Queen Street Hall Opened

Manawatu Times, Volume 61, Issue 194, 18 August 1936, Page 9

Queen Street Hall Opened

BRETHREN CONGREGATE A large gathering of poople was present at the official opening of the new Queen street hall on Saturday afternoon, visiting Brethren from all over the district and many from Wanganui and Napier, being there. The hall which was built for the purpose of the Oroua Hall Open Brethren’s work in Palmerston North presented an imposing background with its modernistic facade of a psuedo-Egyptian design. Mr J. Rowan on behalf of those Brethren who ’ formerly met in the Oruua Hall and who w r ould in the future meet in the Queen street building welcomed all those present, expressing gratitude to Dr. G. Anderson of Wellington for making a special journey to open the hall, and presented him with the kev.

In opening the hall Dr Anderson conveyed the good wishes from tho Tory’ street congregation, for the futuro of the new hall and stated that he hoped that it would become a centre of culightinent and learning. It was only by the grace of God, he said, that tho hall had been erected and therefore the community was bound to otter up whatever sacrilic they could in the securing of a house of God. There was much to give before the hall was freed from its responsibility, but it would be only by an accumulation and mulitiplication of small sums, that the hall would be free from liability. Each offering would be blessed in proportion to the self sacrifice necessary to make the gift. Needless to say the building of the hall had been carried out with much enthusiasm and tho Brethren of the Oroua hall were free to take possession of their new home. Dr. Anderson thou declared tho hall open, and the gathering proceeded inside where a short service of prayer and dedication followed.

In - welcoming all those present Mr W. Dallas stated that it was hia privelege to express tho congregation’s heartfelt gratitudo to all those who had been instrumental in tho securing of the hall.

Mr G. Howe on behalf of tho congregation, said that it was with great pleasure that it beheld tho fruition of its schemes. It was the community’s good fortune to have been able to negotiate on terms more than reasonable which had dead to the' acquiring of the Queen street site. The church was indebted to tho courtesy of the Palmerston North business men who had treated it with courtesy throughout the negotiations. It was thankful too to those Brethren who at supremo sacrilice had striven to make the hall possible. In conclusion he thanked Dr. ; Anderson for his generous gift ,of a chair to tho pulpit. Other speakers were J. M.. Murdoch and F. liazeldou, after which afternoon tea was served. .