, Webb, Steel, H. •>. ! Reid and Lysnar. We next learn that Air. Lysnar, on the following Saturday, crossed the river (to Kaiti) to borrow some sermon hooks from Archdeacon Williams. September Ist Wns a notable date for on tiiat day the Archdeacon administered Holy Communion to ten communicants. The first choir practice was hold on the Tuesday under the charge of Mr. (Skipworth. During the remainder of the month Air Lysnar held the church services. On October 3 Archdeacon Williams convened another public meeting to ascertain ways and means of building a church. A committee was appointed—the Archdeacon, Mr. Hardy and Air. Lysnar. Air. Taylor expressed his dissatisfaction. There were six communicants at the service on October 6, which was conducted by the Archdeacon. During that month, AH'. Lysnar continued to hold the services. Flora Wvllic and Alary King, it is recorded, then began to loam the harmonium.

During November, 1872. Archdeacon Williams held some of the earlier services. There was some disagreement in the choir and Air. Skipworth resigned as player of the harmonium. 0.1 the 17th Air. Lvsnar held tlie service; there was no choir but Miss Nesbitt played. The following Sunday there was not even music, and Mr. Lvsnar led the singing himself. On the 27th Bishop Williams anci Archdeacon AVilliams came in the Luna to make au effort to locate a clergymen in thedistrict. The Bishop held the next service and the diary says:. ‘.‘Mr.'.'and Airs. Tolemachc, Col. Sir,gin, Capt. Read and other unusual attendants were present.’ Just liefore Christmas Air. llobt. Read died and Air. Lvsnar conducted the funeral service "at a place across the Big River. On January 19, 1873, Air. Lvsnar held the first service to he conducted at Afatawlicro. The following Sunday he baptised Louisa and Charlotte Goldsmith, children of Frederick and Heni Goldsmith, in the. sehoolhouse. Regretfully lie adds that the sponsors, Oliver Goldsmith and Rowley Hill, were absent. Services at Gisborne and - Alatawhero were continued. February 20 was the clay of Air. Johnston’s funeral and Air. Lvsnar ropJ the service. On Ala cell 2 it is recorded that the Rev. ALr. Root, a Presbyterian minister, held his first service in the schoolhouse. Bishop AA’iHiams and Archdeacon AVilliams also preached during that month. Oil Afnv 25, Archdeacon AA'iHiams prepared to administer Holy Communion, but there were no communicants present. ; and the celebration wrs postponed, i March 20 was the elate of a meeting j in the Court-house to arrange about • building a church. The services were now again being held at the Court-liouse. In 1874 A-’c-hdeneon AA'iHiams IwM numerous church services in the early months. On March 21 Airs. Langford’s infant died and AH. T-vs-nnr held the funeral service. Alost of tho April services were held by ATr. Root. On April 26, however, the Wesloyans held their first service in Gisborne. Ah\ Root .conducted special services on June 21 for the benefit of a Sunday school. July 10 was a notable dav in that the Rev. J. Murphy arrived .to assume the duties of minister, and he Jrs first sernmn here on July 12. In August an Anglican service was held in the Court-house iri the mornings and a Presbyterian service in tho evenings.

On August 10 a musical and read- . ing entertainment was held in the j Music Hall for the benefit of the | English chmurch. Owing to no Bish- ; op’s church-warden being present to , ? I U 11 the notices tor a parish meeting 1 in October they were declared invalid" The opening service of the Presbyterian Church (St. Andrew’s) took place on October 25 when the Rev. Air. Bruce, of Auckland, preached and the Rev. Air. Root and the Rev. Air. (of Napier) assisted. Air Rout j Tin October 2'J at tho school gave notice of the start of a Presbyterian Sunday school. Next day the Rev. Air Murphy informed the scholars that the Church of England Sunday School would start on the following Sunday at the Court-house.

Ihe Church of England Sunday school duly commenced on Nov. j. There were 31 scholars and three teacners. On Nov. 9 a meeting of parishioners was held. Air. Lysnar was appointed a church-warden and Alessrs. Turner, Dufaur, Crawford, Parsons and Kempthornu vestrymen, witn Messrs. Strong and G. Harris auditors. Kobt. Sheet's funeral took place on November 15. The first vesti y meeting followed on Nov. 16 when tlie business discussed was the election of Parish nominators, appointment of minister, stipend, books and seats. On account of the Rev. Afr. Murphy being unwell on December G ,

Afr. AY. W. Y\ ilson read i lie prawns and lessons and Afr. Lysuir read a sermon: “The Rich Fool.’’ Aloisis. Wilson, Crawford' and Lysnar were appointed Parish nominators. The minister’s stipend was fixed at £250 per annum and the vestry deputed Air. Lysnar to confer with Air. Root concerning tire offertory, lights en Thursday evenings and the harmonium.

In the first week of 1875 a meeting of the Vestry had to bo held to discuss the question of the arrears of stipend due to Air. Murphy and the ladies were requested to form a committee to aid. On-February 2 Air. Murphy was allowed house rent of ■ITO per annum. He resigned, however, on February 6, deciding to return to Ireland. His resignation was accepted with regret on February 10, but Air. Lysnar’.s’ resignation as church-warden was declined. Afr. Murphy went away on February 10. The following Sunday, Air. Wilson read tlie service and Air. Woon the sermon. Airs. AA’ilson was buried on February 28 by the Rev. Afr. Root, who read the Church of England burial service. In Alarch Alessrs. Woon and Wilson continued the services. On March 24 a Vestry meeting was held to make preparations for the opening of the new church, which was built by Air. Aforgan for ,£BSO. The sittings were let on April 3. On April 11 the consecration of the church of the Holy Trinity was performed by Bishop Williams, assisted by Archdeacon Williams and the offertory amounted to £l4 3s 4d. On AT ay 2 Father Ilognier held a service in the school. The Rev. E. Williams (of Naseby, Otago) arrived on Afav 20 and preached for the first time in Holy Trinity on the 23 rd.

[As Air. Lysnar left Poverty Bay on June 28 the diary ends so far ns church affairs in this district, are concerned.]

Presbyterian Church. FIRST TO HOLD ORGANISED SERVICES.

So far as we have been able to trace (said the Jubilee report of tho chinch) the earliest mention of Poverty Bay as a field for the extension of the Presbyterian Church, occurs in the minutes of the Presbytery of Auckland under date 10th January, 1872. It appears from these minutes chat some residents in this district had felt the want of the ministry of our Church, and had communicated with the Presbytery about establishing services. Evidently the Presbytery was unable to do anything towards meeting the request immediately. No doubt they felt the difficulty ; Poverty Bay was a long way from .Auckland, ministers were scarce and there were many other demands. The Poverty Buy communication was allowed to lie on the table for three months, during which there was probably some correspondence on the subject. Anyhow, on tho 3rd of April, the Presbytery of Auckland got rid of the problem by passing it on to somebody else. It agreed “that- the matter of supply for Poverty Bay he handed over to the consideration of tlie Hawke's Bay Presbytery in consequence of tlie greater proximity of the district to that Presbytery.”

It so ■ happened that the Hawke’s Bay Presbytery was able to do something almost, immediately. The Rev. George Moriee, who had been minister of St. Paul's Church, Napier, since IS£6. res’gned Ill's charge in the month of February, 1572, intending by and by to re-visit Scotland. He had some time at his disposal before leaving for Home, and spent some weeks of it in Poverty Bav. He was f.he_ first Presbyterian minister to conduct services here. Apparently he found the people anxious to see our Church represented in the Bay, and he proceeded to make preliminary ar-

rangements. A list of promised subscriptions was made out and entrusted to Air. Alatthew Hall, saddler, to look after. A section of land, ten acres in extent, was secured at Alatawliero ; and the Alatawliero Church,

then the property of Captain Read, and used at cue time by the Anglicans, was bought. It was already an histone building, it had been spared by the Ha.uaaus during the disturbed times of 1863-73 ami had afforded sanctuary to a number of settlers and their >am lies on the occasion of the massacre in 1863. Air. Alorice himself advanced the purchase money lor the church. He also wrote an account of what he had dene to the Rev. David Bruce in Auckland, who was tile Convenor of the Church Extension Committee in those days, and to the Rev. Peter Barclay, in Scotland, who had been in Non Zealand, was indeed the first Presbyterian minister in Napier, and was deeply interested in toe work of the Church hero. Through these brethren he hoped to secure a minister lor Poverty Bay.

All these matters were reported to the Jlauke’s Bay Presbytery at its meeting on the 27th of June, 1872. Air. Alorico had proved a zealous and efficient commissioner, anil the Presbytery was inclined to leave the whole business in his capable minds. It resolved that lie should be authorised “to proceed as circumstances permitted.’' Details ol his procedure are not recorded; but the result was that the Rev. W. lieningliam Loot, iormerly a minister ot the Anglican Church, but then a minister of the Presbyterian Church of England, was appointed in the Home Country the first minister of tho Poverty Bay Charge. Air. Root arrived here in February 1873.'' He made his home in Alatawliero to begin with, holding services in Alatawliero and Gisborne on alternate Sundays, ar.d visiting Patutalii, Ormond and other places on the flats as lie had opportun ty7 After six months, however, it was apparent that the strategic centre ot the work was in Gisborne itself. The original township of Gisborne h.ui been laid off, named, and a sale of town and suburban sections held hy the Provincial Government of Auckland in 1872. (The settlement before that was known as Ttiranganui).

Air. Root later moved i. :o town and resided in Customs Street. From that date sendees wc-ro held in Gisborne every Sunday. Tlie place oi meeting way the Court-house, a twostorey building, which stood then on what is now Aduw Bros.’ corner, and which is still in use oil the opposite side of the stieot ns prime's ironmongery shop (since demolished). The Presb. ten.-ins were tbe first to bold -regularly organised services in Gisborne, ami both prior to and lor some time after the erection of the church these services were attended by lumbers of the Church of England, and other Protestant denominations. A very friendly and harmonious spirit marked the intercourse ot nil denominations in tlicfe eailv days. It was not Dll the iol'otring year that Air. Root visited Napier, and was formally welcomed by the Hawke’s Bay Presbytery. At a meeting of the Presbyter;; on the 4th of Februnrv. 1874. be was able to report that he" had been twelve months in Poverty- Bay. and that good progress had been made h: laying the foundations of the -Church there. Besides the propenv at Alatawhero secured by the Rev. George Alorice, the Church possessed now a ccuplc <>t acres in Coluber, Street, Gisborne, v-P an acre of which had been given by the Provincial Government out of reserves for Church purposes, aml the remainder purchased by five members

and presented to it. The fire members to whose foresight- and generosity the congregation i.s so much indebted were Alessrs. Alatthew Hall, AY. B. Ahll, John Ferguson. Alexander Blair, and Andrew Graham. The acre and a-half cost £25. Tho section originally given by the Government was tlie one nearest to Gladstone Road. It was one of four sections set aside for Church purposes. The others were given to the Roman Catholic, Anglican, and Methodist Churches, the assignment boiim bv ballot. Steps were now taken to build a church on this property. The site was covered with scrub, and the pegs had to be sought tuc among the manuka. An interesting minute of the period tells how the committee approached tlie Road Board with the request that the formation of tho road from Gladstone Road to the Church section should be undertaken. In spite of some difficulties the building was carried through expeditiously. . Friends in Auckland assisted the project with subscriptions amounting to £lOl. Afany of the first settlers in Gisborne came from Napier and Hawke’s Bay, and a considerable sum of money also was -collected in Nattier. The Church was opened by the Rev. D. Bruce, of Auckland, and the Rev. D. Sidey, of Napier, on the 25th of October, 1874. Airs. Brooke-Tay-lor, a prominent Church of England worker, presided at the harmonium on the occasion. AA’ith the exception of the native church on the Kaiti side of the river, this was the first ecclesiastical building in Gisborne.

Burning questions about this time were the proposed removal of the Alatawliero Church to another site, and where the erect the Alan.se—in Gisborne or at Alatawliero f The Presbytery strongly recommended that the Alatawliero Cluirc-h should stay where it was, and the Ala use should be in Cis’ brne. In Gisborne. accord in glv. the Ala use was built, and occupied by Air. Root in 3876. It i.s njw tlie caretaker’s cottage at the back of the present Church. During the years 1874-77. while the ! congregation was hearing the burden of, its b.Hiding .schemes, it received substantial help in the matter of stipend from the Colonial Committee ol the Chun ii oi .Scotland. An annual grant of £SO was paid to it. on condition that it raivai £is'j u-mf. making the stipend in all !;21.’0. On tlie sih of February. 1870, the Presbytery received the report that AH'. Rant was about to ordain elders hi Gisborne, and agiecd to leave the matter in Ids bends. This seems to Lave been the first a'cssieo. Six months later, in August, Air. Root received a call from Grey mouth, which ho accept:.d. There was a fairly long w.eam-y. in the following -'larch a. cnii v.u.s sustained to the Rev. John ALAra, of Bakiutlia. Air. Ale Ara at copied it, and was duly inducted on the 14th of Aiay, 1873. Jn its early years tlie congregation found the problem ol finance a somewhat serious mm, and it is evidence of the progress made’that the stipend offered to Air. Ah Am was £360. •St. Andrew's Church was now firmly established, and lier.cefor.vard its , course was like the course of other Churches. It has had its tips and downs, its changes and losses, its difficulties and anxieties; but it lias continued throughout ail to. hear its testimony to Jesus Christ, the Son of God and Saviour of the World. From its pulpit the Go;pel lias been faithfully prea; lied; in its Sabbath Schools and Bdde Classes the ouiig people have been faithfully taught. The hearts of men and women have been refreshed and comforted, and many have, been won for the kingdom of-God. Air. AlcAra’s ministry was cut short :n 1890 hy a fatal buggy accident on the old Pee! Street bridge. Ho was succeeded hy tlie Rev. R. Ai. llyburn, M.A., now the Director of the Youth Work of our Church On Mr. Ryl urn’s translation to Wanganui in 1897, tlie Rev. James G. Paterson, of St. Paul’s Church. Napier, was appointed to succeed him. Indus time the old Church, which had already been added to. was enlarged to its present size. Mr. Paterson dic-d suddenly on the Kith of August 1906. Tlie Rev. William Grant, formerly of Lceston, was inducted on the 17th of October in the same year. During his ministry, i:i 1910, a new Manse was built on a site in Childers Rond, donated to tlie Church by the Alisscs Alorico, sisters of tho Rev. George Aforicc, who had' long been resident in the district. A few years Inter, in 1913, the present Church was erected. Air. Grant was one of the first ministers to serve as chaplain when the Great War broke out. His tragic death in the trenches of Gallipoli is commemorated on the stone let into tlie cast wall of the Church, while nn-

other stone commemorates men connected with fin- congregation who died in that titanic stiuggle. On the 9th of March, 1916. the Rev. James Aitkcn, ALA., formerly of Mosgiel, was inducted into tlie pastoral charge of the congregation.

It was during Mr. Rj-burn’s ministry that the country districts, with the exception cf Matawhero, were disjoined from the .town. Matawhero was separated in 131)9. This present year (1923) saw the subuihan district of Mangnpapn and Kaiti, where Knox Church and St. David’s have for many years been under the fostering care of St. Andrew's. attain indepondct’.ce as a Horne Mission charge.

Roman Oatliclie Church.

FIFTY YEARS OF PROGRESS. SIRr!.Y{; Sh ROLAST.c JsUl \ il.ioj P3lh-\ i. Jn Gisborne's earliest times. the spiritual needs c-i the itomati Latholie residents wive . jidin.insu-red more ot nss regular \ isit-, 1 - (l e.i the priests stationed at -Napier. it was not until tile ini.• ids that a priest was regularly stationed i.ero. F'atiier V, inter aieDouaUL during the years between ls6o .and 1879, made a number of v.ats from Hawke’s ILiV ami. dating one oi these, on beiinh oi the church, ho purchased the tv.o sections on which the present Chinch and presbytery stand from the Government at £ld apiece. During the 7G's, Father Rcgnier, then at Napier, made a uuinher ot visits and lieid Hass in tin? old Courthouse (then situated on Messrs. Adair Bros.’ site)' and in rue old scliool which stood on the coiner opposite the present Roman catholic Church. In IS 73. I'uv.rtv Day v.as established as a -charge sep.ir.i'e Irom Napier and Father Clinstr.gnon took up iiis permanent residence hole. Archbishop Redwood (then Bishop) visited the d strict and officiated at the ceremony of laying tile foundation stone of tjie present Church. The billowing year s.tw the C hi.rcli dedicatee! by Archbishop Steins. Fathers \ agioii, Reardon. Murphy and Alice rue followed in that order and then tame hat her Keogh. dining whose tme the preset,*, pi.sbyLr. was built. Father M iivihiil next iichl office for a number of years up til Ids death in II'CG. During his cur- go, the preset, Convent u: s erect; d ami the Chur, ii v. si do prat strides in erd rang it-- spare o' fine :e. fa fun itltih ihii! eajc ’'ed •vui.dt i !iii rclKiirr-

itv throughout the community and, on lii.s death, a public suhscrptimi fund v.'ns' opened to erect a fitting tombstone over his mortal remains.

'j !v result is to bo soon in the lmutlsome monument over his grave in the Roman (•: t?• o> 1:t• s' ) or 1- 1 (■ AJakaraka cemetery. He ir- the oniy j-riost who has ii'.’H l.ur.ed ill J o.ert- Bn*.

Father (now Ben-.) lane fol’owrd Father Xu'vibiil cn *.io latter’s dsatsi m 1003 and hold office for the lout? ]>rriotl of nineteen years. During this time, further g-eat strides were made by tiie Church, of which un(louhtedlthe must important work was tlie re-building o 'it. Mary’s school and tlie atuuiriiiv of a new church nod school site In Childers Hoad. It i.s intended that, ultimately, ail the Church buildings si.all oc .shunted on the Chi filers Road sire. J.'ke his immediate picdeccssor, Father Mulvihill, Dean Bine enjoyed wonderful popularity and when he ic-lt GiSiiorne in j£2s, ho was farewelled not only !>, t:.e Reman t atlioiie community, i>ut also by main residents of other denominations

In ill’2o i 1 ther Aiurpby, the jrresent head, took. charge, with JR-mer Kelly as assistant. His term of office has seen the huiiding o. the splendid-lv-equ.pped school in Upper' Childers Bond nrtl abo the establishment of the Ms fist Brothers’ school for boys. An interesting r.■fieetlon of the grov. tli ot Roman Lntho'icism is givte- : :

on bv » comp-won of the numbers attending the school in the past and at tin* pr.v-rt.c t nit. 11l 19CO, when i.ean Lane too- over the charge, the old fit. Mary s school Inn! a staff of two tcaei.i-:' s amt iS scholars At cite present time, there rre tinold and new s. holds With a total rod o: SCO. Ti e ntv> .sciiuoi ius a staff of e.gi-c b: i. -s ... St. Josephine a-.a dGO t. n ... t. the o r .sihou \ • 111:;! •; ri;-• e liUici oi l o a. ni-..5l i. tlicr-'' ~-j i :i,.- - t . in ys miner till i. chal;A l.itit r u-.-tii > : has il, p.Cgie.-S. itiJ.dfiy when it i.; loisiciubcved that it wa.s tstab!..shtd only two 'ears ago. Ti.c u.li b-.t oi ilii'g;. wr.o i.ave o.ficiatcd m this district sin o its establishment here. ;n tlic- oiler in which they occupied office, is as follows: rather Chastagnon I a tlicr \ agioii Father Reardon F. tiier Murpliv Father Alivaiuo i'aiTicr E- vgh Father Aiui. ihiil Father (now Dean) Lane Father Murphy (now in charge).

Methodist Church.

FIFTY YI7ARS' PROGRESS L\ G-LSBORXE.

The growth of Methodism ti l'overtv Ray. and indeed throughout'the Dominion, since it was naked up strongly v. itii the trials and tribulations of the early settlers i:i the colonising days, presents an intc’.estiag and fascinating study for theo.'ngical students. From small hrghi nings. Methodism in tiiis district made its influence for goad fc!t, air! in Ui? interval of fifty years, pro gress’llj* with the development ot the town, has become one of the most patent forces in the spiritual 1 of the community. 'I he happy event recently cciehi-ated by Methodists cf the district—the jubilee of tlic cs4ah : ish:n?nt of the Wesleyan Church in Bright Street recalls many Lucre iting events in the pro gross of Methodism in tin’s district. The foundation of Methodism here • o'-rfs much t'i the splendid spin’tua! I endeavours of the late Mr das. Fast, i v!m in 1-74 londucted the firt ! Wesleyan services in a -little s.-lirul-i bouse ■■'. li'-i h tit. it c envied a site on an i, Inmi't situated < n tie ; corner o' C’i dev-; Foa-l nr! Le w j Strait, impede the Gi-iorn- Hotel, r.c.d it v.-m In this building lie stalled the fit at h’i'nriay school and ft»rn>- (■;! ih> li::-i choir, of whit !i he w.--caniliiclnr. li ts; irrual cudcavutu s wore fi 110- cl by ihe Fb n. G. \Y. 1?"'-; . f.-il. til .' a '.noth'id ‘tndent, \v1 1 -> i'as s 1 i o Fi-.i i:v- :iis!ied himself in i-nmia’l' >i ;• ul politics of whom it is recorded that by his vouthfii! aidour and fluent oratoryw he made .m excellent impression. Of course, in ' lb? carle (lavs the activities of those da vs worn hnr'tul hv the s'/.r of tlic n pu'ati vi. l u(. neve; tlmhcs. t ii:;.-:.? two g'ut’eraen laid r snloudi 1 fov.udation U’ 'ui which Methodism ha:; been firmly cst-i.bli.shcd in ilr’s district. F-wtly r“torwards tin place of worshij) was (hanged to the old court-house, which then stood on the s'to cf Adair Bros, present building, and where the Methodists, in com nion with oilier dcnomiunticns, tmidiutcd regular services for nearly a venr. The appointment of H.-? Ri-v. j T . (!. Carr as minister of this charge i the- following year signalised the first movement bv the Methodists to erect a church of their cv.n, and under his i loader,shin the congregation set about raising funds for this pin';m:-:c. Just '

j) -eviodsly the Methodists had 'hern granted, along with these of otlnJr denomnatiens, an acre of land in mirvon street for church buildings, hut in those days the locality was considered unsuitable-as the site for a sacred budding, being far removed from the centre of the town’s business and social activities. Accordingly the Church authorities secured a iji'.artcr-aere situated in Bright street on which the church now stands at a cost of £SO, for wlrch the Wesleyan conference voted £3O. Flans for the church, a building 24 t by 34ft, were drawn by Mr John Warren and a contract for £234 was let to Air. Boss. The balance of the money required for the purchase of the section and the cost of erecting the church was raised by local contributions in which the efforts of Messrs. Tutehcn, Hall. Carey, Anderson, Kill, Trimmer and Rollins were very prominent. A trust fund was then ere-etede and administered by .Messrs. Tutehcn and Robins.

Jn The following year, Jan. 1876, the Bright street church was opened, the occasion being marked by an exchange of courtesies between the Wesleyan and Presbyterian congregations, both of whom attended the opening service at which the Rev. W. H. Root, the Presbyterian minister, was the preacher. The Rev. Carr occupied the Wesleyan pulpit in Gisborne only 9 year and was then succeeded by the Rev. AY. S. Harper, and in succession new ministers were Appointed to this charge rang-ng 'rvm one to five rears as follows: Revs. AY. L. Salter, John Bellow, Lewis Hudson. J. T. Pcnfo'd. W. J. Spence. T. J. Wills, J. A. Lux'ord. f:> the course of a few years with the increase of population and conse■gueut development in the tongregatbn the limited, accommodation offered bv the church became fully taxed and in the course o" twenty vears became inadequate. When the Rev. Jcsipb. AA’nrd took charge lie re it was decided to re-build and a contract was let to Air. R. Roth for the erection of the huild'ng which new oec-un'es the forefront of .the section in Bright 'Street the old ehtr-cli bong remove 1 to the rear of the •prenertv and Ims since been used as a Sunday school.

1 he period dnring which the Rev. 1 Mr. Ward was in charge was a bnav •ne and it to this gentleman’s opoi-r,.- and influence that funds wore o”'id for tb° new ehuwh and the par-oimire. which was included in the same contract. The consreegatiou sewn red n" rernarkaby good bargain in the .’•nat.fo,- of building, for the cost ; •»f the church end the parsonage. 1 jrb'cli wcre„er?cted_in 139 D. was oriv £A2fRD o proportion of which was au- i T-' —"d b- t’w po-’ec'nco. 1 The cxters’on of the church, i-fpi--or>cf» into the country whs rapidly effected.: During the ministry, of. the

Rev. J. A. Lochore, which - oniiiinocl over a per od of Jive years, commencing in 191-2. new buddings were erected at To iln para and M.alignj i'P'i, and the estahlishiiient of me church in Victoria Township followed shortly after. To-day these churches have regular services, while visits ; re paid by tin- presiding minister to .’tutu. Motiihera. Matawai, Kaiterat tIH, and to the coastal centres t lien oj.p a i unity offers. The work oi' the m nis ter has been nu/de more arduous of late years by la, -k of assistance. which through lack of funds it was impossible to secure. However, it is Imped that- the fiftyfirst anniversary of the iiufnguration cf work Imre will show further coTtsi i lerahle pregre ss. Following the Tier. Ward the fol- !■' wing ministers have presided over I e Wesleyan nulu t in Gisborne:— S. J. Gibson. T. X. Griffin. L. Salter < "i-und term), J :s--;-h Blight. F. B. ' i 1; " it;, (f. L,-ua;se'l. Cornelius W. i T . E. A'., v> TI. T. ("ox, A., a.ii.l Gar.rge Firwt. Tim Rev. 4’ ■. l-’.-mi J - i - --w , h-rg'. he imvi;ig snacec led Mr. C x in 1221.

The Harbor Boa d c'ectcd at the first election iu I’ehruarv, 1685, was a-s under: .Messrs. Towuley and Dickson (town membeis); Messrs. J. AY. Sunilcr.aud and AY. 1.. chambers (country r presenira - :.c-); Messrs. Sicvwriu’ht, Aiatthewsyn and Graham (Government nominees); the Mayor (Mr C. A. deLac.toiii- , and the Chairman of the Dio.: ’.uun'v Council (Air G. L. Sunderland).

! It was in April. I?S3, t’ at the first harbor loan, one for £230.000. was sanctioned, the voting icing—For, 998; against 5. When the i. lvukwnter lino been pivvly finished it found that the mouth <:f the- river was silting up and the Government /had the work stopped.