CHURCH OF CHRIST.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17280, 22 September 1916, Page 2

CHURCH OF CHRIST.

NEW BUILDING OPENED AT ASHBURTON.

Ten years ago tho religious order of the Church of Christ was initiated in Ashburton in a private house, with a total membership and adherents of two, and services were held in the private . house regularly for some time. Gradually tho membership increased, and then the services were held in a term for a considerable period. The Church continued to prosper, and finally a roomy galvanised iron building was erected, and served tho purpose

of a church until yesterday afternoon, when a new church of Gothic design was opened. Tho outside of the building presents a very neat and striking appearance, and is a credit to the architect and builder. It has ueon built on solid concrete foundations, ’file base of tho building is of brick to a height of five feet, the upper por-

tions of tho walls are rough-cast, and tho roof is covered with asbestos tiling.! Tho interior presents a very neat and cheerful appoaranco, and has been particularly well finished in every detail. There is comfortable seating accommodation for 140 or 150 persons, a nicelyconstructed platform for tho pastor, underneath which is tho baptistry, fitted with all tho necessary conveniences for baptisms. In addition, there

are soveral good classrooms for Bible class work. Prior to tho formal open-

ing of the church a large number ot the members of the Church and visitors were entertained at afternoon tea m tho mission hall adjoining At tho opening ceremony tho architect and builder, Mr W. E. Olsen,

handed over tho keys to tho trustees, and > then Pastor B. Jarvs presented Sister W. E. Olsen with a silver key as a memento of the occasion. Sister Olsen, after briefly addressing tho gathering, opened the door, and the church was quickly filled to overflowing. ~, , , Pastor Jarvis extended a hearty welcome to those present, amongst whom were several ministers of local churches, Brother J. M. Innes (Ttifiani), Brother Charles Watt (Dunedin), Biother Ralph Gebbie (Christchurch), the Mayor (Mr R. Galbraith) and others. Pastor Jarvis warmly congratulated tho members of tho Church on what tliev had accomplished in a comparatively brief space of time, and said lie felt sure that the Church of Christ in Ashburton would go on prospering and continue doing good work to the gtoiy

of Christ. . The Mayor added his congratulations and in doing so remarked that tho building was ono of the prettiest little churches it had ever been his lot to seo. lie paid a high compliment to tho members of the Olsen family, to whoso efforts much of tho credit for obtaining the. now church was due. He sincerely wished the Church and its members every prosperity in the good work they luid done so successfully. Brother Charles Watt, of the Home Mission, Dunedin, gave a short address, during tho course of. which he incidentally mentioned that he personally first commenced a Church of Christ mission in Ashburton over thirty j ears ago. Ho advertised his. meeting, which was to bo hold in a wool shed neai Timvald. At the appointed time ho was tho sole occupant, After waiting fifteen minutes a big eat entered, sat on a wool hale and inquisitively stared at him for fifteen minutes, and then his mission for that evening closed. Ho advertised a meeting for the following night, and on that occasion his audienco comprised three little girls only, to whom he spoke for a little while on tho love of Christ. It wap not a particularly encouraging mission, hut tho work of the Church of Christ had gono on progressing and prospering since then, and it gave him intense and sincere pleasure to he at tho opening of the church in Ashburton that afternoon, and to note one of tho results of the splendid work which had been done during tho past ten years on behalf of the Homo Mission Committee. Ho warmly congratulated the members of the Church of Christ in Ashburton, and wished them every prosperity in the future. Short addresses were also delivered by the Rev G. Frost and others. Tho chinch has been erected at a cost of £730 and was opened with only a small amount owing, but tho members hope to clear off the balance within a very brief period. From a. very small beginning the trustees of tho Church of Christ in Ashburton now have property, including the new church and a good manse, worth £2OOO. Tho two members who first held the services in their homes were Mr J. Readhead (curator of tho Ashburton Domain) and Mr 13. Naylors. The latter is now resident in the North Island, and Air Readbond is away on leave and doing good work with tho Field Ambulance Corps at the front in France.