PRIMITIVE METHODISM AT TE HENUI.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 13328, 20 November 1906, Page 7

PRI MITI VE METHODISM AT TE HENUI.

; The most historic building in the ! Primitive Methodist connection- in this side of : the world - was the old .Te Henjui Church, which was pulled down some years ■ ago on account Jpi ita i great age. , Had the^.oldxhtircn been • still standing it .would have been jsbfty-two oQ.iJ&e Ift Sepjtenrber last. Its founder, the i w 3Jev. •Robert Ward, arrived in the spring of 1544, at New Plymouth, to begin bis labours as , the pioneer missionary some of the very old settlers will no ■doubt fern-ember, the reverend gentleman pDea/sh|ng Ms first sermon, on the .BHiatofei %idge, using, a ch^ir % a^Vhis 'pulpit/ A few months later hie turned his . attention definitely to T« H-enui as the scene?,. -of, his future efforts., A church was built with a parsonage, and (Mr Ward's! efforts met with signal ,jsuc-.ceas^'^TtP'd-years after the' erection ofTthe .church the Rev. Henry Green arrived from the Old Country, to ' assist him in his .work, and- this -gave Mr Ward the opportunity of seeking A to con-duct-a mission amongst -the iMuoris. £>ervic§s w^re conducted in eclevern r pahs, and no. o doubt .yjihej. wor^ 1 accomplished had its effect in helping materially to advance the best interests of ihe < Maori. After six years' labour at Te -Henui, 'Mr Ward was 'succeeded 'by the Rev. Joseph Long. The latter named will not soon "be forgiotten ; his kirid,ly and. courteous manner won for him a host of Mends, and after labouring! for nine year?.- s amongst the settlers, he returned to the Old Country and was not seen again' in NeW PlymoutJh until twenty-three years later. 'In the intermediate ;time Mr WardT was again placed in charge, viz., abo<ut 3859, and soon after this the war broke out, and the . Church parsed through stirring' titoes. It wias a connmon sight to see between eighty ami a 'hundred members - meet together to partake of the Lord's j Supper. In 1862 the Queen Street Church was built, and the Te Hemii then became second* in '• point ,of cruder. Time went on, and siich tmen as George Bassett, „ James . Bellringer, Bdw-ard Moyle and many. others did their work nobly and. well in helping to maintain the good work already -well established ih tbc ok} church. With their passing away, the old church! passed also. Many of the members either died or moved away to other districts. This necessitated the closing- of the ohuroh, an<l shortly, after, owing 1 to its state of decay, it was deemed advisable -to pull down the building. For five orsix years "Pitzroy has been, without a Primitive Methodist Church. With ithe object of r-e-JestajbßshftilgiftlhfeJicihureh., mission! services' have been conducted in the Fitzroy Hall for nearly 3 years under the superintendence of the Key John Nixon. The Eevs Wooloxhall, Daniels anti JDoherty have successfully laboured towards this end. and such success has attended the efforts of those in charge that sufficient fu-nJp have been collecWi to effect Ihe ereoof a new church, on tho old site. The ceremony of J&ying 1 the foundation stone will fee performed by Mrs James Bell- , ringer on Thursday, ©i 3 o'cloc 1 «.(22nd Noyerti^bfei?),; anjdi> t^erphurph"; will be opened (D.V.)on January 13th, 1907. It -fe hoped , that Rev. Charles Ward, i*on of the Bey. Eobert, Ward (who; openeii tEe oldchuron) will preach the opening sermon,^ who will., thereby, form' a living, 'lank between , the past and present history of the church.

Indents of Ladies' Sfrap and Pump Shoes and also Gent's Boots of sup erior style and quality* just arrived a 1 Dockrill's, Devon-street Central, wVerr reliable lines '/jf .'alt sorts are always :n: n stock at bed.rock ; prices. Qmtn^n orders . receiver/prompt attention.*