Independent Chapel in Collins Street. The Rev. A. Morison having given them the use of the Independent School-room, the place of a minister was for a time supplied by a Mr. Wanke, a layman. The Rev. Mr. Rupprecht at length arrived, and he held services at 3 p.m. on Sundays, at the Independent Chapel for some time, with a congregation numbering about 60 persons. This was an unsatisfactory state of things, for though Mr. Rupprecht preached, he had no direct authority from his following to do so; and a meeting of Germans was held on the afternoon of Sunday, the 13th April, 1851, to adopt measures necessary for a regular appointment. The business was at once proceeded with by Mr. Wanke proposing, and Mr. Thiele seconding a resolution nominating the Rev. Mr. Rupprecht as Minister of the Evangelisch Lutherische Church of Melbourne, taking as a basis the confession of Augsburg with the Symbolic Books and Luther's Great and Little Catechisms. It was stated that a clergyman had been for some time expected, but they had waited patiently for over twelve months, and could wait no longer. Mrs. Zahn, from Collingwood, expressed a wish to speak in support of the proposition, but the Chairman (Mr. Markert) ruled that he did not consider himself justified in permitting a lady to talk; but the lady tossing her head jauntily, defied the ruling, and persisted in warmly advocating the immediate installation of a minister. Mr. Weidt wished the appointment to be only temporary, whereupon Mr. Rupprecht entered into a brief explanation. After visiting for seven years the gymnasium at Breslau, and its University for three years, he took Orders in 1845. He made a trip to the Australian Colonies twelve months before, and intended returning to Germany. But he was willing to officiate as minister in Melbourne till the arrival of the expected clergyman, and even longer if they desired. The resolution was adopted, and an engagement with the minister signed by all present. On the fifth day after (Good Friday) there was a German service at the Independent Church, at which the new minister officiated. This occasion was rendered eventful by the baptism of the two first Australian German children in the colony. At a subsequent meeting of the congregation the following appointments were made :—Wardens Kirchenvorsteher to act conjointly with the Rev. Mr. Rupprecht, G. Thiele, N. Lange, G. Wanke, August Wernicke, Moritz Helm, H. Runge, Trangott Vorwerg, Ernst Altman, Hempel, sen., Fred. Eulest, Secretary, and August Jentsch, Collector. On Easter Sunday (20th) there was another effective service, and both minister and congregation seemed well satisfied with each other. The attempts so made to establish a German Church failed through the paucity of followers, as also did another effort tried two years after by the Rev. A. Kappler. The gold discoveries, however, quickly brightened up the prospect, and the German population being swelled from South Australia and elsewhere, the Rev. M. Goethe succeeded in forming congregations towards the beginning of 1853, at Melbourne and Germantown, outside Geelong. The first German Church on the Eastern Hill was erected at the commencement of 1854.
Note. —Wandering amongst the ecclesiastical waifs of the colony, I picked up two "Fraternities," of which there is little or no other mention than the fact of their once existence. As their objects, judging from my knowledge of the religious belief of several of the projectors, were not confined to working for the spiritual salvation of any particular sect, they are appended here as more suitable than attaching them specially to any of the preceding denominations:—
Auxiliary Bible Society of Australia Felix (Established 14th July, 1840).
Patron —His Honor Charles Joseph Latrobe, Esq.; President —William Lonsdale, Esq.; Vice Presidents —Rev. James Clow and Edward Jones Brewster, Esq.; Committee of Management —Messrs. John Gardiner, William Locke, A. Beale, J. B. Were, John Patterson, R. N., William Kerr, Robert Reeves, D. E. Wilkie, M. D., J. H. Patterson, J. O. Denny, J. J. Peers, and William Witton, with all Ministers, Members of the Society; Committee at Geelong —Rev. Andrew Love, and Messrs. Alexander Thomson, and Jonathan Gierke, M. D.; Treasurer —John Dunbar, Esq.; Secretaries —Rev. William Waterfield and Rev. James Forbes, A.M.; Depositary —Rev. William Waterfield.
Port Phillip Theological Society. (Established, 1841.)
President —Rev. James Forbes, A.M.; Committee of Management —Messrs. Robert Campbell, Skene Craig, Archibald Cunninghame, James Oliphant Denny, James Drummond , John Dunbar, James
