ST. STEPHEN'S CHURCH.

Hutt News, Volume 3, Issue 13, 21 August 1930, Page 2

ST. STEPHEN'S CHURCH.

OPENINQ OF BIBLE CLASS EOOM. (

The official opening, on Saturday afternoon .of the new Bible Class Mooiiv at St. Stephen's Church, constitutes an important milestone iv the history of that church. A hymn was sung outside the building, after which the Rev. G. Budd, Moderator of the General Assembly, opened the door when those as^ sembled entered—and filled—the room. On the stage for t-he official opening wero the B-t. Key. G. Budd, Modei-ttto;r of the General Assembly; the Boy. J. Wilkinson, Moderator of the Wellington

lV.qsbytery j the : Kpy. , J... K. ..LopdeLl, Minister .of St. Stephen 's; Mr. Walter Nash, M.P. and Mrs. Nash; Mr. G. A. Troup, Mayor of Wellington; Miss Eileen Poxte^ representing the Young Women's Bible Class District Committee; Mr. E. Fergoison, . representing the Young Men's Bible Class District Committee; the Rev. Mr. Hunt, of Upper Hutt, and the Key. H. Sharpe, Methodist Church, Mr. W. M. Garner, Church Christ, and Pastor W. J. Gibbs of the Baptist Church were also present.

The ceremony commenced with a hymn, after, which the Rev. Mr. Hunt offered up a prayer, fblloAved by a reading from the. Scriptures by the Rev. J. Wilkinson. Then .the gathering was most inspiringly addressed by Mr. Budd who said what a pleasure it was to him to be present at the opening of the class-room, and to know that those who were responsible for its erection realised the very great value of Bible-class work. He' went on to say that the building had been erected to fulfil God's purposes' and that it had first been conceived in.someone's mind, and that conception had been inspired -by the Holy Spirit.' Mr. Budd pointed out that the material of which; the .rbbnv; was built was the; gift of God> and in the giving of the donations, t-he people were but giving barek to God His OAvm Mt n Buda concluded with the hope that within' the material building there might grow a spiritual building, not built with hands.;

The Rev/ T. I.opdell in *llie course* of his remarks,said thai they had commensed building the' class-room on June 29th of last year, but owing to inclement weather, they had only cominciibcd in real earnest in August, so that the erection of the building had taken ■just a year: He remarked that much of the labour had been voluntaiy, and made gratful,acknowledgement of the following ladies and gentlemen svho had given labour or gifts:- installing .electric-light; Messrs Tens.on and Cook, painting building, Messrs Munroe and :B*ian: gift of doOTS, Mr. J. jWI Andrews : radiators, Mrs. BayJy andMr. $tc. Donald: brackets, /Mr. jSTprtlic: 6dlin Timber Company, for reducing price of timber, and Mrs: Grey, for, donating- : draping round stage. Others warmly congrativlatary speeches; were given by Miss Porte, Mr: Troup, M'rV'Nash, M f P,' and Mr. Fergusson, and Mrs. Phillips ,<and Mr. Fordie contribuited: songs. The collection was surely:; indicative of the : enthusiasm of those present, for it realised the inspiring sum' of £40 .13 o, thereby reducing the debt on the room to £100.■. Previous' donations total; ££29 18 9. Aftejc thb pronouncing of the Benediction, afternoon-tea was setvea by the young people. The Glass-room should certainly be;; an ; inspiration to t-hose for whom it was built, for it is constructed of the best materials and with its lofty, tiled roof, wide case-, ment windows and spaeioivs interior, should be a means, of great goody spiritually and socially.