THE COMING OF THE CHURCH.

Manawatu Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 2714, 23 June 1925, Page 11

THE COMING OF THE CHURCH.

A PIONEER OF PALMERSTON NORTH. INTERESTING REMINISCENCES. In view of the aproachlng celebration of the jublilee of the opening of the first Methodist church in Palmerston North in 1873, the following letter from Mr. T. F. Reeve; who. in 1873, before the era of church buildings, had charge of .the work of tho Methodist church in Rangitikei and Manawatu, will prove interesting. Mr. Reeve who is now living in retirement in Tauranga writes: — I arrived in Marton early in April 1873 having travelled by coach from Wellington. The coach route was up the beach chiefly from Paekakarikl to Foxton thence to Bulls .crossing the Rangitikei at a place I believe then known as Dalrymples. Palmerston was not on the route.

My first visit to Palmerston took place a few weeks later. The locality was a natural clearing surrounded by dense and heavy bush. Two sawmills were operating one owned by Manson the other by Rihhtcr and Nanstcad. The timber was sent to Foxton for shipment, along a wooden tram where now the Railway line is laid.

The houses were scattered from a little south of the Square to Terrace End, clustered a little about the Square and again at Terrace End where the sawmills were, and the school a little north of the Square. The Rev W. S. Harper had visited Palmerston before me and held his services in the school, where also my services were held on Sunday evenings, congregations from twenty to forty gathering for worship. The names of most of the people 1 have forgotten but thos e of Mr. and Mrs. Snelson of the Square and Mr. and Mrs. Linton of Terrace End as sympathetic helpers and hospitable entertainers are fresh in my memory to-day. The preacher was generally his own precentor, but found in the people just named good backing. Travelling was not of tho pleasantest and one had tb bo quite prepared for water arid mud ,bogs and logs. The formation of the Rangitikei Line was in progress until stopped altogether for months by weather and water. The parts that were formed were almost up to the girth in mud and quagmire, bridges had been built over the creeks but in many cases the earth approaches were one or two feet below the level of the bridge floor, generally a boggy hole caused by animals stepping off the brjdge. If you horse would cautiously climb out of the mud on to the bridge and off again well and good, but if as happened to me once your mount is afraid to try the hole and go cautiously, but makes a leap landing on the wet greasy bridge, the fall Is sudden and the danger of horse and man tailing over the unprotected bridge into the creek quite imminent. Those whose business took them along the road found it better often to ride in the drains, that was water and not nearly so tough to struggle through. True your horse might discover a hole where a root had been taken out, and momentarily you would suppose the bottom of the drain had fallen out, but your recovery was just as rapid, the result only a good splashing. Time and good weather as summer came improved the travelling, your journey’s end to find a more intensive welcome awaiting you than the most enthusiastic congregation would be likely to give.

One Sunday evening on going to the school house we found it so full of mosquitoes (a committee meeting had been held the night before) that our hearts failed and wo were afraid to go in, however, we would hold the service outside. The men courageously went in and brought out 'benches. Bliss, service in the open air. We sang, w e prayed, we essayed to sing again, the sun was getting low almost touching the tops of the trees when out from the fern and grass came legions of mosquitoes, seeking whom they might devour, faces and hands are soon almost covered, even the mouths of the singers are not sacred from invasion. The singing is stopped, text announced, but hands, handkerchiefs, hats, books and perpetual motion are all brought into action to got respite from tho pest but in vain, and wo had to make an inglorious retreat driven off the field of service by mosquitoes. One other Incident I may mention. I was staying the night with Mr. and Mrs. Linton, Terraco End. Bedtime! Mrs. Linton showed me to my room and opened the door. Tho room was not quite full of mosquitoes, I have no doubt a few more could have found room in it, but I shrank from entering. “Oh”, said Mrs Linton “we will soon settle that”. Taking a shovelful of red coals in a camp oven she cut up a stick of tobacco sprinkled that on the coals, put the oven into the room and shut the door. A few minutes after, opening the door, a dead silence, but, tobacco smoke; almost solid. That was to me out of the frying pan into the fire, I opened the door a little also the window, fresh air drifted in smoke drifted out. In the room were four bunks (berths). I decided to occupy a bottom one, Taking the sheets from the spare bunks I hung them from the bunk above to shelter the bottom one, took the candle into the bunk tucked the hanging sheets under'the mattress and hoped for sleep.

Scores of mosquitoes had fallen stupefied among the bedding, as the air freshened they revived so keeping my light burning I sat up killing them as I could till I thought it possible to sleep. When I woke in the' morning it was to the sound of a hum as of a swarm of angry bees, so putting some clothes on in the bunk, I took the rest under my arm and went outside where a little breeze moved, to finish dressing in peace. ■ ■. *