PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

Southland Times, Issue 23297, 6 September 1937, Page 15

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

NORTH CHATTON JUBILEE CELEBRATIONS BEGIN A little over 50 years ago the North Chatton Presbyterian Church was erected and yesterday the jubilee celebrations began. At both morning and evening services the church was packed with present members and adherents, and visitors from all parts of New Zealand who had once been district residents and members of the church. The church provides a link with the pioneering days of the Waikaka district and the names of many families claiming long residential qualification are closely associated with its progress. The church has a proud record of the number of young men of the parish who have come forward to take holy orders during the last half-century and many are now holding charges. The morning service yesterday was conducted by the Rev. G. Miller, who was the officiating minister in the parish in 1894. Mr Miller said that the church had been opened in 1886 by the Rev. A. Stobo, of First Presbyterian Church, Invercargill. The first minister of the church had been the Rev. W. Wright, who had been a man of sterling character and who was much loved by the people. In 1889 the Rev. P. Ramsay was inducted and was minister of the Knapdale, Otama, Waikaka and Waikaka Valley churches until 1894. He had been a fearless‘vigorous preacher and was much esteemed by the people. “The early settlers were a fine healthy lot of men and women,” said Mr Miller. “They stood for righteousness and their influence was a wholesome atmosphere for the sons and daughters to follow them. I was inducted in 1894 and here, Waikaka Valley and Wendon Valley, we had a splendid lot of office-bearers.” Mr A. McQueen had been the session clerk and the speaker said that he himself had been in the district for about five years. They had been very profitable years, he said, and very happy ones. The people were very kindly and gave him a very warm welcome in their homes. “I received much from them, and I hope that my work was not without fruit in their midst,” said Mr Miller. Continuing, the speaker said that the early settlers had had a very difficult and hard time. It had meant hard work to turn rough and unploughed land into green meadows and yellow com fields. They had faced the work with courage, however, and today the younger generation was reaping the fruits of their labour. ‘We thank God today for their fruitful work and for the way they were faithful to God, building churches and supporting the, ministry word,” said Mr Miller. BUILDING OF CHURCH The Rev. J. S. Young, who was minister of the parish in 1918, conducted the evening service and took as his text, Joshua 24, verse 15. “As for me ,and my house we will serve the Lord. He said that one could well imagine that these words expressed the thoughts and feelings of the pioneers as they conferred together in 1885 about the building of a church suitable for the needs of the district. They desired to unite in worshipping and honouring God. Continuing, the speaker said that in his latter years Dr F. B. Meyer was wont to emphasize the fact thta man was essentially a spiritual being. Man is a tripartite being,”’ said Mr Young. “We speak of body, mind and spirit. We must realize this and strive for harmonious development of all sides of our being, otherwise we shall sadly fail of God’s purpose in our lives. If we cultivate the body and neglect the mind we may become merely animal athletes. If we cultivate the mind and neglect the care of the body we shall be poorly fitted to serve God and our fellowmen. We may cultivate the body and mind, but if we do not open our hearts to the spirit of God we can never become sons of God in the sense spoken of in John 1 (12). /As many as received Him to them gam the power to become sons of God. So doing we become conscious of new {relationship with God, conscious of his fatherhood, love, care and presence, he said. The celebrations will be continued today and a banquet will be held this evening.