ST. CLAIR PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.

Otago Witness, Issue 2892, 18 August 1909, Page 14

ST. CLAIR PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.

FOUNDATION STONE LAID.

A number of residents, were present a* the ceremony of laying lie foundation stone of the Presbyterian Church at St. •Olair on Saturday afternoon. Those srho took part in the proceedings were th» f*™- W. Scorsie, D. Borne, Kilpafcrick, AI 'Donald, and D. K. Fisher, Messrs J B Waters (chairman of the Building Coml mittee), H. C. Campbell (secretary), Sherod V Duncan ' Ruben. Dunham, Jolly (Building Committee), T. Cole, Messrs E Anaoombe (architect), -and H. Parkinson (builder). Apologies for noH-atteodance were read from his Warship the Mayor of Dunedin (Mr J. H. Walker), Professor Hewitson, the Rev. Dr WaddeU, the Rev. Dr Watt, the Revs. J. Chisholm (Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand), Dutton, Fairmaid. and Waters theMayor of St. Kilda (Mr W. T. M'Farlane) Messrs G. M. Thomson, J. F Arnold, and T. K. Bidey, M.P.'a.

The service concluded, the Rev. W. Scorgie presented Mr Alexander Patterson with a, silver trowel on behalf of the Building Committee, and called upon him to> perform the ceremony. Mr Patterson said: " I declare this stone well and truly laid in the name of the Father, the Son, «.nd the Holy Ghost. Amen."

! The Rev. Mr Borrie then delivered am address. In the fiast place, likening- lrimself to a sailor working on a farm, ableto turn his hand to anything, the reverend gentleman said that only lately he had been called upon to represent the Governor at a certain function, and now hm reor#sented the Moderator. Great things ffreir up from small beginnings, and it was high time that they Lad a church at St. Clair He _ did not believe that re half realised tbe value of the Christian Church as an elevating influence. It did more for the peace a«dl prosperity of tlie world than all they could do- in the matter of Dreadnou^hte and conferences. Sooner or later, unless a nation was founded an religion, it would decay; for everytibimjr depended upon the moral and spiritual state of th© community. They must be> forced to the conclusion that the salvation of nations was wrought by the light that came from above. The only help for th« people lay in their being brought intocontact with the Word of God. and with God himself. There was nothing inoro needed in this Dominion than the settingup ■of such institutions as these. Thischurch, when its spire pointed .ieavenwards proclaiming the eyantpel of Jesiw Chriet, would silently, but eloquently, apj>eal to many whether they felt it at tho time or not, and if they perished it would 1 be because of their own indifference. No--thing could give stability but the GospeT of Jesus Christ and a great mistake ha<? been made in excluding the Word of God from the schools. They knew this was the case at this present time, but all th<» same be hoped they would not be satisfied until they got the Bible back again. It was the greatest thing in the world. Until they did get it back let them eeek to make the most of this their opportunity.

The Rev. W. Soorjri© said thanks were due to the architect for his handsome design, and to tbe builders, who would ao doubt complete the edifice «a well *b it had been begun The collection just taken up had amounted to £20 16s 3d. The nrooeedinga, which had commence*! with the " Old Hundredth," terminated with the Benediction. The Scripture Teadin? was undertaken by the Hey. W* M/Donald, the prayer by tbe Rev. D. K» Fisher, and the dedicatory prayer by the Rev. J. Kilpatrick. The inscription .on the stone w " Nisi Domlnoe," Toeing- the commencement of the passage, " Unless th» Lord keep tbe house "

It has been observed that if it werenot for the inflow of persons from tbe New England States and the West. New York would aeon be a city of people of foreiga birth in overwhelming proportions.