GOLDEN JUBILEE.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1972, 31 January 1914, Page 9

GOLDEN JUBILEE.

PBESBfTERIAN CHURCH IN OANtERBTJUY. On January 26, 1864, the Presbyterj' of Canterbury met for the first time; sederunt.—Jliiiistere: Revs. C. Fraser (Christohurch), G. Grant i'oa), W. Kirton (Kaiapoi), and -W. Hogg (Ashley District); ddors, Mesara, (J. Duncan, J. Gillespie, and J. M'Noil. Tliat was the beginning of dru'reh government in Cantcrhury as far as tho Presbyterian Church was concerned, but many years prior to that 6taiuieh adherents of tho Church had made tlieif homes in the province. It was not imtil 1853 that anything in tho natuTO of - chijreh crganlsatloii was ; started:, fin.October of tliUfcy«Mr the Kov. John'Moir called at Lyttelton «n his way to Wellington, On the Saturday evening ho crossed' the hills and on the following Sunday conducted divine service, tho very first service conducted by a. minister of the Presbyterian denomination in Canterbury. The visiting clergyman also baptised a number of children, and bis , visit was productive of much mood. It broyt?ht tJio members of tho church together, and stimulated them to take action, A meeting was held early in 1854 to can* sidef the proposal to build a ehurch. The loto W. K. M'Dftnald. of Oro.ri, presided, and the late J. Deans promised a donation of. £100 towards tho ouikTinn: fund. That was the first big stop, for it resulted in the establishment of St. Andrew's Chnrch, tho fi;-.st (i!id to this day one bf tfeo Most active Presbyterian congregations in tho province. The church" was built on a site gran tcil by the Provincial Government of the day. The Rev. Ovaries Frnser was called to the ohatgo, and wifli his wife arrived in in In Febrnary, 1857, the chiirrli was ojvflii<«l. Although iiominall* tho ..puslxir's charge extended- from Kaiapoi to Lyttelton and tl» P-nninsiila, aetually 'Jt embraced tho whole province, St. Paul's, 3iow tlio Ifirecst P.re«bt> tcrinn eonjtroßation tn Ohristchiirch, will celebrate its jiibileo in a few weeks. The early 'sixties eatv the cliareb extend its work in many directions In 1871 there came into existence an organisation that did. great ssrvi-ce in extending tho work of the Church in the rtrevme*. Tho Canterbury Presbyterian diUrcU Extension Association drew 'tnuch of its strenetlj from laymen. Tim Association entered into an arrangement with tlio Colonial Committee of -tho Free Church ef Scotland wherehy ministers wet-e sent out when needed, and tho association guaranteed- a stipend of £200 per annum. Another city church, Knox Church, was established in 1880, Tjip first minister was tho Sev. David M'Eoo. who for Itealth. reasons hnd been oomneHed to resign the pastorate, of the Rutland Square Church, Duiitiii. Ho was an eloquent preneJior, and a jnau of great power and influence. Hacl lie been spai-od ho would hnve done groat things'for his elnirch, hut within a year of his induction 'he died. One of the ministers who exertisod a great deal of influence in Church matters was the Rev. Gordon Webster, who from 1887 to 1900 was pastor'of St. Anrirow's. 'Prior to 1000 tie Presbyterian Church in New Zoii'nncl w.w <3i» vided into two seotkms, the fWitheTTi spntion embracing: all soatb of tW Wnitnki and the northern faction nil north' of flint river. When Mr. Fraser was inducted ha was. with tho exception <if the !Rcv. P. Cnlder. of Nelson, tho only Presbyterian minister of the northern Church in the South Island. With others, tho T?ev, G. Webster devoted him?Ai to the task «f uniting the two Clmrebrs, and that cnnsimiinntion was ochiovpcl in lflOl. In 1300 tho IW. John Mackenzie was culled to St. Andrew's, and has laboured vliero with success «i\'pr sine l .

Tlie CnntM'bwy Presbytery now includes all cliar"os north of the B-nn.ui-intiv River. Church lias in tlio district thirty-six choreas and mission stations, with an nttnndaiire of 8000 a* cln-mc sorvieo every Sunday, fliere an? •IO?S elmrch members, and the revoinin list year was £17, % 2n3. Tliwft s.ro 3fi Bible classes, with 753 members, mid mi, meomo of .-C3-lfl; 7-5 fSnmky scliools. with .391 tdelwrs awl 3880 f-clioliirs. jiinl mi iiiwmi<* for Cimrels is\irpnst(S of £725. In nil thefe iiro f«rtv-ni)K> clmrdies, s«ti spvvicos are held in 109 nlacos. The last cpusns stave tlw numlier of Pfcsbvteriaus in the province as 35,1 ilO. In social mrii'fors, the OJuifcli has doiw it« sliafc, niui now possesses a splendid orpliannsc besides carryius on valvinble work ainonji the noor niid t<lo yoniiF;.

As was onlv to lift expected, the iPriMStivtery intends to fittingly relobrato its iiiliile'f-. It will meet on February 11 for IjiiKi'iieiS. nnd in tlw> afternoon will hoUl t\ luiwhoon. In the Cvouiiig a iniMii! mootina will he hold ill the schoolroom of St. Andrew's, tlio uiotlusr oln'.roli. Nt ldiich eiieeshcs will be delivered flealing with all pheeoS of One dhuroli'o ijoris .tolng f/b» BSt.^JffJi"