NEW ENGLISH CHURCH AT MOKOIA.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLVIII, Issue 8933, 27 June 1905, Page 2

NEW ENGLISH CHURCH AT MOKOIA.

OPENING AND CONSECRATION " CEREMONY. It is a' rare occasion that the opening J »f a new church witnesses the ceremony j ilso of consecration, a ceremony that is lot performed till the building is clear of lebt. This dual service was celebrated ! >n Sunday at Mokoia by His Lordship • >he Bishop of Wellington. It was unfortunate that the weather was 50 inclement, but despite this the settlers around the district turned out well, and the church was quite filled." The Bishop was met by the Rev. J. A. Jacob, vicar, and the churchwardens anU some of the vestry of St. Mary's Church, at the church door, where the petition asking him to consecrate the church in the name of St. James tho Great was read by Mr F. V. Lysaght. The special service was then held. The service consists of the Litany, with special prayers of consecration for the various parts of the church. The sentence of consecration was read by the Rev. J. A. Jacob and signed by tho Bishop in the presence of the congregation, to be preserved among the muniments of the registry of the diocese; The Bishop preached an impressive sermon, taking as his text Psalm 45, v. 5 : "God is in the midst of her, therefore shall she nob be removed. God shall help her, and that right early," emphasising the fact that, with tho help and presence of God, this beautiful cnurch would remain amongst them for gonqrations, and be a real help and an inspiration to them all for good in their daily life. Ho said that a feature of this servico to him was the fact that since he came to New Zealand ,this was the first occasion in his experience when the opening service had been the consecration service and that this was the first brick ' church he had consecrated; The service conchidcxl wjth the celebration of Holy Communion. Tho music included Psalm 24, the hymns "Christ is our Corner Stone." and "We lovo the place, 0 God," an old anthem, "The Lord is My Strength," specially sung at tho request of Miss Lysaght, and the Te Deum. The choir was composed of members of St Mary's choir, who went out specially for the occiision, and made the service very bright and cheerful. Tho church, which stands near the Mokoia railway station and close to the school house, on on excellently sheltered site, has been erected by Mrs J. R. Lysaght- in memory of her late husband, a man than, whom perhaps no settler was in his lifetime held in higher respect and esteem by the people of this district and whose memory is revered by all who knew him. The, building, designed by Mr F. de J. Clere, Diocesan Architect, has been built, the brick work by Mr H. K. Whittington and the wood work by Mr E. A. Pacey. It is of brick, tuck pointed inside, of Gothic design, and will seat 80 people, irrespective of the choir, of whom accommodation is made, for about twenty. The nave measures 36 x 18. the • chancel 12 x 12, vestry 7x9, baptistery 7 x 6, and porch 7x6. The windows, which arc also Gothic, are of amber Cathedral glass. On the eastern wall there are three large windows, on each side four small ones, and on the western front eight, so that the li'rhfc is particularly good. The wood work is of picked rimu, polished and oiled, bringing out the grain beautifully. The western end is surmounted by a handsome Iwlfry. The whole effect is very fine indeed, and Mokoia people should be proud of the church they now possess.