ST. PAUL'S CATHEDRAL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16415, 21 June 1915, Page 2 (Supplement)

ST. PAUL'S CATHEDRAL

LAYING OF FOUNDATION STONE. AN IMPRESSIVE CEREMONY. Tlio foundation stone oE Hie new Sit Pauls Cathedral, which i≤ being built; en the site of the old one at the earner of btuart street and the Octagon, juijiiceiu to tho Municipal Buildings. Was formally laid on tho Bth instant. Jiefore tlie ceremony v.ias timed to conmienee a very lar'?e crowd, including visitors from other districts, had assembled at. tins corner of .Stuart street, and stretched up the hill. A temporary platform had been erected, and tins was occupied by a large number of people, including many clergy. The ceremony, which was performed" by the Inmate, and by (he memliere <.£ the Masonic Order, was most impressive. At 2.30 the procession arrived at the scene of the laying of the atone. The I'roemasons mastered at tho Masonic Hall. Jht! Right Worshipful District CJrand Master, 15ro. T. S. Graham, •oprrsenting the English Constitution, was at the head of tho members of tho craft, and presided at the Masonic ceremony. District Grand Muster Bro. D. Cooko represented tho Scotch "Constitution, P.P.J. G.W. Bro. D. £• Sharpo tho Irish Constitution, and P.G.M. Bro. T. Roes and G.S.W. Kro. .1. Barton, the New Zealand Constitution, and a large number of other Freemasons were also present in their insignia of office. lhe other procession started from the Y.M.C.A. Buildings. It was headed by riie choir, and following came tho Building Committee, the lay members of tho fcynod, the Bishop of Ohrietehurch (Dr Juiius), the Bishop of Auckland (Dr Avcrill), and the Bishop of Duncdin and Primate of New Zealand (Dr Nevill). The Mayor (Mr J. J. Clark), in his robes of office, attended by several councillors, was present. Tho Rev. J. C. Small acted ns Master of Ceremonies, and Mr E. Heywood (St. Paul's) acted as organist. Headed by two trumpeters, the procession mounted tho platform, tho choir singing tho processional hymn 604, " Thy Hand, 0 God, Has Guided!" , The Freemasons formed three sides of .1 square surrounding tho stone and facing un tho street, and tlio choir nnd members of" tho clergy occupied tho centre of the square. Front seats on the platform were occupied by the Bishops of Auckland and Christc-hureh. the Mayor, the Very Rev. Dean. Fitehett. and tho llev. W. T. Nevill (vicar of St. Paul's). The Primate, taking his etand beside the stone, said: : " Dearly beloved in the Lord, we are gatherod together here to lay the foundation stone of a building which wo humbly trust may in duo time be consecrated as a house of God and as tho Cathedral church of this diocese. And first, let ns praise God's Holy Namo for the mercy and goodness with -which He has bo far prospered our work; and let us further devoutly pray that He will bless all who are engaged in tins work, and who in any way contribute to its completion.-

Tho stone- was then laid by the Primato with the following words:—"ln the faith of our Lord Jeeus Chri»t, wo place this foundation stone, in the name of God tho Father, God the Son, and God tho Holy jlmst. Amen."

Tho foundation stone bore the following inscription: " The foundation stone of this cathedral was laid by the Most- Rev. S T Nevill, D.D.. Bishop of Dunedin. 'nnd Primato of New Zealand, on the Bth day of June, 1915; A. R. Fitehett being Dean; E. R. Nevill, vicar; J. J. Clark. Mayor of Dunedin; G. Simpson and Co. '(Ltd.). builders; Seddinif and Wheatley, F. and A.R.1.8.A., architects; Basil B". Hooper, A.R.1.8.A., supervising architect." The Masonic ceremony was then ..proceeded with, and was performed with all due ritual.

Offering's from parishes wore placed on the stone, and a general collection was taken up. The Primate then snoke briefly. Bishop Nevill said it had beeii laid down that no speeches were to bo given that afternoon, but he could not allov,- the occasion to pass without tendering his thanks to tho3e who had come from a very great distonce to show their sympathy nnd interest in that clay's work. He* specially thanked the Bishop of Christchurch and theBishop of Auckland. He esteemed very highly indeed the brotherly affection they had shown to him in coming to the starting of a work which they knew ho had taken an interest in for a great many years He also thanked the Mayor of Dunedin and the councillors who had accompanied him for the manifestation they made by their presence of the fact that the even? of laying tho foundation stone had more than merely a. denominational significance. He thanked them for their presence, and ho further thanked his Worship for his kindness in. offering the uso of the municipal buildings in so far as they might bo required. He also thanked tho "brethren of the Masonic Order for tho manner in which they had conducted the ceremony. Ho thought the symbolic rites thev had; performed were consistent with the sacred character of the undertaking. He had only further to say that alms would now be coiJected. A great deal had vet to be done. It had gone abroad that they had all tho money they required, and that, in a technical sense, was. right. They had raised sufficient money to meet the benefaction which a former citizen of "Dunedin had loft to them, but they wanted nor only a building but that that building should be rendered suitable in every way, so that when the building was complete it might be suitably furnished for the purposes for which it was intended. THE SOCIAL FUNCTION. In the evening there was a very large attendance at tho Garrison Hall, when a social function was held to celebrate the laying of tho foundation stone, and a number of speeches *wero delivered. ■ Tho Primato (Dγ Nevill) presided, and on the plaiform were Drs Julius and Averill (Bishops of Christchurch and Auckland respectively), Dean Fitchett, Archdeacon Woodthorpe, tho Mayor of Dunedin (Mr J. J. Clark), Dr P. Marshall, and a number of others. The Primate announced that the contributions at tho ceremony that afternoon totalled £370.—(Applause.) One gentleman who had given considerable help was Mr George Gray Russell—(applause),—who not only gave £1000 before ho left this country, but intimated that if four other persons would each give £1000 he would give another £1000. Ho wrote to Mr Russell some time ago saying ho was in a position to claim that extra £1000.—(Applause.)