LINKS WITH LONG AGO

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21378, 30 December 1932, Page 4

LINKS WITH LONG AGO

[ OLD COMMUNION SET RELICS IN SYiDNEY CHURCH [FROM OT7H OWN CORRESPONDENT] SYDNEY, Dec. 25 At the special Christmas communion services to be held next Sunday at St. Philip's, a communion set will be used which was first used in Sydney on Christmas Day, 1803. Coadjutor-Bishop Kirkby, who is rector of St.\ Philip's, told the \ congregation this last Sunday, when announcing the Christmas services next Sunday. "Christmas Day," he said, "holds a special significance for St. Philip's, for. the old church was consecrated on Christmas Day, 1810. It had been in use for some years previously, and it was bui half-finished when, on December 20, 1803. a beautiful silver communion set, the gift of George 111., arrived in the colony and was used for the first time on Christmas Day of that year." The communion set-, which is still used at St. Philip's, consists of five beauti-fully-chased vessels, two chalices, a flagon, and two platters, each of which bean the following inscription, "This service of communion plate was presented by His Majesty King George 111. for the use of the Chapel at His Majesty's settlement at Sydney in New South Wales, 1803."

St. Philip's possesses two other old, communion cups, which, it is surmised, were used at the first service in 1788. One of these cups, which were discovered in Tasmania about 10 years ago,: is marked with the Government broad arrow, and the other - has the name _St* Philip's inscribed on it. Although the, history of the cups is obscure, it is surmised that on the arrival of the presentation set they were sent to Tasmania for use in the penal settlement there. The . cups were acquired by the churchwardens of St. Philip's, and will be nsed nest February at a service to celebrate the 145 th anniversary of, the holding of tllP first Christian service in Sydney. . ■-<