THE OTAGO FATHERS AND THE OTAGO WITNESS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3342, 3 April 1918, Page 36

THE OTAGO FATHERS AND THE OTAGO WITNESS.

On Sunday, 23rd ul't., the Rev. A. Whyte, preaching in Port Chalmers Presbyterian Church on the seventieth anniversary of the settlement of Otago, said that one could not turn over the first file of the Otago Witness without realising that the first Otago settlers had chosen the good part They had just seen the greatest act of self-sacrifice Scotland had known_ for two centuries, when at the "Disruption" nearly &C 0 ministers left, all for conscience" sake, to found tho Free Church of Scotland. The New Zealand Company believed that the followers of these leaders would make good settlers, so they applied to Or Burns and his friends. Dr Burns had given up one of tho richest livings in his country. In the first number of the Witness, on February 8, 1651, the editor had stated the policy of his paper. ''lts principles would be those of the original scheme of the settlement, as expressed in the " institutes." In religion it would be evangelical, suffering nothing derogatory to the eacredness of the Holy Scriptures. In politics it would be constitutional. That number gave an account of the religious census' taken by Dr Burns, showing a total of 1 149 souls, including 883 Presbyterians and 206 Anglicans. The minister told how all denominations, so to speak, attended his services and sacraments; and how the °abbaths were perfectly still, not a person appearing on the street at the time of service. There were two significant references to education. The church officials, being disturbed by the withdrawal of the New Zealand Company, were setting themselves to secure that their church primary schools should bo maintained everywhere in efficiency, and that a higher grade grammar school should be kept steadily in view. On the other hand, a private secondary school for boys was advertised, offering all the usual classical, scientific, commercial, and acsthetio courses, but asserting that the teaching would be religious, moral, and intellectual. There was no hint then of secularism in education. Turning over tho pages of the file, one came on a tribute by Mr Macandrew, a recent arrival, to the •llercuiean powers of work shown in Edinburgh by the secretary of the Otago Association, Mr John M'Glashan; and presently, after Mr M'Glashan's own arrival, appeared accounts of His public lectures,_ rue dealing specially with the place of religion and religious education in colonisation, showing how those who did not embrace religion wholly gained great economic benefit even from their partial adherence. The Witness gave a vivid account of the opening of the church at Port Chalmers, on October 17, 1852; of tho voyage in boats of Dr Burns and the office-bearers and congregation of the First Church (the First Church being closed that day); of the scene that could never be forgotten when the boats were backing into the landing place, past the beflagged ship Persia, the " handsome church looking full down upon the scene "; while parties came from all parts along the bush tracks to bless "this second structure." More than a year later, on November 19, 1653, the Witness congratulated the people of East Taieri on the very neat and tasteful schoolhouse just erected, and on the important fact that, having secured a teacher, tho school was now opened for ail essential purposes of the education of their children, and mentioned that on the 27th the Rev. Mr Burns would preach there and take up a collection for the school funds. Of that opening function a full account in due course appeared. The whole atmosphere of that first file was worthy of the best traditions of the New England Pilgrim Fathers, whom the Otago fathers endeavoured to follow. Jvlr Whyte added a corroboration that had just been placed in his hand from Sir Thomas. Mackenzie, High Commissioner for New Zealand in London. Sir Thomas, on receiving from a senior member of the congregation the two pamphlets issued by the session setting out the history of the Port Chalmers Church from 1848 to the present time, had sat down immediately, evidently with a full heart, and had sent his greetings to the survivors of his old friends in the church and his tribute to the heroes who were dead, whose portraits appeared in the booklets. Ho said he had come to Port Chalmers when 15 years old, and had remained there for three years. He spoke especially of tho minister (Mr Johnston), whose widow ho rejoiced to see so active still in the church, and of the venerable elder (Mr Reicl), whose instruction he had enjoyed in the evenings. He had been present at the opening, in 1872, of Mr Johnston's stone church. The preacher appealed to the younger members of the congregation to hold" fast traditions which old Port Chalmers boys like Sir Thomas so delighted to honour.