JUBILEE OF CHURCH

Taranaki Daily News, 8 November 1932, Page 14

JUBILEE OF CHURCH

PARISH OF ST. MARY, HAWERA

TRIUMPH OVER ALL DIFFICULTIES HISTORY OF FIFTY-TWO YEARS The palish of St. Mary of the Virgin, Hawera, celebrates the jubilee of its church to-day. The steady advance made by the church during the past fifty years is one in which the parishioners may take pride, and the jubilee celebrations serve to commemorate the work of the hardy pioneers who laid the foundations on which success was built. In the words of the present vicar, the Rev. H. W. James, TYiany have passed to their rest, but the church and its many activities bear daily witness.to their love and devotion.

THE CHURCH IN HAWERA

HISTORY OF THE PARISH

FIRST SERVICE HELD IN 1842.

FIRST CHURCH BUILT IN 1881.

iBISHOP BELWYN THE PREACHER.

FORMERLY PORTION OF CARLYLE.

The history of the Church of England in New Zealand opens, so Mr. and Mrs. John Houston point out in their narration of the‘ story of St. Marys, with the singing of the Old Hundredth on Christmas Day, 1814, at the Bay of Islands. The Rev. Samuel Marsden preached from ; the second chapter of St. Luke’s Gospel, verse 10, “Behold I bring ye tidings of great joy.” Bishop Selwyn held his first Maori service in Taranaki on October <23, 1842,

Though St. Mary’s is celebrating its jubilee-this year it is actually 52 years since it came into existence as a parochial district, and 51 years since the first church.was built.- However it was not until 1882 that a priest was permanently stationed at Hawera. In the early days Hawera was part of the parochial district of Carlyle. The district was a large one and only occasional services could be held by. Mr. Dasent, who drove from Patea in a buggy when he could. Mr. A. S. Hobbs, Meremere, assisted as a lay-reader. In 1881 Mr. J. R. Lysaght represented the district on the Synod. The same vear saw the erection of a wooden church built by Mr. Duffill, a Hawera contractor. The building was a lofty one consisting of a porch, nave, chancel and vestry. There was a large east window over the altar and a row of smaller windows on either side. The new building was filled for the opening and consecration by the Bishop of Wellington, assisted by Mr. Dasent, on December 11, 1881. On November 12, 1882, the Rev. W. Hevingham Root was appointed to the district. In 1885 a special meeting of parishioners was held to consider the financial position. The district .was too large and unwieldy, and it was decided to ask the Bishop to exclude the area north, of the Waingongoro Stream. The meeting also decided to institute an envelope system. This proved, despite the then depression, a sound basis for the chuich s finance. . ■

not very far from where the church of St. Mary’s, Hawera, now stands. Thia was at the important pa Waokena. About two and a half miles away was the place known to the Maori as Te Ha-wera, “the burnt place.” During the troublous times of the Maori Wars of the ’sixties, the history

of the Church in South Taranaki is the story of the military chaplains' attached to the forces operating in the field. Hawera itself was originally a military settlement. A central, point was given /to the infant community by the establishment of a block-house in 1870. By March, 1874, there were 438 Europeans in- the Hawera road district, and of these 257 actually resided within the settlement. - : In the seventies, the Rev. A. Dasent, ■who was the curate of Carlyle, the parish centring round the town of Patea, periodically drove over from Patea to Hawera for the purpose of holding services. When a Presbyterian Church was established in Hawera, the Anglican serc vices were held in that building by the courtesy of those in control of it. ■ The original Church of St. Mary was built in 1881, and in 1882 the first curate-in-charge, the Rev. W. H. Root, was appointed. Fifty, years have passed, bringing many changes.

The following year saw the area north of the Waingongoro excluded, and thereafter only occasional visits to the plains were made by the curate* in-charge. A new Sunday school room was opened the same year. An entry in the service book of 1888 is: “Hero endeth the ministry of the Rev. W. Hevingham Root, the first clergyman of this parish. His Ministry began on the 12th November, 1882. It was during his Ministry that the parsonage, school-house and the Normanby Church were built. He left for Tasmania, where he had been appointed to a cure, on Thursday, sth January, 1-888.”

GIFTS MADE TO ST. MARY’S.

ROOT handsome presentations.

Many gifts have bepn presented to St. Mary’s by parishioners and friends. The following list is by no means exhaustive: . The pulpit (Mrs. Riddiford, dedicated Christmas Day, 1004). The carved panels were the work of Mr. Andrews (Wanga- , uni). The altar desk and pulpit brass desk (friends in Salisbury, England). , Copper alms dish (in memory of Clifford William Holgate, who was the means of sending from Home over £lOO for the Church Building Fund). The credence table (Mrs. Joseph Quin). Altar candlesticks (Mr. J. W. Warren). An altar table (Rev, J. A. Jacob). The font of Caen stone, with marble. pillars (dedicated November' 17, 1906). This was the gift of Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Hirst in mAm ory of Jane Hirst. Set of altar linen (Mrs. Cassell’s own handwork). Prayer desk for Sanctuary (Mr. and Mrs. A. E. Morris). Oak pedestals (Mr. F. Hancock). Robe cupboard (Mrs. Pease). Pipe organ (Mrs. Pease). Carved oak altar and reredos (Mrs.. Cassell, in memory of her husband). Credence cloth (Mrs. C. D. Arlidge). Cushioned kneelers for Communion rail (Mr. and Mr-s. Salmon). Brass altar vases (Mrs. Pease). Processional Cross (Mr. ahd Mrs. F. W. Sutton). Altar linen, chalice veil and purificators (Girls’ Club Easter gift, 1926). Portage altar, complete with ornaments and linen for use at Holy Communion in country centres. First used at Fraser Road, July 31, x 1932.

For three months services were in the hands of the lay-readers, Messrs. H. Caplen and W. A. Parkinson. After that there was a steady succession of clergy, including the Rev. J. R. Thorpe, who as assistant to the Curate of Carlyle had paid visits to Hawera prior to its' establishment as a district. By the dawn of the new century increasing population and the> greater frequency of clerically conducted services pointed to the need for a new church. A donation list was then opened, but it was not until 1902 that the present brick building was erected. In 1898 the Rev. E. W. J. McConnell, BA., was appointed assistant curate, his work being principally at Te Roti. He was succeeded the following year by the Rev. A. L. Hansell, formerly of Wantage, England, and now Archdeacon of Wairarapa. When the sum of £lOOO was in hand it was considered opportune to commence on the erection of the new church. Messrs. Warren and Stephenson were the architects, and Mr. E. A. Pacey the contractor. The last service in the old church was held on August 17, 1902. From then till the completion of the building morning services were held in the schoolroom and evensong in the Opera House. The foundation stone of the new church was laid on September 8, 1902, by Bishop Wallis, and on July 1, 1903, the building was opened. The Ven. Archdeacon Towgood gave an address at Holy Communion at 9 a.m., the vicar preached at morning prayer and at choral evensong there was a sermon by the Ven. Archdeacon Cole. A t evensong there was an attendance of about 500, many being turned away. After the departure of Mr. Jacob the work of the parish was carried on for some months by the Revs. D. O- Hampton and J. E. Holloway. When the Rev. J. R. Cassell came to the parish he had the assistance of the Rev. W. F. Stent, who in 1909 was appointed Vicar of Manaia. , , In 1910 the debt on the church was still about £lOOO, and a determined effort was made to clear it. Nearly £4OO was raised. . The Rev. J. C. Davies commenced work as a curate in 1913. He was stationed at Normanby, and his work was principally in the outlying districts. The Ven. Archdeacon J. R. Cassell died early in 1915. Until the new vicar, the Rev. C. H. G. Cowen, arrived the Revs. J. Blackburns and W. FordHutchinson relieved. The consecration of St. Mary’s too—place in 1916, the Bishop 'of Wellington, the Right Rev. Dr. Sprott, performing the ceremony. The parishioners could at last worship in their church knowing it to be free of debt. In 1917 the charging of pew rents was abolished. Curates in later vears were the Revs. C. J. Busk King, L.Th., A. L. Barnes, BA., and C. Dobbs, B.A. For a few months in 1931 Mr. J. Mutter, student assistant, assisted the vicar. The parochial district of Hawera was constituted a parish by resolution of she Diocesan Synod on July - 3, 1924.

The monetary gifts include: Legacies, £3OO from the late Mr. W*. A. Parkinson; £5O from the late Mrs. King; £lOO from the late Mr. Charles Clarke Woods; £2OO from the late Mr. George Barnard; £5O from the late Mrs. Nicholas. Mr. Cecil Hawken, Mokoia, presented a £lOO debenture.

Gifts to St- James’ include a cross from Archdeacon Jacob; silver chalice and patten, the work of Mr. A. C. Atkinson; candlesticks from Mrs. H. T. Lysaght; vases from Mrs. F. E. Moore; lectern from the old Hawera church; and hangings from Mrs. Jim Houston.

WIDE AREA OF PARISH

FIRST EXTENDED TO RAHOTU.

The parish includes the parish church of St. Mary’s and the two churches of St. James’, Mokoia, and St. Paul’s, Nonnanby. In addition services are held in outlying’ districts, though the size of the area has decreased considerably. At present services are held from time to time at Ararata, Ohangai, Fraser Road and Whakamara. All these centres, as well as Hawera, Normanby and Mokoia, have been served for many years. The Ministration has depended on the number of priests serving the parish, but the Ministry could not have been, carried out unless there had been a willing band of lay-readers. The original district was a huge one comprising 800 square miles. It included all the land as far as Rahotu, as well as the territory south to Whakamara. Rahotu, Opunake, Manaia, Kaponga, Ngaere, Eltham, Normanby, Mokoia and Whakamara were all within the original parochial district.