DEDICATION SERVICE

Evening Post, Volume CXVII, Issue 106, 7 May 1934, Page 14

DEDICATION SERVICE

PEESBYTERIAK CHUECH

KELBURN CONGREGATION

GROWTH IN RECENT YEARS

■ In spite of the adverse weather, there was a large attendance at the Kclburn Presbyterian Church, on Saturday afternoon, when the church, which was recently renovated aud enlarged, was dedicated. The ceremony was carried outj.by. the Bt. Bey. D. D. Scott, Moderator of the General ■ Assembly, and the Rev. J. Hubbard, minister of the church, conducted the service. Others who assisted were the Itcv. J. B. Blanchard, Moderator of the Wellington Presbytery, who led a prayer of intercession; the Eev. R. luglis, clerk of the Presbytery, who read a lesson from the Old Testament, and the Hon. _A. Hamilton, who' read a lesson from the New Testament. •

In addition to the ministers who assisted in the service there- were also present the Revs. C. J. Tockor (Invereargill) and F. J. Usher, and the following members of the "Wellington Presbytery:—The Beys. L. H. Hunt, J. B. Lopdell, J. kj. Loan, A. A. Armstrong, P. J. Wainwright, F. H. Wilkinson, \V. Gilmour, G. AY. Hunt, J. 11. McKcnzie, E. J. Orange, D.. M. Hercus, and W. It. Milne. Apologies were i received from the Beys. J. T. Maekay, William Shirei', and L. J. Boulton Smith, and Messrs. W. Greig, W. Hopkirk, and A. Smith.

INDIVIDUALS' AND THE CHURCH. The addvess was given by Mr. Scott, who took as his text Acts ii, 1: "And when, the day of Pentecost was fully cqflic, they were all with ono accord in one place." : Two great facts of human Jife were, seen in the pi-ivatc personality and iiL the .community of personalities, he said. '■ Each person in his own soul felt himself distinct-from all others and could not disclose" all his'inner life. Yet, although there was that enormous privacy, human beings could not live in complete' ./.detachment:—they needed society. Every content of our thought was socially derived, social, pressure having been brought/to bear from the day of birth. Christianity had begun as ,a group movement, and Christ's fust thought had been to found the fellowship of the disciples. Thus from the very first the Church was a group movement. The idea now so prevalent, that association with the- Church was not vital, was tEen" quite unknown and- "undreamt of. . ■■ . '

The speaker denied'that-one did not require to go to church to believe in God and the Gospel of Jesus Christ, as men said today. The positive belief they had in, God was something they derived from missionary propaganda in past ages. 3Nfo man knew how much he owed to the Church for his moral beliefs and impulses. It was said quite glibly that the Church was so divided !that,brie did not know ivith which part one should become .identified. That was not such a difficulty. As in choosing a' diet, man could soon, decide what was good for his soul. Moreover, in the Christian Church there were some

truths on which she knew no'division. In the New Testament the Christian was also a churchman. They wore altogether with the Church, and for the Church, '5 and so may it be in the life of this congregation," concluded Mr. Scott. ■.'. ■■:.'.-. '■:-.. Special reopening' services were held yesterday, when the Bey. J. B. Elan--(oiar.ii,;;'3klo.deratpr; ~of tho ; Wellington Presbytery;'dedicated the pulpit, font, lectern', and communion table. CONGREGATION'S GKOWTH. -■'•It is'-interesting to recall the growth of the congregation at Kelburn. Commencing ill August, 1905, worshippers assembled on each alternate 'sabbath evening in the residence of the late J. P. Campbell, of Upland ■ Koad. The number" attending justified an arrangement being made in' April, 1907, with the Anglican authorities for'the use of I their ehurch-rpom alternately with the Anglican;, scryic'ssV This; continued un-til:Februarj-j' 1909? ■by .wluch time the land upon which the'-church stands had been acquired at a cost of £.825, towards 'which A 225 was in hand. On February, 28, 1909, the church-room' was opened for divine service. The architect on that occasion was Mr. W. Gray Young, who was again consulted when the present alterations were carried out. ■"'•■■':

■For some time the conditions'.did not allow of a, settled minister, and services avoo conducted by, supply i ministers. Among the first of these was tTvo Bey. Hector Maclean, later minister of St. Andrew's, Du'ncdin, and now Professor of Old Testament Studies in Oruiond College, Melbourne. He was followed by Rev. Charles Connor, of Napier, who did excellent work, visiting the district and building up the nucleus of what has now become one- of; the i' strongest suburban churches in KeSv Zealand. ;

The'cause continued to grow, and in November, 1909, the congregation was in a. position to call their first minister, the Eev. A. C \V. Staudagc, M.A., now of Maori Hill, Duncdin. Under his. do-j voted service, rapid -progress was made. The church was .enlarged, a Sunday>schoolr'hall with Bible class, rooms was erected, and a nianse was; built. As showing the devotion and. enthusiasm, .manifested by. the members, it may be noted that on no occasion was application made for, a grant-in-aid from, the -Home Mission or sus.tentation funds. In July, 1919, the Kiev. Mr. Standago having., accepted a call to another charge,'the Eev. William Day became I the second minister of the charge, I'or eleven years until September, 1929, Mi:. Day carried on a faithful ministry, building-; wisely and surely upon the splendid foundation that had been laid. In February, 1930, the .Rev. John HubbaA'd, M.A., 8.D., was inducted to the Kelburn charge. During, his brief ministry the membership has almost doubled, the debt has been cleared off the old church, and the present handsome addition erected.' A beautiful baptismal font, presented by the Bible classes, is in position just below and to the right of the pulpit. Tho chancel is a fine piece of work, specially designed by .Mr. V. Gray Young. -. ■ .. ■ . ! The builder and contractor was Mr. !'B. Griffin, of Northland. . The church now has seating accomI'modation' for 400 people, very nearly double its former capacity. Tho nature of the additions is typical of modern Presbyterian Churches. There is a chancel-end, with a pulpit on one side and a, lectern on the other, and the communion table is set back in the chancel. A new pipe-organ is being installed-in the new part of .the church.

Tho ■ first regular minister at the church -was the Rev. A. C. W. Standagc, now of Maori Hill, Dunedin, who -was inducted in November, 1909. During his time the church -was enlarged, and a Sunday school hall and a, manse wove built. He. was followed in 1919 by tho Bev-W. Day, who ' caviled on faithful ivbtk for' eleven years. In February, 1930, the present minister, the Rev. .1. Hubbard, was appointed, and under his tare the Church's' activities have expanded further. ■

Two sets of twins in eleven months, is they remarkable, record -of Mrs. Brown, wife of tin agricultural labourer u£ Clements, Norfolk.