Bell Block Church.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 11777, 27 September 1901, Page 2

Bell Block Church.

FOUNDATION STONE LAID. The ceremony of laying the foundation stone for tho new church at Bell Block was a most successful function. A considerable number of townspeople journeyed out by train or carriage, and for tunately the weather did its duty valiantly. " holding up " until all out idoor proceedings, had terminated. • Ovei 100 poisons gathered round the stone to take part in the open-air service, which was most effective The clergy and surpliced choir (St. Mary's) filed out to sing the opening hymn, " The Church's One Foundation," after which came appropriate psalms and the anthem, i "They That. Stand." The Rev. F G. Evans, in a brief address, referred to tho peculiar interest • which attached to the little church which was soon to be demolished to make room for the new St. Luke's. It had stood ] unharmed through the Maori war, and now, by a curious coincidence the firssi subscription for the church which was tn '. replace it came from a Maori. The mal . let with which the stone would be laid [ was also an additional link with (he past and connected the Mother Churcb . of St. v>ary with her offspring at Bell : Block, for part of it was made from one ' of the old puriri posts which first en- ! circled St. Mary's, and part was made from one of the old communion rails of ' St. Luke's .It was a source of profound • pleasure to the community to have this ' foundation stone laid by Archdeacon 1 Govett, who had for fifty years laboured in the service of the dif-trict. Captain Cornwall then presented tho mallet to the Venerable Archdeacon, who • performed the formal ceremony very im- , pressively. Tho service altogether was • ■ a very earnest one. A collection taken up after tho service i resulted in an addition of LBBs to the s church fund. Afterwards, the visitors adjourned t< s the hockey match, the first spell of which s proved to be a football match, 17 on the i field. The strict obedience to rules of play was sometimes hampered by the 5 presence of several dogs on the field, bu: I the match was none the less interesting. 5 'the concert in the evening was w el' - attended and much appreciated. The - programme was as follows:— Piano duet 5 Misses Skeet and Standish; song, Mr C. [ Long (encore); song, Miss Hoby; song. [ Mr, Cartwright ; Maori item (encore): > song. Miss Drake ; duet, Miss Butt and i Mr Waitai (encore) ; song, Miss Skeet » (encore) ; song, Mr Cartwright ; Maori 1 item ; song, Miss Skeet; song, Mr Chong: 1 duet, Miss Butt and Mr Waitai ; song. I Mr Gorringe. The audience was ver} enthusiastic and most of the numbers . .were re-called. During the evening th* vicar gave a brief address, congratulating the district on the success of the da^ i Captain Cornwall also proposed a vote ' of thanks to all the helpers. • ". ' 5 The clergy present during the day were the Yen. Archdeacon Govett, Revs. F. G ; Evans, H. T. Rawnsley, F. W. Young, and S. Garlick. Apologies were received \ from other ministers. A number of la} ' readers were also present, including ' Messrs Bennet, sen., and J. Young. ' A noticeable improvement which has ' t just been made is the erection of a lamp- ; post in the grounds, between the gate and j the church. This was presented by Mi ; O'Driscoll. To Mr C. W. White, tht caretaker, and an indefatigable workei for the church, is due the credit of getting the lamp post on the grounds, paint j ing and erecting it.