CHRIST'S COLLEGE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 182, 11 December 1868, Page 2

CHRIST'S COLLEGE.

, ■ • ■• — ■ — ♦• • * Yesterday morning, the chapel of Christ's College was consecrated by the Lord Bishop of the Diocese, with all due ceremony. The effect of the interior of the chapel has just been very materially enhanced by the insertion of stained glass in the east window, the gift of Messrs Harman and Oondell, and by the addition of two handsome, standard altar lights, the gift of the Bishop/ A large number of ladies "and gentlemen, besides almost all the Fellows, were assembled at the appointed hour to attend the service. iWong the clergy we noticed the Right Rev\ the Primate of New Zealand, the Very Rfev the Dean of Christchurch ; Canons J. Wilson, G. Cotterill, and B. W. Dudley; the Revs. W. W. Willock, C. Bowen, W. C. Harris, and F. Pember. After the petition had been read at the chapel door, and assented to by the Bishop, a procession was formed, and moved up the chapel, while the Psalm xxiy. was said. The prayers were read by the Head Master of the School, the Rev W. W. Willock reading the first lesson, and the Rev G. Cotterill the second ; after the third collect, the hymn " Jerusalem the Golden " was sung, when the Rev B. W. Dudley took up the prayers to the end. Before the Communion service, the second hymn was sung— "Veni Creator." The- singing of these hymns and the chanting of the proper Psalms was- very creditable and effective. The Bishop now proceeded with the Communion service, supported by the Dean and the Rev Canon Wilson, Svho read the Gospel and Epistle respectively. A plain and appropriate discourse was then preached by the Bishop from the text " Lord I have loved the habitation of Thy House, and the place where Thine .honour dwelleth." After remarking how, on several occasions, the Psalmist hadused the same kind of language, the Preacher snewed why it was that David loved tha place and conduct of public worship, namely^, oecause he looked upon it as a token that God existed and was present ahiong them; that both in the Tabernacle and in the Temple God shewed by manifest sjgns, (the pillar of cloud filling its courts)that He was visiting His House and His people; that in the Temple God was manifest in the flesh, when „our^ Blessed Lord .-Jesus Christ ministered therein • that ndw-we have" no visible presence, but that with the eye of faith we may still realise that God is amongst us, and that all tke externals of public wor--

ship serve to aid this realization ; that in the greatest of all acts of worship— the Sacrament of Christ's body and blood— tbffi^jn^i^ goes to Christ and Christ comes ro^m>--Tiie;. preacher then referred to the ginsLt benefit which the chapel would be to iJfe College school-boys, urging #iat by this means theyH would be trained not only intellectually but also morally, regarding the entire, man, body, soul, and spirit; that the yotmgeritb'oys even would receive a blessing^ althbughlthey might not be able to comprehend all they saw and heard, even as the children of -the Galiloean peasants, who, though unable-, to form an adequate conception of Christ, yet received and benefited by His blessing. The sermon, which was listened to throughout with profound attention^ was followed by the offertory collected in aid of the chapel expenses. The Holy Communion was then administered to a large number of communicants, and thus the proceedings terminated. Luncheon having been partaken of, the visitors and pupils assembled in the large schoolroom, where the ceremony of presenting the prizes next took place. The walls had been tastefully decorated with evergreens in honour of the event, and although the limited light prevented them being seen to full advantage, they had a very pretty effect on the general appearance of the room. A raised platform at the northern end was provided for those taking a prominent part in the proceedings, and the prizes, consisting of beautifully bound and choice books, were displayed on a table covered with scarlet cloth. The Right Rev. the Primate of New Zealand presided, and there were also on the platform the Very Rev. the Dean of Christchurch, the Rev. Canons Wilson and Dudley, the Revs. W. W. Willock, W. C. Harris, (Head Master of the College), G. Cotterill, and Messrs Donald, Tancred, Maude, Barker, Simmonds, and Worthy. The pupils were ranged along each side of the room, and the centre was occupied by a large and fashionable party of visitors. The Right Rev. the Chairman with but very brief introductory remarks then handed the prizes to the respective winners, and each recipient as he descended from the platform was greeted by hearty applause from the audience. •^ u The following is a list of the successful competitors: — EXTRA PRIZES. Senior Somes' Scholarship— G. Whitcombe, 1; T. S. Foster, 2. Mr gould's phizes. Mathematics — G. Whitcombe, 1 ; H. Cotterill, 2. : Shakespeare and English Grammar — G. N. Willmer, G. Harper. Dictation— M. Davie. Writing — F. Furby. MR WORTHY'S FRIZES. Fourth Form—W. Percival. Third Form — J. A. Caygiil. CLASSICS. Sixth Form (upper)— G. N. Willmer, 1; G. Harper, 2. Sixth Form (lower)— H. Cotterill, 1 . Fifth Form—W. L. Searell. Fourth Form- -W. Percival. Third Form— J. A. Caygiil. Second Form — F. Furby. First Form— F. C. Hawley. MATHEMATICS. First Division— J. Gould, G. N. Willmer. Second Division (upper)— (Mr Gould's prizes.) Second Division (lower) — G. Merion. Third Division— T. Hill. Fourth Division (upper)— Ollivier. Fourth Division (lower) — F. Furby. Fifth Division (upper)— E. Allen. Fifth Division (lower) — J. Lee. FRENCH. Sixth Form— G. Harper, G. N. Willmer. Sixth Form (lower) — Fifth Form— . Fourth Form — C. Whitcombe. . mubic. . First Class— T. S. Foster. Second Class — G. Gordon. . Third Class— Y. DonaldT/ , The ceremony of presentation being concluded, a choir, selected from the junior pupils, and comprising thirteen voices, sung "The Savoyard's Song " under the leadership of Mr J. F. McCardell. They had only had a few. days practice together, but still the various parts were sustained with a very creditable unison of tone, and beyond a slight unsteadiness in time, little could be found to take exception to. At later periods of the afternoon, they also sung " s The Lark," " The Oak Tree," and " The Shepherd Boy's Song," with equal success, on each occasion receiving a large measure of applause. These were interspersed with some dialogue pieces by the elder pupils, who acquitted themselves with . no less credit. The parts were spoken with a fluency and correct intonation seldom evinced by such young amateurs, and these did' not go unrecognised by those in the body of the room. The pieces and characters sustained were as follows : : — A Greek selection from Sophocles' JEdipus Tj/ranniis—Creon, G. N. Willmer; JEdipua, G. H. Harper; Chorus, C. Fen wick. Shakespeare's King John, Act 2, Scene 4, Prince Arthur, H. Cotterill; Prince Hubert, G. Wliitcomoe. Shakespeare's Henry IV., Act 4,Scene,lT-rFalstaff, F. F. Fenwick; Prince Henry", 'T? S. Foster; Poms, J.Gould: Bardolph, G. Whitcombe; Peto, H. Cotterill; Gadsill, A. W. E. Stiffe. " The proceedings were finally closed by -the-Rev. W. C. Harris stating that the Christmas holidays would commence on the following day, which was greeted with a roundpf applause from the b.oys, proportionare 'tb ' effect siich an dnnouncement is calculated to have on the juvenile mind. This having been demonstrated to their -satisfaction, several rounds of cheering were

giyenfor the more prominent participators gSj|jipiiiß|g£s proceedings, and the company