CHURCH NEWS AND NOTES

Southland Times, Issue 19223, 19 April 1924, Page 8

CHURCH NEWS AND NOTES

FROM PULPIT AND PEW. Miss Lilley, Zenana Mission representative, took the service at St. Andrews Presbyterian Church, South Invercargill, last Sunday morning and on Tuesday evening a lantern lecture was given. Miss Lilly is well known by most Invercargill people who have listened to her talks on previous occasions and so a large attendance at the lecture was present. Miss Lilly has a very nice collection of coloured slides and with the assistance of Mr A. W. McCaw, was able to give a very interesting evening. The Melodist Young Men’s Bible Classes under the guidance of Mr Geo. Brown are holding an Easter 'Camp at Maple Grove, Oteramika Road, during the holidays. Mr Cyril Burton, travelling secretary for the Methodist Young Men’s Bible Class will give the address at the morning service at St. Peter’s Methodist Church, Elies Road, to-morrow. The Rev J. H. Haslam will address the evening congregation on “An Easter Message.” An Easter service was held at First Church yesterday morning at 10 o’clock when the Rev J. L. Robinson gave an address on “The Meaning of the Cross.” The Congregational Church commences its services in the Y.M.C.A. gymnasium, Tay Street, on to-morrow week, April 27. Mrs M. C. Finch, a lady preacher of considerable experience, will be conducting the services. The accumulation of flowers, fruits, vegetables, seeds, grain, and other farm and garden products at the Otautau Presbyterian Church on Sunday last was a tribute to the mildness and productivity of the present season, says the Otautau Standard. The blending of colours was wonderfully beautiful. It is a feature of the present season that the autumn tints are more glorious than ever. The members of the congregation had responded with liberal hand to furnish the purest of their store, and the collection was unique and bountiful. On Saturday a willing body of lady workers, with a few male workers, were engaged for a good part of the day transforming ungainly heaps into the picture of beauty the Church presented at both services ojn Sunday. At tiie morning service the Church was comfortably filled, very few empty seats appearing. In the evening it was packed, including -the aisles, into which extra seats were requisitioned. The choir had to be content with very congested accommodation. Special hymns were sung and an apropriate anthem in the evening was rendered. Rev Mr Macdonald gave fine stirring addresses which were listened to with wrapt attention. At the conclusion of the evening service the minister, in the name of the office-bearers, returned thanks for the generous help received from all .over the parish. The 1924 harvest festival may be put down as the most inspiring in the history of the Church. A successful sale of the produce took place in the Town Hall on Monday evening. The Presbyterian Y.WJ3.C. of Southland ( and Mataura districts are holding a camp during the Easter holidays at the Waikiwi School and Public Hall. About 70 young people are attending and a good time is assured. The Y.W.B.C. travelling secretary for New Zealand, Miss R. Wilson, is present and Sister Janet, of First Church, will act as Camp Mother. Several big meetings will be held besides study circles, etc., and a picnic and a day’s sports will make the camp pass all too quickly. The girls are all enthusiastic and as this is Southland’s first ; venture in an Easter camp it is to be hoped that it will be a most successful one. The services at the Esk Street Baptist Church to-morrow will be taken by Mr J. M. Murray in the morning and Mr J. Lopdell in the evening. WYNDHAM PRESBYTERIANS. CHURCH’S GOLDEN JUBILEE. The loyal and sincere interest taken in Wyndham Presbyterian Parish by past and present members and adherents, was practically illustrated on Sunday, when a packed congregation assembled to take part in the devotions of the morning service, and an almost filled church was in evidence at the evening diet of worship. The choir was in strong force for the occasion, and led the praise portion of the service efficiently. Rev. Alex. Sangster, MA.j 8.D., of Duntroon, occupied the pulpit both morning and evening, and the numerous friends among the worshippers of so devout and popular an ex-minister of Wyndham Parish were gratified to see their former guide, counsellor and friend once more with them in elect office. The afternoon service at Glenham, also conducted by Mr Sangster, was attended by an unusually large congregation. Rev. John Pringle, M.A., Edendale, has compiled the following resume of historical facts in connection with Wyndham parish (formerly known as Lower Mataura): — Previous to 1874, the Presbyterians of the Mataura Valley had been visited by Rev. Charles Connor, of Popotunoa (Clinton) ; but in the above mentioned year Rev., James Henry, MA., was inducted as minister of “Mataura” at the Tuturau Schoolhouse. The “Mataura” parish at that time extended from Fortrose to Knapdale, and the same area now comprises the six sanctioned charges of Fortrose, Wyndham, Edendale, Mataura, Gore and Knapdale and the mission stations of Brydone and Redan. Probably, also, part at .least of the present parish of Waikaka Valley was embraced in Mr Henry’s pastoral ministrations. The newly-made charge of Mataura was added to the Southland Presbytery. In 1877, Rev. J. M. Davidson was inducted at Mataura, and Mr Henry’s charge became known as “Lower Mataura.” It was still extensive enough to tax the physical resources of such a robust man as Mr Henry; so after ten years from his induction, he resigned and went to Lauder, Central Otago. His later days were spent at Invercargill. Rev. Robert Wood was the second minister of Wyndham, and was ordained and inducted in 1884. Six years later he was translated to the charge of Masterton, where he was inducted October 1, 1890. He afterwards held the pastorate of Waikari (North Canterbury), and is now residing in Wellington. Next came Rev. James Bain Smellie, during whose ministry the Presbytery of Mataura was formed on April 7, 1891, with Wyndham as one of its constituent charges. After seven years and eight months, Mr Smellie accepted a call to the Smith of Dunesk mission (South Australia), but afterwards returned to New Zealand as minister of an Auckland charge, where he died on October 4, 1898. Rev. James Aitken was ordained and inducted at Wyndham on October 26, 1899, and was afterwards translated to the charges of Khandallah (Wellington,) on February, 1904, thence to Mosgiel, and subsequently to Gisborne, his present sphere. Rev. Alexander Sangster, M.A., BD., was inducted on February 21, 1905, and was translated to Duntroon, Oamaru Presbytery, September 26, 1913, Rev. James Clarke, who had been previous minister at Fairlie (1881-83) and Palmerston South (1883-1914), was put in charge of Wyndham on January 28, 1914, After four years in this sphere, he entered on what proved to be his last pastorate (Waimate), where his death took place rather suddenly after a year’s work.

The present minister, Bev. John E. Lopdell, received his theological training at Dunedin, 1908-10, and was ordained at Orepuki on February 1, 1911. Towards the end of 1916 he was appointed a Chaplain to the N.Z. Expeditionary Force; and on his return to New Zealand he was called to Wyndham in April, 1919.