FIRST HUNDRED YEARS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26903, 15 October 1948, Page 6

FIRST HUNDRED YEARS

Church in Port Chalmers CELEBRATION BEGINS TO-DAY For the Daily Times by the Rev. H. O. Bowman “October 15, 1848. ... In the afternoon, preached at Port Chalmers in Mackay’s house . . . . room full .... same sermon.” This entry in the diary of the Rev. Dr Thomas Burns records the first Presbyterian service held ashore at Port Chalmers 100 years ago to-day. He had, of course, with the Rev. T. D. Nicholson, previously preached aboard the ship lying at anchor when the settlers first arrived during the previous April and May. The diary records monthly services through the summer and autumn until the state of the track to Port Chalmers made it necessary to close for the winter.

The congregation will observe the cedtenary of its foundation with suitable gatherings this week-end. Tomorrow there will be a reunion banquet in the Garrison Hall and on Sunday the centennial services will be conducted in the morning by the Very Rev. Dr D. C. Herron, who first joined the church at Port Chalmers, and in the evening by the Rev. Dr H. W. West, of First Church, representing the parish of which Port Chalmers was originally a part. A children’s celebration has been arranged for the .Monday evening and it is expected to be a memorable occasion for them. , The first congregation consisted of men like David Millar and Hugh McDermid, who had taken up sections at Sawyers’ Bay and were engaged in -pit sawing, J. R. Monson, latei to become a customs officer, Weatherall, a 'retired whaler, Alexander Mackay, the innkeeper who gave a room m the Port Chalmers Hotel for the service, W. H. Mansford, the storekeeper, and John Thomson, as well as workmen and seamen about the port. They were faithful church-goers who also welcomed preachers from Dunedin, such as Dr William Purdie, who took regular services when the work became too heavy for Dr Burns. By 1851 the services were so well established that it was decided to erect a church and with the help of the Dunedin congregation and the contributions of settlers of all denominations. a wooden church with seating accommodation for 150, and distinguished by a wooden tower, was built in 1852 and opened on Sunday, October 17. It, was the second church in Otago and the third in the South Island, and was the first to be 'used only as a church.

The Port Chalmers congregation increased with the growing population. A new church became necessary and was built in 1871 on the site of the old one. It was opened at the beginning of the following year. Mr Johnstone took a wide interest in the community life. He was a member of the Education Board and one of the founders of the Mission to Seamen in 1863. With his Kirk Session he discussed the founding of the University of Otago and the endowing of university chairs. He was moderator of the Synod which took important steps in the matter and later served as a member of the University Senate. His wife was also deeply interested in education and enthusiastically backed up her local townswoman, Miss L. Dalrymple, in founding the Otago Girls’ High School. Mr Johnstone died in 1881.

Public worship in Dunedin was suspended for the day and the congregation chartered the small ships Endeavour, Pioneer and Owen and sailed down to Port Chalmers for the opening service. The immigrant snip Persia, at achor in Koputai Bay, was decorated with flags for the occasion As the people landed, the church bell began to ring, and almost at the same time parties which had walked from North-East Valley emerged from the bush and all -converged on the church. The opening service was conducted by the Rev. Dr Burns, and the singing, commencing with the 100th Psalm, was led by James Adam. Pioneers have said that, even after half a century, the impressions of that day have re-

Instrumental music was unknown in Presbyterian churches for several decades after the settlement and the singing was led by a precentor At Port Chalmers, visiting seafaring men were usually musical and it often happened that a ship’s captain, such as Captain William McNeur, of the barque Dunedin, would act as precentor. He would sound his tuning

mained with them. After a short interval a second service was held, and the visitors ; out to return to Dunedin at 3.30 p.m. The new church was unlined, and for five or six years the congregation sat on boards supported by boxes. The pulpit consisted of a packing case suitably draped each Sunday with a rug. Preachers of any denomination took services in the new church, the Church of England service often being read bv Charles Logie, the collector of Customs. In 1857 the parish was separated from First Church, and James Macandrew was a member of the session which went to Port Chalmers to ordain and induct elders and deacons for the new charge. The Rev. William Johnstone, M.A.. newly arrived from Scotland, was inducted to the new charge in 1858 as the first resident minister, and he laboured in Port Chalmers until his death in 1881. This parish extended northward to the Waitaki River and included the Otago Peninsula. He thoroughly covered this widespread parish, conducting regular services at Otepopo (Herbert/. Oamaru, Hampden, Waikouaiti. Palmerston, Blueskin (Waitati), Purakanui and Portobello, all of which later became self-sustain-ing parishes.

fork and sing the first line of the psalm, after which the congregation would sing. He then sang the second line followed by the people, and so on through the psalm. Colin Wood, the first schoolmaster at the port, was appointed precentor in 1856 and was followed in the office five years later by Captain William Thomson, a shipmaster, who had been appointed harbour master and who led the singing for 15 years. The Rev. William Johnstone was among those who petitioned to allow an organ to be introduced, but he could not influence the people and it was not till 1884, after his death, that an organ was presented and the precentor ceased to function. The hymn book, however, was accepted by the congregation. during the early seventies, although the people were slow in learning the “ new-fangled tunes.” Seafaring men have always been in evidence in the Church, and Captain William Thomson became a deacon of the Church while still master of the s.s. Geelong in 1857. Many sailors joined the Church during their sojourn in Port Chalmers, while the session and the deacon’s court has contained many one-time shipmasters. Mariners of every nationality have shared in 'he worship and it was notable during the recent war that British seamen were often in the pews.