THE NEW PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5710, 18 July 1879, Page 3

THE NEW PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.

This very handsome building, which adds another to the architectural ornaments of our city, was on 13th July opened for the first time for public service. Situated as it is on the Terrace, in a good central position, it commands a view of the greater part of the city and the harbor, and presents a very striking appearance as seen from the .Bay. Irs opening was quite an epoch in the Presbyterian annals of this city, and it is sure to be a very favorite place of worship among those for whom it is intended. The morning service was yesterday conducted by Professor Salmond, of the Dunedin University, who took for his text the Ist chapter of the Ephesians, the Slat and 22nd verses. In the afternoon the same gentleman addressed a large body of the children and their parents in the schoolroom, and was listened to with great attention. His remarks ■ pointed to the power and glory of Christ, and to the necessity of the young being brought up in the fear of the Lord. The evening service was conducted by the Kev. D. Bruce, who took for his text the 145th chapter of the Psalms, 10th and 11th verses. In the morning there was a very large attendance, and in the evening the church was crowded. The handsome appearance of the interior was the theme of general admiration, as was also the comfortable and serviceable fittings, which, while being pleasing to the eye, were felt to be thoroughly in keeping with a building of so handsome and appropriate a character. One of the most satisfactory points in regard to any building of such a class was very soon learned, for it was found that the acoustics of the church were moat excellent, the preacher being heard with great distinctness in every part of the building. The way too in which the building is lighted, naturally by day by means of a number of well studied windows, and artificially by night by means of a powerful sunlight and side lights, was also felt to be an appreciable boon, as was likewise the veryexcellent ventilation. Indeed, everyone appeared to be delighted with the general effect of the new place of worship, and the clergy and laity alike were not slow in expressing their satisfaction. The Kev. Mr. Ogg, the minister, is to be congratulated upon having such a .fine edifice in which to carry on his work. The special offertories made amounted to £33 95., made up as follows : —ln the morning, £l7 ; in the afternoon, £9 9s. ; and in the evening, £7. Coming now to a description of the building, we will speak first of the front elevation. The main front, or portico, shows a width of 47ft., and a height to the top of the pediment of 34ft., the total height to the top of the spire being 90ft. In the front are four circular fluted pillars, of the Corinthian order, surmounted by a very handsome pediment. There is a recess on each side in the same style, and the angles are decorated with Corinthian fluted pilasters and Corinthian capitals. On the top of these pilasters, and in a Une with the pediment, is a parallel parapet. The tower takes its rise from the top of the pediment, and ascends to a height of 56ft. The main features of the tower consist—first, of a buttress, a circle of recesses, and pediments. At the base of this is a balustrade and a large circular window. Over this again is a quantity of entablature and another rise in the spire, consisting of, in the upper portion, an open bell-tower, the whole being surmounted by a cornice cupola roof, with balustrade, and a gilded ball and finiaL At the front entrance of the church there is a flight of nine steps leading to the main entrance door, which is circular headed in character, and is 14ft. high and 7ft. wide. On each side of this there are two large circular windows, surmounted by entablature and pediments. Going now into the interior it is found on entering the church that there is a vestibule 44ft. long by 13ft. wide, on each side of which is a flight of stairs leading to the side galleries above. There are two lobbies, which lead into the aisles, which are the full length of the church, by 6ft. wide. These aisles are seated. The total length of the building from the front of the portico to the extreme back is 60ft. The nave up to the back of the pulpit measures about 60ft. long, by 30ft. wide. The choir end is 18ft. deep by 22ft. wide; it is circular shaped with the ceiling formed into a niche. The internal decorations of the building are handsome and striking. Ten Corinthian columns divide the sides of the church into equal having pilasters and elliptic arches, opening into the galleries. The Corinthian columns are set on pedestals, the columns having ornamental Corinthian capitals, and surmounted by Corinthian entablature with richly decorated frieze, and the cornices decorated with a broad moulding and ornamental modillions and dentals. The same decorations are carried on to the end of the chnrch, and continue into the choir and the niche. Theceiling takesits spring from about the cornice, and is formed in a circular shape, and a decorated beam is continued over each column, dividing the ceiling into equal spaces.

The whole of the beams are highly decorated. Their soffits are ornamented, and the angles are also decorated with perforated mouldings, which form the basis of the ventilation of the church. These beams are so opened out as to allow of the church being lighted by _ clear storied windows. There are eight beaded windows on the ground floor, in the aisles, the size of each being 12ft by sft. Ihe front of the gallery all round the building is decorated with cast-iron perforated railing, backed by crimson cloth, which gives a nice effective relief to the appearance they would otherwise have. Both the galleries and aisles are decorated with highly and well-finished dado, a portion of which are made with kauri, tbe frames being of Singapore cedar. It might be mentioned that the church is perfectly free from any draught. The fresh air is brought in from the top of the cornice inside, and escapes by means of the perforated mouldings. All the interior work of the church is in lath and cement, and all the ornamental work is oast in plaster of paris, the woodwork being for the main part of cedar. All the doors are covered with crimson cloth, close with springs, and have amber door handles. The pulpit is made of highly polished Sydney cedar, and is strictly Doric in style, It has two flights of steps, and is convenient and commodious. The whole of the seats of the main floor are made of kauri, and have upholstery at the back, have spring seats, and are covered with the best crimson Utrecht velr vet. The end and side galleries are furnished with the fittings from the old church. The whole sittings are estimated to accommodate between 450 and 500 people. It might be stated that there is a vestry room under the choir 24ft. x 18ft., which is intended to be used as a schoolroom for the children. The whole of the work has been most satisfactorily carried out, and reflects great credit both upon the architect (Mr. C. J. Toxward) and the contractors (Messrs. Archibald and Secular). The contract price for the building was £4000; the fittings have cost about £4OO, and the schoolroom £350. In conclusion, it might be said that the building is purely in the Italian style, and that it is one of the best pieces of workmanship ever carried out in Wellington.

ST. ANDREW’S CHURCH SOIREE. On the 14th July, a soiree, to celebrate the opening of this new Presbyterian Church was held in the school-room adjoining. Over 400 partook of the repast, which was supplied by Mr. P. Laing. The meeting was held in the Church, and the proceedings commenced by the congregation singing the 100th Psalm, and prayer by the Rev. Mr. Hinton (Baptist). The Rev. Mr. Oao (pastor), in introducing the chairman, said they had opened the building without debt, and the different sums spent in embellishing the interior of the building was not obtained by benevolence or fancy fairs; it was got by a stroke of good fortune, which the offloe-bearers were wise enough to profit by. He thought that the history ot St. Andrew’s Church might be regarded as the history of the City of Wellington. The congregation was the,oldest of any denomination in the colony, and was founded by settlers originally from Great Britain. When the first site for a Presbyterian Church was obtained, it was not a promising one at the time —it was a humble building, and the waters washed up to the doors. Any one curious to know what it was could be satisfied by looking into what was now Mr. Thomas’s auction room. In process of time that building gave place to one of better pretensions, and in connection with it he mentioned the painstaking interest of Mr. Strang, and could that gentleman have seen the present edifice his joy would have known no bounds. There was one gentleman who knew the history ot the Church better than any other ; he referred to the Horn Mr. Hart, and he therefore proposed that he should take the chair upon the present occasion.

The Hon. R. Habi, M.L.C., then took the chair, and in the course of his remarks went over the ground which had been touched upon, by the Rev. Mr. Ogg, and paid a high tribute to the labors of Mr. Strang. He spoke of the prospectus published by the Ivew Zealand Company in 1859, publishing the sale of 100,000 acres ot country, and 1000 acres of town land—bow the Colonial Committee of the Church of Scotland purchased one of these allotments —how the first Scotchmen worshipped on the banks of the Hutt river until the site for the city was removed to Port Nicholson. It was through Mr. Strang that the church became possessed of the site where the church recently stood. The whole management devolved upon him, and he carried it out well. The trustees were very fortunate in securing so valuable a site as the present one, and the Kev. Mr. Ogg was deserving of a large share of praise in conducting the sale of the old site and in securing the new one. Not only had the purchase money of the old site paid for the Church as it stood, but a manse was to follow; and if they had a manse, he hoped that means would be found to furnish that building. In a few facetious remarks he sympathised with the Kev. Mr. Ogg in the present state of the manse furniture. After several other gentlemen had addressed the meeting, The choir concluded with “ Thou, O God." The singing of the choir was excellent, and the audience broke up well pleased with the evening they had spent.