History of Knox Church Dunedin/Chapter 16
CHAPTER XVI.
ON December 2, 1879, a memorial was received by the Session from members and adherents of Knox Church with reference to the introduction of instrumental music as an aid to the service of praise. It was decided to invite the Deacons' Court to a conference on the subject. A joint meeting of the office-bearers was accordingly held in January 1880, when it was resolved that a vote of the members and adherents should be taken. The result was that 217 members and 77 adherents voted for, and 147 members and 25 adherents voted against, the introduction of instrumental music. As the resolution of the Synod required that substantial unanimity should be shown in such cases, the Session resolved to let the matter remain in abeyance. At the request of the superintendent and teachers of the Sabbath School, however, the Session in April 1881 sanctioned the use of a harmonium in the school.
The question of instrumental music was again brought under the consideration of the Session in July 1882 by a communication from a committee of members and adherents of the congregation requesting that steps might be taken again to ascertain the mind of the congregation on the subject. The committee stated that in the event of the congregation being favourable to the introduction of instrumental music the committee would undertake the responsibility of defraying the entire cost, so that the ordinary funds of the church should not be interfered with. The question was again submitted to the congregation, when 388 members and 174 adherents voted for, and 99 members and 22 adherents voted against, the proposed change. The Session thereupon appointed a committee of its number to ascertain more fully the feelings of the minority in regard to the introduction of an organ. The committee reported that of the 99 members 52 would acquiesce, 36 were as yet opposed, 6 were still undecided, and 5 had not been seen. The Session, after consideration of the report, passed the following resolution:—"The Session, having considered the vote of the congregation on the question of the introduction of instrumental music in public worship, and also the report of the committee deputed to wait on the members who recorded their votes against the use of such music, are satisfied that the members of Knox Church congregation are substantially unanimous in favour of the use of instrumental music in public worship." Ten members of Session voted for the resolution, and one against. It was also decided to ask the Presbytery of Dunedin to sanction the proposed use of instrumental music in the service of praise in Knox Church. The Presbytery having at its meeting in November 1882 unanimously granted the Session's request, a committee was appointed to take all needful steps for giving effect to the wishes of the congregation. The Organ Committee consisted of Messrs J. Roberts (convener), Bartleman, Blair, Burt, Dutch, W. Hislop, Mackerras, McQueen, G. M. Thomson, Pryde, and White.
The committee set about the work entrusted to them with energy and judgment. Subscriptions were invited, and a plan of the proposed alterations in the church for providing suitable space for the organ and accommodation for the choir was laid before the Deacons' Court in February 1883, and was approved of. Mr R. A. Lawson was appointed to superintend the alterations, and Mr John Ross, who was about to return to England, was requested to procure a suitable instrument. The order was placed by Mr Ross in the hands of Messrs T. Lewis and Sons, of London, by whom a splendid instrument was built at a cost of about £1100. Mr Ross superintended the forwarding of the organ, and the Shaw, Savill, and Albion Shipping Company generously agreed to convey it to New Zealand free of charge. Meanwhile all necessary preparations were made in the church for the reception of the instrument, which was landed at Dunedin in June 1884, and was soon afterwards placed in position by Mr G. R. West. The committee were indebted to Messrs Barningham and Co. for the use of their warehouse while the organ was in course of erection.
Mr A. J. Barth, whose credentials were of the highest order, was appointed organist, and the instrument was used in public worship for the first time on Sabbath, August 3, 1884. It is universally allowed that the interior of the church has been much improved in appearance, and the service of praise greatly enriched by the introduction of the organ. It is due to those members of the congregation who were at first opposed to the change to state that almost without exception they loyally acquiesced in the decision arrived at by the majority.
At the close of 1884 the sum of £726 3s 3d had been contributed from various sources towards the expense of the organ, leaving £997 6s 4d still to be raised. With a view to the extinction of the debt, the Organ Committee invited the co-operation of the ladies of the congregation in getting up a bazaar. This invitation was very generally and heartily responded to, and the ladies entered on their undertaking with the utmost enthusiasm, and with the determination to make it a thorough success. The preparations, which were on an exceedingly extensive scale, were completed about the beginning of 1887. The bazaar, which was held in the Garrison Hall, was opened on Tuesday, February 22nd, by His Excellency the Governor, Sir William Jervois, and was closed on the evening of Saturday, the 26th. The unremitting efforts of the ladies, and the generous support accorded to them by members of the congregation, as well as by numerous friends belonging to other churches and denominations, rendered the organ bazaar in all respects a most distinguished success. The gross proceeds amounted to £1642; and, after defraymg all expenses, paying the debt upon the organ, and painting and completing the exterior of the instrument, the committee were enabled to hand over to the Deacons' Court the handsome sum of £379 10s lOd to aid in the reduction of the debt on the new church. The following is a summary of the Organ Committee's final balance-sheet:—
| RECEIPTS. | |||
| Subscriptions | £822 | 16 | 6 |
| Organ Recitals | 111 | 1 | 3 |
| Concerts | 22 | 3 | 0 |
| Lectures by Dr Black | 10 | 1 | 6 |
| Juvenile Industrial Exhibition | 15 | 0 | 0 |
| Collection on Opening Day | 25 | 0 | 0 |
| Bazaar Committee | 948 | 11 | 1 |
| £1954 | 13 | 4 | |
| EXPENDITURE. | |||
| Cost of Organ (including dues) | £1117 | 1 | 6 |
| Cost of Erection | 70 | 0 | 0 |
| Alterations to Building | 576 | 18 | 4 |
| Interest | 190 | 13 | 6 |
| £1954 | 13 | 4 | |
This brief record of the proceedings which resulted in the introduction of instrumental music would be incomplete if no reference were made to the invaluable services rendered to the congregation by the Organ Committee, and particularly by its chairman, Mr John Roberts, C.M.G., to whose indefatigable energy and sound judgment the satisfactory completion of the undertaking was largely due. Much credit is also due to the bazaar committee and to the ladies whose abundant labours contributed so largely to the success of the bazaar. The thanks of the congregation are also justly due to the past and present members of the choir for the ready and cheerful manner in which they have devoted their time and talents to the improvement of the church's service of praise. The heartiness with which the congregation join in this important part of public worship is owing in no small measure to Mr Barth's skilful manipulation, and the tasteful and judicious manner in which the organ is used by him as a guide and aid in singing.
The introduction of the organ necessarily led to other changes in the service of song. Mr A. M. Braik, who had led the psalmody of the church for two years with much acceptance, was continued in his position as congregational precentor and teacher of music, his duties being to conduct the singing in the Sabbath School, train classes of young people, &c. Mr Braik still continues in the performance of these duties, and his services are justly appreciated. The Report for 1890 states that three classes had been held weekly, with an aggregate attendance of 300, and adds: "As showing the bearing of these classes upon the psalmody of the congregation, it may be noted that three-fourths of the present church choir have been at one time connected with them, while there are numbers in the congregation qualified to fill vacancies as they occur." These classes do much to foster a taste for uiiisic, while at the same time they are educating the young people to take an efficient part in the service of song. Mr Braik has received valuable help from Mr David Thomson, secretary to the various classes; and Mr George Leighton, as choir secretary, has greatly assisted Mr Barth in keeping up the strength and efficiency of the church choir.
The first precentor of Knox Church was Mr W. McLelland (still living), who was elected in 1860 and resigned in 1861. He was succeeded by Mr Alex. Stewart, who retired in December 1863 owing to the pressure of other duties. Mr A. Graham then held the office for about a year, and was succeeded by Mr Robert Francis, who performed the duties of precentor from 1865 to 1876 with much zeal and attention. A difficulty having arisen in procuring a suitable successor to Mr Francis, Mr G. M. Thomson volunteered to conduct the psalmody without remuneration. In 1877 his professional duties compelled Mr Thomson to resign the position he had held for a year with so much advantage to the congregation, and he received the cordial thanks of the office-bearers for the timely assistance he had rendered. Mr W. Fraser was then elected precentor, but after about a year's service he retired, and was succeeded (1878) by Mr Innes, who held the office till 1882, when Mr A. M. Braik was almost unanimously elected to the position by a vote of the congregation.