FOUNDATION STONE LAID

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 120, 14 February 1921, Page 6

FOUNDATION STONE LAID

ST. MATTHIAS’S CHURCH, MAKARA.

There was a good assemblage of Anglicans at Makara on Saturday afternoon to witness the ceremony of laying the foundation stone of the new church there. The stone, ■which is of nimble, was the gift of Mr. Mansfield, of Karori. The weather was beautiful, and the Bishop of Wellington (Dr. Sprott) was attended by the following clergy :- The Ven. Archdeacon Johnson, the Rev. A. L. Hansell (vicar of Lower Hutt), the Rev. W. Fancourt (vicar of Newtown), the Rev. A. AV. Payne (vicar of Kelburn), the Rev. .1. Sykes (vicar of Kilbirnie), the Rev. C. I'. Askew (vicar of St. Mark’s), the Rev. O. J. Kimberley (general secretary to the Board of Missions), the Rev. C. H. Isaacson (vicar of Johnsonville), the Rev. AV. J. Hands (vicar of Khandallah), and the vicar of the parish, the Rev. G. A.. Woodward. The service began with the hymn We Love the Place 0 God,” and the special lesson was read by the Archdeacon of Wellington. After the Bishop had laid the foundation stone in the solemn words of the service, he addressed tho people present. Dr Sprott took for his text the 9l)th Psalm and the first verse: “Lord, Thou hast been our refuge from one generation to another." He said he congratulated the parishioners of Makara on their efforts, which had resulted m making a start on the building of thennew church. It had been in their minds and hearts for a number of years, and i’f it had not been for the war the church would have been built some time ago; but the war had stopped most of the work of the world. He was glad that they bad not been disheartened, and he thought that it was a wonderful th’n”- that a permanent and lasting church was to be built; it marked a great achievement and showed what a few people could do. The Bishop went on to say: ‘Although this is a great and happy day, to many of the old settlers there be a feeling of sadness. The old church stood for 54 years, and was built when Makara was a young .settlement. To the older members the edifice which has been removed had become endeareci it was where their children had been baptised confirmed, and married, and in which the last rites of burial had been performed. These are sacred associations, and there must have been something of sadness w'heu the old church disappeared. Bat the time has come when we here in New Zealand should have permanent buildings, not only m churches, but in other structures There are very few memorials of the days ot the old' settlers to remind us of those who first came to this land. It is now tiTne for us to begin ■■-buildings that will last to remind our successors of the age in which we lived. In the Old Country many of the churches have stood for centuries, and around them 'have grown sacred associations. It is for us to erect such churches that will remain and have something of the same meanin” here. There is n sacredness in worshipping in buildings where our forefathers 'have sat, kneeling where they have knelt. There is a great use m a permanent church. It reminds us of God the God of our fathers as well as of us the home and refuge of them and also of us, the God who is from generation to generation. A permanent building in some faint way brings homo to us t'he changelessness and goodness of C 'l*n' concluß-on Dr. Sprott said : That the church they were now putting up might last for generations, and the gladness of that thought might overcome the feeling of sadness that came with the passing away of the old. The new church is to be built in reinforced concrete, and in style is early English, with lancet windows and heavy tower nt the north end. The architects are Messrs. Here and Williams, of Wellington and the contractors are Messrs. MWiear. AVnlker. and Smith, of Karon.