Pioneer Methodism in the Coalfields of Southland by F.G.Glen Wesley Historical Society Publication #19(1&2) Page 1
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Pioneer Methodism in the Coalfields of Southland by F.G.Glen Wesley Historical Society Publication #19(1&2) Page 1 Pioneer Methodism in the Coalfields of Southland by F.G.Glen Introduction The Ohai Pastorate of this vast scattered Western Southland Methodist Circuit, with its three churches and four other preaching places is one of the youngest rural Methodist causes in Southland, 75 years ago saw the establishment of our first Church services, and 65 years ago the appointment of the first Minister to the North Western Southland district. Methodism through this appointment had been true to her heritage of taking the Gospel to an industrial situation. Our pioneer task is not yet complete, the task of the Church of Jesus Christ should always be to break new ground in the art of communicating the Gospel and seeking out areas uncared for by her ministry. With rapid rural development, continuing industry in Ohai, and the great undertaking of Comalco in Manapouri our Church is once more on the brink of opportunity. This is a tribute to the pioneers of the past and the Home Missionaries. To a certain degree our Church in Western Southland has been living on the past but no Church can do this and survive. May this challenge us to meet the demands and the opportunity of today, that we too may be worthy of our Methodist Heritage. FRANK GLEN. The Parsonage, Ohai, 1st August, 1961. Rev. Frank Glen Wesley Historical Society Publication #19(1&2) Page 2 Pioneer Methodism in the Coalfields of Southland by F.G.Glen NIGHTCAPS, THE MOTHER CHURCH Riverton is the Mother Church of Methodism in the Western District of Southland. It was first visited by a Methodist Missionary in 1844, the Rev. James Katkin, who gave assistance to the early settlers and a European School functioning there. With the establishment of a regular Methodist Society in Invercargill in 1864 it was not long before the work extended to Riverton. The Rev. Robert S. Bunn began Methodist services in the town in 1868 but discontinued at a later date owing to the division of work being agreed upon in the country by the Presbyterian and Methodist Church. Riverton next appears on the Circuit records in March, 1882, when the Rev. P. Fairclough F.R.A.S. visited Riverton and organized a Society. This extension promised well and Invercargill had an additional appointment made to Riverton, the Rev. J. T. Wallis, who took up residence in Riverton in April, 1886. Riverton, our mother district, shown about 1860. Preachers to Nightcaps first came from the Riverton township. By May of 1886 the records show preaching places already established far into Western Southland. Wrey's Bush, one of the first was a key road and waggon centre which owed its origin to the gold rush of the early 1860's. It was the centre of established rural development, and until the railway was put through to Nightcaps the centre of North Western communications. Services had been commenced in addition at Nightcaps, Wairio, Thornbury, Otautau, and Oraki by late 1886. Nightcaps had been supplying coal for provincial consumption since 1882, Wairio as the rail head less than two miles from Nightcaps, had a small population engaged in the railway Wesley Historical Society Publication #19(1&2) Page 3 Pioneer Methodism in the Coalfields of Southland by F.G.Glen industry. Thornbury was the rail junction of the Invercargill, Otautau, or Nightcaps trains, sporting a platform tea shop and licensed bar. By April 1889, Riverton had become a separate Home Mission Station which made work in Western Southland independent of Invercargill. The first service conducted in Nightcaps was held in the Nightcaps School attended by some 40 settlers. The Rev. J. T. Wallis officiated. Records show that the second Sunday in May of 1886 was the date of this historic service. In Wrey's Bush the service was also held in the School, the community being larger than it is at present. In the 1880's it comprised two hotels, Flynn's All Nations and Hogan's Commercial, two general stores, three blacksmiths and a bootmaker. The Post Office was later established in Kaveney's Store. Nearly all the allotments were occupied by men engaged in fencing, ditching, and road construction. The Church, as well as the district was consolidating after the gold rush. Much of the pioneering work was done by Wallis and it is to his credit that he laid so well the foundations for the future. In April 1888 the Rev. S. B. Fellows was appointed to Riverton and the Western District, Mr Peter Grant our oldest layman in Nightcaps still remembering services conducted by him in the Nightcaps School. Mr Fellows arrived by rail on Saturday evening, conducted services in the district during Sunday; the evening at Nightcaps, returning to Riverton on Monday. Accommodation was provided by the Nightcaps Coal Company house, now the Maternity Home. During Mr Fellows period rapid extension seems to have taken place, and the Church was hard pressed to keep the 10 to 12 preaching places served Drummond was opened as a place of worship sometime in 1887, and shown on the plan of 1888. Services over this period were conducted at Otautau, 11 a.m., Wrey's Bush, 3.00 p.m and Nightcaps 7.00 p.m. every second Sunday, early local preachers from Invercargill being, Mr R. Wesney Snr, and Mr G. B Paterson. It is interesting to note the annual collection tor the year 1888 at Nightcaps, one amount of £8/13/11 and another of £4/4/6, more than equal now to a normal Sunday offering. Drummond must have been a centre of good Methodist witness showing a total offering for that year of £21. The Rev. Fellows applied to the Australian Conference to enter mission work, and in April 1890 a probationer, the Rev J T Nott M.A., took his place. The Rev. T. W. Newbold was appointed to the charge in April 1892 and is still remembered by older residents in the district. During his ministry the Church was built, and the Nightcaps district extended even further. A quarter acre section of land was donated for the Church in Nightcaps by Mr Wm. Reed, and Mrs E. Grant, wife of the first Circuit Steward rode all over the community soliciting donations for the project. From the whole district Mr Grant collected over £80, and under the guidance of Mr Wm. Guttery and other miners the Church was erected by voluntary labour. The Church was officially opened in April 1893. Wesley Historical Society Publication #19(1&2) Page 4 Pioneer Methodism in the Coalfields of Southland by F.G.Glen Rev. T. Newbold, 1892-95, who was responsible for much of the extension and consolidation work from the Riverton until Rev. J. Featherston was appointed in 1896. In 1895 the Riverton Circuit appealed to the Conference for a further agent to be stationed at Nightcaps with a view to establishing a separate Home Mission Station. The following year in April 1896 the Rev. Jacob Featherston, a young Home Missionary, took over the pastoral care of the northern part of the Circuit. The plan for that year shows a scattered and difficult district geographically, roughly the same boundaries as today. The preaching places included, Nightcaps, Otautau (which was within the Nightcaps area), Wrey's Bush, Wairio, South Hillend, Bellemont Station (Blackmount district), Clifden and Eastern Bush. A rough estimate of Church members at this date is placed at 30, while families under pastoral care would not exceed 60. A reasonable sized pastorate considering the distance and scattered nature of things in those days Mr Featherston was boarded in the home of Miss B. Johnston. It is interesting to make some financial comparisons of that time and now. Travel allowance in 1896 was £8/10/- yearly as Horse Allowance. Travel in roughly the same area today by car is allowed at £75 per quarter .—"When do we go back to the horse?” some might ask. Mr Featherston was allowed £19 on account for his first quarter's stipend, his sacrifices did not end there either! For the average Quarter in the first year of appointment the income was £25; today an average Quarter is somewhere about the £250 mark! Among the early pioneers who assisted in establishing the work in Nightcaps were Mr and Mrs James Grant, who first settled at Taieri. Later they shifted to Woodbourne Wesley Historical Society Publication #19(1&2) Page 5 Pioneer Methodism in the Coalfields of Southland by F.G.Glen Station in the Rannoch district, then, because of depression, came to Nightcaps where Mr Grant became the butcher. He was the first Circuit Steward, and the first local preacher. He is survived today by his son, Mr Peter Grant, a local preacher of 57 years standing, and one of the oldest surviving pioneers of that period. Nightcaps Church, 1933. Built in 1893, being the first church in the district. Mr & Mrs J Grant. First Circuit Steward, 1895 The Miller, Bell, Sinclair, Strudwick, Keen, Gill, Kelly, Guttery and Henry families all gave their talents to one of the most talented Church choirs ever to be formed in the district. On one occasion while the Choir was returning from South Hillend and crossing the Aparima River at Flynn's Ford, near disaster occurred. The buggy was filled with ladies and Jim Miller was riding a rather spirited horse close to the vehicle—the glitter of the moonlight on the spokes caused the beast to lash out, Wesley Historical Society Publication #19(1&2) Page 6 Pioneer Methodism in the Coalfields of Southland by F.G.Glen sending his foot through the wheel, wrecking it.