ST. JOHN'S CHURCH.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1921, 2 December 1913, Page 9

ST. JOHN'S CHURCH.

DIAMOND JUBILEE CELEBRATIONS. The sixtieth anniversary of ihe foundation of St. John's Presbyterian Church wan further celebrated last evening, when a meeting was held in the church to hear congratulatory addresses. The Hcv. J.)r. .lames Gibb, pastor of St. John's, presided, and associated with liim were: tho Revs. Andrew Cameron (Moderator of the Presbyterian General Assembly of New Zealand!, A. C. Itaudersou (Moderator of tho Wellington Presbytery), J. Patorson (for 35 years pastor of >St. John's), J. Kennedy Elliot (Kent Terrace- Presbyterian Church), J. Connie (secretary of the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand), J. Peed Classon (Terr,teo Congregational Church), Messrs. "'. K. Sidey, M.P., ,). C. Thomson, M.P., and others. The Rev. J)r. Gibb said that it largo number of messages of congratulation had been received. These would be read at this evening's gathering in the Town Hall. He expressed gratification at tho generous ottering of members of the congregation on Sunday, when the collection realised over £1200, Such a response was to him cmple cv'denco that tne church was not yet dead. Tho Rev. A. Cameron said that ho was especially pleased to see that so manv young people wero taking part in the celebrations. This boro testimony to tho good work which was being done by Dr. Gibb and his office-bearers. Ho heartily congratulated the Rev. Mr. l'atersmi, the senior minister of the congregation. In Otago they had regarded the late Dr. Stuart almost as ti saint. For his own part lie had looked on Dr. Stuart as the ' personification of Iho Church in tho south and Mr. Patorson in the north. Tho Rev. J. Patcrson heartily thanked tho congregation for the, congratulations which had been accorded, him. Tho "dearest 'wish of his heart was for the welfare of St. John's, and ho prayed jthat his successor (Dr. Gibb) should bo blessed in his work. The Rev. J. R. Glassnti referred io the close historical alliance between tho Vrncln-tcriau and Congregational Churches. Several schemes for tho organic union ol tho two Churches —tho Methodist body being also included— had fallen through, but they understood each other better now. There were no questions of orthodoxy now to bo considered, ami he believed tho time was ripe for union of tho non-Episcopal Churches. A united Church could a great deal mare for the extension of tho Kingdom of Christ in tho Dominion than several separate Churches. There was at least very littlo to keep the Coiigregalionalists and Presbyterians apart. The speaker concluded by congratulating St. John's on its jubilee, and referred to its splendid record, in that the church had had only three ministers in sixty years, Tho Rev. J. K. Elliot, tne oldest member of the Wellington Presbytery in active service, recalled the tact that the first pastor of St. John's, Mr. Moir, had been tho minister who admitted tho great missionary, Dr. Livingstone, to tho communion of tho Church. Mr. Moir had been a Congregational minister, and when he thought of that tho speaker often wondered why there should be any difficulties as to tho unite of the Churches. Several other addresses were delivered," and tho choir sang a number of .anthems.