ST. PAUL'S PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 1043, 29 October 1877, Page 3

ST. PAUL'S PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.

This fine new church, built at the corner of Madras and Cashel streets by the Rev. Mr Elmslie's congregation, was opened for the first time on Sunday for Divine Service. The external t.' the building has been previously described in this journal. The architecture is of a mixed but not unpleasing character, with a good deal of the Grecian element in it. The front entrance is ornamented with Doric pillars, and the roof possesses a major and two minor domos. The building has one main and four side entrances, and at the rear there are rooms for the pastor and church, officers, with private doors. The interior presents an imposing appearance, the light streaming through stained-glass windows by day, and being well lighted at night by numerous gas bmmers fixed in the walls, and two ornamental gasaliers suspended from the ceiling. The ventilation is satisfactory, and the sittings are plain but comfortable and conveniently arranged. Two stairs, leading from the main entrance, conduct to the upper portion of the church, in which the comforts and conveniences arc equal to those which exist down stairs. The choir is seated upstairs, just over the pulpit, which is of an ornamental and somewhat novel character. It is reached by two miniature stairs, being raised with the view of allowing the preacher to be easily heard all over the extensive building. The acoustic properties of the church as tested yesterday are excellent. There is comfortable sitting accommodation for 1200 people. Everything taken into account, the church is one of the best and most commodious in the colony. A large organ is now on its way out from England, so that with this and the wellworking choir which it already possesses the congregation will be respectably provided in the important matter of music, while with regard 1o ministrations Mr Elnislie is a pastor qualified to give the highest satisfaction. In the meantime the only instrument used is a harmonium on which Mr Hodge perforins in an efficient manner. The services yesterday were of the most gratifying character—impressive in themselves, and largely attended. In the morning all the seats were occupied, in the afternoon there was a fair congregation, while in the evening the church was uncom. fortably crowded. The collections made in aid of the building fund, amounted in the morning to £297 14s lOd ; in the afternoon, £lßl2s ;in the evening, about £7B 8s Od; or, in round numbers, a total of £4OO. The Rev. James Paterson, of Wellington, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church, officiated in the morning, his text being the well-known words in Job—"l know that my Redeemer liveth." The afternoon sen ices were conducted by the Rev. C. Fraser, of St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church, Christchurcb. The text was " Glorious things are spoken of thee, (• City of God," from the 87th Psalm. Professor Salmond, of Dunedin, occupied the pulpit in the evening. His sermon, impressive in the extreme, was based on the words in St. Paul's Epistle to the Ephesians, 4th chapter, 4th verse—" One Lord, one faith, one baptism." Professor Salmond will lecture to-night in the new Church, beginning at 8 o'clock, on " The Relation of Christianity to Science and Civilisation."