THE COLOMBO ROAD WESLEYAN CHURCH.

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 946, 6 July 1877, Page 3

THE COLOMBO ROAD WESLEYAN CHURCH.

The ceremony of laying the foundation stone of the new Wesleyan Church, Colombo road, took place yesterday afternoon. There were a good number of spectators, and a string of flags waved in front of the section on which the new building is to be erected. A platform had been placed for the accommodation of the ladies, and punctually at three o’clock the ceremony commenced. Among those on the platform we noticed the Eevs. Messrs Crump (St. Albans), Hodgson (Addington), Worker, Smalley, Aldred, Morley, and C. Eraser. The Eev. Mr Smalley, on behalf of the building committee, had great pleasure in calling upon the Eev. Mr Crump to commence the ceremony of the day. Mr Crump was the chairman of the district, and what thenfriends the Presbyterians would call the Moderator, and their friends the Episcopalians the Bishop. The Eev. Mr Crump then gave out a hymn, which all joined in singing, and the Eev. Mr Hodgson engaged in prayer. The Eev. Mr Aldred then read a chapter of Psalms, after which he called upon the Eev. Mr Morley to address the meeting. Mr Morley then proceeded to speak as to the points, aims, and objects of the Wesleyan religion, and indicated a few of the more immediate matters which he said had from time to time come under his notice in that place. Wesleyanisra was above all a practical religion, and was the means of doing a vast amount of good. They were not very exacting in the conditions they imposed upon their members. The apostolic model was carried out so far as it was possible to carry it out. A great feature in their religion was that their ministers did not stand aloof from their congregation, or arrogate to'themselves any divine right as standing between God and the members of their church. The laity too had a good deal to do with the management of church affairs in their denomination. Wesloyanism was making great strides in the old country, but still more in America, where all the year round a church a day was consecrated. In conclusion, he expressed the great pleasure he had in being present, and trusted the building, the laying of the foundation stone of which they were met to commemorate, would long prove a blessing to the district.

The Rev. Mr Smalley then read the following paper, which is a copy of the document placed in the bottle. In the name and to the glory of the Triune God, tliis foundation-stone wan laid by Mrs George Gould, of Springfield road, Christchurch, on Thursday, July sth, 1877, being the forty-first year of Her Majesty Queen Victoria’s reign, and the Marquis of Normanby being the Governor of the colony. The church is to be erected by the combined effort of the congre-

gations of the Christchurch (Durham street) circuit, of which at present the district forms a part. When built, this church will, however, become the head of the Christchurch (Colombo road) circuit, of which the Eev. Joseph S. Smalley is appointed the first minister. The Rev. Wm. Kirk is the president of the New Zealand Wesleyan Conference for the present year, and the Rev. Wm. Morley, secretary. The Eev. John Crump, of St. Albans, is the chairman of the Canterbury district, and the ministers of the Christchurch (Durham street) circuit are the Revs. Wm. Morley, J. S. Smalley, and Wm. Worker; Mr Smalley being the pastor of the Colombo road district. The following are the members of the building committee :—The ministers of the circuit, with Messrs John Wilford Smith, John Cumberworth, Matthew Hall, Wm. Shierlaw, Edwin Bundle, Joseph Shirley Buxton, George Reese, Thomas Elmsly, William Ward, John Rutland, Wm. Hams, John Ballantyne, and C. W. Turner. Mr T. S, Lambert, of Christchurch, is the superintending architect, and Mr James Goss, the contractor. Herewith are deposited copies of the Christchurch daily papers, the Press and the “Lyttelton Times,” of this date; also, “The New Zealand (Wesleyan” for July, the New Testament according to the authorised version, a photograph of the Durham street church, minutes of the New Zealand Conference for 1877, and of the first genei-al conference of the Australasian Wesleyan Church in 1875, and a coin of the realm. God Save the Queen ! Mr Lambert, the architect, on behalf of Mr Goss, presented Mrs Gould with a case containing a beautiful silver trowel, with pearl handle. He also presented a box, made of New Zealand wood, engraved with a suitable inscription, containing the square, plumb, level, and mallet, his own gift. ' The bottle having been placed in the cavity and the stone lowered, Mrs Gould, after the usual formalities, declared the stone well and truly laid. A collection having been made in aid of the building fund, Tine Rev Charles Fraser addressed the meeting, and commenced by paying a very High compliment to Mr and Mrs Gould. For his own part, he had always deeply sympathised with the Wesleyans, because in the old times, when the Presbyterians had crossed the borders, the Wesleyans had thrown open their churches to them to hold their services in. Besides, he had himself, at one time, acted both as Presbyterian and Wesleyan. There could be no doubt that England was greatly indebted to the very important part which Wesleyanism had played in its history. Speaking of certain differences that existed between the Presbyterians and Wesleyans, Mr Fraser said he should be very glad to see them relegated to the schools of philosophy, or some of the debating societies with which the colony abounded. In conclusion he again expressed his great pleasure at being present. After a few remarks from the Revs Messrs Aldred and Smalley, Three cheers were called for Mrs Goidd, and were given with great heartiness. The proceedings terminated with the singing of the Doxology. In the evening a soiree in connection with the laying of the foundation stone took place at the Colombo street schoolroom. Tables were laid for the accommodation of a large number of people. The tables were well provided by the members of the congregation. After the tea, there ‘was a public meeting, which was attended by a large number of people. Several clergymen and others interested in the cause of Wesleyanism addressed the meeting. The proceedings throughout were of an interesting character, and votes of thanks were passed to the choir and the various speakers, and the entire proceedings were brought to a close shortly after ten o’clock by the Doxology.