Terrace Congregational Church, Wellington,

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XII, Issue IX, 3 March 1894, Page 206

Terrace Congregational Church, Wellington,

THIS church occupies an excellent site, being the corner section of Wellington Terrace and Bowen street, directly opposite the entrance gate to Government House, and within a stone’s throw of either Government Buildings or the Houses of Parliament. The architect was Mr B. W. Mountford, of Christchurch. Its design is Gothic in character, although decidedly original in style, the result being very pleasing. The church fronts on to Wellington Terrace, and is built entirely of wood, having a high-pitched roof, finished with an apse at one end and a turret at the other. The main entrance is a large, open porch, off which, on either side, are lobbies leading to the cloak rooms and into the church. The dimensions of the building are as follows : —Length of nave 64ft., width of nave 25ft., total width of church 55ft, total length of church 80ft., height of nave 36ft., height of turret 77ft. The schoolroom and vestries are situated

immediately at the rear of the church, the street entrance to both being from Brwen-street. The size of the vestries (combined) is 34ft x 16ft. The minister’s platform is situated at the further end as one enter a the Church, the splendid new organ occupying a central position thereon, doors to both right and left leading to lobbies giving access to the deacons’ and pastor’s vestries, and also to the street. On each side of the nave are three transepts, in the gables of which are placed the main windows, all of which are filled with ‘leaded lights’ of tinted * cathedral ’ glass. The dado is formed of alternate red pine and kauri boards, above the dado the walls being plastered and distempered in colours which contrast well with the rich red of the rimu, of which the window frames and roof are constructed. For artificial lighting the building is well provided with gas brackets and pendants of a very neat kind.

The schoolroom communicates with both vestries, and is entered by a porch from Bowen-street. It is a lofty building 50ft x 25, lit at each end by large windows, similar in character to those in the church. It is tastefully bung with banners, texts, etc., contains both piano and harmonium, fitted with every convenience, and is in fact an exceptionally comfortable room of its kind. Externally the whole building presents a very pleasing appearance, although, as will be seen by the picture, the multitude of telegraph and other wires in its immediate vicinity somewhat mars the general effect. The total cost of the land, church, and fittings was about £5 500. It was formally opened on Friday, May 26th, 1888, by the late Rev. Dr. West, assisted by Revs. W. J. Habens, J. K. Elliott, E. D. Cecil, and J. Dumbell, and in a little more than a year after its opening thanksgiving services were held to commemorate the extinction of debt in connection therewith. All seats in the church are free,

there being no sources of revenue other than voluntary contributions to meet the general expenditure. We subjoin a few interesting facts concerning the history of the church. Amongst the early arrivals in 1842 was the late Mr Jonas Woodward, who, although engaged in business pursuits all his life, took a most active part in connection with Christian work, and was the founder of the first Congregational Church established in New Zealand. Mr Woodward conducted his first services in the Mechanics’ Institute, then situated in what is now known as Charlotte street. On June 14th following the friends with whom the movement originated, five in number, formed themselves into a church and started a Sunday-school, Mr Woodward being appointed its first pastor. The progress of the new church was steady, and a further advance made by the erection of a brick building in the neighbourhood of Murphy-street for their use. In 1848, however, severe earthquakes having

rendered thia edifice unsafe, it was decided to build a church in Woodward street (so called after the Mr Woodward here referred to). This church was opened for public worship in May, 1849. During the next decade the congregation so increased that in 1859 application was made to the Colonial Missionary Society to send out a pastor. In response, the Society sent out the Rev. W. H. Scott, who, after four years, resigned, his successor being the Rev. W. M. Fall. During Mr Fell's ministry, which continued about seven years, a new and much larger church was erected on the site last referred to. Mr Fell resigned in order to return to England. In 1871 the church invited Rev. (afterwards Dr )W. H. West to become pastor. Mr West, who was educated and ordained at the Congregational College, Melbourne, accepted the invitation, and continued its pastor up to the time of his death, in 1888 During Dr. West’s ministry the growth of the city and of the congregation necessitated the erection of a second church, that in Courtney Place ; and in 1887 twenty-three members of the mother church were transferred thither to form the nucleus of the new church. After Rev. Mr West’s death, Rev. Mr Austin was for some time pastor of the Church, but returned to England in 1890, and was succeeded by the present pastor, Rev. G. J. Allen, whose photo we publish in this issue, together with

some interesting particulars, by which it will be seen that his life has been a most active and useful one. We regret the views given of the interior of the Church are on so small a scale, and do not give an adequate idea of its lofty and handsome interior as a whole, but our Wellington correspondent, when forwarding the same, stated they were the only views of the interior available at the time. REV. G. J ALLEN, B A. The subject of our sketch was born at Chichester, Sussex, England, and educated for the ministry at Springhill College, near Birmingham (and which was subsequently removed to Oxford, and is now known as Mansfield College). Before completing his college course he took the degree of B. A. in London University. His first pastorate was in the old county town of Warwick. There he settled in

1858,and remained (first as co-pastor with Rev. J. W. Percy, and afterwards as sole minister for eleven years). In 1869 he removed to Macclesfield, Cheshire. During his ministry at Macclesfield of twenty-one years, new church and schools were erected at a cost of £lO,OOO, the whole of which was paid off within five years of their erection. Here in addition to the regular work of the ministry Mr Allen established a higher grade day school, which, under the head mastership of a B.A. of London University, soon became a marked feature in the educational work of the town. He was for several years sub examiner of the London University, country director of the London Missionary Society, and also was Chairman of the Cheshire Congregational Union. Besides the usual church organisations, Mr Allen established a ‘Pleasant Sunday Afternoon,’ and ‘Young People’s Christian Endeavour Society,’ being one of the first of these Societies started in England. The strain attendant on this long and important pastorate ultimately induced such prolonged sleeplessness that Mr Allen, acting on medical advice, resolved to take a year’s holiday, and, though urged by his people to return to them, he felt unable to comply with the request, and in 1890 resigned his charge and sailed for Australia. On arriving in the colonies Mr Allen’s health had so much improved as to enable him to accept the temporary pastorate of Pitt-

street Church, Sydney, for three months, after which he accepted the unanimous invite of the Terrace Church, Wellington, where he has ministered for the past three years. For some considerable time past he has been suffering from a return of insomnia, and recently decided to return to England, and with that end in view sent in bis resignation as pastor of.the Terrace Church, which has been accepted with much regret, and Mr Allen and his family have arranged to sail for Home during the month of March. During his three years’ Wellington pastorate, he has done much to promote the general prosperity of the church, Mrs Allen likewise being most active and energetic in connection with all church matters. During his term of office a very fine pipe organ has been erected (at a cost of over £500), children's services introduced, Christian Endeavour Society formed, etc. In leaving Wellington Mr and Mrs Allen will

carry with them the beat wishes of many warm friends, who, whilst deeply regretting the cause necessitating the severance, trust the needed rest and change will speedily have a most beneficial effect on Mr Allen's health. As a

Minister Terrace Congregational Church, Wellington. minister Mr Allen was thoroughly evangelical in bis preaching. His kindly smile and hearty greeting will long be missed by those who enjoyed his friendship during hie Wellington pastorate.