History of Knox Church Dunedin/Chapter 11

by John Hislop

CHAPTER XI.

Degree of D.D. conferred on the Rev. Mr Stuart—Deacons to hold office for three years—Hymn Book introduced into the Service of Praise—Mr Adam Johnstone—Rev. Dr Paton of New Hebrides visits Dunedin—Messrs Chishohn and Scoullar begin Sabbath Services at Whare Flat in 1874—Ravensbourne Church opened by Drs Stuart and Copland in 1876—Services held there under auspices of Knox Church—The New Church: Preliminary Steps—Site acquired—Contracts let—Completion of the work—Description of the Building.

AT a congregational meeting held on May 4, 1872, it was unanimously resolved, "That the congregation heartily congratulate their esteemed pastor on the honour done him by the University of St. Andrews, Scotland, his own alma mater, in conferring upon him the honorary degree of D.D., and they fervently trust that he may be long spared to enjoy the honourable title of Dr Stuart of Knox Church."

In the same year (1872) a change in the tenure of the office of deacon was made by the Session with the concurrence of the Deacons' Court, in consequence of a resolution passed by a meeting of the congregation after considerable discussion. The appointment to the deaconship was formerly understood to be a permanent one, terminable only by resignation, deposition, or death; but it was now decided that the oftice should be held for three years only, one-third of the members retiring annually; these, however, being eligible for re-election.

In 1873 the Session resolved to bring under the notice of the congregation the resolution of the Synod of Otago and Southland sanctioning the use of the English Presbyterian Hymn Book in the public services of the church. At a congregational meeting held on Avigust 14, 1873, it was resolved that the question of making use of the hymn-book be decided by the votes of the members and adherents of the congregation. The result was that 206 members and 53 adherents voted for, while 71 members and 19 adherents voted against, the introduction of the book. The Session accordingly resolved that the English Presbyterian Hymn Book in addition to the Psalms should be used in the public worship of the congregation on and after the first Sabbath in January, 1874. Since the beginning of 1885, the hymn-book known as " Church Praise " has been in use instead of "Psalms and Hymns."

In January 1874 the office-bearers and members of the congregation, in common with a large circle of other friends, were much startled and grieved by the serious accident which befell Mr Adam Johnstone through the stumbling of his horse at Tokomairiro, and which resulted in his death at the early age of 35 years. Mr Johnstone was a highly-esteemed and useful deacon of Knox Church for several years, and had left Dunedin for Tokomairiro shortly before his death. His professional skill was of a high order, and he was a very popular officer of the Government Engineering and Survey staff. The Session placed on record the following tribute to Mr Johnstone's memory:—"The Session have heard with deep regret of the death of Mr Adam Johnstone, for years a member of Knox Church, a teacher in the Sabbath School, and also for a time a member of the Deacons' Court. While mourning his early removal from Christian work, they desire to place on record their high estimate of his personal worth, their gratitude for his earnest service to the congregation and its institutions, and their sense of the loss which his family and the Gospel have thereby sustained, and to afifectionately commend his widow and children to the care and love of God, with prayers for their peace and prosperity."

As the result of a visit from the Rev. Mr (now Dr) Paton of the New Hebrides mission in 1874, the sum of £81 11s 2d was contributed by members of the congregation to aid in the purchase of the new missionary ship Dayspring, the old vessel having been wrecked. The sum of £27 5s 4d was also collected by the Sabbath School children towards the maintenance of the Dayspring, while the sum of £102 12s 6d was contributed to the Synod's General Mission Fund by the Missionary Association, making a total amount of £211 9s collected by the Knox Church congregational agencies for missionary purposes in 1874. It is worthy of mention that the new missionary vessel was able to start on her first voyage entirely free of debt.

About the year 1874 Mr Robert Chisholm, in conjunction with Mr Arthur Scoullar, began a fortnightly service at Whare Flat, situated about eight miles from Dunedin. Since Mr Scoullar's removal to Wellington the service at this outfield has been in charge of Mr Chisholm. Valuable assistance in the work has been rendered by friends within and outside Knox Church congregation, more especially by Mr R. Heany of Kaikorai and the Rev. Mr Bannerman—the latter of whom kindly undertook the charge of the Whare Flat service during Mr Chisholm's recent visit to the Home Country.

At the request of a number of the residents of Ravensbourne and neighbourhood, the Session in February 1876 took steps for organising a church in that district, the Synod having promised a grant from the Ecclesiastical Fund towards the purchase of a site and the erection of a church. In August following the church was opened by Dr Stuart and Dr Copland, For some time previously public worship had been conducted in a private house, and occasionally in the open air, by Mr Wright, with the assistance of office-bearers and members of Knox Church. It was arranged that the services should be continued for a time under the auspices of Knox Church, on the understanding that the use of the building, under proper regulations, would be freely given to others in the interests of the Gospel. These arrangements, with such modifications as were occasionally found necessary, were continued till 1879, when the members and adherents of Ravensbourne and Rothesay Church were able to call a minister of their own, and set out as a fully-equipped congregation.

The year 1876 is to be regarded as one of the most memorable years in the history of Knox Church, for on the 5th of November the new church in George street was opened for Divine service under the most auspicious circumstances. In the very nature of the case much anxiety and labour were entailed upon the office-bearers, and more especially upon the Building Committee, and many difficulties were encountered in connection with the erection of the new church; but by the goodness of God difficulties were overcome, and the work brought to a satisfactory conclusion.

In consequence of the ever-increasing difficulty experienced in providing sittings in the old church for persons anxious to join the congregation, and the general desire for improved accommodation, the necessity of taking steps for the enlargement of the old building or the erection of an entirely new one began to receive serious consideration about the beginning of 1869. In March of that year Mr E. Smith brought the matter under the notice of the Deacons' Court, but it was resolved to postpone action until it should be seen what effect the proposed erection of a church for North Dunedin and North-East Valley would have upon the attendance at Knox Church. A congregation was soon after formed at North Dunedin, to the pastorship of which the Rev. Dr Copland was called; but, although the new congregation was recruited to some extent from the membership of Knox Church, yet the necessity for increased accommodation continued as great as ever. The question of enlarging the old church or erecting a new one was discussed again and again at meetings of the office-bearers and the congregation; but nothing definite was agreed upon until May 1871, when it was decided by the congregation to erect an entirely new church in the following spring to accommodate about one thousand sitters. A subscription list was opened, and in the course of two months the sum of nearly £3000 was promised.

The question of site next received consideration, and it was ultimately resolved, at a congregational meeting held in August 1871, that the Deacons' Court should be authorised to purchase for this purpose the corner section adjoining the manse property, the consent of Mr Hyde Harris—the donor of the original church site—having first been obtained to the proposed change.^[1] This property, including a cottage and other buildings erected on it, was purchased for £550. It was decided at the same time to retain the old church building for Sabbath School and other useful purposes. Competitive designs for the new church were called for, and other steps taken to give effect to the decision of the congregation. But insuperable difficulties, which it is now quite unnecessary to describe in detail, arose in connection with the erection of a new church according to the plan first adopted, and it was not until April 1874 that the erection of the present building was begun according to plans and specifications prepared by Mr R. A. Lawson, who had been appointed architect.

The Building Committee charged with the carrying on of the work was composed of Messrs W. N. Blair (convener), E. B. Cargill, J. T. Mackerras, Gilbert Matheson, and George Turnbull. Mr Matheson rendered valuable service for a time as treasurer until his departure on a visit to the Home Country, when Mr Walter Hislop was appointed in his place. The committee found it advisable to let the work by separate contracts, all of which were fulfilled in a satisfactory manner. The principal contracts were as follow:—Foundations, Mr D. McGill; walls and spire, Mr W. Mercer; slating, Mr G. S. Williden; seating, Mr J. Gore; painting, Mr H. S. Fish, jun.; plastering, Messrs Philps and Edmunds; plumber work, Messrs A. and T. Burt; windows (lead lights), Mr T. H. Johnson; stairs and railings, Mr Julius Alberti; stone carving, Mr L, Godfrey; wood carving, Mr R. Francis. Carpenter and other work was executed by day labour. Mr R. A. Lawson, the architect, superintended the whole of the work of the erection and completion of the church. Mr James Armstrong was inspector of works under Mr Lawson during the greater part of the time, and performed his important and responsible duties with fidelity and success. "The material used in the construction of the building is chiefly bluestone, principally from the Water of Leith quarries, with Kakanui facings, dressings, and finishings generally. The design of the building is in the thirteenth century style of Gothic, the chief distinctive marks of which are the light, lofty, and graceful arch; the large and lofty arched windows, the lower parts of which are divided into narrow compartments by mullions, and the upper parts or window-heads enriched by complex, varied, and beautiful tracery; and the floriated pinnacles surmounting the buttresses. The new Knox Church is truly a noble ecclesiastical building, and one that is a credit to the architecture of the colony. With its handsomely-proportioned walls of bluestone, relieved by white Kakanui stone facings; its lofty and graceful windows; its dark slate roof relieved by ornamental ridgings; and its high tapering spire pointing heavenwards, the new Knox Church is a building which would be pointed to with pride in many a city in older lands."^[2]

1. The following information with regard to the holding of the title to church properties may prove of service to office-bearers of congregations:—At one time a difficulty arose and expenses were incurred in connection with the title to General Trust and congregational properties. The title to the property belonging to the whole Church was held in the names of seven trustees, and on the death or resignation of any one of these it was necessary to have a deed executed on the appointment of his successor. This deed had to be registered against the various lands belonging to the church so as to complete the title of the new trustees to the several properties. The title to church site, glebe, and manse of each congregation was held in the names of the members of the Deacons' Court of the congregation, and on the removal of any member of the Court by death or otherwise, it was necessary to have a deed executed to complete the title of the new deacon. These proceedings, both in the case of the General Trust and of Deacons' Courts, occasioned not only a good deal of trouble, but also much legal expense. Mr (now the Hon. W.) Downie Stewart, who was appointed solicitor to the General Trust Trustees in 1871, at once suggested an amendment of the law by which the Church Trustees and the members of the various Deacons' Courts should be incorporated as separate bodies for the purpose of rendering it unnecessary to have a fresh deed on every appointment of a new trustee or deacon. In the case of the Deacons' Court of Knox Church the changes in the personnel of its members through death and removal to other districts were frequent. Under Mr Stewart's amendment of the law the title to the property is held in the name of "The Deacons' Court of Knox Church Incorporated," and the title continues good under this name irrespective of changes, however numerous, in the membership of the Court. It was some time before Mr Stewart's suggestion was acted upon, but ultimately it was referred to him and the Rev. William Gillies, now of Timaru, to prepare a Bill to be submitted to the Legislature. Mr Stewart, in conference with Mr Gillies, prepared and carried through "The Presbyterian Church of Otago Incorporation Act, 1875," and under this Act the trustees of the general property of the Church are created a corporate body under the title of "The Otago Presbyterian Church Board of Property," and the members of any Deacons' Court may apply to be made a corporate body under this Act. Once the property belonging to a congregation is transferred to the Deacons' Court under its incorporated title, the property remains for all time unaffected by any changes that may take place in the membership of the Court. The effect of this important amendment of the law has been to save yearly a large amount of legal expenses to the General Trust funds, and to the several Deacons' Courts that have applied to be incorporated under the Act. Mr Stewart's Act was confined to the Presbyterian Church of Otago and Southland, but its principle has since been adopted by other churches in this colony and elsewhere.—D.M.S.
2. Otago Daily Times, Nov. 6, 1876.