LAYING THE FOUNDATION STONE OF KNOX CHURCH.

Evening Star, Issue 3049, 26 November 1872, Page 2

LAYING THE FOUNDATION STONE OF KNOX CHURCH.

On the 24th November, 1572, John Knox, the most celebrated of Scottish reformers, died in Edinburgh. The tercentenary of his death was very appropriately chosen tor laying the foundation stone of the new church named af'er him, about to be erected on the site at the junction of Pitt street with George street. We gave a description of the proposed building a few days since. The interesting ceremony took place yesterday afternoou, at four o’clock. There were present on the ground the Rev. Dr. Stuart, the pastor of the Church ; several ministers of the Presbyterian Church, clergy of various denominations, some of the elders of Knox Church, Mr David Boas, architect of the Church ; Messrs Roach and Martin, the contractors tor its construction, and a large concourse of persons. The stone—a welldressed large-sized block of blue stone—was suspended, ready to be lowered into its place, and in a corresponding bed-stone a niche was prepared, in which a phial containing the current coins of the realm and copies of the Dunedin journals and magazines were placed. But prior to the ceremony of laying the foundation-stone, Mr Reith, one of the building committee, read the following historic statement: -

“ For several years past the Deacons’ Court had under consideration the advisability of erecting a new church, and the matter was frequently discussed by the Cpurt; bqt, owing to the depressed state' of trade experienced by all classes of the community, it was deemed wise to postpone taking action until such time as business matters generally assumed a healthier aspect. On the 12th day of April, 1870, it was resolved by the Deacons’ Court to purchase the adjoining section to the present church at a cost of 1.250, with the view of erecting a new church on the old site. On the 11th day of April, 1871, the Deacoqs’ Court resolved that steps be taken towards the erection of a new church in the course of the following spring. A subscription list was opened at the next monthly meeting of the Court, and the amount subscribed by the members present amounted to L 675 17s, A congregational meeting was held on Tuesday, the 12th day of May, 1871, at which it was resolved to proceed with the erection of a new church, capable of accommodating 1000 persons. A committee was appointed to canvass for subscriptions, and another committee (to act in concert with the Deacons’ Court) to obtain plans, and be prepared with information to be laid before anorher meeting. A committee appointed to enquire and report as to the probable cost of the foundations of the present site, and .also of a new site, unanimously recommended the purchase of the section adjoining the manse property as the site for the new church, aud the advisability qf keeping kjje present church for the use of the Sabbktji school. ” Aftej: much consideration it was resplved tjy the Deacons 7 Court to adopt th§ recommeudatiop of the committee, provided that Mr joh» Hyde Harris, the donor of the present site, concousentod to the change ; and the committee were instructed to obtain all necessary information, with the view of submitting the proposal to the congregation. A congregational meeting was then held o» the 21»t day of August, 1871, at which the proposal to purchase the section above referred to was discussed, and met with the cordial approval of the meeting, which recommended the purchase of the same, Mr Harris having acquiesced iu that arrangement. The Building .Committee having offered by advertisement the sums oi L|s and and LIS respectively, for the two best designs' for a stone church capable of accommodating 1000 persons, plans from 17 persons were sent in. The Committee gave in a final report bo the 25th day of duly, 1872, recommending, among other things, that the consent of the pongre* gatjou should be obtained to the principle that the Dpacons’ Court should select and appoint an architect for the erection of a new church This report was laid before the congregation at a meeting held on the Bth day of August, 1872, when a resolution was passed to the above-mentioned effect, and another resolution was also passed remitting the whole question of the erection of the new church to the Deacons’ Court, without limitation of amount. Finally, the Deacon’s Court held a meeting on the 22nd day of August ultimo, when a ballot was taken for an architect, aud Mr David Boss was found to have received the highest number of votes. The plans prepared by Mr Kess were adopted by the Court ; tenders were called for, aud that of Messrs Roach and Martin for the sum of LGBIB (which qoes not include seating aud lighting) was accepted. Apd qovy, after a great many vexatious delays—covering the space of one year—arising out of the choice of plans, for which tenders were called, and found to be in excess of the smqu sopght to be expended by the Court, we are this day put for the purpose of laying the foundation stone of the new Knox Cuurch. ”

Tho Rev. Dr Stuart then proceeded to formally place the stone in situ, and was presented by the architect, Mr David Ross, with a hand »m« silver trowel, the gift of himself and the contractors, Messrs Roach iand Martin. The trowel was purchased of Mr John Hislop, watchpia}-.cr and silver* smith, and bore the inspriptiop: —Rresepted to the Rev. D. M. Stuart, D.D., by P, Ross, architect, and Roach and Martin, contractors, on the occasion of laying the

foundation-stone of Knox Church. Dunedin, November 25, 1872, the tercentenary of the death of John Knox.”

The Rev. Ur Stuaft then came forward, and after applying the usual tests, he spread the cement, the .-done was lowered into its resting place, and striking it with the highly polished mallet of New Zealand wood, prepared for the occasion, he declared the foundation duly laid, and trusted it would prove a support to a first-rate fabric. The Lev. Mr Johnston then offered up the following prayer : —“ Almighty and ever blessed God, Creator of the Heavens and the Earth, and Maker of us all, we give Thee thanks and praise for all Thy goodness to us in times past, though we are nd worthy of the of Thy mercies. Yet there is forgiveness with Thee. We give Thee thanks for having sent Jesus Christ, who has brought salvation to us. "e thank 'I bee for the Church of Christ erected in this land; and especially we give Thee Hianks for Thy go dness to that section of the Church to which this congregation belongs. Oh ! we thank Thee that Thou has put it into the hearts of this congregation to erect a building for the worship of God in this city. Grant that this undertaking may have Thy precious blessing: especially protect the workmen from all accident during the erection ; and be pleased in Thy goodness to bring it to a successful completion, May it be long a support and blessing to this city. Let this congregation meet in it from Sabbath to Sabbath and worship Thee ; and do Thou grant them Thy blessing. Bless their pastop. May he be long spared to go in and out among this people, May the mantle of John Knox rest on him, and may this people long prove worthy of the name they have adopted. We thank thee for John Knox, the great Reformer, and for all the reforms effected in olden time, which have done so much for onr present liberties. Bless the office-bearers, elders, and deacons of all congregations. Let Thy blessing rest upon all congregations of Thy people in this land. May every Minister of the Gospel he endowed with Thy Holy Spirit, and all Thy people ze dous of god works. We thank thee for the favorable circumstances under which we have met this day. Grant that a spirit of liberality may be amongst us, and especially with the members of this Church, and hear, accept, and bless us, for Jesus Christ’s sake. Amen.”

The Kov. Dr Stuart then gave a short address. He stated that the foundation stone of Knox Church, King street, was laid on the 23rd November, 1859, by Mr liairis, the donor of the site. Many who on that day gathered round him had been removed by death ; but it was a blessing to redact he had still some of that noble band to support him who first stood forward to help him. The first Kaox Church, at the the time of its erection, was the largest and most commodious house of prayer in the Colony, yet Dunedin was little more than a full-grown village. But the expansion- of the Churph took plape more rapidly than was antic-h patod, owing to the discovery of gold in the .Province. It was pleasing to remember that ad the churches of the city fulfil the increased duties that devolved upon them through the sudden increase of population. He often recalled to mind the Arcadian times of the Province with pleasure ; but he remembered with greater satisfaction the first days of the goldfields, fqr they y/ere days of greater faith, and he thqugbf of greater enterprise. He might bp permitted to that f om the office-bearers of the Church ha had received every encouragement to preach the Gospel, and more assistance than ho could express. He was glad to bear test!mony to the fact, as it might prove an encouragement to those young men who were looking forward to take part in ministerial work. It showed that where Christian ministers did their work openly and man. fu ly they would be supported. He sometimes read very unfair representations of the Colonies in the Home papers. The Colonists were represented as caring for nothing be* yond money-making, and giving nothing for benevolent objects. For his part, he found far greater liberality and more frequent acts of benevolence in the Colonies than at Home. Several Churches on the goldfields supported the ordinance of religion, but mainly he was glad to see amongst the Churches in Otago 4 spirit of oharipy*iu their intercourse’ with each other. It was shown by interchange of pulpits when any happened to require assistance of that natuye. The future, eheiefore, required provision to bo made for. First, ground must bp broken up, the forest subdued, and schools esfablhhed; but if he could ;oreteii the futme from past expert, nee, there would be no difficulty. There were croakers who said Christianity bad lost its hold on the people, but it was not true. At no period in the Church's history was there so largo a number of educated men and women professing Christianity. Multitudes were to be found amongst men of the highest class of mind who maintained the doctrines of the Gospel. Even in America, where our cousins were proverbially “ cute” in their appreciation of the power of the dollar, a pillion ancf a quarter was actually given for the propagation of the doctrines of the Gospel by one denomination, and that not the largest. He asked to be permitted to thank those present for their sympathy in the proceedings of the day. He trusted the church would bp completed in such a way as to bring profit and comfort to the contractors, credit to the architect, and give satisfaction to the congregation. If spared to preach within its walls, he trusted he should never forget that love was the key-stoue of the Gospel, Ho desired to see Otago flourish by industry and instruction in religion. He trusted God would bless them.

Mr George Hepburn, one of the elders of the Church, said :—Dr stuart.—Eev. Sir, — I have much pleasure in being present with you on this auspicious occasion. It will, I have no doubt, be still in your recollection that I formed one of the small party who were waiting to welcome your arrival to these shores, on the old jetty, in January, 1800. 1 was also one of two who werp deputed by tbp First Church (Mr Burns') to form the nucleus of a session in the first formation of your present congregation, _ X was present at the laying of the foundation stone of your present church, in Movember, 18(50 at which time it was thought by some that the situation was too far out of town for such a building ; but, Sir, before two years had passed over us, the building was found to he so much too small for the increased and still increasing de eand for sittings, that an addition of one-third was speedily added to the building, making accommodation for about 900 sittings, which area has been fully occupied to the present time, many more applicants not being able to find accommoda. tiou ; henoe the effort now p«t forth to erect this new church. During this long period, you, as w'dl as myself, Sir, have witnessed many changes in the congregation. X TWf

more particularly to the Session and Deacons Court: while numbers were being added at intervals, numbers were also removed, and of those not a few to their long homes ; amongst whom were the father and pioneer of the settlement, < apt. Cargill ; I!ov . ilobt. Hood, elder; and our late .- ession clerk, Mr John Gillies. During all that time I have combined in office with yon, and by the good hand of my God upon me, have the honor to be s" still ; and I entertain the fund hope of being spared to see the cope stone of the new building finished, the foundation stone of which we have seen laid this day. .Not onlv so, but hope and pray that you yourself will he spa ed to (ill the pulpit on the opening day, and for many years more, to preside over an united and prosperous congregation, even long after 1 have gone the way of all the earth. May the building now prosper, and no accident occur to any one dining the progress of the work. The Rev. Mr Gillies pronounced the benediction, which concluded the proa edings. After the ceremony of laying the stone, the members of the Deacon’s Court invited the members of Presbytery, the ministers of other denominations present, along with the members of the Building Committee and friends, to a cold luncheon, provided at their own expense, and prepared in the vestry of the old church. A considerable number of the parties named accepted the invitation and partook of the good things provided At half-past six o’clock the congregation and friends met in large numbers to partake of tea, and celebrate the Tercentenary of John Knox. After the tea was cleared away tj)e Rev. Dr Stuart took the chair, and was surrounded by a number of members of Presbytery, &c., among whom we noticed Professors Black and Macgregor, Rev. J. Williams, Mr W. D, Stewart, and others. The Chairman stated briefly the purpose of the gathering, and said that though such celebrations had not been very common in Great Britain, the commemoration of the gieat reformers’ anniversaiies was a customary thing on the ( ..'onf incut. In this distant part of the earth they w-re not unmindful of the great services rendered to the cause of religion and civilisation by the icfoimer Knox and his couipee s and it was thought the present was a fitting opportunity for giving expression to their sentiments. He then called upon Professor Macgregor to address the meeting on the personal character of John Knox. . ~ , . Professor Macgregor, m an able and humorous speech, set forth the difficulty then 3 was iu properly estimating the personal character of a man like Knox. He said the feeling he had was this—that, what with the uncertainty—the haunting feeling that one had—that history was competent t-> give a faithful and true account only of the thoughts of the men who wrote it, what they were and what their thoughts were—the ages that v/ «*e gone were «s a booit with fcpvCU seals tqHt. were o. her things whiph made it difficult to bring Knox into focus. They were not tit to be judges of Knox without mental preparation. It was a mighty and eternal truth that only a man of worth could understand worth, and know it when he saw it. To understand Knox they must understand the manner of the times he lived in ; what circumstances surrounded him ; what impelled him to the front. r % Frfifowi-r .hen, with a few graphic touches, sketched Knox as the poor man’s son, college hied, preaching occasionally, apd Worms the rough cubs of a Scottish laird till £or>y ; as the companion of Wish art the martyr j as a reformed preacher, speaking with trumpet tongiie'aml kindling the lire of life wilhm the ribs of death ; as a toiler m the French galleys; and then as the grim uncompromising presbyter, bravely defying and petting' at nought the blandishments of the Scottish Queen. . The Rev. Mr Will was the next speaker, and addressed the meeting on “Knox as a Refo mer,” A , The other speakers were the Rev. flJr Will, Professor Black, Mr W, D. btewart, and the Rev. Dr. Copland. 1 The proceedings were enlivened by the performance# of an efficient choir unatr the leadership of Mr Francis, and the cateung, both for the luncheon and tea meeting, was satisfactorily performed by Messrs Hudson and Co, 1