OLD ST. PAUL'S.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 9534, 11 June 1894, Page 6

OLD ST. PAUL'S.

AN HISTORICAL REMINISCENCE. It may be interesting to our readers to give the history of Old St. Paul's (Anglican) Church, one of the historic Churches of the city, as being the first Procestant place of worship erected here. Early in 1841 a subscription list was opened for the erection of a temporary raupo church. This project was abandoned in consequence of the exorbitant demands of the natives for its erection, and also divisions among the subscribers, some of whom wanted a permanent church. PRELIMINARY MEETING AT

GOVERNMENT HOUSE. A preliminary meeting was held at Government House, Auckland, on the 14th April, 1841, Governor Captain William Hobson, R.N., presiding, for the purpose of taking steps for the erection of an Episcopalian Church at Auckland. It was proposed by Mr. Charles Terry, seconded by Mr. Francis Fisher, That while it is incumbent on every member of the Christian community to afford assistance in promoting th» Christian religion, it becomes a more paramount and important part of his duty as a resident in a new colony, the natives of which chiefly remain in ignorance of Christian truth, to provide for and encourage the due observance of public worship. That for the furtherance of such duty, and making provision for the present most pressing wants of the Christian inhabitants of the township of Auckland, it is necessary that a church, for the celebration of divine service, according to the usage of the Established Church of England, be erected, and, as by the Orders of Council for regulating the affairs of the Church, a sum of not less than £300 must be subscribed towards the erection of the church, before the aid of Her Majesty's Government can be applied for, it is expedient to enter into immediate subscription, and that a meeting of subscribers be called under ami in compliance with those Acta, so soon as that amount shall be collected." Carried. Proposed by Mr. K. 8. Halswell, seconded by Captain Richmond, and resolved, " That the following residents in Auckland be requested to form a committee to carry into effect the above resolution :—Rev. J. F. Churton (Colonial Uhaplaiu) Messrs. John Brown, David Scott, brands Fisher, G. Heather, G.T.Clayton, Lieorge Clarke, E. S. Halswell, Captain Richmond, Captain England. Dr. Johnson (Colonial Coroner)." Proposed by Mr. Clayton seconded by Mr. Gilbert Mair, "That a vote d thanks be given to His Excellency for presiding, and also for the kindness with which hi all occasions he promotes the interests of ;lie community." The subscriptions given for a raupo church rtere released by the subscribers at the above meeting, when it was determined that no such temporary building should be undertaken, and the amount then and afterwards raised was expressly given for the erection of a permanent church, and such only. Mr. lacker was appointed treasurer. Part of the funds, with the permission of the Governor, were used for putting up a schoolroom for worship. The trustees were appointed at a meeting on 3rd May, namely, Hilloughby Shortland, Colonial Secretary; George Cooper, Colonial Treasurer : Francis bisher, Attorney-General; Felton Matthews, Surveyor-General: and M. Richmond, Commissioner of Claims to Land in New Zealand. At the request of the trustees, the Governor sanctioned the use of the Court-house, "in which settlers might congregate on the Sabbath to perform their religious duties." ERECTION OF THE CHURCH. Mr. William Mason (now of Queenstown, Lake \\ akatipu) was the architect, aud he submitted a plan with specifications to the trustees, which was adopted on the l'2th -May, and on the ISch May was submitted to the Governor for approval, and on the 12th July returned to them approved. Meanwhile the Surveyor-General, Mr. Felton Matthews, had set out the site, and on the 14th July tenders were invited for fencing, lime, 300,000 bricks, and building. These were all entered into with exception of the lime; fencing, Mr. O'Brien; carpenters' worn, Mr. W. F. Gilberd; bricks, Mr. Lacey Lawson; bricklayers' work, Messrs. Win. Greenwood aud .Sharkey. Mr. Greenwood, though 88 years of age, still resides at Epsom' vigorous in mind aud body, on land which he purchased at the first Government suburban land sale. The New Zealand Herald and Auckland Gazette says :—" The contractor proceeded to Sydney to get bullocks and drays to be used in fulfilment of his undertaking, and brickmaking commenced so as to enable the builders to commence on the Ist "

LAYING THE FOUNDATION STONE. The foundation stone of the Metropolitan Church of St. Paul's was laid at noon on the 26th July, 1841, having been deferred from the 22nd, owing to the inclemency of the weather. At the jubilee services, the date was given as the 27th July, but the New Zealand Herald and Auckland Gazette of Saturday, 24th July says of the approaching function :—" The ceremony of laying the foundation stone of a Metropolitan Church for Auckland has been deferred to Monday next (26th), at noon. The Governor has consented to assist at the ceremony, and it is expected that there will be an appropriate procession on the occasion." The same journal also contains the following announcement:—"The trustees respectfully invite the attendance of their fellow-towns-men when the foundation stone of the Metropolitan Church of St. Paul's will be laid by His Excellency the Governor. Persons desirous of joining the procession are requested to meet at Government House at eleven o'clock."

The foundation stone was laid by Governor Hobson, the ceremony being performed with Masonic honours, in the presence of an assemblage of about 300 persons, of whom a number were natives of the Ngaciwhatua. The late Mrs. Jas. Coates led the singing. That was a large assemblage for Auckland in those days, when it was a collection of huts and tents. The whole of the officials, civil and military, were present, trustees, committee, and the citizens generally. Mr. George Clarke, missionary, as Chief Protector of the Aborigines under the British Government, addressed the assembled ; natives who were from Orakei (Paul's people), but then under their chiefs, Te ! Apiha te Kawau and Te Keene, the late Paora Tuhaere, being at that date a very young man. Mr. Clarke spoke as follows :— \ "My Native Friends, — Some of you are doubtless surprised at this great and respectable assembly. His Excellency the Governor, Ids officers, the clergymen, and the ladies and gentlemen of Auckland, have requested me to explain to yon the purpose for which they have met together. in former days when your forefathers met, their only object was that of fighting and destroying each other : perhaps on this very spot many have been your engagements. Your only pleasure then was in fighting and killing one another, and were it possible tor this ground to speak, and disclose many bad things that took place here, these ladies and gentlemen would perhaps tremble, and you yourselves would be ashamed. Bud, my friends, we thank God that some of you have been enabled to forsake these evil practices, and to worship God. We the New Zealand and English gentlemen of Auckland, have united to build a church in which to worship the true God. The name of this church will be St. Paul's, and it will remain a place in which to worship our God. The laying of this stone is the commencement or foundation, and we call you together to see this custom, for this is by no means a new custom. . . . This is the first house of worship erected here, and let us pray to God that many churches may be built here, and in every other native and European settlement." Among those present, in addition to trustees and committee, were the late Sir Fredk. Whitaker, Dr. Pollen, Messrs. H. T. Kemp, Mitford, Geo. S. Graham, E. M. Williams, W. Young, Wm. Mason, W. Greenwood (Epsom) and Thos. Paton (Epsom), John Gordon _ (now a vestryman of St. Paul's), and Miss Coates. Of military officials present were Major Bunbury, H.M. 80th ; Lieutenant Lugard, and Major Marlow, R.E.; Drs. Gammie and Ballantyne, and Mr. George Graham, Clerk of Works under the Board of Ordnance.

Mr. Greenwood, the builder, on behalf of himself and Mr. Sharkey, provided the trowel and mallet. Auckland could not run silver trowels, with ivory handles, in those days, so Mr. Greenwood furnished a new bricklayer's trowel which he had brought out from England with him for his own use, and this, decorated with ribbons, did splendidly. The mallet he turned out of a piece of pohutakawa from one of the trees overhanging the cliffs at Official Bay. It was three months before Mr. Greenwood could get his trowel back again, somebody having a weakness for relics. _ The mallet was " borrowed," with a view, it was said, of sending it to Sydney to get a silver plate inserted with suitable inscription, and that was the last Mr. Greenwood ever heard of the mallet! The historical trowel, which has seen some serviceinitsday, Mr. Greenwood retained in his possession for more than half a century, notwithstanding repeated attempts by private individuals to secure the interesting relic of Old St. Paul's, and of Old Auckland Mr. Greenwood has now presented it f° the authorities of St. Paul's, through Mr. C. M. M *> of the New Zealand Herald *i,„fVu W n* he expression of a wish FVpp V«lr l I V 1 turn Kive {t t0 the Auckland Snn fcul as being a public institu- '":. *° the »'te of New St. Paul's, and a table one to which to give it. Mr George S. Graham whose father and mother Mr and Mrs. George Graham, and The family took a deep interests in the old Church [Mr

Graham, over 90, still lives hale and hearty at Brighton, England] suggests that before being presented publicly the trowel should be mounted with a silver plate, 'suitably inscribed, and has handsomely offered to see it done. With the historical trowel will also be presented to the Free Library and citizens of Auckland, one of the oldest coins in the old foundation stone, and the New Zealand Herald and Auckland Gazette of 24th July, 1841, which was also in it, containing the list of original subscriptions to the church. A few days before the laying of the foundation stone the list of subscriptions was published in the Mew Zealand Herald and Auckland Gazette. It totalled up to £491 14s. Governor Hobson gave £10 : Lady Hobson, £10; their family, £10; and Lady Franklin, £10. The Rev. J. F. Churton's former parishioners at Kreapond subscribed £14; Willoughby Shorthand, £50; Mr. and Mrs. Fisher, £30; Mr. and Mrs. Freeman, £25; Mr. and Mrs. Geo. Cooper, £20; Mr. and Mrs. Clayton, £15 15s; donors of £10: Dr. Johnson, Captain Rough (harbourmaster), Messrs. Halswell, Matthew, M. Richmond, Dudley Sinclair, Tucker, Terry, Mr. and Mrs. Geo. Clarke. Of £5 there are the Rev. J. F. Churton, Captain England, Captain W. F. Porter, Captain Richards, Messrs. James Busby, James Coates, George Graham, Grimstone, Halls, Montetiore. Kelly, W. Mason, Mitford, G. Mair, W. Mason, Mcllwain, J. J. Symonds, John Scott, Toil, James Watson, S. A. Wood, F. Whitaker. Croker, Miss Short. "An Israelite" is down for four guineas, believed to be the late Mr. David Nathan, who though a staunch upholder of the Hebrew faith, had " a brick" in every church and chapel in Auckland. Among the list of other donors are to be found the names of Dr. Pollen, Colonel Godfree, Captain Peil e, Messrs. J. A. Brown, Thomas Brown, Richard Condon, G. Clarke, jnn., De Moulin, J. Davis, Field, James George, W. Greenwood, Hadlow, Heather, Howell, H. T. Kemp, J. Kitchen, Leivington, Magee, Monk, McKwcn, W. Oliver, Robinson, Wilson, James Smith, A. Scott, Standinger, A.Trimmer, Robert White, W.Young, Williams, Mrs. Croker, Misses Halls, Sweet, JTrower, Townsley. The building operations do not seem to have progressed very briskly, owing to difficulty of getting and transporting materials. Brick-making appears to have been " a lost art." They had to be made by hand at Cooper's Bay, transported by canoe to Official Bay, and packed by horses in panniers up the hill to the site of the church. In its issue of September 11, the New Zealand Herald and Auckland Gazette says that worship had been performed in a different place each Sunday, and latterly in a schoolroom which would accommodate (30, but as the hot weather was approaching it was unfit for use. If the building made no more progress than had been made since the foundation was laid, the then generation would nave little chance of seeing it opened. It stated that "a number of peoule had arrived in Auckland, since the laying of the foundation stone, but were deterred from giving owing to the inaction of the trustees. If the trustees had

not sufficient funds, a strong appeal should be made for help in England towards erecting a metropolitan church in Auckland.'"' One of the meetings to discuss matters took place one evening through the liberality of Mr. Joseph in his store, in the Crescent, about the only place large enough for a public meeting. Owing th the prolongation of the meeting, the badness of the roads, or rather want of roads, and the darkness of the night, some of the atteuders dossed down in the store for the night, bedding themselves with raupo and rushes ! In its issue of the 9th March, 1542. it says : "The new courthouse, which is used as a temporarychurch until the Cathedral Church, now in course of erection, is finished, was crowded yesterday. There were present His Excellency, the Colonial Secretary, the Chief Justice, and almost every other public functionary, besides the principal inhabitants," who are hopelessly given away by the reporter with the remark. " the majority being females !" The Rev. J. F. Churton's discourse had reference to the approaching execution of Maketu, who was to sutler the penalty of the law on the following morning for the murder of the Robertson family at the Bay or Islands. CONSECRATION OF THE CHURCH. Bishop Selwyrt who had been consecrated first Bishop of New Zealand on '21st October of 18-11, arrived en the 30th May of the following year, with funds collected in England, and gave an impetus to the work of building, which had been delayed through want of materials and money. After many delays the church was consecrated in an unfinished state on 17th Match (St. Patrick's Day), 1544. Bishop Selwyn was assisted by the Rev. J. F. Churton, and late Archdeacon Maunsell. The service was well attended, Mr. Whitaker (County Court Judge) read aloud the Crown grunt vesting the laud in the Bishop and his successors. The Bishop preached from Deuteronomy xxx., 11 to 14. Collection amounted to iX>. The Governor gave £30, and the Colonial Secretary (Mr. VVilloughly Shortland) £21) towards the completion of the Church. ITS SUBSEQUENT HISTORY. The Rev. J. F. Churton (the first incumbent) died on the '20th January, 1853, after 12 years' service. He was beloved by everybody for his upright life, his faithful service, liberality of views, and courteousness to all denominations. Here is an instance : One evening Mr. Churton was sent for at his suburban residence, Parnell, to see a gentleman who was ill residing in West Queenstreet. He trudged away in the mud, and on getting into town saw the man, who commenced to unburden his soul to his ghostly adviser and desired absolution. " Why," said Mr. Churton, "You don't want me, you want a priest ! " and he tramped away again in the mud to the residence, Chapel Hill, of the priest, and said, "I say, Father Jean, there's one of your people in West Queenstreet wants you badly; you had better see him." The funeral procession was a mile in length, and he was buried amid the regrets of the citizens. A monument to Mr. Churton's memory was erected by public subscription (limited to a shilling) on land dedibated outside the church reserve to make the affair undenominational, ami the officers and men of H.M. 58th Regiment, as St. Paul's was the Garrison Church, joined in with £27 When the City Council purchased the site of Old St. Paul's they removed the monument, and gave the inscription to the Rev. C. M. Nelson (the present incumbent). Mr. W. H. Churton (a son of the deceased clergyman) has asked the City Council to reerect the monument on the original ground, but they hold there is no legal obligation on their part to do so. Perhaps the best way would be to let iuscrption into wall of new St. Paul's, in memory of the first incumbent, especially as it is contemplated to collect funds for a lectern in the church in memory of the late Archdeacon Lloyd, Mr. Churton's successor.

The Rev. J. P. Thatcher was assistant, and at the time of Mr. Churton's death carried on the work for a few months afterwards, when he was appointed to the newly-formed district of St. Matthew's. In June, 1853, the Rev. Mr. Lloyd became incumbent, and was subsequently raised to the archdeaconry, with the title of Archdeacon of Waitemata. On the 24th February, 1861, Mr. Dudley, now, Archdeacon, was ordained in this church. In 1863 extensive additions were made to the building at a cost of £2500, the church being temporarily closed, and reopened on the 6th September, 1863. The first General Synod held in Auckland was opened in St. Paul's on the sth October, 1868; and when, in the following year, Bishop Selwyn left; the colony, the service prior to his departure was held in it. In 1876, Archdeacon Lloyd left New Zealand, after 17 years' incumbency of St. Paul's, ami Bishop Covvie took care of the church until the appointment of the present incumbent on the Ist June, 1870, whose term of service has been nearly as long as that of Irs two predecessors combined. ■ In February, 1885, the old church was demolished, the site being required in connection with the reclamation works, and the place of worship was temporarily shifted to the building now occupied in Short-street, a building previously used and to which considerable improvements wore made to lit it for ecclesiastical purposes. The last services in the original building were held on the 22nd February, 1885, Archdeacon Dudley officiating in the morning and the Rev. C. M. Nelson in the evening. The foundation stone of that old building, as an interesting and historic relic, will be used for the new church.

At the jubilee celebration services (lie celebrants were, as on the last day in the first building, Archdeacon Dudley forenoon, and Mr. Nelson in uie evening. The services were attended by three of those whose names have already been mentioned as having attended the laying of the foundation stone—namely, Mrs. Coates, Mr. Thomas Paton, and Mr. John Gordon. In recognition of the claim of St. Paul's as the first military church in New Zealand, there was a splendid muster of volunteers of all branches at the mid-day service. Since the Jubilee services Sir Frederick Whitaker, Mr. W. Voting, and Mrs. Coates have passed awav. There still survive in the colony, of those who were present at the laying of the foundation stone: —Hon. Dr. Pollen, Messrs. Thos. Paton, Wm. Greenwood, E. M. Williams, H. T. Kemp, G. S. Graham, J. Gordon (Auckland), W. Mason (Ofcago), and Mr. Geo. Graham and Captain Rough (England), the latter remembering St. Paul's by giving £100 towards an endowment fund. «►