PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24828, 30 January 1942, Page 7

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

ST. ANDREW'S, QUEENSTOWN ANNIVERSARY SERVICES The seventy-fifth anniversary of St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church, Queenstown, was commemorated by special services on Sunday. There were full congregations morning and evening, and the preacher was Dr James Salmond, M.A., a son of a lata elder of the church. Dr Salmond referred to the stewardship of the Rev. Donald Ross, who was in charge of the church from 1869 to 1891. In the earlier years of his ministry the Rev. Mr Ross had to travel by horse over centres as far apart as Glenorchy and Cardrona, Skippers and Kingston, Macetown and Gibbston. The travelling averaged over four days a week over mountain tracks. In an historical sketch prepared by the Rev. D. K, Boyd, it was stated that during Mr Ross's pastorate churches were built at Queenstown, Arrowtown and Miller's Flat. The first session was established on January 16, 1872, with Messrs William Wilson, James Roberton, Duncan Matheson and Murdoch Matheson as members. The Revs. William Cambell and Robert T"lford carried on the work of the church up till early in 1867, when the Synod sanctioned the establishment of the Queenstown charge. The Rev. Donald Ross was inducted as its first minister and the earlier services were carried on in a small building in Ballarat street opposite the present public school. The successive ministers were:—lß9l-94, the Rev. Thomas Paulin; 1894-99, the Rev. Robert I-I. Blair; 1903-08, the Rev. James Wilson; 1909-13, the Rev. J. D. Webster; 1914-17, the Rev. George Gibb, 8.A.; 1917-19, the

Rev. K. C. Hunter; 1919-25, the Rev J. H. Robertson, 1925-30 Rev. (now Professor) J. Collie, M.A.; 1930-34, Rev. J. S. Murray, M.A.; 1934 to present day, Rev. D. K. Boyd. After the evening services on Sunday members of the congregation and friends assembled in the McKenzie Hall. The Rev. D. K Boyd presided and read apologies from the Rev. D. D. Scott, Professor J. Collie, and the Rev. Dr James Cumming. The speakers were Mr G. Dunn, clerk of the synod, Dunedin; the Mayor of Queenstown, Dr Anderson, the Rev. D. S. Miller, M.A., Vicar of Wakatipu, Captain Rix, oi the Salvation Army. Mr J. Fraser, one of the oldest living members of the church and precentor and choirmaster for many years, gave a short history of the church in its early days. Solos were given by Mrs J. L. Lindsay and Mr J. Leech (Dunedin).