NEW PRIMITIVE METHODIST CHURCH

New Zealand Mail, 22 January 1902, Page 52

NEW PRIMITIVE METHODIST CHURCH

LAYING OF MEMORIAL STONES. SPEECHES BY THE PREMIER AND THE CHIEF JUSTICE. The ceremony of laying the memorial stones of the new Primitive Methodist Church to he built in Webb street took place last Wednesday. The weather was fine, but cloudy, when the ceremony began at 3 o’clock, hut after half an hour or so had elapsed rain commenced to fall, ar.d in consequence an adjournment had to be made to a marquee which had been provided to meet emergencies. The foundations of the building had been boarded over to make a temporary dais, and streamers of bunting lent a festal air to the occasion. The ceremony began with the singing of hymn 814: “ 0 Lord of Hosts, whose glory fills Ihe bounds of the eternal hills, And yet descends in Christian lands To dwell in temples made with hands.” The Rev Mr Oliver, of the Wesleyan Methodist Church, read the 84th Psalm, after which hymn 35 was sung. The pastor of the church, the Rev J. Dawson, then made a speech in which he gave a number of interesting figures relative to the Primitive Metho” dist Church. In the connexion there were 1518.874 members now, an increase of 245(3 for the last year. There were 105)5) jninisters. 1(3.45)1 local preachers. 10,687 class labourers, 4280 Sabbath schools. 59.929 Sabbath school teachers, 46 1 .762 scholars (of whom 58,090 were members of the church). 4304 churches, and 608 other teaching places. At the various services, it was estimated, 022.233 persons attended, and (here were 74 churches built last year at a cost of £101.75)0. A sum of £61,742 had been received towards this expense, so that there was a still a debt of £40.325. But that proved flic confidence which people had in the future of Methodism. Ihe church which was being replaced on 1 inspot where the gathering stood was opened in 1868 by the Rev R. Ward but serviees were first held in the house of Mr and Airs Billma.n, in Nairn street. The now building, when erected, would bo 70ft by 44ft, and by an arrangement which could he easily made the temporary partitions could be effaced, and the whole building made one room It was estimated that the new church re'ie' cost '. There was already £O2O promised, of which sum £320 was in hand. The bricks to be used in the building had been given free of cost hv Messrs Murphy. Hill and Tonks. It was proposed to utilise the building not only f °m. lf il ous duties, hut for social work. ihe Rev C. E. Ward, a son of the minister of the Webb street Church, made a long address of a vigorous nature. His father, he said, laid the stone of the first church, and the speaker was pleased to see that it was now necessary to have a larger building to cope with the church’s work. He hoped if there should be any union of Methodists, it would be confined to the churches of Now Zealand—they wanted nothing to do with “those Australian follows! (Laughter.) As to himself, ho gloried in “isms”—there was work for each church to undertake that no other could do so well. The Primitive Methodist- Church was a church of the people, and lie hoped it would always remain such.

The president of the conference (Mr C. M. Luke) made a brief address. His early associations had been with ibe Webb street Church, and lie was, therefore, specially pleased that the honour which had been done him gave him a claim to assist at the ceremony of laying the memorial stones of the new church. He was proud to be a member of the great Primitive Methodist family, and ho sincerely hoped that in the near future the bands that divided the churches so much alike in spirit would be broken down.

The president then proceeded to lay the first of the four memorial stones, a silver trowel and mallet being presented to him for the purpose. Similar presentations were made to Sir Robert Stout, the Right Hon R. J. Seddon and Mr Aitken, each of which gentlemen in due course set a stone in the front foundation of the building, and declared it well and truly laid. Sir Robert Stout remarked that it was rather a. new event in the history of Primitive Methodism to have such a ceremony about laying the foundation of achii.rch. If he had read their church history right, it was because their forbears had objected to a stone building that they were driven out of the Wes-

leyan Church. (Laughter and applause.) Where he came from the Primitive Methodists were unknown, so it followed that a previous speaker was in error when he said that he (Sir Robert) was brought up a Primitive Methodist. It was in New Zealand he first made the acquaintance of the Primitive Methodist Church, he being appointed legal adviser to the church in Dunedin. He had had many opportunities of seeing its work since then, and he was highly pleased with it. A church should be not merely a place of worship—it should be an institution for reform. Due clergyman in New \~ork did not think it inconsistent with Christian dignity to have lessons in cookery given under the auspices of his church. Sir Robert went oil to express a wish that the Primitive Methodists would not forget from whom they were descended. It was from the Puritans—and the Puritan message was that so far as religion was concerned, the State had absolutely no right to interfere with it. He thought it would be an evil day for the church when it had to depend upon the State for the inculcation of any of its opinions. Puritanism was a religion that believ- ! ed in freedom. If the State was to give 1 aid to any creed, it must give aid to all. Would the Puritans have been satisfied to have that ? He thought not. He could say that there would be ail ’ attempt made in this colony to make the State give aid to a church which might be said to be the strongest in New Zealand. That must not be—it would sap the liberty of the colony. Sounding a personal note, Sir Robertsaid he did not want to appear before them in any false colours. They knew , he did not believe as they did. But he had as deep a love for Him whom they worshipped as any of them. (Hear, hear). He hoped their church would continue to walk in the way that it had ! ever walked, for that way was the salt of its existence.

The Premier began by saying that a ! man was known by- the company lie j kept. On that ground, he was sure that nobody could take exception to j him that day. (Applause.) There was, lie believed, something in' the accident of birth, and he was glad to say that lie was born a Primitive Methodist, and he had always kept a warm heart for that church. He often got into trouble for speaking plainly—he could not frame his words to conceal his thoughts. The Primitive Methodists were not now what they were when he was a boy. If he might say it, there was now a leaven of aristocracy in them—and for that reason the Salvation Army was now doing work that, when the speaker was a hoy. was done by the Primitive Methodists. He was always pleased when lie saw a new church being erected. There was in the city of Wellington not nearly enough church accommodation if j the people attended as they should do. When he saw a j church being erected, he always j said A\ ell and good !” God-fearing na- ! tions always prospered—and history j proved the opposite where nations for- j got God. He knew New Zealand would I always prosper if they had the fear of ! God always before them. He did not share the fear of Sir Robert Stout that there would be any alteration in the mode of education of our children. But he believed that the churches could do good work, and he believed they would continue to do good work separately and without in any way interfering with the State. “Let us look forward to the future,” continued the Premier. “I hope that when the building aboul to be erected shall be found to be too small "0 shall ho all alive and holding our relative positions. We should then cheerfully come forward once again.” (Loud laughter and applause.) He was sorry to hear that the Primitive Methodists wore so much, in debt. They were almost as bad as the Government. (Loud laughter). However, the analogy continued to the extent that the money was spent on reproductive works. (Renewed laughter). One of the features of the Primitive Methodists’ work which he admired was that of assisting people in their worldly welfare, as well as spiritually. They must save men from misery and hunger before they expected them to listen to the message of salvation. In conclusion, he trusted and sincerely hoped that the church would grow in numbers and usefulness. The Mayor of Wellington (Mr Aitken) said that after the heavy weights that, had gone before, he thought it not m place for him to attempt to enlighten the gathering that afternoon. He was like Sir Robert Stout—in his youth Primitive Methodists were an unknown quantity in the land from which he came, but from subsequent experience of them he had formed a high opinion about their church and its work especially among the masses of England. His first official experience of the .church was when he presided at an anniversary meeting. He could not say which anniversary it was—they had so many. (Laughter). He was pleased to say that he knew personally of good work done in Wellington by the Primitive Methodist Church in many directmns. He was sorry their ceremony had been marred by rain, but he could tell them why it was so. They had laid only four stones, whereas seven was the perfect number” of the Bible—so the elements of the heavens were weer>mg over the mistake. (Laughter and applause.) He trusted that they would go on in goodness and grace, and roditions rU6 themselves and their tra-

in the evening a rnihlin . held in the Baptist Chi rrt Un > B street, the chair beino- oe <w> .Vivi*? D. Goldie, of Aucklanr Upi | d >s were delivered apropos of the' W' the foundation stones by the P^ B «f Guy W. S. Potter, R. J - Drake. nall and