PARISH CHURCH JUBILEE

Waikato Independent, Volume XXXI, Issue 2781, 28 November 1931, Page 6

PARISH CHURCH JUBILEE

COMING WEEK’S CELEBRATIONS. EARLY HISTORY OF S. ANDREW’S. BACK TO 1871. The jubilee of the consecration of tho present Church of S. Andrew, the second Parish Church of Cambridge to have S. Andrew as its patron saint, is an historic event of first importance. New Zealand is, naturally, not rich in historic associations so far as length of years goes. For so new a country, she lias truly wonderful historic events already accumulated. Of these, the most wonderful arc events connected with the Church and ir.s establishment in the Dominion (or Colony, as it then was). Names like those of the Selwyns, and the Williams family, stand out in tho history of both Church and State, to say nothing of prominent lay-folk, like Sir William and Lady Martin, and the Campbell family, which had special connections with Cambridge. But we shall do well to make much of any and every bit of “history in the making” which camos our way. For that reason it is to be hoped that tho people of Cambridge and district will enter fully into all the function arranged in connection with the jubilee of the Parish Church.

It is a far cry back to the year ISBI, but it was on the 31st day of August, of that year that the present Church of 8. Andrew was consecrated. During tlic long years that have intervened, the Parish Church has been well and faithfully administered. A name that will cvc-r be associated with the foundation of the church and the parish is that of the late Archdeacon W. N. de L. Willis. He it was who guided the parish through many years of adversity and progress, but always keeping to the fore the Christian spirit and ideals of the church. In later years, there have followed in the wake of Cambridge’s beloved vicar, clergymen who have done their best to follow tho splendid example of Archdeacon Willis and who have faithfully endeavoured to minister to the people of the Parish according to the highest ideals of Christianity and the example laid down by the High Authority. That they have achieved something for the Glory of God is evidenced by the continued progress of the church and the staunchness of the people of the parish. Archdeacon Willis piloted the parish church for a life-time to be followed bv the Pews. C. Mortimcr-Jones (.17 years) E. Lionel Harvie and the present Vicar, Archdeacon G. Gordon Bell. In later years the clergymen mentioned have been ably assisted by curates in, Pews. W. Averill, 8. Waring, X. Lukcr and C. W. Clark.

As has been mentioned during the coming week the jubilee of consecration will be fittingly celebrated, but it must be noted that the records of the movement by which Cambridge obtained to its own Parish Church really go back further to the year 1871. Before that year very occasional services were held by Archdeacon Pritt. In the year mentioned Bishop Cowie visited Cambridge for the first time and arranged for a regular monthly service by Rev. L. C. Brady, of Te Awamutu, in the Wesleyan Chapel. Bishop Cowie encouraged such laymen as he found to begin regular committee meetings and to appoint wardens, etc. The first such meeting was held in the Wesleyan Chapel on September 3, IS7I, when Rev. Brady nominated William Selby as vicar’s warden, and Mr Chapman Ewen was elected parochial warden. The first committee elected comprised Messrs Brunskill, Hyatt, Hugh Campbell, Hughes, Ross, J. P. Campbell, Stewart, and a little later Messrs McNicliol, Dr Pollen, while Mrs Booth was appointed to preside at the harmonium. A year later Mlessrs Chit tv and Parr were added to the committee. The Pirst Church. It was in the year .1872 that the erection of the first church (now the old Parish Hall) was discussed and eventually a tender of Mr Cooper of £290 was accepted. The church was actually opened on Sunday, April 11, 1873. In 187-1, owing to a new organisation of work Rev. F. C. Lloyd relieved Rev. Brady, and Cambridge was administered with Hamilton and Ngaruawnhiu. instead of Te Awamutu. in the following year the Rev. William Calder, of Hamilton, succeeded Re r Lloyd, but he did not reside at Cambridge. There was no outstanding evuit it: 187(3, but in the next year Rev. W. X. do L. Willis was appointed, and took charge as from January 2, 1878. This was a quiet period in the early years of the church, but in the second half >T 1879, the need of increased accommodation was emphasised and instructions were given for plans for a larger church. The following year was spent in routine and in organising fee funds in aid of the new church. On Jamiel, of 1881 a tender cf £1570 wm> accepted. The foundation stone was laid on January 21 and the existing S. Andrew’s Church v ’s actually consecrated on -August 31 of that year.

Early Workers. In the ten years that followed from 1371, those actively associated with the church, in addition to the first committee already mentioned, were Messrs Ewhart, Parker, Reynolds, Lamb, Walker, Ferguson, Richardson, Hunt, Seccombe, T. Hicks, Smalc, Graham, Smith, Webber, Lyon, T. W. Hicks Asliwell, Fantham, Lambert, Young, Williams, Stuart, 'E'won, Wilson, T. Wells and Heaney, Fifty Years Ago. As we have mentioned S. Andrew’s was consecrated on August 31st, 1881, the day on which the Church remembers the passing to his rest of the great missionary Apostle of England, S. Aidan. We quote, from the “New Zealand Herald,” of September Ist, 1881, the following brief account of the consecration;

“The weather was very inclement, lait a large concourse of people from all parts of the district assembled to witness the ceremony of consecration of S. Andrew’s now church, the floral decorations of which were exceedingly beautiful. Amongst them were some elegant specimens of heath, from the gardens at Bishop’s Court. Shortly before eleven, the voluntary, by Mr Beale, commenced, and at cloven the Bishop and his chaplains entered by the vestry door and were met by the Revs. Willis, Pritt, Dudley, Gould, Calder, Philips, Davis, the churchwardens and members of the Cambridge and other vestries, with the petition, praying that the church bo consecrated. The procession, headed by his Lordship, then walked round the aisles to the chancel, repenting the 24th Psalm. The deed of consecration having been duly placed on the Communion table, the Bishop turned to the congregation, invoking the Divine blessing on their work. The deed of consecration was then read by the Chancellor of the Diocese, and signed by the Bishop. At the close of the prayers which followed, a sermon was delivered by Archdeacon Pritt. The choir was particularly strong, being largely supplemented from the choirs of other Waikato churches.” That the residents of Cambridge of that day fully realised the importance ol ; the event is shown by the fact that, as the “Waikato Times” records, “the occasion was made 'a public holiday, all business of a practical nature being suspended throughout the day.” Of the clergy present, three, besides Archdeacon Pritt, who was the preacher at the consecration, were destined to become Archdeacons, the Vicar of Cambridge, the Rev. W. N. dcL. Willis, the Vicar of S. Peter’s, Hamilton, the Rev. W. Calder, and the Vicar of Holy Sepulchre, Auckland, the Rev. B. T. Diullev.

Incidentally, it is interesting to realise that the present Vicar oi' Cambridge, Archdeacon Bell, followed, at an interval of years, in the footsteps of Archdeacon Willis, who, like our present Vicar, came from Holy Sepulchre, Auckland, to take charge of this parish and to become Archdeacon of Waikato. Mrs Chitty, who is still resident in Cambridge and an ardent supporter of the Parish Church, assisted with the music by presiding at the

harmonium. An euphonium and a cornet were also used at the service to supplement the music of the organ, Mr C. D. Mackintosh playing the euphonium. At the social gathering, which followed the consecration, Mr Mackintosh conducted the string band, the members of which were Messrs Treewhellar, Neale, Kccsing, Bates, Lamplugh, J. A. Beale, Waltho ami Stuart. Mr Beale was organist at the consecration, assisted by Mr J. Neale. Mr T Wells, who was churchwarden and also synodsman for Cambridge, presented to the Bishop the petition praying for the consecration of the Church.

The reply of Bishop Cowie, as previously published, was outstanding in its inspiration to the pioneers of these days. In his sermon Archdeacon Pritt also paid tribute to the staunch support to the church of the early parishioners, and spoke interestingly of early settlement. What would the Bishop, the Archdeacon and the early stalwarts say to-day if they could look back from .193.1 and trace the progress of S. Andrew’s of Cambridge. In the fifty years that have followed the consecration of S. Andrew, the church has been faithfully administered and it has, of course, played an outstanding part in service to the community. It has been favoured by the support of stalwarts of the district, many of whom have now passed on.

As referred to elsewhere the celebration of the church’s jubilee takes place during the coming week, it having been agreed to some years ago, that although the actual anniversary fell on August SI, the festival should be held at St. Andrew’s-tide this month. However, the actual date of the fiftieth anniversary of the church’s consecration was observed by the laying of the foundation stone of the new Parish Hall, and special services on Sunday August 30 last.

A further article dealing with the life and service of the church during the past quarter of a century, together with those administering the church to-day, will appear during the coming week.