A CHURCH JUBILEE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17281, 23 September 1916, Page 14

A CHURCH JUBILEE.

METHODISM AT , TAI TAPXJ. f COMPLETION,.OP -FIFTY YEARS' WORK. (Reprinted from tho "Lyttolton Times,'" of ' Tlihrsday, September 27, 1866.). TYcslcyan. Church.—Tho aw church in thl Lincoln Road was opened on Sunday last. Tho Rav'TV Budd.c, superintendent of tho circuit, preached in tho morning and ©veiling, Mr J. King oaichting- in the'eftcTnojji. A larro congrega.ion assembled at All tho services. The church is built on e. site presented by Mr Rhodes, and occupies a very centra] podtion for re igious and oduoation-al purposes. The expenses connected with bui.ding, etc., have been provided by public oubssriptions and collections at the opening services. A public tea mee.i.i!* was held on Monday evening, when a la'ge galherin? sat down to n plentiful supply of tea, cakes, etc., to which ample justice was deno. After tea tbe treasurer presented ths financial report, arid showed a small balance against the Building Comrni.tee,. which was c cored off before the wooing sei;ara'ed. Appropriate addresses i were delivered bv the Revs T. Buddie end J. Cnirap, and by Messrs Lawry ond Silvester, of Sprin?ston, and Mr Peryman. During- Iho meetii<» several itemi of sacred music were sunt by the choir, and the companv brrico up "nf "or spending a. very plca- . eant social evening., To-day. September 23,. IDIG, mark--: r.n epoch in the history of Methodism at Tai Tapu. Just -fifty yearsf ago to-day, thero was a great gathering oi churchgoers to celebrate the opening of tho first Methodist Church there. Tho function had been eagerly planned and hopefully looked forward to from tho : very day on which tho most courageous of tho little band of Methodist worshippers had boldly advanced lus idea that tho connexion was now strong enough to warrant a building specially consecrated to Divino work. Services had been, held more or lest. regularly in tho district for some four yea,;-3,'"a commencement having * been made when Mr John Silvester, led the worship in the hduso of Mr and .Mrs JaL-ob iiarnett 011 what is now the Oia'hano Estate, in tne year, IS'S2. I .tie.Lhpdism badgrofrn and-prospared ia tho district, aud the' iu-w church, Marking a, great step onward in. the 'work of ministering to the spiritual ' needs of tho peopie, was consecrates and opened by tno Rev T. Buddie, Tai iapu in those days being portion oi "■.lie Christchu'rch (Diiruam Street), circuit. The *hew' bmiaing was erected on a section of land given by the-late Mr Robert HV- Rhodes, and almost immediately . tho budding was deaf oi debt, a triumph for- the trustees, Messrs J. Baniett, R. Duiieu, It. A. Forbes, J. J. Herrick,'J. 'Mangels, L. Morgan, H. TV. Peryman and H. N;, I i'iUiuer It is, worth mentioning thai live of theso surnames appear on -the present board.' ':". '. '*" " '...•■'-' :. In the year 1870 the circuit boundr arics were altered, and Tai Tapu came incorporated with. Springston. Frou 4< •Springston tho work of the young churca was fostered and ably served by tho Revs W. C. Oliver (1870), W. Keali (1871), W. Cannell (1874), J. A. Taylor (1377); J: S. Smallcy (1880).. \W Cannell (ISS.3), J. Hm Simmondb (1886), "S. J. Garlick'(lßß9), 0. Griffin (1892), T. Fee (1897), J. J. Mather (1900), with the following junior minsters:—Rev \V.'S. Hai-Der (1873), J. A. Hoskiug (1597), J.' A. Lochore ,1898), A. N/i-Scpttef (1900), J. H. .laslarn (19*01), and A. J. Seamci ■ (1003). ..:*.; *;" •■ \: :,••::- I . All this time the. population of North Canterbury was growing, and Tai Tapu "i oecame an important district, centre ' The congregation had quite outgrowi> the original church builiing, and . in 1882 a fiho substantial hew church- was. opened, the old, buildingjstiir finding a useful place iri the ecneme of. things as a Sunday School './Th 1904 Tst Tapu became separate, circuitj and the first resident minister was the Re* T. T. Thomas, 8.A.. wjo was fittingly welcomed. He was succeeded in 19iX< by the Rev B. J. James, the Rev A, Ashcroft followed in 1909, the Rev H. A. Ranston, M.A.."in 1912, and.in this year the Rev Basil Mctson was I .noved from Ckristchurch

From its inception until the present day the name Peryman has alway been associated with tho work ant 1 progress of the Tai Tapu Methodisl Church. Mr H. TV. Peryman was one of the original trustees, and in 18& Mrs H. TV. Peryman established th first Sunday School. 'This indispensable branch has dono excellent wori under the direction of able superintendents, namely, Messrs R. A. Forbes \V. S. Peryman, J. Grainger, F. Brake, and H. E. Peryman, who is now in .the thirty-fifth year of office. Mr H. E. Peryman is at present secretary to the board of trustees, and Mr L. Peryma." is one of the members. The Rev S. H. D. Peryman entered tho ministr*: from tho Tai Tapu Church, as did th' Rev W. A. Sinclair, while Mr H. TV Peryman (with him Mr F. Hubbard was one of the first circuit stewards in 1904. Messrs TV. S. Peryman and H. TV. Peryman, local preachers, were trained in this church. Not only has. Tai Tapu-the honour oi presenting two candidates for the ministry but Sister May Barnett entered -deaconess work from this, congregation, and the ! following loca' preachers have been trained: —Messr W. S. Peryman, J. Voss, T. O. Morgan, A. Sinclair, TV. K. Watson. U W. Peryman, J. Gilmour, G. H. Ward and F. C. Lewis, tho present circui staff consisting' of Messrs T. O. Morgan, J. Silvester, J. Gilmour, T Quayle, J. Bravcn, TV. Bray and GH. Ward. The jubilee celebrations will commence to-day, r.nd it is expected that the gathering will include at least one of those present at tho opening services fifty years ago. Upon the outline of facts and figures given above will be woven by the old identities to-day a wealth of anecdote and reminiscences concerning church workers of past days. The function will provide a happy meeting ground of the past and the present, and a fitting steppingstone to greater things in the coming years, which are full of promise. The first public ceremony will be the planting of a jubilee oak by Colonel R. H. Rhodes, M.P., the tree being the gift of Mr It. Nairn, of Spreydon. The president of the conference, the Rev A. C iVawry, will preside, and tho speakers will include the Revs S. Lawry, W. A. Sinclair and W. H. D. Peryman, and Mr John Barnett. Afternoon tea is included in the festivities.' Special jubilee services will be held all day to-morrow* In the, morning tho preacher will be the Rev S. .Lawry, in the afternoon the Revs W. A. Sinclair and S. 11. D. Peryman, and in the evening the lief A. C. Lawry. On Tuesday evening • a jubilee tea will be given at 5.30, and will be followed by a. public meeting in the church at eight o'clock, when the Rev B Metson. superintendent of the circuit, will preside. Addresses will bo given by tho Revs A. C. Lawry, TV. Lee, TV. C. Oliver, W. A. Sinclair, and S. H. D. Peryman, and Mr George TV. Loadley. The choir will sing special hymns and anthems daring the whole series of services.