PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH AT SAWYERS' BAY.

Otago Witness, Issue 3031, 17 April 1912, Page 29

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH AT SAWYERS' BAY.

LAYING FOUNDATION STONE. Saturday was something of a red-letter day for the Presbyterian community at Sawyers' Bay, as on that afternoon the foundation stone was laid for the new Presbyterian Church. The building, which has been designed by Messrs Anscombe and Coombs, will be a handsomo edifice, and is being erected in a convenient position on a section of church property. On account of the unpleasant weather conditions prevailing out of doors the greater part of the function was conducted in the local hall, where a large orowd of interested persons assembled. The Rev. A. Whyte (Port Chalmers) presided, and there were several neighbouring ministers present, including the Revs. J. Kilpatriok, W. Gray Dixon, W. Grant, and F. T. Read. The ceremony of laying the foundation stone was performed by Captain William Thomson, an extremely old resident of the Port Chalmers and Sawyers' Bay distriot, who held, among other offices, that of captain of the old mail ships that used to travel between Sydney and New Zealand. He was also the first captain of the Port Chalmers Volunteers, and the first harbourmaster in Ota-go. Others present were Mrs A. Ritchie (a particularly old identity) and Mr Davidson (who for some 30 years conducted divine service at. Sawyers' Bay). Mr Whyto opened proceedings by quoting several passages of Scripturo, and this was followed by the singing of the Hundredth Psalm, the reading of a portion of Scripture (I Chron.xxix, 10-18) by Mr A. R. Madill, and the offering- up of a prayer by the Rev. Gray Dixon. The Chairman, in the course of a few introductory remarks, said they had to thank three generations of workers for the building of which they were to lay the foundation stone that afternoon. First of all, there were the early pioneers, who, under the ministry and direction of Dr Burns (of the First Church of Otago), had laid the first foundations of homes in that place. Though Dr Burns had never preached at Sawyers' Bay, ho had done so more than once at Port Chalmers. The Rev. Wm. Johnstone had begun services at Sawyers' Buy, and of that generation there remained to them Captain Thomson, whoso work had been continued throughout the three generations, and than whom there was none better fitted to lay the foundation stone of their church Then there were tho workers of the second generation—the elders of the Pert Chalmers congregation and their friends. Of that generation the most prominent, was Mr Davidson, who through a great part of his life had given his strength and leisure to the work of tho Church in that district. Thirdly, there was the Dunedin Presbytery, which had stepped in some four or five years ago and made Sawyer*' Bay a church extension charge. In this third stage of its development, excellent services had been rendered by students. The work of Mr Madii'l had been very much appreciated in this connection, and his work had at last m-ade possible tho fruition of the efforts of all throe gorier;!tions.—(Applause.) The Rev J. Kilpatrick (convener of the Church Extension Committee) said ho was delighted to be present that afternoon. In regard to their forward movement in building a house in which to honour God ho thought ihe.y wore doing the right thing at the right time and in the right spirit. He had hud to open churches recently in several parts of tho Dominion, and was very pleased to see the progress being made in this direction. He assured (horn that, as far as the Church Extension Committee was concerned, they had its earnest desires and prayers for their future prosperity. He hoped the church would soon be built, and that it would do good work in Sawyers' Bav. The narrative of the stops leading up to the ceremony of that afternoon was related by Mr T. A. Finlay, who stated that tho earliest settlers in Sawyers' Bay worshipped with tho Port Chalmers congregation under tho ministry of the Rev. Dr Burns until tho settlement of the Rev. William Johnston© in 1858. While the principal services were held in'the church in Port Chalmers, an evening service and a Sabbath school were conducted in Sawyers' Bay by Captain William Thomson " and others. Tho Rev. E. C. Tennant scoured the consent of the Presbytery to the ereotion of Sawyers' Bay, Purakanui, and Lower Harbour into a church extension

J charge As. ) however, it was found impo»N sible to secure a minister for the charge the services were maintained by" a suoseoeion of student missionaries until the Presbytery restored Sawyers' Bay to the of the session of Port Chalmeis. On the levelling of September 7, 1911, the Session of Port Chalmers Church met with the congregation, usually worshipping 'in the Sawyers' Bay hall, the Rev. Alex. Whyte presiding. After discussion it was unanimously agreed that the time had arrived when a church was required, and that a canvass should be made to see what monetary assistance would be given by the congregation. A fortnight later a report was presented to the JL)eaoons' Court of the Jfort Chalmers congregation showing a result so satisfactory that it was resolved to proceed with the building. Mr K. Ansoombe, of Dunedin, was appointed architect. Th» ; Presbytery in due course passed the plans i and recommended the Synod of Ota go to make the usual grant an aid. This vru sanctioned at a meeting of Synod in November, 1911. In the meantime negotiations regarding a site had been in progress. Tiie Church i nsion Committer of the Synod, on th. .jmmendation o! the Presbytery, made ~.. annual grant in aid of the payment of rent, and the Church Board of Property granted a lease of an acre of land in Station road adjoining the Public School. Messrs Love Bros., of Port J Chalmers, being the lowest tenderers, obI tamed the contract for the building at a price of £564 5s 6d, the building to be oomi pleted by June 1, 1912. The foundation ! 6tone of the church would be laid that day |by Captain William Thomson, who had j boen 51 years an elder of the congregation, I and who in the ninetieth year of hi* aye was still preserved by God for public use- ' fulness. j Those assembled then proceeded to the I site of the church, where the ceremony of j laying the foundation stone was offioially i performed by Captain Thomson. The stone ! bore the following inscription:—"To the ! glory of God this stone was laid by Captain Wm Thomson. April 13, 1912*" "and ! in a receptacle reserved for the purpose | were encdosed copies of the narrative of steps, each of the daily papers, the Outlook, and the order of the proceedings. At tho conclusion of this ceremony Mr Anacombo presented Captain Thomson with a silver trowel as a memento of the occasion. The trowel was inscribed as follows: " Presented to Captain William Thomson on the occasion of his laying the foundation stone of Sawyers' Bay Presbyterian' Churoh, April 13, 1912." Captain Thomson, in addressing the gathering on its return to the hall, said he ; had looked forward for many years to the j erection of a church at Sawyeis' Bay, and that wish was now about to bo fulfilled. He was sure God would grant His blessing on tho great work that was to be carried; out there.. His memory took him back to the first prayer meeting held in Port Chalmers in 1857, and also to the first one held in Sawyers' Bay in 1858, both in private houses During the 30 odd year* that he had been in Sawyers' Bay he had always wished to see a church built there, and he trusted that successful work would . be carried on in the one now under construction and that the people would* be brought to knowledge of the truth; Cap- , tain Thomson added that he had been connected with Sabbath school work in Port Chalmers and Sawyers' Bay for 45 years, but some little time ago had coiled up his ropes and handed over the work of leading the young to Mr Davidson. At the request of Mr Whyte, Captain Thomson then led those present in the singing of " There are angels hovering round." Short addresses appropriate to tho occasion were delivered by the Revs. Grant and Read, and these were followed by vote* • of thanks to Captain Thomson and tho Rev. J. Kilpatrick, moved by Mr J. Cleghorn.