THE FOUNDATION STONE Of the SCOTS' C H U R C H For the use of the Congregation in Melbourne, in connection with the N A T I O N A L C H U R C H OF SCOTLAND,
Laid on the twenty-second day of January, 1841, by HER
D A V I D PATRICK, M . D , Elder. M O S T GRACIOUS MAJESTY, VICTORIA, Queen of Great Britain and Ireland.
His Excellency, SIR G E O R G E Girrs, Knight, Captain-General and Governor-in-Chief of New South Wales. His Honor, C H A R L E S JOSEPH LATROBE, E S Q , Superintendent of Port Phillip. The REV. J O H N TAIT, Moderator of the Synod of Australia, in connexion with the ESTABLISHED C H U R C H OF SCOTLAND. J A M E S FORBES, A.M., Minister of the Church and Congregation. D A V I D PATRICK, M.D. and R O B E R T CAMTBELL, Elders. S K E N E CRAIG, WILLIAM RYRIE, G E O R G E SINCLAIR BRODIE, JAMES O L I L H A N T D E N N Y , and J O H N H U N T E R PATTERSON, Trustees. S A M U E L JACKSON, Architect.
The stone was then lowered, adjusted, and pronounced to be duly laid by the senior Elder, who addressed the assemblage. T h e Rev. James Forbes invoked the Divine blessing in a suitable prayer, the last three verses of Psalm cxxii were sung, the "Apostolic Benediction" given, and all was over. T h e building, a chaste and tasteful structure, was opened for service on the 3rd October, 1841. In May, 1841, the Presbyterians in Melbourne and the County of Bourke were reported to number 1477. O n the 8th May, 1842, a temporary kirk was opened at Campbellfield by the Rev. T h o m a s Mowbray, the first pastor appointed there. Five acres of land had been generously given for church purposes by Mr. Neil Campbell, proprietor of the Campbellfield Estate. THE FIRST PRESBYTERY.
In June, 1842, an important step was taken by the Synod of Australia, instructing the Ministers and Elders in Port Phillip to form a Presbytery for the management of the affairs of the Church in Australia Felix. This was done, and thefirstmeeting of the Port Phillip Presbytery was held on the 7th June, in the Scots' Church. T h e Rev. James Forbes was appointed Moderator, several important topics relative to Church Government were discussed, and special attention was given to the question of Education. In December of the same year, Drs. D r u m m o n d and Wilkie, with Mr. J. Johnston, were ordained Elders. A manse had been erected for some time on the kirk-land, in Collins Street, and in May, 1844, the Rev. M r Forbes took a trip to Sydney for the benefit ot his- health. O n e night (26th May), during his absence, the manse was burglariously entered and plundered of property of considerable value, including two silver communion cups, and a gown of "true Geneva orthodox cut," brought from Scotland in 1842, by Mr. G. S. Brodie, as a present to the minister. Mr. Forbes was so well liked that the Melbourne thieves would not have the unmanliness to injure him, and circumstances that afterwards transpired pointed, not only the finger of suspicion, but of certainty, to some members of a Presbyterian family, who had received many favours from the hand of the m a n so outraged. A s some of their name are still in the colony, I abstain from further reference to a misdoing so utterly disgraceful. During this year, church accommodation was provided for several country districts, and in 1845, the Rev. Mr. Love was appointed Moderator, and the ministry was strengthened by the arrival of the Rev. Messrs. Gunn, Lawrie and others. In M a y the ladies of the Melbourne congregation raised sufficient funds to procure a new pulpit—a very creditable specimen of colonial workmanship. It. was made out of Australian cedar, declared to be as good as Spanish mahogany, and included a canopy, pronounced by competent judges, as forming a model for other places. T h e contractor was not inappropriately named Rule, and the constructors were two clever mechanics, known as Stains and King. A s was to be expected, Port Phillip could not escape the effects of the disruption of the Church in Scotland in 1843, its influences in due time penetrating to the Antipodes. A local Free-Church movement followed, led by thefirstminister (Rev. James Forbes), in 1846, a step regarded with much anxiety and
