Our Yesteryears 1840-1950 by W. A. Chambers
Our Yesteryears 1840-1950 by W. A. Chambers
Wesley Historical Society (NZ) Publication #8 (3&4) 1950 Page 1 Our Yesteryears 1840-1950 by W. A. Chambers
PREFACE To survey thoroughly the history of Methodism in Canterbury in such a small volume as this, is an impossibility. Each chapter could be written at much greater length and still only a fraction of the story be told. Yet it is hoped that the following pages will give a brief panoramic view of Methodist history in the Canterbury Synodal Districts since 1839-40, when the first Wesleyan native Christian began to preach "the wonderful works of God" in Port Levy. In the first three chapters the story of the Wesleyan Church can be quite fully told from documents still in existence. Since the Wesleyan Union of 1896 however, the Bible Christian and United Methodist Free Churches have almost lost their identity in the larger body. With that identity has passed away a mass of Church records, much of which will never be recovered. In these chapters I am greatly indebted to other writers who have had documents and Minute Books at their disposal which it has not been my good fortune to read. Knowledge of the work since 1896 comes within the bounds of living memory. Thus only trends have been recorded. Detailed work in individual Churches and Circuits must be chronicled by local writers. More particularly should attention be paid to Kaiapoi, Springston, St. Albans and Lyttelton Circuits, whose spiritual connections penetrate back into the early days of Canterbury Methodism. The present writer owes much particularly to the Rev. H. L. Fiebig B.A., who has given much encouragement, read through the rough proofs and made helpful suggestions. Miss E. R. Thomas and members of the Connexional Office Staff have helped locate old records and many friends have supplied occasional books records and information. The chapter on South Canterbury has been compiled from notes kindly supplied by the Rev. W. T Blight, B.A., B.D. To all who have helped in piecing together the following story, I wish to express my thanks. W. A. CHAMBERS Woodend, North Canterbury.
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CONTENTS PREFACE THE WESLEYAN MAORI MISSION IN CANTERBURY. Waikouaiti Mission Cloudy Bay Mission The System of Native Teachers Taawao Hoepa at Port Levy.. The Rev. Charles Creed's Visit The Rev. James Watkins Visit Te Kote Ratou The Present Policy Inaugurated Subsequent Appointments. THE CANTERBURY WESLEYAN CIRCUIT AND ITS DIVISIONS Early Methodist Families and their Endeavours The Rev. W Kirk's Visit The Appointment and Work of the Rev. John Aldred The High Street Church Relations with the Anglican and Presbyterian Churches The Rev. James Buller The West Coast Visited and opened to Methodism Durham Street Church The Division of the Circuit West Coast Kaiapoi Springston Lyttelton St Albans Colombo Road Church The First Sunday School Returns East Belt Church The Rev. Alexander Reid Subsequent Extension. THE WESLEYAN DAY SCHOOLS. Education by the Church The Wesleyan Schools Finance and Control The School Committees of 1864 Difficulties Wesley Historical Society (NZ) Publication #8 (3&4) 1950 Page 3 Our Yesteryears 1840-1950 by W. A. Chambers
Curriculum Achievements The Decline of the Wesleyan Schools. THE UNITED METHODIST FREE CHURCH IN CANTERBURY The Beginnings in Rangiora Beginnings in Christchurch The Rev Matthew Baxter The Rev. Samuel Macfarlane Prominent Laymen Strength at time of Union. THE BIBLE CHRISTIAN CHURCH IN CANTERBURY Mr E. Reed Early Setbacks The Rev J. Orchard The District Meeting Stationing Sheet for 1892 Strength at Time of Union. THE PRIMITIVE METHODIST CHURCH IN CANTERBURY Early Efforts Early Preachers The Rev. R. Ward Greendale District Cambridge Terrace Church Timaru Circuit Ashburton Occupied Central Disturbances. THE UNION PERIOD AND SUBSEQUENT DEVELOPMENT IN CANTERBURY. The Reasons for Union The Wesleyan Union of 1896 Circuit Boundaries Fixed The General Methodist Union of 1896 The Strength of the United Church Extension of the Union Period. THE CONNEXIONAL AND INSTITUTIONAL PROGRESS OF NORTH CANTERBURY METHODISM. The Theological College The Connexional Fire Insurance Fund Deaconess House Papanui Orphanage and Children's Home Epworth Chambers Permanent Camp Sites. Wesley Historical Society (NZ) Publication #8 (3&4) 1950 Page 4 Our Yesteryears 1840-1950 by W. A. Chambers
THE DEVELOPMENT OF METHODISM IN SOUTH CANTERBURY. Spontaneous Beginnings in Timaru, Waimate, Temuka The First Circuit Formed Ashburton Circuit Willowby Circuit Temuka Circuit Waimate Circuit Subsequent Development of Bank Street and Woodlands Street Circuits Present Strength. THE FORWARD MOVEMENT APPENDICES. Chairmen of the Canterbury Districts. Methodist Churches in North Canterbury with the Dates of their Erection, etc. Methodist Churches in South Canterbury with the Dates of their Erection, etc.
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THE WESLEYAN MAORI MISSION DAYS IN CANTERBURY Now, almost a hundred years since the old Ngai-Tahus have ceased to traverse the forested bush paths of northern Canterbury, or splash through the swamp tracks leading to the broad tree-less plains to the south or clamber over the dry, boulder- strewn river beds up the hills in search of the precious greenstone, a number of European scholars are interesting themselves in the adzes and trinkets these folk lost by the wayside and never recovered. Today they help mark the trails of these ceaseless Stone Age travellers. Further south a number of rock drawings found in the sheltering limestone caves mark their routes. But in the north, piles of pipi shells a day's march distant, bear witness to customary camping places; rock-strewn fields around Woodend mark the long undug kumara beds of the Kaiapohia Pah; and low mounds at Omihi and Waikuku, tradition has it, cover the bleached bones of Te Rauparaha's slaughtered enemies. Over stream and river, through swamp and bush, and over the parched acres of Mid-Canterbury the trails led to almost every part of the South Island Hardly a part was not traversed at some time by dusky adventurers in search of food, or greenstone, or revenge, or perhaps the happy tears of reunion after years of separation. Over one of these now ill-defined trails the Gospel first came to Canterbury on the lips of a Wesleyan Native Christian called Taawao. Later he was baptised under the name of Rawiri Kingi by the Rev. James Watkin on January 22, 1843.
Sketch Map of Port Levy showing location of Wesleyan and Anglican Churches. Wesley Historical Society (NZ) Publication #8 (3&4) 1950 Page 6 Our Yesteryears 1840-1950 by W. A. Chambers
On the West Coast, Taawao had been instructed in Christian belief and practice by a Ngapuhi among whom Wesleyan missionaries had laboured since the year 1822. It was while visiting the Port Levy natives and other villages along the route that he gave the Canterbury natives their first knowledge of Christ. This happened in the year 1839 or 1840, and was part of a period of several years when "Native Missionaries. ... who had received instruction in the Northern Island, arrived from time to time, and being listened to wherever they went, became the medium of spreading rapidly (though often mixed with error) the doctrines of Christianity." (Dr. Shortland, Native Affairs, South Island Official Reports, Volume 2.) In the latter year, the Rev. James Watkin began the first mission of any denomination in the South Isalnd. Landing at Waikouaiti from John Jones' brig "Regia" on May 16, 1840, he set to work to counteract the evil influences of resident whalers and to win the natives from their European vices. It was not until months of heart-breaking labour had been put into the Mission that any considerable fruits were gathered. On June 9, 1841, the first marriages were celebrated and on January 27, 1841, the first baptism on profession of faith was registered. In December of the same year the Rev. Samuel Ironside, another Wesleyan Missionary, took up residence at Cloudy Bay at a place called Ngakuta or "Pisgah Vale" as he preferred to call it. He had no John Jones to take an interest in the Mission, nor had he any evil European influences to counteract, for he studiously selected a site away from the whaling station established in Cloudy Bay in 1827, preferring isolation from European companionship if thereby the work of spreading the Gospel could flourish. This Mission met with almost Pentecostal success and influenced most of the other hapus in the South Island. The area missioned by Ironside extended from Cook Strait to the Waitaki River and Watkin's field lay between Stewart Island and Ironside's southern boundary. After the Wairau Massacre the majority of Ironside's people determined to return to the North Island to protect TeRauparaha in the event of war being made upon him. This mass migration of the native population wrecked the Cloudy Bay Mission. Ironside was withdrawn to Wellington, and the Natives in the stretch of land from the Seaward Kaikoura Mountains to the Waitaki River were transferred to James Watkins' pastoral care. Between the two Mission Stations of Waikouaiti and Cloudy Bay the Canterbury Plains stretched out as a vast no-man's-land seldom visited by the clergymen resident at either extremity of the Island. Other duties compelled them to remain nearer home. Experience had taught them that the success of their work depen-ded on building up a strong centre from which spiritual power could radiate out to the remoter parts. Thus great stress was laid upon the instruction which the Missionary himself could give. Old men and youths gathered in Watkin's kitchen on the long winter evenings, and Watkin's young sons helped full-grown chiefs to acquire a mastery of the three R's. The same kind of work went on at "Pisgah Vale" and within two years bands of Native
Wesley Historical Society (NZ) Publication #8 (3&4) 1950 Page 7 Our Yesteryears 1840-1950 by W. A. Chambers preachers were visiting and preaching in every village down the whole length of the East Coast. On several occasions the Rev. James Watkin records in his Journal the presence of Cloudy Bay Native Teachers at his Station. Sometimes they brought Testaments with them to relieve the acute shortage of these in the South. Letters were exchanged between these two close friends by means of the Teachers, and on occasion Cloudy Bay Teachers were lent to Watkin to help him in this uphill work. On June 19, 1843, Watkin reports in a letter to Ironside that his natives had arrived, and on July 9 of the same year records in his Journal: "In the afternoon Josiah (one of Mr Ironside's people) read prayers, and Thompson (Tamihana) a teacher connected with the Church Mission, made some remarks on the Rich Man and and Lazarus...... " The coverage thus given by a system of Native Teachers was immense. Every village in the area had some sort of connection with the Mission so that when the Rev. J. F. H Wohlers was urged by Mr. Tuckett to establish his Mission on Banks Peninsula. Wohlers refused simply because there was no need to compete with a work already being done. In the more important centres of Maori population a resident Native Teacher was stationed. It was his duty to prepare the people among whom he worked for the Sacrament of Baptism and to impart such elementary education as he himself possessed In Canterbury the main Maori villages during the 1840's were Port Levy and Te Wairuati. There were other Native communities at Waimakariri Port Cooper, Akaroa, Wainui, Peraki, Taumutu Pigeon Bay, Rapaki, Timaru and Waitaki, but when it is remembered that out of a total population of 638 about 300 lived at Port Levy, some idea of the smallness of the other places can be gauged. It was to Port Levy that Te Rauparaha honourably returned his Ngai Tahu slaves. It was in Port Levy also that Tamihana set up a school for the benefit of his father's enemies. It was to Port Levy also that Taawao came as the first herald of the Gospel, where also he settled after being admitted to the status of a Native Teacher. From the same place came Hoepa (Joseph) as a candidate for Baptism. On January 10, 1842 the sacred rite was administered at Waikouaiti and to Port Levy he returned to join Taawao in his Mission work. In a letter to the General Secretaries in London dated February 5, 1842, James Watkin says of Hoepa: "At Port Levy there is a young man whom I have baptised and provided with books, and he is very useful as a Teacher. Numbers have learned to read or are doing so. He has been the principal check to Popery down there, which is certainly not in good savour in this Island. Some of the honour of which I can claim."
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The Memorial Cairn, Port Levy, dedicated on Sept 2 1950 No doubt it was through Hoepa's work that Watkin entered in his journal: "I baptised a number of natives from the neighbourhood of Banks Peninsula." Under the influence of Taawao and Hoepa this native village became a strong centre of Wesleyan Methodism. By 1844 it was strong enough to make it worth the Rev. Charles Creed's effort to reach it while the Deborah lay at anchor in Port Cooper over the weekend. Having been invited by the natives to preach there on the Sabbath he set out with the Rev. J. F. H. Wohlers but, being enveloped in one of the Peninsula's fast- rising fogs was lost on the hillsides and only reached Port Cooper the following Wednesday in a state of exhaustion and general dilapidation. On September 29, in the following year, the Rev. Charles Creed came to Canterbury in the course of one of his apostolic preaching tours. After preaching to the natives at Akaroa and marrying a native couple, he crossed the bay at 9 a.m., called on the Hays at Pigeon Bay, then tramped over the mountains between Pigeon Bay and Port Levy arriving there a little after sunset. There he remained for six days preaching every morning to the natives and in the evening conducting occasional services, examining the progress of the scholars under the tuition of the Native Teacher, making Wesley Historical Society (NZ) Publication #8 (3&4) 1950 Page 9 Our Yesteryears 1840-1950 by W. A. Chambers arrangements for worship, organizing classes, questioning the people and answering their questions. In addition he buried a native woman who had died two days after his arrival, visited the sick, and on Sunday, October 5, baptised 19 adults and ten children married three Europeans to native women, baptised three of their children, and united in holy wedlock, nine native couples. Before leaving the following day he baptised one adult and one half-caste child, then set out over the mountains for Port Cooper.
Taawao, later baptized under the name of Rawiri Kingi, and pioneer Wesleyan Christian teacher to the Canterbury Maoris. Concerning the Peninsula at that time Creed records:— "My mind is deeply affected by the destitute state of the people on Bank's Peninsula and the neighbourhood. There are about 300 natives residing at Port Levy, and from 150 to 200 at all the other villages in this part of the district, and were it not for the more powerful claims of other places I should recommend that a Missionary, or at least an Assistant Missionary, be stationed at Port Levy. There are two principal Karakias at this place, that of the Wesleyans and that of the Church of England. The cause of Pikopo (The Romish Bishop) has nearly dwindled into nothing. At Port Cooper I called on some Europeans whom I exhorted to return to God with the purpose of heart. At sunset the boat came round from Port Levy with my things and my three travelling natives; we crossed over the Port to Rapaki, a small village, where we found a few natives, with whom I held Divine Service.”
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While at Port Levy, Creed wrote to "the chief and his people at Poutini on the West Coast, nearly in the same latitude as Banks Peninsula." These people had been waiting for nearly two years for a missionary to visit them. Unable to go to Poutini on this occasion, Creed wrote, sent Testaments, and resolved that if no other missionary had gone before this time next year he himself would undertake the seven or eight day's journey. Whether he did so or not it is difficult to determine. On his homeward journey Creed visited the settlements at Taumutu, Tewaiateruati, ("a village of about 80 souls", where he baptised eleven adults and children and baptised and married others the following day), Timaru, Makihiki and a small village on the Waitaki river, arriving back at Waikouaiti on October 24, after an absence of 33 days. Besides Taawao and Hoepa another Native Teacher in the Canterbury area was very probably Merehikereka Hape, who was baptised on September 10, 1843. For a time he witnessed at Temuka and elsewhere, and so commended himself to the Anglican Communion. Thus the area was covered, and considering that Native Teachers so recently won from savagery to Christ were doing the work, it was done very efficiently. However both Watkin and Creed recognised that Native Teachers were no substitutes for a Missionary, and though the need was quickly seen nothing could be done as larger centres of native population in the Northern Island had more urgent claims.
Maori Church, Rapaki, where Methodist services have long been held. Wesley Historical Society (NZ) Publication #8 (3&4) 1950 Page 11 Our Yesteryears 1840-1950 by W. A. Chambers
In 1851, the supervision of the Canterbury Maori Mission was transferred from Waikouaiti to Wellington from whence the Rev. James Watkin came to resume for a short period, the work he had done so much to establish from 1840 onwards. His visit lasted from October 12, to October 31, during which time he baptised 69 Maoris and 11 Europeans. The Maori Baptisms may be mentioned as they show the progress of his travels. October 12 9 Maoris at Rapaki. 13 Maoris at Wakaori. ' 19 5 Maoris at Wakaori. 4 White children of Mr Ebenezer Hay. 23 3 Maoris at Pigeon Bay 26 1 White child, Emma Nankivell at Lyttelton. 26 8 Maoris at Taumutu. 28 18 Maoris at Kaiapoi. 30 6 White children at Lyttelton. 31 4 Maoris of Port Albert. Nearly all of these natives were Catechumens, so the work of the Native Teachers was still being carried on at this date. However the question of Pakeha supervision was a vexed one. Absentee Superintendents paying occasional visits, or visits from missionaries who were passing through, were hardly enough to carry on the work, so that when the Rev. John Aldred was appointed to the Canterbury Circuit at the urgent request of the recently arrived Methodist Immigrants, the Maori work was also handed over to him. In the six years of his pastorate in Canterbury, John Aldred baptized only forty-two natives, and James Buller who followed him in 1860, baptized twenty-nine in five years. In 1857, the Wesleyan native hearers of the Gospel numbered 180 and rose in 1864, to 250. In the former year there were six native preaching places and seven unpaid Local Preachers. In spite of this the number of accredited Church Members numbered only 30. Thus the work continued until 1861, when two native chapels were erected, and the number of "other preaching places" was consequently reduced to five. During the same period the European membership jumped from 67 to 320 and it became obvious that with large-scale immigration in full swing, no minister, even an itinerant such as Aldred or Buller, could cope with the requirements of both races. Hence it was decided by the Sydney Conference of 1865 that Te Kote, an experienced and fully qualified Native Assistant Missionary should take over the newly created Maori Department in Christchurch and Hetaraka Warahi should follow him in the work he had so ably begun in the Chatham Islands. Strangely enough, although Te Kote was not appointed to the Maori Department in Christchurch until 1865, his Baptismal and Marriage records show that he performed these ceremonies at Rapaki on January 18 and May 17, 1863; at Potiriwhi on January 4 1863; Akaroa on September 17, 1864 and Wairewa on September 18, 1864, that is, prior to his official appointment. To explain this, one can only suppose that he visited this area from the Chatham's either to renew friendships, or to perform missionary duties. Wesley Historical Society (NZ) Publication #8 (3&4) 1950 Page 12 Our Yesteryears 1840-1950 by W. A. Chambers
Early in life, Te Kote had been taken prisoner by Te Rauparaha. With his parents he lived in slavery at Porirua where he later became a Christian. After three years' training at Three Kings' College under Principal Reid, he graduated in 1857 and was appointed to the Chathams, where he remained until he removed to Rapaki to undertake the Maori work in Canterbury and Otago. During his residence at Rapaki, Te Kote occupied a small Parsonage which was built on a sloping green lawn just over the creek from the Church and looking from the cliff across the harbour to the distant hills. It was a cosy house in spite of its smallness and on the 22 acres of land set aside as a reserve for the minister, Te Kote cultivated his potatoes and kept his cows. Today only the neatly laid stones and the stone-faced terraces mark the garden paths, while a small walnut tree still stands in the long- neglected garden. From this cottage Te Kote set out to cover his wide pastoral area of Canterbury and Otago and withal kept up correspondence with the Chatham Islanders who, as late as 1874, still claimed to be Wesleyans although the Mission had lapsed at the end of Hetaraka Warahi's term owing to the return of the majority of the natives to their ancient tribal territories. While Te Kote was in residence at Rapaki the co- operation between the Anglicans and Wesleyans in Maori work was exemplary. In 1864 St. Stephen's Anglican Church, Tuahiwi, was opened through the efforts of the Rev. James Stack whose father had been connected with the Wesleyan Mission in Hokianga. Te Kote and Stack were firm friends and helped each other in their ministerial duties. When Te Kote was travelling in the South (which was once or twice a year) Stack conducted divine worship at Rapaki, and when Stack was on pastoral tour, Te Kote officiated at St. Stephen's. Wesleyans worshipped at St. Stephen's and Anglicans at Rapaki and there was no barrier between them. It is a matter of regret that the arrangement ceased with the death of the leaders. However the work went on, and in the partial diary kept by the missionary there are recorded 248 baptisms and 23 marriages conducted by him in places as far distant as Otakou and Moerangi. Besides this, two native Churches were opened—Rapaki on May 4, 1869 and "John Wesley" Church, Taumutu, on March 7, 1885. Owing to Te Kote's failing health and the deeply-mourned death of his wife, the work became too much for him in his latter years and from 1887 the results became apparent in his work From 1887 to 1895 the number of attendants at public worship dropped from about 250 to 58, the number of preaching places from 5 to 1, Sunday School teachers from 6 to 1, Sunday School scholars from 211 to 30, Sunday Schools from 2 to 1, Local Preachers from 4 to 1, and members to as few as 8. It should be remembered that these returns were for the Otago and Canterbury Provinces. In 1891, Te Kote retired from the work but remained at Rapaki for some little time, and even after returning from Wairarapa came back occasionally to conduct weddings and baptisms among the people amongst whom he had laboured for nearly 26 years. His latter days were spent in Greytown where he entered into rest on May 4, 1895 "after a blameless life of seventy years, of which thirty-six were spent in the ministry". About Wesley Historical Society (NZ) Publication #8 (3&4) 1950 Page 13 Our Yesteryears 1840-1950 by W. A. Chambers a fortnight before his death, Conference addressed a letter of sympathy to him in his illness. His reply, which shows the spirit of unfailing faith is reprinted here. — "Mr Daniel J. Murray, To our fathers and brothers who are gathered together in one house, in the house in which the Gospel of our Redeemer Jesus Christ, is preached. Dear friends, dear fathers and dear brothers, greetings to you all. May the grace of our Redeemer, Jesus Christ, be with us all. I have received your letter of greetings to me, dated the 8th day of this month. Dear friend, and all my beloved friends, greetings to you all who are assembled in the preaching of the word of our Redeemer Jesus Christ. I am very, very glad to have the pleasure of receiving such a nice letter from you all. Yes, Jesus is my Shepherd and my Master, by day and by night, as all my heart and soul is for my Redeemer, Jesus Christ. That is why I was so pleased to get ^ such a loving letter from you one's. When I received you one s letter, I felt that my Master and guide was by my side day and night. My saying unto you one's is Turn your hearts towards our Redeemer, Jesus Christ. As he will always stay by us to show us and guide us by the right path. These are my loving words to you all—From your aged Te Kote Ratou."
Rev. Te Kote Ratou, Wesleyan Minister to the Maori people of Canterbury and Otago Provinces from 1865 to 1892.
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Only a fortnight later, Te Kote Ratou was gathered to his fathers, and in him passed away "a most excellent Native Minister” as Canon Stack called him. After Te Kote's retirement the Methodist Maori policy in the South Island was extensively altered. The diminishing Maori population, the scattered nature of the settlements and excessive travelling costs led to the adoption of the present system of oversight. Each native settlement where Wesleyan influence was strong was committed to the pastoral oversight of the neighbouring European Circuit—Rapaki, to the Lyttelton Circuit; Taumutu to the Leeston Circuit; Kaiapoi to the Woodend Circuit; and Arowhenua, to the Temuka Circuit. This arrangement was endorsed by the Conference of 1892 in the following words:— "That the Conference has heard with pleasure the proposals of the Canterbury District to gradually incorporate the Maori Mission there with the European work, and that the Superintendents of the Lyttelton, Temuka, Woodend and Leeston Circuits be directed to give special attention to this.” From 1892 until 1904 no permanent Maori appointment was made to the South Island. At Rapaki, an aged Local Preacher named Hoani Wetere frequently occupied the pulpit, and at Taumutu similar arrangements were probably made. In the latter year the Rev. Neho Hemi Papakakura was appointed to Oraki his work being supervised by the Chairman of the District through the Riverton Home Mission Station. For ten years he remained in that area and was followed by the Rev Rakena Piripi who in 1916 was transferred to Temuka, and in 1919 to Rapaki. By the Conference of 1921, the Rev. Matarae Tauroa was appointed to continue the Rev. Rakena Piripi's work. From Rapaki he travelled through the whole of the South Island and as a result of ten years' continuous work, the Mission was flourishing. The number of members reached 215 in 1922, and the number of attendants at public worship had steadily increased to 500 people. In 1923 the Rev. Neho Hemi Papakakura was again appointed to the South Island, but this arrangement lasted only one year, when the office of Travelling Agent fell vacant. Since then, the work in the South has devolved principally upon the neighbouring European ministers, and such permanent work as has been done is largely due to their efforts which have been supplemented by occasional visits from Maori workers in the North. From January 23 to July 27, 1924, the Rev. W. Te R. Frazer of Taranaki visited Glenavy, Moeraki, Otakou Heads, Temuka and Taumutu, baptizing eleven infants. From May 17, 1925 to June 3, 1934, the Rev. Rakena P. Rakena conducted ten baptisms in the same area. Visits have also been made by the late Rev. F. O. Haddon, the Rev. E. Te Tuhi (the present Senior Maori Superintendent) and Sister Atawhai Wilcox. This policy is still in operation. At Rapaki, the Lyttelton minister conducts a monthly service and the Deaconess House Trainees lead a Sunday School so that contact is
Wesley Historical Society (NZ) Publication #8 (3&4) 1950 Page 15 Our Yesteryears 1840-1950 by W. A. Chambers made every alternate Sunday. At Taumutu, the native people come under the care of the Leeston minister who conducts a monthly service in the beautiful little church which stands within sound of the sea and amid the tombstones of the departed faithful. Temuka has oversight of the Arowhenua people, and Woodend, the few Methodist folk in that area, while in Otago, a revival of the Maori work has occurred under the thoughtful interest of the Rev. T. A. Pybus. To give cohesion to the work in the individual Maori Churches, Sister Eleanor Dobby was stationed in Christchurch some nine years ago. By letter and literature she has kept in close touch with 260 families living in remote areas, and others not so distant she visits personally. Her friendly approaches have been very welcome and many letters speak of the blessing she has brought to the sick, crippled and worried people whom she has commended to Christ. In spite of the increasing difficulties in the way of Maori Mission work today, the work is still being carried on, and as long as Methodist people in Canterbury remain true to John Wesley's dream of a 'World Parish', the Maori Mission at their very doors will always be dear to their hearts.
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THE CANTERBURY WESLEYAN CIRCUIT, AND ITS DIVISIONS. 1853-1866. By 1850 the Maori Mission in Canterbury was declining and it soon became apparent that henceforth the Maori work would wane while the European work waxed in strength as the Canterbury Settlement became established. It was the Rev. James Watkin's belief that Port Cooper (Lyttelton) should have been occupied by a Wesleyan missionary in 1843. This, however, did not eventuate, and the honour of being the first resident ministers in Canterbury goes to the Pilgrim Clergy. At the time of the promotion of the Canterbury Association in England, the cleavage between the Church of England and Methodism was not complete. Many "Church Methodists" received Holy Communion in the parish churches and presented their children for Holy Baptism there also. Hence, although the Association required of all intending emigrants a certificate of membership in the established Church, it was not impossible for Methodists also to secure a passage in the First Four Ships. Among those who did so were the Quaifes and Pattricks who came out on the "Cressy", Mr I. W. Philpott and his brother and their families, the Bradleys, Howards, Cresswells, Guilfords, Mr Broughton and Mrs Ritchie. These people soon discovered their religious affinities and on settling in the new province requested the Rev. James Watkin, then Superintendent of the Southern Mission in the Colony, to provide ministerial services. When Watkin visited the settlement in October, 1851, he found that the Wesleyans had not been inactive. On April 1, of that year in a room of their little whare in Hagley Park, Mrs Quaife, assisted by Mr Pattrick, had opened the first Sunday School on the Plains. Later in the year Mr Philpott rented a Maori whare for a half crown per week, and thence the school was transferred. By the end of the year the Hagley Park families were scattered abroad and the activities of the little school were interrupted for a time until it was reorganized by the Quaife's at their new home in St. Albans. Watkin saw this work in progress. Besides visiting the Maori settlements of the Peninsula, he held services in Dampiers Bay, Lyttelton, and also in Mr I. W. Philpott's whare erected near the Riccarton Road. Mr Philpott's family, with Mr Broughton and two others, constituted the first congregation. Before leaving, Mr Watkin arranged for a Local Preacher, Mr Nankivell, to conduct an evening service in Lyttelton, which appointment appeared for a time on the Wellington Plan. Prayer meetings were also held in the St. Albans' area, in the houses of Messrs. Bradley, Quaife, Philpott or Pattrick. To one of these came Mr Flavell, a Primitive Methodist. When it was discovered that he was a Local Preacher in the Primitive Methodist Connexion he was earnestly besought to preach, which he did in a house near the present Cashel Street Bridge. These services were held regularly from October, 1852.
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Meanwhile at the sectional District Meeting of the Southern part of New Zealand the matter of taking up Canterbury as a centre of Wesleyan Methodism among Europeans was being discussed. The proposal was that Mr Aldred should be appointed, and that until a man from England arrived to take over the new Native Institution in Wellington, Mr Creed of Waikouaiti should occupy the position and then proceed to Canterbury to supervise the Maori Mission there. The Rev. Walter Lawry, then Superintendent of the work in New Zealand, was hesitant to take such a step partly because a sectional District Meeting had no power to do so, and partly because the expense involved might prove an entire loss through the large-scale emigration from Canterbury to the newly-discovered Australian goldfields. Consequently the matter was left temporarily in abeyance. However, events moved more quickly than official action. Through ill-health the Rev. Charles Creed returned to Wellington and the Rev. William Kirk was sent to take over the Waikouaiti Mission Station. The schooner on which Mr Kirk was travelling put into Lyttelton for repairs, and on it being known that a Wesleyan minister was on board, the local Lyttelton and Christchurch Methodists stressed the necessity of his remaining. James Watkin approved, and for nine months Mr Kirk ministered to these two congregations, preaching in Lyttelton in the morning and walking over the Bridle Path to minister in Christchurch in the evening. During Mr Kirk's nine months residence in Christchurch. Mr Flavell was received as a Local Preacher and was formally confirmed in his appointment as Class Leader. Services were transferred to Mr Fergusson's carpenter's shop, built where the present Council Chambers now stand. These two men, Kirk and Flavell, were kept continually busy preaching in Christchurch and Lyttelton. Soon after Mr Kirk's arrival, Mr Broughton, who had been converted through the ministry of Messrs. Pattrick and Philpott, offered Mr Flavell a long lease of a section in High Street for the erection of a Church. The town of 400 souls was canvassed for subscriptions and a small weatherboard Church, 35 ft. by 20 ft. capable of seating half the total population was erected. Mr Kirk was to have laid the foundation block, but, owing to his ill-health, the honour was conferred upon Mr Flavell who had been Treasurer of the Building Fund, Clerk of Works and general factotum. To celebrate the event Mr Sutchffe offered the use of his livery stable in Cashel Street. This was whitewashed and adorned with ferns, and used for a free tea-meeting for all-comers About forty persons attended. Thus on August 25, 1853, Watkin was able to report to the London Secretaries, "..... A very good work is going on at Christchurch. . . . " In 1853 the Rev. J. Aldred was formally appointed to Canterbury but did not arrive in Christchurch to take up his appointment until March 27, 1854. On the Easter Sunday following his arrival that is April 16. he opened the High Street Church, reputed to be the largest building in Christchurch at that date.
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First Wesleyan Church, High Street, Christchurch in 1860. (The building to the right, with square windows, is the original church, as enlarged) (from a sketch kindly loaned by the Canterbury Public Library)
The High Street Church and environs. At this time the High Street Church was reputed to be the largest building in Christchurch. For a time Mr Aldred resided at Lyttelton where a small Church costing £400 was opened in St. David's Street, on March 4, 1855. The entire cost was met. Mr Kirk had commenced services on Sunday afternoons at St. Albans and in the Riccarton village. These were continued and the work extended. Kaiapol was visited, and a Sunday School at High Street was opened, and at the end of eight months "the minister
Wesley Historical Society (NZ) Publication #8 (3&4) 1950 Page 19 Our Yesteryears 1840-1950 by W. A. Chambers officially reported that there were in the new Circuit, one Church and three other preaching places four Sunday School teachers, two class leaders and thirty-eight members. There were twenty Sunday School Scholars and 200 regular attendants on public worship. The receipts had been: from ticket money, £5 10s. 6d., society class, £5 17s 2d., two quarterly collections, £1 6s. 6d., making a total of £19 14s.11d (Morley, "History of Methodism in New Zealand, page 412).
Rev. J. Aldred, first Superintendent of the Canterbury Circuit, 1854-1859 Such progress was not made without overcoming considerable difficulties These arose to a large extent through the clash of denominations as Wesleyans and Presbyterians made their presence felt in a Church of England Settlement. The Deans and the Hays had long preceeded the Canterbury Association in occupying the Plains, but one of Godley's first actions, besides stopping work on the Lyttelton-Sumner Road, was to call into question the validity of their land tenure at Riccarton and Pigeon Bay respectively. Only an appeal to the Governor finally saved the situation for these families. Clashes occured over the inclusion of an unbaptized child's grave in a Church cemetery, and also over the question of cemeteries in general, so that in several places a multiplicity of burial grounds exist even until today. Mrs Quaife was threatened with citation before the Church courts because of her zeal in founding a Sunday School. A clergyman instituted a boycott, which, however did not avail. Under such circumstances the non-Episcopal Churches tended to befriend one another. Thus, when the Rev. Charles Frazer landed from the Oriental he preached in the
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Lyttelton Wesleyan Church, and the following Sunday preached both morning and evening in the Christchurch Wesleyan Chapel. The Standard newspaper reports:— "We understand that the. Wesleyans have generously granted the Presbyterians the use of each of their chapels in Lyttelton and Christchurch until such time as their own Church shall be sufficiently advanced to be available for public worship." (St. Andrew's. Quoted from the "History of the Presbyterian Church in New Zealand", Page 156, by Bev. J. Dickaon, M.A.) The Presbyterian people returned the courtesy when at the opening of St. Andrew's Church on February 1, 1857, the Rev. John Aldred was invited to assist. In spite of these difficulties the work progressed. An extract from a letter to the Rev. G. Osborne, dated December 17, 1856, sums up the position as Aldred saw it. "You will be glad to know that our good work here is progressing. The close of this year finds us in a better state in every respect than we were at its beginning. Our receipts have increased considerably. Our number of hearers and scholars has also increased and so have our church members. Looking at the very great and well-known peculiarities of the place as a church settlement we have very much to encourage. This province is extensive, so much so that I cannot without aid work it efficiently. We have not the shadow of an accredited Local Preacher in the Province and our long-continued cry is still the same, let us have another man !" The six years following 1854 were years of intense activity. Mr Aldred, being a veteran of the Maori Mission and an itinerant of the older type, travelled extensively visiting both Maoris and Europeans. Churches were established in Lyttelton and Christchurch while societies operated in St. Albans, Papanui, Kaiapoi and Woodend. Other places touched were Riccarton, Prebbleton, Heathcote, Lincoln, Pigeon Bay, Port Levy, Rapaki, Akaroa, Lake Ellesmere, Rangiora Bush and Sumner, with natives from as far away as Moeraki in the south and Kaikoura in the north coming to him for baptism. In all he performed 305 Maori and European baptisms and united 63 Maori and European couples in holy wedlock. In 1859 additional ministerial staff was added to the Circuit when the Rev. William Rowse took up residence at Lyttelton. Another valuable addition was that of the Rev. Thomas Fisher, who arrived in Christchurch after having retired for health reasons from the active work in England. For many years he gave his excellent leadership to the Circuit in the capacity of Circuit Steward. Dr. Morley lists the Local Preachers of this time as follows:— Messrs. Salter, Sharplin, Broughton, Connal, Dickinson, King,
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Silvester, with Messrs. Treadwell, Hamilton and Hall on trial. Services were held each Sunday morning and evening in Christchurch and Lyttelton, at Kaiapoi in the morning and afternoon, at Papanui, Woodend and Riccarton in the afternoon and at Ellis's one Sunday afternoon in three. The Conference returns for the Circuit in 1860 summed up the position thus: Chapels 2; other Preaching Places 5; Native 5; Missionaries and Assistant Missionaries 2; Day School Teachers 3; Sunday School Teachers 43; Local Preachers 9; Native 6; Class Leaders 10; Full and Accredited Members 122; On Trial 4; Number of Sunday Schools 5; Number of Sunday School Scholars 109; Number of Hearers 700; Native 150. In April, 1860, the Rev. James Buller, also a veteran of the Maori Mission, followed Aldred in the Canterbury Circuit. A man of excellent physique, superb horsemanship and comprehensive vision, he was eminently fitted for the work to be done. Like Aldred he itinerated widely and under his leadership the work spread like a prairie fire. When he assumed the Superintendency the membership stood at 122; when he left in 1865, it had soared to 588 with 75 "on trial". This rapid increase in membership is accounted for in four ways-(1) Buller's comprehensive vision of the needs of the Province. (2) His strongly evangelical preaching. (3) The initiative of laymen in Church extension. (4) The absorption of immigrants as far as possible.
Rev. J. Buller who followed the Rev. J. Aldred in 1860 and pioneered the West Coast for Methodism in 1865. Besides covering the already occupied ground by establishing regular rounds of preaching to which he and his assistants adhered, Buller found time to visit the infant Timaru in 1864. . . Seeing that the prospects were good, he sent the Rev. J. B. Richardson into that area to establish a Circuit in South Canterbury. This proved to be the beginning of the Timaru, Waimate and Temuka Circuits. In April, 1865, the needs Wesley Historical Society (NZ) Publication #8 (3&4) 1950 Page 22 Our Yesteryears 1840-1950 by W. A. Chambers of the West Coast goldfields became apparent, and immediate action was again taken. At the Quarterly Meeting on April 3 of that year, the following resolutions were passed. "It was resolved: that this meeting gratefully accepts the Rev. Mr Buller's offer to visit the West Coast and to locate the Rev. G. S. Harper at Hokitika pending arrangements to be made at the District Meeting." "Resolved that this meeting sanctions the erection of a new Church at Hokitika and one at Kanieri—West Coast." To meet such needs, the Superintendent's absence was acquiesced in, a minister from the Circuit was forfeited, and funds provided for the erection of two Churches. Under the Rev. G. S Harper the work prospered considerably and the Canterbury Circuit which formerly had included the West Coast, was divided into two Circuits, Canterbury and Hokitika, in 1866. Deep concern for the spiritual welfare of both men and Church is written on almost every page of the Quarterly Meeting Minute Book. When a decrease from 409 members to 382 was reported in 1865 this concern is revealed in the following entry. "This decrease was in part accounted for by the fact that several members hitherto meeting with the Wesleyan Methodist Church had preferred joining the "Methodist Free Church", which had been organised in Christchurch during the Quarter '; but in some cases the meeting had to sorrow over backsliders from God." The following Quarter, the membership returns were 431 members with 105 on trial. Furthermore, these increases were not confined to any particular society, but the schedule revealed that the increase was made up by additions in almost all the societies throughout the Circuit. Throughout Buller's ministry, devoted laymen were keeping their eyes directed towards the spiritual requirements of the South and East Town Belts, and Mr Jebson was greatly concerned because immigrants from England became lost to the New Zealand Wesleyan Church and the Church of God through lack of some means of making contact with them upon arrival in the Colony. During this ministry permission was granted for the erection of Churches on lower Lincoln Road, on land given by Mr Rhodes; on Ferry Road; and in the Heathcote Valley (April 6, 1863); at St Albans and Woodend (July 4, 1864); at Hokitika and Kanieri (April 3 1865); at Rangiora; at Prebbleton on land offered by Mr Hodgsori (July 3, 1865); and at the Springs Station on the Coal Track. Buller's monument in the city is the present Durham Street Church, built during his pastorate in Canterbury. The Foundation Stone was laid on January 28, 1864, by the Superintendent of the Province, S. Bealy Esq. and on December 25 of the same year Wesley Historical Society (NZ) Publication #8 (3&4) 1950 Page 23 Our Yesteryears 1840-1950 by W. A. Chambers the Rev. C. Frazer of St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church, and the Rev. James Buller himself preached the opening sermons.
The present Durham Street Methodist Church opened on Christmas Day 1864. The old High Street Church had been advantageously sold, the proceeds thus forming the nucleus of the £12,000 required for the land and buildings. After the opening, a debt of £3,000 remained, which was liquidated in several years after paying interest at the rate of 15—the then current rate. Another memorial also stands to his name, but it is seldom seen because hidden in a dusty Quarterly Meeting Minute Book, on October 2, 1865, the following resolution was passed:— "This meeting desires to convey to the Rev. James Buller its grateful recognition of his pastorate during the periods of his labours among us, trusts that God will continue to bless his further stay among us to the good of the Church, and that wherever he may be called to labour in the future, he may be honoured of God in turning many unto righteousness and in building up the Church in the faith and knowledge of the Son of God." Thus ended Buller's first ministry in Christchurch.
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THE DIVISION OF THE CANTERBURY CIRCUIT— 1866—1895 James Buller extended the work which John Aldred pioneered. James Buller's successor, the Rev. Thomas Buddle, also a veteran of the Maori Mission, consolidated and organised the work accomplished by his predecessor. Even towards the end of Buller's ministry it was being realized that the field of activity was too large for intensive work to be carried on, and in Buddle's time the Canterbury Circuit was divided into several Circuits, each with possibilities of further development. The first division came in Buller's own time when the Hokitika Circuit was formed and separated from Canterbury. This was in 1866, the year that Rolleston was taken up as a preaching place. Permission was also granted for Churches to be erected at West Melton and Raithby and the Springston Church was opened. The following year the same permission was given to the Methodist people at Church Bush. By this time the societies in the northern part of the Canterbury Circuit were beginning to feel sufficiently strong to undertake the responsibility of spreading Wesleyan influence north of the Waimakariri River. Thus the formation of a separate Kaiapoi Circuit was mooted. The first proposal, that a Home Missionary should be appointed to Kaiapoi, was decidedly rejected, but agreement was finally reached that, when a minister was available, he should superintend the work in the proposed area. This condition was fulfilled in 1868, when the Rev. J. B. Richardson was available. With 167 members and five preaching places to take care of, and a grant of £60 to commence the work, he began with abundant zeal and quickly laid the foundations of practically all the Circuits north of the Waimakariri River. It was the Kaiapoi Circuit that mothered the Woodend-Sefton, Rangiora and Ohoka Circuits and to some extent the Hawarden Home Mission Station. For the Canterbury Circuit Officials, separation did not mean loss of vision. To send Kaiapoi on its way a fully-fledged, self-governing Circuit only meant that energy hitherto directed to this part of the Province could be directed more to the city area and the countryside south of Christchurch. The membership was cut back to 453 with 18 on trial, but progress was being made. In 1868, permission to erect Churches at St. Albans and South-bridge was given, land was donated in the Malcolm District for a Church and school, and eyes were kept on the Independent Methodist Church for possible purchase, while Churches were opened at West Melton and Shirley. Mr Opie came up as a candidate for the ministry, and the membership soared to 613 members with 26 on trial in the Christchurch Circuit. Again the work was beginning to assume too large proportions, and in April, 1869, a special committee was appointed by the Quarterly Meeting "to consider the state of the Circuit generally as to its present and future welfare." Nothing was done hurriedly. The present situation was carefully reviewed especially in relation to Springston, Lyttelton and St. Albans. After mature Wesley Historical Society (NZ) Publication #8 (3&4) 1950 Page 25 Our Yesteryears 1840-1950 by W. A. Chambers thought it was agreed on October 4, 1869, that Springston, Broadfields, Rolleston West Melton, Templeton, Tai Tapu, Irwell, Southbridge, South Selwyn and Malvern Hills should be constituted a separate Circuit. This was accordingly recommended to the District Meeting and Conference, and took effect in 1870. This Circuit, now known as Springston Circuit, has been the Kaiapoi of the South, for its Local Preachers penetrated as far down as Seafield, where they commenced worship in part of the present Ashburton Circuit, besides mothering the present Leeston Circuit and the Tai Tapu Home Mission Station. Such difficult years needed a man of supreme administrative gifts to control the situation. Such gifts were Thomas Buddle's dedicated possession, and each Circuit he sent on its way has played an honourable role in the subsequent development of Methodism in Canterbury. Although these divisions left Christ-church Methodism much weakened in numbers, yet under Mr Buddy's quiet evangelical preaching the membership continued to increase so much that the Christchurch membership at the time of his leaving the Circuit was only 78 members short of what the total Canterbury Circuit membership had been when he assumed the Superintendency—and two independent Circuits had been created in the meantime! In such a work Mr Buddle was assisted by such laymen as Messrs. Garrick, Gould, Turner, Cumberworth, Armitage, Salter and others who were no less devoted to Christ and his Church than was their Pastor. Such men figure in the pages of the early Quarterly Meeting Minute Books as men of great faith, wide vision liberality and holiness of life. An example of their vision is recorded in the Minutes of July 4, 1870. "Mr Harris reported that several gentlemen had purchased the property known as the Independent Methodist Church, Montreal Street, to be used either as a Lecture Hall or Church as the Quarterly Meeting might decide, the Lay Preachers Meeting having already decided to occupy it as a preaching station. The Meeting almost unanimously decided that the Church should hereafter be known as St. James Wesleyan Church." This is only one example of their far-sighted vision and liberality. Strong as the Circuit now undoubtedly was, there were still internal tensions that made further sub-division desirable. Under the Rev. William Kirk, Lyttelton, which had oversight of the Peninsula work, and St. Albans Circuit comprising St. Albans, Papanui, Harewood Road, Knights Town and Shirley, both separated from the Christchurch Circuit in 1871. Under the Revs. Kirk and Fitchett, the work was carried on faithfully until the Rev. James Buller entered upon his second term in the Durham Street Circuit. Having the rare ability to see the position in the town strategically, Buller set about planning the work to meet the then apparent needs of the city. Thus Wesley Historical Society (NZ) Publication #8 (3&4) 1950 Page 26 Our Yesteryears 1840-1950 by W. A. Chambers
St. James Church was moved to Harper Street, New Town and re-opened on April 18, 1875. Two sections of land for a Church on the East side of the Town were purchased by March in the same year, and by July it had been proposed in the Quarterly Meeting that ":— "This Meeting is of the opinion that some definite steps are necessary in order to consolidate and extend our work on the South side of the town." The Proposal was that the Waltham and Harper Street congregations should be united in one central Church to be erected "near Mr Cumberworth's School"; that the second minister should reside in the neighbourhood of Colombo Road, and that division of the Circuit take place when the new Church was opened. This work was not completed during Mr Buller's second ministry. The plans were laid and the Church was prepared for the step. The membership rose from 271 to 339, a system of lay pastoral visitation had been established, and the responsibility of carrying a second married minister had been accepted. By 1876, the Rev. William Morley was Superintendent of the Christchurch Circuit. In July of that year it was definitely decided to erect a new Church and parsonage on Colombo Road at an estimated cost of £3,500, and when the building was complete the proposed division of the Circuit was to be effected. Durham Street undertook to make grants of £75 for the first year, £50 for the second, and £25 for the third year, when it was considered that the Christchurch South Circuit should be securely established. Thus the present Sydenham Church began its honourable history as a separate Circuit. When this was complete, Durham Street, East Belt and Woolston Church remained as the parent Circuit. A new Church extension Committee was set up. In 1878 a section was acquired at Halswell while in the following year Woolston was given permission to rebuild on Ferry Road. The present East Belt Church site, with two houses on it was bought for £700. A better site for a Church was secured in Heathcote Valley and land was purchased in Bingsland (Richmond). (Church Services and a Sunday School were conducted in Methodist buildings at Avonside for many years prior to the erection of the present East Belt Church in 1881—82. These buildings were sold in 1870, but the right to continue using them for religious purposes was generously granted by the purchaser.) About this time the first Sunday School returns were reported to the Circuit Quarterly Meeting. In 1874 the Denominational Day School system went out of existence, and it was seen clearly that a compulsory system of secular education had to be off-set by a much more thorough religious instruction of the young through the Sunday Schools. It speaks well for the zeal of ministers and laymen that in 1887 there were over a thousand children on the rolls of the Circuit. Durham Street had 440 scholars; Harper Street 120; Waltham 220; Woolston 67; East Belt 160. This was not the peak period as Wesley Historical Society (NZ) Publication #8 (3&4) 1950 Page 27 Our Yesteryears 1840-1950 by W. A. Chambers several years previously Durham Street had boasted over 500 scholars with 55 teachers conducting the School. At the beginning of the eighth decade the East Belt Church was a flourishing society. A proposal for a "new and enlarged Church" was mooted in 1880; in 1881 permission was given to "enlarge the schoolroom at once"; and in December of the same year the East Belt Trust was "requested and empowered to build a parsonage on the property adjoining the Church." Progressiveness was reflected in other ways also. The Local Preachers were complaining that they lacked preaching places in Addington and on the Ferry Road. Woolston was seeking the appointment of a Home Missionary if a suitable one were available. Special services were held in every preaching place in the Circuit. The Church was taking stock of its spiritual resources and reaching out to win men for Christ. Behind all this and giving inspiration to the Officers of each society, was the Rev. Alexander Reid. "In the pulpit he was a veritable Boanerges. Never losing the perfervid manner of his country's best orators, his utterances were strong and vehement. While in private and in the sick room, he was tender and sympathetic, his public denunciations of evil-doing, and his scorn of meanness or lack of principle were most impressive" Thus Dr Morley describes the man who came out to New Zealand to be the first Principal of the Three Kings Native Institution, and who soon became one of the most powerful preachers of the Dominion in his day and generation. After his departure from the Durham Street Circuit in 1882, the strength of Durham Street temporarily waned, but under the leadership of Revs. John J. Lewis, William Morley and H. R. Dewsbury steady progress was sustained. In 1887 the Waltham Church was reopened as a Mission; New Brighton was taken over from the St. Albans Circuit and a Church opened there on January 1, 1889; Heathcote Valley School was enlarged in 1890, Sumner services were commenced in 1891 through a generous monetary grant of Messrs. Bowron Bros., Woolston secured the Services of a minister in 1892; cottage meetings recommended in the Fendalton and Linwood areas in 1895, in which year also Messrs. H. L. Blamires and W. Christian were recommended as candidates for the ministry. So the work grew. Yet as the years passed, more and more of the early ministers and laymen of Canterbury Wesleyan Methodism passed away also. Mr E. Connal was drowned in the "Tararua" in 1881. The Rev. Thomas Buddle died after a short illness in 1883 and the Rev. James Buller a year later. Mr Dewsbury senior passed away in 1889 while Mr George Gould and the Rev. Alexander Reid went to receive the reward of their labours in 1892. These men, with many others, had laboured together well not only in bricks and mortar, but also in building their children and their neighbour's children into the Church of Jesus Christ. The heritage they left was a Church well governed spiritually aggressive and possessed of the conviction that God had even greater things for her to do in the years yet unborn than had been accomplished in the past. Wesley Historical Society (NZ) Publication #8 (3&4) 1950 Page 28 Our Yesteryears 1840-1950 by W. A. Chambers
These passing years brought strengthening to the Wesleyan Church to Canterbury. They brought other Methodist Communions also to spread their witness in the new land. Among them were the Bible Christian Church and the United Methodist Free Church (both of which had their headquarters in Canterbury) and the Primitive Methodist Connexion. As the four branches of Methodism worked side by side there grew up the conviction that in New Zealand there should be but one Methodist Church. This was partially effected in 1895 when the Wesleyans, Bible Christians and United Free Methodists united under the name of the Wesleyan Church. It was consummated in 1913 when the Primitive Methodists joined The Union and the united Church became known as the Methodist Church of New Zealand. Attention will later be given to the other Methodist Communions then working along with the Wesleyans. In the meantime another phase of Wesleyan activity will be considered. THE WESLEYAN DAY SCHOOLS As Canterbury was to be a Church of England Settlement and the aim of the Canterbury Association was to transplant into the colony a cross-section of English life, it was only to be expected that for a time at least English institutions should prevail in the new land. Thus from the beginning of the settlement until 1874 the education of the young was in the hands either of private people or of the Churches. In fact during this period, the Churches were encouraged by the Provincial Government to undertake this work, and the major denominations. . . Anglican, Presbyterian, Wesleyan and Roman Catholic. .. all had schools in the Province and received Government Grants. At the first Australasian Wesleyan Methodist Conference held in Sydney, 1855, the following was put on record for the guidance of its ministers:— "As the system of Day School Education varies in every colony, the Conference recommends the Brethren and our Members in each District to avail themselves to the utmost of all the means placed at their disposal, whether by the liberality of our friends, or by grants from the Colonial Government to carry out Day School Education on the principles of the Denomination to which they belong, principles which we believe to be truly Scriptural, and so liberal as not necessarily to exclude any of the Protestant community from the benefit of our schools. But in the case where the Legislature has established schools of a more general character, in which to meet the objections of the other classes of the population, mere extracts from the Holy Scriptures are permitted to be used, we recommend our Brethren and friends to co-operate heartily with the Legislature in rendering this less perfect mode of Education (so far as the religious element is concerned) as efficient as possible. Much as we should prefer schools of a denominational character, yet, considering the scattered conditions of the population and other Wesley Historical Society (NZ) Publication #8 (3&4) 1950 Page 29 Our Yesteryears 1840-1950 by W. A. Chambers
practical difficulties in the way of the Denominational system, we feel it our duty to assist, to the utmost of our power, any system of Education which may be established by the Colonial Legislatures." But the Christchurch Wesleyans needed no such resolution of Conference to assist matters. By 1853 a school-room 36ft. by 20ft. had already been built. By 1857, two other rooms each 12ft. by 20ft. had been added. The cost of the whole undertaking was in the vicinity of £800 or £900 of which £300 was apportioned from the Government Grant, and the remainder was raised principally by private subscription, the deficiency being made up from school fees. In other places of considerable population other Wesleyan schools were commenced. St. Albans built m 1859 and extended in 1862, Kaiapoi and Woodend followed suit in 1860 Upper Heathcote in 1862, while Lyttelton Wesleyan scholars first assembled in the Immigration Barracks with other schools In all, seven Wesleyan Schools received Government Grants but besides these, others (as at Rangiora) flourished for a time then died through lack of finance. Unfortunately, nearly all trace of them has been lost. By 1864, besides these seven Wesleyan Day Schools, there were nine Presbyterian schools, twenty-one Church of England Schools, and twenty-two private Schools. These institutions were charged with the educational responsibilities of the Province.
Mr John Cumberworth, for many years headmaster of the Christchurch Wesleyan Day School. In those days the financing of a school was no mean undertaking Sometimes a site was donated by a devoted layman and on occasion the school buildings were erected by residents of the district. But such arrangements were at most temporary, as some sites were too small, and two at least of these district-built schools were unlined and thus very cold m winter time. In any such undertaking the Provincial Government was Wesley Historical Society (NZ) Publication #8 (3&4) 1950 Page 30 Our Yesteryears 1840-1950 by W. A. Chambers prepared to grant one third of the cost and the remainder had to be raised as easily as possible. Tea meetings, collections and voluntary contributions all helped, but the heaviness of the load can best be judged by the fact that in 1864 when all these schools were operating the Methodist Church Membership, upon whom the bulk of the responsibility rested, was only 320. Yet the work was willingly undertaken. When the buildings were in order, they were vested in Trustees according to the provisions of the model Deed and school Committees were elected, the Superintendent of the Circuit being Chairman. This Local Committee received from the Chnstchurch Committee (which acted as the Executive Committee) its allocation of the Government Grant which, together with the fees of a shilling per scholar per week and such moneys as were raised by local enterprise constituted the school's receipts. When the schools were first opened it appears that all matters were handled by the Central Committee known as the Educational Committee of the Canterbury Circuit Quarterly Meeting. But after the Rev. J. Buller had waited upon the Chairman of the Education Commission of 1864 it was agreed that the Wesleyans should receive £156 per quarter plus the school fees and that the Church in its turn should appoint sub-committees in each district in which the schools were placed. It is a matter for regret that these sub-committees did not always function and became a subject of complaint by the Board.
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In 1864 the personnel of these sub-committees was as follows:- CHRISTCHURCH Rev. J. Buller, Messrs. Lane, Philpott, Hislop, King, Jebson, Rutland, Free, Gould, Cowlishaw, Calvert, Garrick, Turner and Dewsbury. LYTTELTON Rev. J. Crump, Messrs. Alien, Reed, Tucker, England, K. England, May, Olliver and Newnham. ST. ALBANS Rev. J. Buller, Messrs. Philpott, Salter, Cameron, Garrick, Quaife, Stewart and Turner. PAPANUI Rev. J. Buller, Mersss. W. Reese, I. Reese, James Reece and I. W. Philpott. KAIAPOI Rev. J. Buller, Rev. J. Cannell, Messrs. Hall, Weston, Hills, Wyatt, Hayman, Wm. Hall and Kite. WOODEND Rev. J. Buller, Rev. J. Cannell, Messrs. Booth, Atkinson, Wilson, Ayers and Skevington. In the same year the distribution of the Government Grant was:— Christchurch £40 per Quarter. Lyttelton £25 per Quarter. Kaiapoi £25 per Quarter. Woodend £20 per Quarter. St. Albans £30 per Quarter. Papanui £15 per Quarter. Besides considering finance, the powers of the Central Committee were considerable. It acquired the site of the Lyttelton school, controlled the erection of the school house, and investigated the possibility of the introduction of masters from England. Later these powers were in part delegated to the local committees but owing to the loss of the Education Committee's Minute Book the relationship between the Central and Local Committees will always be somewhat uncertain. In spite of the enterprise and devotion that saw these schools erected, the troubles of the promoters did not end when the buildings were opened. First there was the difficulty of finding a suitable teacher. In 1864, only 7 out of the 46 teachers Wesley Historical Society (NZ) Publication #8 (3&4) 1950 Page 32 Our Yesteryears 1840-1950 by W. A. Chambers employed in schools receiving Government Grants held any certificate. Then there was the upkeep and equipment of the school, another purely local responsibility, and as time went on and educational ideas changed, the expense of keeping abreast of the times became an increasingly heavy burden. The need for education within the Province was great. In some districts as many as 33 of the population could not read, in others 10 could not write while in 1864 about one thousand six hundred children of school age were not attending any school either because they were too poor to pay the fees or their parents did not care. A restricted income meant that there was only a small salary to offer any teacher, that a limited number of teachers could be employed, there was deficient equipment in the school, that there was no reserve to keep adjusting the school to new educational developments and no reserve to extend school buildings. Under such circumstances the teacher's task was not easy, often being complicated in other ways also. In some districts the harvest interrupted the school routine. Sometimes there were schools of other denominations in the same locality and this led to denominational rivalry. Occasionally a school building served as class room, preaching place, Sunday School and teacher's lodgings. Such conditions would not be tolerated today, but in spite of them the teaching generally was of a high standard. All of the Wesleyan Schools were classified as "Ordinary Schools" i.e. "those in which there are children above the age of seven, fairly proficient in reading, writing and arithmetic." The other types of schools then operating in the Province were "Superior Schools" where the "ordinary branches of a liberal and commercial education in the case of boys, and, in that of girls, modern languages, music and other accomplishments form part of the regular course, and in which a higher scale of fees is charged." and "Elementary Schools" "such as consist mainly of children below the age of seven, and of the class generally called dame's or infant schools." This illustrates the emphasis so far as secular instruction was concerned which was the Board's main concern. But from the denominational point of view the emphasis was religious. The Schools were for the children of Wesleyan parents although any children were welcome to attend, and ample provision was made in the curriculum for instruction in the Catechism, and Bible knowledge. The aim was not so much to produce cleverness, as to develop Christian character. Hence we find the curriculum weighted in this direction. In a survey of school curricula in the Province it was found that 95.8% of the scholars received religious instruction, 94.7% were taught reading, 78.2% writing, 68% arithmetic, 66.4% Needlework, 44.5% Geography, 38.27% Grammar, and English History 38.8%. These figures are not to be interpreted to mean that denominationalism opposed virtue to knowledge. Both were recognised as belonging to a well-balanced personality, and both showed in the achievements of the schools. Christchurch Wesleyan, for example, the largest "Ordinary" school in Christchurch, was constantly winning the admiration of Inspector Restell for both the cleanliness and good conduct of its scholars and their scholastic attainments. Wesley Historical Society (NZ) Publication #8 (3&4) 1950 Page 33 Our Yesteryears 1840-1950 by W. A. Chambers
In 1866 the Provincial Government introduced a system of scholarships to encourage teaching efficiency as well as to provide opportunities for a higher grade of education for able scholars. In all there were six scholarships each to the value of £40; two were open to all boys in the Province attending public and private schools, and four to all boys below the age of eleven years attending District schools aided by the Board. In the former examination the subjects examined were Classics, Mathematics, History Sacred and Profane, Geography, English and English Composition. The latter was in Reading, Spelling, Writing large texts and small hands, Arithmetic as far as compound rules and reductions, English Grammar, English Composition, History, Sacred and Profane and Geography. Some of the questions in the preliminary Examination to the latter were:— Bible (18 Questions) 1. Give an account of the taking of Jericho. 16. Why was Elymas struck blind? 18. What was the first miracle of healing performed by any of the apostles after Christ's ascension? English History (18 Questions) 1. What Roman General first determined Britain to be an island? 6. What Dane defeated Edmund Ironsides? 16. In what reign lived Commodore Anson? Geography. 4. What river drains Lake Constance ? 5. And into what sea? 13. Kherson. . . Where is it? Where near? What is it famous for? In this particular examination the Wesleyan scholars secured eight places out of thirty- eight entrants, the eighth scholar being twenty-third on the list. In 1869 out of thirty- three to qualify six were Wesleyans and although none won the scholarship, George Wedge was only seven marks behind the third boy and was awarded a prize of books by the Board. In 1867, both John A. Caygill and Arthur J. Parson gained scholarships for Christ College Grammar School. So the tradition continued down to the time when Henry Kitchingman also took his place among scholarship holders at the Grammar School. The Christchurch Wesleyan School was not the only Wesleyan School to participate in these examinations. Some from Kaiapoi, Lyttelton and Woodend in particular did well, and although no scholarships came their way many of the scholars are mentioned as recipients of Government prizes of books for diligence and progress. By 1867 the denominational schools were at the height of their power, and foremost among them was Christchurch Wesleyan under the Headmastership of Mr John Cumberworth and the Chairmanship of the Rev. James Buller. After the school
Wesley Historical Society (NZ) Publication #8 (3&4) 1950 Page 34 Our Yesteryears 1840-1950 by W. A. Chambers examination of April 9, 1867, Inspector Restell reported to the Provincial Government:— "This is now the largest and most efficiently conducted of the Ordinary Schools. The Master, Mr Cumberworth, is devoted to his work. He is assisted by his daughter and another female assistant. The School excels in Bible Knowledge and in general knowledge; the average throughout the school in arithmetic and spelling is very fair. Several good papers were done during the examination. Creditable copy books, satisfactory registers, a good time-table and a sufficiency of books and apparatus make up the complement of this model school." Shortly after, however, the same gentleman was writing:— "A model school in each of the large towns is still a desideratum. ...With fewer drawbacks than the rest, and with an organization of a more permanent and less shifty character, the Christchurch Wesleyan School, perhaps, more nearly approximates to this standard. It is certainly the one in which, in addition to the liberality of its friends, the energy of successive teachers has helped to make it a good example of a school well stocked with apparatus, maps, diagrams and charts. But the newer schools in Country Education Districts, mostly offered the best examples of good internal arrangements, and of a liberal supply of suitable requisites at the cost of the residents." This was the turn of the tide away from denominational schools. By this time the Board had adopted the policy of establishing District Schools in country areas. These gradually supplanted the denominational schools first in the country and finally in the city itself. Abuses of the older system, its uneconomical nature from the Board's point of view, and the inability of the Church schools to educate the increasing number of children led to this action being taken. The following table illustrates the decline of the denominational system and the establishment of the District Schools from the year 1863 to the year 1873. Total No. Denominational No. of Year Number of and Special Grant District Schools Schools Schools 1863 32 28 4 1864 36 30 6 1865 31 21 10 1866 40 27 13 1867 46 29 16 1868 61 31 20 1869 66 30 26 1870 61 33 28 1871 69 32 37 1872 77 16 62 1873 79 8 71 Wesley Historical Society (NZ) Publication #8 (3&4) 1950 Page 35 Our Yesteryears 1840-1950 by W. A. Chambers
At the last the collapse was rapid. Denominational competition with the Board schools became impossible on a voluntary financial basis as all Board Grants were withdrawn. The smaller school committees were the first to seek relief from their burdens. St. Albans ceased to be a denominational school on September 30, 1872; Papanui was reopened in the old building under Board control in the same year; Kaiapoi was paid as a special grant school until March 14, 1873 and then taken over by the Board; Christchurch Wesleyan went out of existence on March 31, 1873; Woodend moved into the new Board school at the beginning of 1874. The day-school doors were shut and its teachers sought employment elsewhere. So ended one of Canterbury Methodism's first public ventures. Other denominations retained some of their schools, though not without serious financial difficulties. Later some that were closed have been re-opened, and the question still remains. ... Were we justified in closing down entirely the Christchurch Wesleyan School? Should not Methodism then have provided a higher education for its promising young men and women?
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THE UNITED METHODIST FREE CHURCH IN CANTERBURY 1860—1896 About the middle of last century there was a good deal of unrest amongst those who were concerned about the constitutional reform of Methodism. The result was a considerable secession of members from the Wesleyan Societies, and the formation of the United Methodist Free Church. The first meetings were held in the Baillie Street Chapel, Rochdale, on July 29, 1867. In the years preceeding the uniting the Rev. Matthew Baxter had been President of the Association and had used his versatility, tact and editorial power to establish the Church through the following critical years. At that time the strength of the Church in England was 39,968 members, 110 preachers, and 769 chapels. From this company of Methodists Mr. George Booth came to New Zealand in the year 1860.
The Rev. M. Baxter, first United Methodist Free Church Minister in Canterbury, 1868-1874.
Settling in Rangiora, Mr Booth fell into company with Mr J. Cumberworth, a Local Preacher, and with him formed the first Class Meeting. Several years later business interests took Mr Booth to Christchurch where again his zeal led to the establishment and opening of the first United Methodist Free Church in the Dominion on November 13, 1864. A week later the Sabbath School commenced in the Church situated in Addington. The establishment of this cause led some families previously connected with the Durham Street Church to withdraw from the Wesleyan fellowship as the Minutes of the Quarterly Meeting read:— "This decrease (in membership) was in part accounted for by the fact that several members hitherto meeting with the Wesleyan Methodist Church had preferred
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joining the "Methodist Free Church" which Church had been organized in Christchurch during the Quarter." There was room for both Churches in Christchurch, and each flourished. Shortly afterwards the first minister arrived from England. He preached in Lyttelton where two classes had been formed, but in spite of talent, unpopularity made his retirement essential if the work was to prosper. On May 1, 1868, the Rev. Matthew Baxter, who previously had been a Missionary in the West Indies, and later a prominent reformer in the Methodist Church in England, arrived in Christchurch to superintend the work of the Christchurch Circuit. This he did for six years. He gathered around him suitable young men in a training class for the ministry, and, as opportunities arose, planned extension work. Soon after, the Rev. J. White arrived in the Colony where he established a circuit in the mining centre of Charlestown. Four years later the Rev. R. Taylor established the work in Waipawa, the same year that Mr Redstone opened a Church in Napier. Two years later again the Rev. G. H. Turner commenced in Auckland to be followed by Mr Pendray's arrival in Christchurch to extend the work to Oxford, Sheffield and other nearby places. In 1873 Westport was occupied and services extended to Reefton, and all seemed well with the infant Connexion. But in 1874, Mr Baxter, suffering from a relaxed throat was forced to resign from the ministry, and for nineteen years lived in retirement at Oxford helping the work as he washable. In the same year that Mr Baxter retired, his successor as Connexional Representative and Superintendent of the Christ-church Circuit, the Rev. Samuel MacFarlane arrived. Being a man at the height of his powers, and having twenty years' active ministry to his credit in England, Mr MacFarlane sought to extend the work still further. During his Superintendency a new Church was built in Courtney Place, Wellington. In 1876 the Grey Valley was opened up for preaching services. In 1877 Rangiora and Ashley Bank were constituted a separate Circuit. In 1879, Addington, where a new school was opened two years later, reached the same status, while in 1884, Richmond was constituted a self-governing society. In 1886, Woodville was made a separate Circuit, and in 1894 the Pahiatua Circuit was established. On June 1, 1884, a Sunday School was opened at Ashley Bank on land given by Mr John Peach. The congregation supplied the timber and Mr Thwaites turned the timber into a furnished building. By the devoted labour of such laymen the work grew. Among the outstanding laymen of the Connexion were Mr George Booth the pioneer founder "a man of deep piety, an excellent class leader, and an enthusiastic Sunday School worker": Mr William Bowron "one of the most fluent and eloquent local preachers the colony has ever known": the Scott brothers, who materially aided the work of the Addington Circuit: and Mr W. Flesher, a man of strong, independent views who was one of the earliest organizers of the Richmond society. Besides such men in New Zealand, there was a devoted benefactor in Liskeard, Cornwall, who, seeing the needs of the Colonial
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Church, gave liberally to help building programmes in Christchurch, Wellington and Napier. n 1876, New Zealand was constituted a separate District. Mr MacFarlane was elected Chairman for the first six years and remained the Connexional Representative until the Wesleyan Union was consummated in 1896. At the 1896 District Meeting the statistics were reported as follows: Churches 23: Other Preaching Places 6; Ministers 14; Local Preachers 34; Church Members 941; Sunday Schools 9; Sunday School Teachers 208; Sunday School Scholars 1880; Attendants at Worship 2,143.
The Rev. S. MacFarlane, who superintended the United Methodist Free Church work in New Zealand from 1875-1896. The first high hopes of the Rev. Matthew Baxter were not realized. Trust debts, damage by storms and floods, the scattered nature of the places occupied, and the overshadowing-influence of the Wesleyan Connexion all tended to make the work difficult. Some of the ministers returned to England. Others joined larger Methodist bodies. Still others remained devoted to the work lying at hand and were occasionally refreshed by the arrival of new workers from England. In spite of the difficulties and the slow progress, the work was well done and the Union of 1896 was stronger for the years of patient work done by Ministers and laymen of this Connexion.
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THE BIBLE CHRISTIAN CHURCH IN CANTERBURY 1877—1896 The first official representative of the Bible Christian Church arrived in Christchurch in 1877, in the person of Mr Edward Reed, who had been commissioned by the British Conference to locate Bible Christian families who had migrated to these shores. At the request of friends he commenced services in the home of Mr Tregeagle, Conference Street, and, as the numbers increased, later moved into a small, rented hall in Worcester Street where services were held for the next twelve months. Not satisfied with this Mr Reed extended the work to Addington and Templeton where small Churches were erected. As the work grew the members felt the need of a fully qualified minister, and Conference, greatly heartened by Mr Reed's success, appointed the Rev. W. H. Keast to the work. Unfortunately Mr Keast was of a consumptive tendency and the rigours of colonial life proved too much for him. He passed to rest after only twelve months' residence in New Zealand, during which time he had greatly endeared himself to his people by his kindly and genial nature. Mr Keast was followed by the Rev. John Crewes, an able and well informed speaker, who set about the consolidation of the work already done. A site in Lower High Street was purchased and the first Bible Christian Church in Christchurch was erected upon it. Services were continued at Addington and Templeton while Prebbleton and Kaiapoi were added to the list of preaching places. The Kaiapoi work was soon discontinued and not taken up again until 1891. Ill health attended Mr Crewes also and he was forced to resign temporarily from the work at Lower High Street. All this was very vexing and discouraging for those who had set their hearts upon establishing their mother Church in this country. Attempts in other parts of the country were meeting with similar disappointments. For some time prior to Mr Crewes' resignation the Rev. J. Wilson had been attempting to establish a Bible Christian cause in Dunedin, but when Christchurch became vacant this very unprosperous work was abandoned and Mr Wilson came to Christchurch. The Lower High Street Church was embarrassed by financial difficulties and the Rev. F. W. Bourne's diary reveals how this English Bible Christian Leader was grieved by the state of affairs then existing. "I am much pained and am going to bed with rather a sad heart. When I think of what the cause might be if all were thoroughly united, I am so distressed that my only comfort and refuge is in prayer. Help, Lord!" Help soon came. In 1886 a pastorate commenced in Christ-church which established solidly the Bible Christian cause in Canterbury. In that year the Rev. John Orchard was sent from Victoria to work the Christchurch Circuit and Superintend the Mission. Mr Orchard was a forceful, genial character, quick to seize opportunities, utterly
Wesley Historical Society (NZ) Publication #8 (3&4) 1950 Page 40 Our Yesteryears 1840-1950 by W. A. Chambers without hesitation in seeking help, and possessed of a manner that gave his people a personal interest through service in the work of the Church. Aided by a grant of £200 from the English Conference, Mr Orchard set about building a new Church on the Lower High Street site. The cost was £1,080, the greater part of which was quickly raised. In October of the same year a parsonage attached to the Church was opened at a cost of about £600. During the same year the Bible Christian Magazine from which most of the information herein contained has been indirectly derived, was commenced.
The Rev. J. Orchard, whose energetic pastorate from 1886 to 1896, did much to establish the Bible Christian Church in Canterbury. The following year, 1887, when the Bible Christian population for New Zealand stood at only 639, the Rev. Wm. Ready landed in Lyttelton. For ten months he assisted the Rev J. Orchard in Christchurch with some considerable success, and in March, 1887 was sent out to Banks Peninsula to commence a mission there. The first night he spent under the hedges and found shelter the following day with a kindly Roman Catholic family whom he met as they went to Mass. The first services were to have been held in the school but as no one arrived for worship on the first three Sundays when the bell was rung, he took to the open road and to house-to-house visiting, meeting with amazing success, and the year closed with the opening of the Little River Church on December 30. While Mr Ready was engaged in this work, Churches were opened at Belfast on October 23, on land given by the Loan and Mercantile Agency Co. and at Halswell on September 26. At both functions the Circuit Brass Band appeared as a very vocal department of Church life. During 1888 a new Church was opened in Addington where the Rev. J. Crewes had resumed his ministry, at Christchurch the foundation Wesley Historical Society (NZ) Publication #8 (3&4) 1950 Page 41 Our Yesteryears 1840-1950 by W. A. Chambers stone of a new Church was laid on December 12, while on November 14 the Rev. W. Grigg arrived from England to take up duties in Christchurch, which released Rev. J. G. W. Ellis for the establishment of the Courtenay Mission.
Rev. W. Ready, who founded the Bible Christian Church on Banks Peninsula. During the following year further outposts were established. The Rev W Grigg was stationed at Waikari, and services were commenced at Marshlands and Islington. The new Lower High Street Church was completed during the same year the Rev. F Quintrell (later Canon Quintrell) was appointed to Belfast where he was welcomed at a coffee supper after the Quarterly Meeting, and the Rev. J. Orchard left New Zealand to attend the 71st Conference of the Bible Christian Church in England. Tremendous progress had been made in the establishment of the work in New Zealand, and amid great applause he reported to the Conference that in the 26 years of his ministry he had "never been laid aside for a single Sunday" and that during the same time "he had superintended on the average the erection of one chapel, schoolroom or other building every six months." Such was the drive of the man appointed from Victoria to establish the work in New Zealand. Before this notable year closed the Rev. B. H. Ginger was set aside by the British Conference for work in New Zealand, a new Church was opened in Marshlands and the work resumed in Kaiapoi. The visit to England marked the end of the Rev. John Orchard's Superintendency of the Mission in New Zealand. By 1892 there were a number of agents in the field and it was considered that the Superintendent's powers should be vested in a District Meeting, and that the District should be divided into a number of Circuits! Thus the first District Meeting was held in the Lower High Street Church on January 28, 1892, when the Rev. J. Orchard was elected President. The first Stationing Sheet, printed below shows how the stronghold of this Methodist denomination was in Canterbury itself. Wesley Historical Society (NZ) Publication #8 (3&4) 1950 Page 42 Our Yesteryears 1840-1950 by W. A. Chambers
Christchurch, Rev. J. Orchard: Addington, Rev. F. T. Read Templeton, Rev. W. Grigg: Belfast, Rev. F. Quintrell Dunedin, Rev. W. Ready: Wellington, Rev. J. Crewes Cromwell, Rev. B. H. Ginger: Palmerston North, Rev. J. G. W. Ellis: Banks Peninsula, Supply: Waikari, worked from Christchurch.
Six of the ten appointments were within the Canterbury Province. The Stationing Sheet and Officers of Conference remained unchanged at the next District Meeting. Mr Laurence Ryan was received as a candidate for the ministry and sent to Way College, Adelaide, for theological training, the Rev. Arthur Mitchell was received into the New Zealand work from Australia, and parsonages at Belfast, Templeton and Waikari were opened. . . the latter on land given by Mr G. H. Moore of Glenmark. Meanwhile the feeling towards Methodist Union was gaining vocal expression. By 1894 the Rev. W. Ready's work in Dunedin had brought him to the forefront of Methodist work in New Zealand and his own Communion elected him to the Presidential chair in that year. Messrs. Beggs and Steven were accepted as candidates for the ministry and several alterations were made in the Stationing Sheet. The following year Mr Ready again occupied the Presidential Chair, and among his duties welcomed deputations from the United Free Methodist and Wesleyan Communions which declared their readiness for union. A Federal Council was set up to prepare the basis of union, and at the District Meeting of 1896, representatives to the Uniting Conference were appointed, viz. Revs. J. Orchard, W. Ready and W. Grigg, together with Messrs. E. Read, J. Smith and J. Cock. An address to the Bible Christian Conference in England was prepared, and Union in New Zealand effected. To this Union the Bible Christian Church contributed 13 Churches, 29 other preaching places, 11 ordained ministers, 26 Local Preachers, 609 members, 872 Sunday School Scholars, and 4,836 adherents. .. the work of only 19 years.
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THE PRIMITIVE METHODIST CHURCH IN CANTERBURY. 1860—1913 Primitive Methodism, like Wesleyan Methodism, began in Christchurch through families discovering their religious affinities and banding together for Christian fellowship. During the year 1860 Christchurch was brought under the notice of the Primitive Methodist Connexion by such a group of people applying for ministerial services. Owing to the unsettled conditions following the outbreak of the Taranaki Maori War, the Mission Committee made no appointment, but the Rev. Joshua Smith stationed in Wellington, took the Christchurch Society upon the Wellington Plan under the heading "Wellington and Canterbury Mission, I860". The Christchurch preachers listed on the plan were Messrs. Flavel and Lewis who were planned alternately to conduct the Christchurch service on Sunday afternoons. During the same year Mr Hugh Bennetts also arrived in Christchurch. Being a preacher from the Brinkworth District in England and having a burning desire to see Primitive Methodism established in Christchurch, he soon became the centre of a group of men comprising Messrs De La Mare, Clarke and Cooper who formed themselves into a society called "The Independent Methodist Church." For approximately twelve months, services were held in a building in Market Place; Mr Bennetts being the chief preacher. For a time the venture flourished, but as land became available in the country districts, many of the members of the "Independent Methodist Church" left the town to take up their holdings. For this reason the first attempt to establish Primitive Methodism in Canterbury ended after twelve months' duration, yet, wherever many of those first families settled they formed the nucleus of a society from which a church later grew. During the eight years which followed this first attempt to establish Primitive Methodism in Canterbury, many immigrants were pouring into the country amongst whom were several Primitive Methodist Preachers. These, with others, made the second and more successful attempt to form a Primitive Methodist Church in the city of their adoption. A small hall was rented in Manchester Street where the assembled congregation was built up in faith and love by such preachers as Messrs. T. Cooper, H. Bennetts, W. Leggott, E. Watkins, T. De La Mare, W. Thomas and J. Davidson. With such preaching strength the infant society undertook extension work with comparative ease, the first fields of labour being Papanui and Knights Town, which were missioned with some success. At the latter place a Camp Meeting attended by 500 persons was held and the prospects of establishing a society in that locality seemed bright. The expectation of success was turned to bitter disappointment when the Wesleyans opened a Church in Knights Town and gathered in the fruits of their labours. Nothing daunted, the Primitive Methodist workers abandoned that field to commence cottage meetings in the Colombo Road and Montreal Street areas. A Sunday School
Wesley Historical Society (NZ) Publication #8 (3&4) 1950 Page 44 Our Yesteryears 1840-1950 by W. A. Chambers was opened, the sacraments duly administered, and a plan of appointments published. The non-appointment of a minister at this stage of the missions's development again brought disappointment to the members of the society. Some left to join other denominations. Others moved out into the country areas. The mission again languished. Meanwhile the stream of immigrants continued to flow into the Province. Messrs. J. M. Bourne and C. Gamble arrived from the hearty fellowship of the Primitive Church at Home, in December 1870 and brought new strength and hope to the fainting hearts of the disappointed members in Christchurch. Soon the Manchester Street Hall was too small to house the growing congregation, and new, larger premises were sought in the Gloucester Street Temperance Hall. A sum of £60 was then collected to pay for bringing out a minister from England, and a request was then forwarded for an appointment to be made. By the Conference of 1871, the Rev. R. Ward, then on a visit to England, was appointed to Christchurch, which appointment he took up on his arrival from England in November, 1872.
The Rev. R. Ward, Superintendent of the Canterbury Primitive Methodist Church, 1871-1873 At the first Quarterly Meeting held on December 16, 1872, an extensive programme of development was agreed upon. East Malvern, Kowai, Hororata, Kaiapoi, Addington, Papanui, Avondale and Prebbleton appeared on the plan as under the care of the Rev. Josiah Ward who has been called the "apostle of those distant places". At that same Quarterly Meeting, it was reported that the membership in the society was twenty-five with ten on trial; and that the Local Preachers were Messrs. T. Cooper T. De La Mare, Wesley Historical Society (NZ) Publication #8 (3&4) 1950 Page 45 Our Yesteryears 1840-1950 by W. A. Chambers
W. Thomas, E. Watkins, G. Rudd, W. Maidens, G. Newsome, H. Williams, and J. M. Bourne with W. Parker as an Auxiliary. Shortly before this first Quarterly Meeting at which it was agreed to mission outlying places, Mr George Rudd had left Christchurch to live in Greendale. Within a week of the Rev. R. Ward's arrival in Christchurch, however, Mr Rudd had interviewed his minister to solicit ministerial services in that distant part of the Province. At first the Rev. Josiah Ward visited the area monthly, then later extended his travels to Waddington, Hororata and Kowai. Services were held mainly in schoolrooms, but occasionally a sod whare or a blacksmith's shop had to be used as a meeting place. The venture was fully justified.
The Rev.J. Ward, commonly known as “apostle of those distant places” who pioneered Primitive Methodist country work in Canterbury.
Part of Mr. G. Rudd’s sod house, Greendale, in which the Rev. J. Ward preached in 1872. In January, 1873 a hired Local Preacher, Mr Philip Hall, was appointed to the district where he laboured zealously for one year during which time the membership rose
Wesley Historical Society (NZ) Publication #8 (3&4) 1950 Page 46 Our Yesteryears 1840-1950 by W. A. Chambers from 2 to 127. Such a congregation needed a separate place of worship. On April 17, 1873, permission to erect churches at Greendale and Waddington was granted. At Waddington, Mr Gregory gave the use of 30 acres of land, Messrs. Gamble and Gregory gave the seed, friends laboured, and the proceeds from the crop went into the building fund. In such a spirit of glad co-operation these two churches were built. During the same year two other forward movements were made. In the city itself the Primitive Methodist Membership was still growing. When the Temperance Hall was overcrowded, the theatre was hired and eventually the Oddfellow's Hall. Meanwhile a section of land on Cambridge Terrace was purchased for £460 and upon it a church was opened on June 8, 1873. Friends from Greendale and other country stations contributed to the £906 cost, but even so, the remaining debt amounted to £699. Since its erection, Cambridge Terrace Church has remained the centre of Primitive Methodism in Canterbury and, from this scene of so many labours, spiritual power has radiated out to the remotest parts of the extensive Circuit.
The present Cambridge Terrace Church, until 1913 the headquarters of Primitive Methodism in Canterbury. As this eventful year for Primitive Methodism drew to a close an application for the Rev. J. Ward to visit Timaru for a month's mission, was granted. The mission month extended into seven weeks; a society of 26 members was formed; a Sunday School was organized; £180 was subscribed towards a Church building. All expenses of the mission were easily defrayed as had been previously promised, and an application went forward to Christchurch that Mr Ward be stationed in their midst. The December Quarterly Meeting resolved:—
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"That Mr Ward should return to Timaru; that Timaru should be made a separate branch, with the following officers:_Branch Steward, Mr Gibson; Superintendent of the Sunday School, Mr Leggott; and that a branch Quarterly Meeting should be held in Timaru on March 2, 1874." Never before in the history of Primitive Methodism had a station been so quickly formed at so little cost to the Mission Fund! The year closed with two Local Preachers being called out to supply Greendale and to mission Kaiapoi at the request of Mr and Mrs Ellen who had recently arrived from England. As the Main Trunk Line pushed across the broad, tree-less plains to the south, so the population drifted in that direction too. In 1874, Mr E. Watkins arrived in the Ashburton Settlement where as yet no religious body held regular services. Meeting with Mr Aston in the Immigration Barracks, Mr Watkins and his newly found friend held the first Methodist Prayer Meeting among the tussocks and subsequently decided to form a Primitive Methodist Society. Through the labours of these two men, services in charge of a hired Local Preacher were commenced in the public school-room. Later a section of the land was purchased and a place of worship erected upon it. The Rev. B. J. Westbrook opened the building on November 14, 1876. This event was one of great rejoicing, as the Primitive Methodist Church was the first sanctuary erected in the township. As the last quarter of the century dawned, all these places, namely, Greendale, Timaru and Ashburton, were beginning to feel their strength. Greendale and Waddington applied in 1876 to be constituted a separate station. In the same year the Rev. J. Sharp was appointed to Ashburton-Geraldine, and the Rev. B. J. Westbrook to Christchurch. Encouraging as these aspects of the work there, troubles within the town society led to weakness and consequent reorganization. Kaiapoi, with other country preaching places, had to be abandoned and not until peace reigned within the borders of the city work, was it possible to venture farther afield. Mr Westbrook removed to Auckland, being replaced by the Rev. W. Harris who, after a brief ministry in Christchurch, returned to England. The Rev. W. Tinsley was appointed to Christchurch. Fresh ground was broken in Phillipstown which after an early chequered career gained in stability. The year 1878, however, ended with the Rev. W. Tinsley severing his connection with the Primitive Methodist Church and joining the ranks of the Wesleyan Ministry. Such broken ministerial services did not make for satisfaction within the Church, yet when the Rev. J. Glover was appointed to the station in 1879 there were three places (Cambridge Terrace, Phillipstown and Bingsland) upon the plan, and during the following year, Ashbourne and Sydenham took their places with the others. Following this, it was found possible to re-open the work in Kaiapoi, and the year closed with the Wesley Historical Society (NZ) Publication #8 (3&4) 1950 Page 48 Our Yesteryears 1840-1950 by W. A. Chambers erection of the Cambridge Terrace Parsonage on a section of land adjoining the Church. During 1883, Cambridge Terrace Church was blessed with a revival of interest in, and devotion to the work of the Church. Meetings for prayer were convened each mid-day and special services were conducted for several weeks. On Sunday afternoons open- air services, which were attended by from 600 to 1,000 persons, were held. Throughout the year the gracious work went on and its influence was felt in Phillipstown, Kaiapoi Island and Belfast where the use of a room was generously granted by the manager of the Freezing Works. By 1889, the Christchurch Circuit was again reduced to two preaching places—Cambridge Terrace and Phillipstown. For a time Kaiapoi and Belfast had flourished under the ministry of the Rev. J. Guy, then the withdrawal of the main families so weakened the societies that it was deemed advisable to discontinue the work. In September, 1890, the suburb of Newmarket appeared on the plan with afternoon Sunday School and service, with a week-night preaching service as well. This also, was discontinued after a year. Later, extension work took place at Madras Street and Battersea Street, Sydenham, the latter being closed and the congregation merging with that of the Wesleyan Church on Colombo Road when union eventually took place in 1913.39
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THE UNION PERIODS AND SUBSEQUENT DEVELOPMENT. 1896—1913 The establishment of four different branches of the Methodist Church in New Zealand, three of them having strong followings in Canterbury, often led to embarrasment. Points of policy could not easily be explained; staff was wasted; local rivalries developed, the common cause was weakened. Thus thoughtful minds m each of the Communions turned towards the Union of Methodism in New Zealand. Being the largest, and most firmly established body, Wesleyan Methodism was looked to for a lead. In 1883, ministerial and lay representatives met in Christchurch to outline, discuss and adopt a Basis of Union. Agreement was reached by the contracting bodies, but as the plan included the secession of New Zealand Wesleyan Methodism from the Australian General Conference, the scheme was vetoed by that body, and the negotiations were discontinued. About a decade later the Primitive Methodists sought to consummate a Union with the two smaller Methodist groups, the Bible Christians and the United Free Methodists. But this also failed. In the meantime suggestions made by New Zealand delegates in the General Wesleyan Conference were gradually finding favour and a sentiment towards General Methodist Union in the Southern hemisphere grew. Still the Wesleyans were looked to for a lead in the matter. In 1894, the New Zealand Wesleyan Church was free to continue negotiations on a more hopeful basis. The Primitive Methodists declined to associate themselves with the movement but the other Churches met with the Wesleyans in a Federal Council where full details of Trusts, Circuit and other Funds were tabled by the three Churches, and it was resolved that there was no existing reason why Union could not be consummated. At the New Zealand Conference of 1895, the matter was carried by 54 votes to 11. As the United Free Methodist Annual Assembly and the Bible Christian Conference also approved of the basis of Union, addresses to the parent bodies were prepared, separation effected and Union in New Zealand ratified by an Act of the New Zealand Legislature taking effect from April 1, 1896. The name of the United Church was to remain Wesleyan until the Union became general in New Zealand by the inclusion of the Primitive Branch of the Methodist Church. The matter of the adjustment of local Circuit boundaries remained. The proposal of the Federal Council was that the Durham Street Circuit should include the St. Asaph Street Free Methodist and the Richmond Free Methodist Churches. This was agreed to, but there followed an era in which the re-adjustment of Circuit boundaries was a burning question. Commissions were set up in 1906, 1908, 1910 and 1912 when something like a permanent settlement was arrived at. Finally it was decided that four independent Circuits should be constituted, viz. (1) Christchurch Central Mission, comprising Durham St.South, and High Street Churches to which one minister should be appointed.
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(2) Durham St. staffed by one minister. (3) Christchurch East Circuit, composed of East Belt, Linwood, Richmond, Windsor, Marshlands and New Brighton, to be staffed by one minister, two Probationers, One Home Missionary. (4) Woolston Circuit, comprising Woolston, Opawa, Heathcote, Sumner and Redcliffs Churches, and staffed by one married Minister and one other agent. This was adopted by the Conference. Thus three new Circuits were established each Circuit separating "with the earnest desire to carry the spirit and devotion of the past into the new conditions of the future." (Quarterly Meeting Minutes, April 10, 1913). Unsettled as conditions undoubtedly were after the first Act of Union within the borders of New Zealand Methodism, no false ideas as to the nature and purpose of the Union were entertained. "We must not expect in any blending of two forces immunity from the cares and labours incident to life in this world and to aggressive work for Christ. We combine not for rest but for work." ran the 1896 Conference citation. So it was that even amidst the re-adjustment of Circuit boundaries, extension work went forward and the internal efficiency of the local Churches was fostered. With a view to making the smaller Churches more efficient it was moved by the Rev. H. R. Dewsbury that Messrs. A. F. Drayton, W. H. Seed and M. S. Brown form an Inspection Commitee "to visit the Churches in the Circuit with a view to meeting the officials and discussing with them ways and means for the more efficient working of the respective Churches." This Committee had under its care especially, the growing Churches such as Richmond, Linwood, Woolston and Windsor, and served the very useful incidental purpose of acquainting the officials of the central Churches with the problems of the small, growing Churches. Several years prior to the Wesleyan Union of 1896, the Wesleyan Sunday School Union came into existence, on March 10,1890. This body also had at its heart the spiritual welfare of the Sunday Schools in the district. On December 3, 1911, it held a census to discover what the attendances were in the Sunday Schools, and to enquire into the relationship of Sunday School to Church attendance. It revealed that in 25 Sunday Schools 615 scholars had attended Church, that in 22 out of 25 a children's hymn had been sung, and in 16 a children's address had been delivered. About this time there were 1,456 scholars in the schools taught by about 140 teachers in the Durham Street Circuit. Other Census figures also caused some concern. The 1911 Census figures showed that during the previous five years there had been an increase of 8 in the population and
Wesley Historical Society (NZ) Publication #8 (3&4) 1950 Page 51 Our Yesteryears 1840-1950 by W. A. Chambers during the same period a decrease of 1 in the number of adherents to Methodism. This caused great concern, being possibly the first decline in member-ship and adherency since the inception of the work in 1854. Like the Liverpool Conference the Brethren went to prayer and followed with an examination of the spiritual condition of the Churches, paying special attention to the "extension Churches" at Linwood and Windsor. The result was that many changes were made in the internal working of the Societies. A League of Worshipping Children and a League of Prayer were formed; a system of Lay Pastors was established; Young People's Day was commenced; attendance at Holy Communion was urged; Men's Meetings, along the lines of the Brotherhood Movement in England, were fostered. Many of these are still in operation today and through the years have served a very useful purpose in the work of the Church. In 1905 interest in the Union of Methodism in New Zealand again revived. Never was the Act of Union of 1896 regarded as the end of the matter. Rather, the consummation of the work begun then was always hoped for. Overtures towards this end were made from time to time, even although a certain amount of rivalry existed between the two branches of Methodism. Once, when the Wesleyans suggested friendly co-operation, the Primitive Methodists replied "that it was friendly co-operation they sought but were waiting for some evidences of it." Nevertheless, progress was made. When the vote was taken the Cambridge Terrace Quarterly Meeting vote was 35 against Union and 28 in favour of it. This was contrary to the Dominion Primitive Methodist result which was much more favourable. . . the popular vote being 6 to 1 in favour. Within the Wesleyan ranks the Quarterly Meeting votes recorded for the Union numbered 1,411 with 11 against, and 42 neutral. Thus Union became a practical issue. The Wesleyan Church separated from Australia on January 1, 1913. The Primitive Methodist Connexion severed its overseas connections also and the Deed of Union was signed in the Wellington Hall on Thursday evening, February 6, 1913, with His Excellency the Governor General as chief witness. The statistics of the United Church then were Members 22,000, Sunday School Scholars 30,000, Adherents 100,000, Congregations 1,100. Union celebrations were commenced in New Plymouth where the first Primitive Methodist services in New Zealand were held. Then in each District, local celebrations were organized. In Christchurch, on Sunday, May 11, an interchange of pulpits among the ministers took place. The following Thursday, a united Tea Meeting was held, followed by addresses from the President of Conference, the Rev. Samuel Lawry, on "The Call to Evangelism in the United Church", by the Rev. C. H. Laws, B.A. "On the Contribution of Methodism to the Life and Thought of the World", by the Rev. J. Cocker "Methodism and Social Reform" and by Mr H. Holland, Mayor of Christchurch, "The Layman's Place in the United Church." The choir was led by Mr E. Firth, F.R.C.O. and an illuminated address was presented to Mr J. A. Flesher, for legal services connected with the drawing up of the Deed of Union. Wesley Historical Society (NZ) Publication #8 (3&4) 1950 Page 52 Our Yesteryears 1840-1950 by W. A. Chambers
To meet the problems arising from the Union in Christchurch, the Rev. C. H. Laws, B.A., organised a "School on Union" at which the Connexional Secretary, the Rev. S. Lawry, outlined the various Circuit adjustments necessary in the District, and what steps needed to be taken in the future for the expansion of the Church in the city and suburbs of Christchurch. Many of the problems created by these acts of union even yet are not completely solved, but the Union has worked well and the object of its inception has been amply fulfilled. Since then the work of the Church has proceeded quietly. Just after the turn of the century, Methodist Foreign Mission work commenced in the Solomon Islands. To it North Canterbury gave the first Missionary Doctor, Mr E. G. Sayers who was dedicated to his work in the Sydenham Church on June 12, 1927. Through the years Foreign Missions have been liberally supported by Canterbury and this year, 1949, the Executive of the Methodist Women's Missionary Union is located in Christchurch. From North Canterbury also, came the giants of the Temperance Movement, viz. The Rev. L. M. Isitt and Mr T. E. Taylor, among others. Through the years a number of new causes have been established as at Sumner (1900), Waikuku (1900), Durham Street South (1901), Opawa (1907), Edgeware Road (1909), Dunsandel (1912), Ellesmere (1911), Hawarden (1918), Cashmere (1922), Bryndwr (1925), Redcliffs (1926), Beckenham (1929), Somerfield Street (1932), Wainoni (1937), Sockburn (1943). Other places have been rebuilt in more durable materials. So the work has continued, until today the District Statistics are: Churches . . 63 Other Preaching Places. . 14 Schoolrooms . . 37 Parsonages. . 29 Ministers and Probationers. . 38 Home Missionaries. . 3 Deaconesses. . 2 Local Preachers . . 77 Members on the Roll. . 3952 Sunday School Scholars. . 3088 A casual observer, however, may be alarmed by the following survey of new causes established, grouped according to the decades into which they fall.
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Number of Churches established Years. in Decades in North Canterbury Methodism 1850—59 3 1860—69 16 1870—79 31 1880—89 13 1890—99 8 1900—09 5 1910—19 3 1920—29 4 1930—39 2 1940—49 1 (These figures are compiled chiefly from the Wesley Historical Society (New Zealand Branch) list of Significant Anniversaries. While these figure's may not be complete, they do indicate the decades in which building expansion was rapidly taking place.) One might hastily draw the conclusion that Methodism is dying. But the facts show that from 1880 onwards an internal consolidation was taking place in the Church to fit it for further expansion. This consolidation took the form of Connexional and Institutional progress, which is the subject of the next chapter.
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THE CONNEXIONAL AND INSTITUTIONAL PROGRESS OF CANTERBURY METHODISM The Bible Christians, United Free Methodists, and the Primitive Methodists were still busily establishing themselves in Canterbury when the Wesleyan Communion was turning its thoughts to Connexional and Institutional matters. Being as old as the Canterbury settlement itself, Wesleyan Methodism had a time lead of at least a decade over any other Methodist body in the Province. This in turn meant that the Wesleyan Societies were growing out of the problems of establishing themselves in particular districts but were confronted with other and larger problems belonging to the whole Church in New Zealand. Hence Institutional and Connexional advances were almost wholly Wesleyan in origin but through the Unions of 1896 and 1913 their progress has become the heritage of the Methodist Church of New Zealand. The first venture was an experiment—and a failure. To such a Connexionally-minded man as the Rev. James Buller the need for a Theological College for the training of the ministry had long been apparent. The matter was to be discussed at the Conference of 1876. To bring the matter to Conference in practical form, the Durham Street Quarterly Meeting resolved:- "That this meeting is of the opinion that it is imperatively necessary that provision should be made without any further delay for the systematic training of the Ministry. That for the purpose of enabling the Conference appointed to assemble in January next, to take the initial steps towards the establishment of a Training Institution within the Colony of New Zealand, by the appointment of a Theological Professor, this meeting will make liberal grants in aid, provided one half of the Sunday labours of such minister should be given to Christchurch First Circuit." Estimated Cost £ Estimated Receipts £ Stipend of Tutor 300 Furniture from Connexional Funds 30 Invested Funds 200 Rent 80 Christchurch 150 Taxes 8 St. Albans 150 Travelling 20 Jubilee Money 12 Incidental for House 20 Collections once in each year Sundries 42 throughout the Colony Furniture 200 Subscriptions the balance (From the Quarterly Meeting Minutes dated October 22, 1875).
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This virtually meant that the Theological College was to be in Christchurch. Other counsels prevailed however, and today Trinity Methodist Theological College stands on the corner of Grafton and Carlton-Gore Roads, Auckland. THE CONNEXIONAL FIRE INSURANCE FUND The second venture had a stormier progress but a happier ending. The Waimate of 1877 was a thriving district in which five steam sawmills were operated by some of the 1,400 people residing in the area. Many of these people were Wesleyans who had built a Church there in 1865 and were now planning the erection of a parsonage and seeking means to prevent loss through fire which was an ever present danger. The idea of establishing a New Zealand Methodist Connexional Fire Insurance Department was first introduced into the Conference of 1877 by Mr John Manchester of Waimate. It was decided that the President, the Rev. John Crump, and the sponsor should confer on the practicability of the matter. Recommendation was made that a Connexional Fire Insurance Company be formed, a Board of Directors appointed and business commence when guarantees of £3000 had been secured. The Provisional Directors were the Revs John Crump (President of the Conference) William Morley (Secretary of the Conference), Captain R. Wood, Messrs. John Manchester, George Gould, John Ballantyne, Charles Welsey Turner J Wilford Smith, George H. Blackwell and John Jackson. Before the Committee met on August 13, 1878, the great bush fire of that year had destroyed the bush, the mills and the township of Waimate.
Mr. John Manchester, J.P. whose foresight and courage largely contributed to the establishment of the Wesleyan Connexional Fire Insurance Fund. Meanwhile hopes for the realization of Mr Manchester's dream were high By September, 1878, guarantees to the amount of £4035 had been secured. Then legal difficulties arose. The matter halted. Through fourteen years Mr Manchester clung to his vision showed its advantages, demonstrated its practicability and in 1892 had the Wesley Historical Society (NZ) Publication #8 (3&4) 1950 Page 56 Our Yesteryears 1840-1950 by W. A. Chambers satisfaction of seeing Conference appoint another committee to investigate the whole matter. The workings of such an enterprise in England were investigated, the legal position was enquired into, and all being satisfactory, Conference empowered the Committee to issue a provisional prospectus, and if the response was adequate to proceed with an Act of Parliament in 1895 providing for an Connexional Fire Insurance Company. Provision was made for the eventuality of Methodist Union. (The Primitive Methodist Church possessed a Fire Insurance Fund which came into operation in 1890. The Rev. C. E. Ward, Messrs. C. M. SX D Goldie, J Bellringer, G. Froggatt and J. C. Thompson were the first Trustees, with Mr D. Goldie acting as Secretary and Manager After Paying £1,000 to assist Primitive Methodist Ministers to secure full benefits Fn the Superannuation Fund of the United Church, the sum of £2 325 was transferred to the Fire Insurance Fund of the United Church in 1913.) In 1897 Conference adopted the proposal to form a Company with a capital of £10,000 divided into 2,000 five pound shares. Once again the Committee appointed to carry out the proposal, found it impracticable, so it presented to the 1898 Conference an alternative plan which proved satisfactory, but to ensure the success of which, Conference ruled that continuing guarantees amounting to not less than £4,000 be obtained from Church members and adherents and that £2,000 be lent by the Church Building and Loan Fund. By Conference time, 1899, guarantees amounting to £13,260 had been secured. The Rules and Regulations were then drafted. Today these remain practically the same as on the day of the Fund's inception. The first requests for insurance cover came from New Ply-mouth and Westport in April, 1899. As the Company was not ready to commence business until May 1, in that year, temporary local cover was arranged. The first Churches to actually transact business were Blenheim, St. Albans and Oamaru. The initial Committee of management consisted of the following:—the Revs. William Morley, D.D., William Lee, Henry Bull, Messrs. William Harris, J. C. Prudhoe, G. J. Smith M.H.R., John Jackson and John Manchester. By February, 1900, 175 Trusts had effected insurances. Revenue amounted to £239 and after meeting incidental expenses there was a credit balance of £114-18-6. Since then the Fund has grown until today the Annual Income is approximately £3,600 and the assets almost £45,000. Through the years substantial grants have been made to various Connexional Departments—the Deaconess Institution, Church Sites Fund, Youth Department Trinity Theological College and many other institutions to the extent of some £30,000. All these and many local churches have benefited by the foresight of Mr John Manchester and his fellow workers who laboured to make the dream come true.
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CHURCH BUILDING AND LOAN FUND Meanwhile, another fund had been quickly established to meet a more urgent need, the relief of burdened Trusts. Although Wesleyan Law stipulated that no building could be erected until two-thirds of the cost had been raised, nevertheless the rapidly increasing population of the 1860's and 1870's seems to have induced many Trusts to neglect the law in order to meet the spiritual needs of nearby communities. Several rather alarming facts soon appeared. From Church Statistics Methodism possessed more preaching places than Churches. Consolidation was needed but embarrassed Trusts were now no longer prepared to add to their financial burdens. In addition, those districts where Methodism was weakest were the districts in which debts were heaviest, the total debt upon the Methodist Church of New Zealand being 26½% of the whole cost. Further, to the embarrassment of the debt was added the burden of a high rate of interest (e.g. Pitt Street Church, Auckland, set out to liquidate a debt of £4,000 and realized that in twelve years the interest alone had amounted to more than the mortgage.) Clearly, to relieve the Trusts of financial burdens was the only way to facilitate the consolidation and extension of Methodism. In 1872 a suggestion was made that a Church Building and Loan Fund should be formed, but not until ten years later was any definite action taken. In that year the following resolutions were passed by the Conference. "That for the relief of burdened Trusts and to aid in new erections it is expedient that a Church Building and Loan Fund be established with a capital of not less than ten thousand pounds. "That from this Fund, loans shall be granted to Trusts, repayable by instalments, upon condition hereafter to be agreed upon, but no loan shall be granted until two thousand pounds has been paid into the Fund. "That the management of the Fund be entrusted to a committee of Ministers and Laymen resident in the Canterbury district, such committee to be appointed annually by the Conference." The Interim Committee consisted of the Rev. W. Morley, Secretary of the Conference, Messrs. W. Harris, J. Wilford Smith, H. Overton and Isaac Wilson. Convener, Rev. W. Morley. The obiect of the Committee was twofold. (1) To investigate the Rules of other Building and Loan Funds and formulate Rules for the New Zealand Church, and (2) To raise the stipulated capital of Ten Thousand Pounds. With regard to the former duty, the English and various Australian models were investigated, and the New Zealand Rules and Regulations were drafted and adopted by the Conference of 1883 These remain today much as when originally drafted. In connection with the latter, the Rev. William Morley threw himself into the work with Wesley Historical Society (NZ) Publication #8 (3&4) 1950 Page 58 Our Yesteryears 1840-1950 by W. A. Chambers commendable zeal. Through the New Zealand "Wesleyan" the aims and advantages of the Fund were widely circulated. This was followed by a visitation of nearly all Circuits in the Auckland, Wanganui, Wellington and, Canterbury Otago Districts, where public meetings were held, sermons preached and a personal canvass made. To such effect was this work done that by the Conference of 1883, the subscriptions paid or promised amounted to £6,657-16-0. Encouraged by this news the first Building and Loan Fund Committee was appointed, viz., the General Secretary (the Rev W. Morley), the Rev. J Crump, W J Williams, E. Best, Messrs. C. W. Turner, W. Harris, J. Mouldey and W. Smith, with the General Secretary as Convener. Since the original canvass, further amounts have been added to the capital of the Fund from such sources as the Wesleyan Jubilee Fund (1892—1903) £3,678-6-9; The Century Fund (1906— 1926) £6,144-11-1; the Primitive Methodist Jubilee Fund (1913) £208-5-4 together with bequests from T. Emsley (1887) £1,500; H. Herbet Wake (1904) £50; D. Graham (1918) £50; W. H. Duke (1931) £100; S. Lawry £50; G. Winstone £1,000; T. Fee £50; W. G. Andrews £100; Donations £710. The first loan was for £450 to the Ashburton Circuit to help in the erection of the Parsonage. Subsequent early loans were arranged for Amberley, Gore, Paparoa and Port Chalmers. Since the inception of the Fund, loans amounting to £182,817 have been granted. Needless to say many burdened Trusts availed themselves of the relief offered by the Church Building and Loan Fund, and the paralysis which threatened to halt the Methodist witness in this country was remedied. While the New Zealand Fund has not reached such proportions that, like its English counterpart, it can afford to make free gifts as well as loans, such an ideal may yet one day be realized. In the meantime the need for gift payments to establish Methodism in new housing areas has been partially met through the Peace Thanksgiving Fund. DEACONESS HOUSE Shortly before the turn of the century, the Deaconess work was commenced. In 1897, Conference asked that a Deaconess should be appointed to Durham Street for the purpose of establishing a Deaconess Training House. To this work Sister Christian Hughes was appointed. Gradually the work in Christchurch developed and other Deaconesses were appointed to Wellington, Auckland and Dunedin. At the end of 1900 a small house situated in Barbadoes Street was taken, and Sister Christian and one Probationer (Sister Elsie of St. Paul's Presbyterian Church) went into residence. Two years later, Sister Christian returned to England and the work was discontinued until 1906 when Sister Mabel Morley was appointed Deaconess to Durham Street. The work that might be done by trained Christian women seeking a vocation in the Church was only gradually realized. The vision had not yet caught the Methodist imagination. At the Conference Missionary Breakfast of 1908, Sister Olive (Mrs W. J. Williams) showed what had already been done, and what further opportunities lay at hand to be seized by trained women. Realizing the worth of Sister Mabel Morley's work, a group Wesley Historical Society (NZ) Publication #8 (3&4) 1950 Page 59 Our Yesteryears 1840-1950 by W. A. Chambers of Durham Street laymen led by Messrs. George Bowron and G. J. Smith, acquired a St. Asaph Street property at a cost of £1,000, equipped it as a Deaconess Training Institution, and handed over the Deed of Trust to the Durham Street Trust Board. Difficult years followed. Caution was necessary. Yet the worth of the early Deaconess's work was soon recognised. "I don't think it is possible," wrote one layman, "to rightly assess the worth of our Deaconess. As Sunday School Superintendent, I cannot too highly write of her work as our visitor. The increase in our roll, and also average attendance, is largely due to her. Our Cradle Roll is a monument to her untiring energy, and her work among the poor and sick has won for her the affection and esteem of all who know her." In 1914 the policy was changed. Hitherto the Durham Street Deaconess had also been Superintendent of the Training Institution. In the above year, when only six Deaconesses had been trained, the dual position was dissolved, and application was made to Wesley Deaconess College in England for a suitable person to take over the work of the Training Institution and to be the official Methodist representative on the public and philanthropic bodies in the city. On the recommendation of the warden of Wesley Deaconess College, Sister Grace Crump was appointed to the position. Prior to her arrival, ideas had been entertained for the extension of the buildings and facilities already possessed in St. Asaph Street, but owing to their condition and the unsuitability of the site the scheme was abandoned. Not until 1923 was any radical change made, when the present larger premises in Latimer Square were acquired. The Durham Street Trustees who provided the St. Asaph Street house, waived their claims and donated the proceeds of the sale to the purchase of the new property. To this building, dedicated on June 16, 1923, a new wing was added and opened on May 28, 1927.
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Methodist Deaconess House, Latimer Square. Since its inception, 66 young women have passed through the house 55 having been dedicated to the work of God among the Maoris and Europeans of this Dominion or to the Foreign Mission Field. In the training of these Sisters many able women such as Sisters Christian Hughes, Mabel Morley, Grace Crump, Ruth Fawcett, Annie Tocker, Mesdames Bowie, W. J. Williams, Misses E. Sewell, and D. Fairweather, have assisted. Today, Mrs E. A. Linyard, M A. continues the work. Tutors have been drawn from the ranks of ministers stationed in the city. The present lecturers being the Rev. A. H. Fowles, H. E. Harkness M.A., B.D., J. S. Waite B.A., E. S. Hodinott and W. A. Chambers B.A. PAPANUI ORPHANAGE AND CHILDREN'S HOME About the same time that the first Deaconess House was opened, the first Methodist Orphanage in the city was also acquired. But the first steps were taken in 1899, when from the "Century Fund" £400 was set aside to help solve the pressing problem of needy children in the South Island. In 1901 a Wellington Committee was set up to investigate ways and means of inaugurating such work. Not until 1912 was the matter strenuously taken in hand. In that year a committee composed of the ministers, drawn from Christchurch Circuits together with Messrs. G. Bowron, G. H. Blackwell, G. Barrell, R. M. Cresswell, W. H. Down, J. A Flesher, L. M. Isitt M.P., J. C. Prudhoe, T. T. Robson, Hon. G. J. Smith M.L.C., C. F. Salter, W. H. Seed, J. L. Scott and R. H. Turner, was set up. It met on September 13, 1912, in the Durham Street Parlour with the Rev. C. H. Laws B.A. in the chair and the Rev. H. Bull as convenor. On October 12, it recommended to the Conference that a South Island Orphanage be established, as soon as annual subscriptions amounting to £500 had been received. On June 16, 1913, a canvass for funds was decided upon and different committee members undertook to visit certain districts in the Island. Early in 1914, the Christchurch Committee purchased a home on Papanui Road for £2,750, the house having fourteen rooms situated on five acres of land. This building was re-designed by Mr Ray Lovell- Smith so that thirty children could be accommodated quite comfortably. Sister Mabel Morley was appointed Sister-in-Charge and Sister Dora Cherrie her assistant. On April 25, 1914, the House was opened by Mrs H. Holland, six children being in residence. By June 30, twelve children were in residence. Two years later the roll had risen to 29. By 1916, extension work was necessary, and when it was complete at the cost of £1,850 the Home could accommodate fifty-six children. Nine years later again, a new wing was added at a cost of £433, and in 1930 a bungalow to accommodate eight boys was built. At that time there were seventy-two children being cared for. With such a rapid increase in the number of inmates, it soon became apparent that more commodious grounds and buildings would shortly be needed. Therefore, in
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1924, the present site on Harewood Road was purchased. By 1930, plans for a new orphanage had been prepared by Messrs. G. T. Lucas A.N.Z.I.A. and W. Melville Lawry A.N.Z.I.A. and the estimated cost was about £19,137. On August 2 of that year the building contract was let and the tender of Mr R. C. Jamieson was accepted. The foundation stone of the Administration Block was laid on November 10, 1933, by His Excellency, the Governor General, Lord Bledisloe, P.O., G.C.M.G., K.B.E., D.S.C., while the Rev. M. A. Rugby Pratt F.R., Hist. S., laid the foundation stone of the Girls' Block and Mrs J. A. Flesher that of the Boys' apartments. The whole of the building operations were carried through without incident and the Home opened on November 9, 1934. "When building operations were commenced in October of last year," said Mr Bowron on the opening day, "we had accumulated funds to the extent of £19,942, and to this amount has been added from the building subsidy and legacies during the current year the sum of £2,740, thus making the total of available cash, £22,682. Against this amount our actual payments to date have been on account of buildings £19,003, grounds £666 and furnishings £717, a total of £20,386. This leaves a balance still available of £2,296, but against that we have ascertained liabilities still to be paid: on the building account £1,636, grounds £484, and furnishings £200, a total of £2,320. Thus with a total expenditure on our twelve acres of land and improvements, buildings and furnishings of £26,680 we enter into possession of our beautiful property free of debt. .. a great achievement. . . attained only by the generosity of so many friends throughout the whole of the South Island during the past twenty years." Truly it was a great achievement, thanks to Mr Geo. Bowron and the Committee that acted with him.
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The present Methodist Orphanage and Children’s Home, Papanui EPWORTH CHAMBERS
Epwoth Chambers, Christchurch, administrative centre of many Connexional Funds and Departments. There was another scheme which Mr George Bowron's financial ability also helped to realize about this time. The lack of a suite of Connexional offices had long been felt.
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When Dr William Morley was appointed as the first Connexional Secretary in 1893 the work of the office was carried out in his own home—or rather homes— as he and his family occupied three houses in succession, namely in Colombo St. North, near the present Roman Catholic Property; Cambridge Terrace near our present Church; and Armagh Street. This last named parsonage was also occupied by the Rev. Henry Bull who worked under similar conditions during his term of office, 1902-10. For some two years the Rev. Samual Lawry did likewise. All the time the volume of work handled by the Office was increasing so rapidly that to handle it in a private home was impossible. Hence accommodation was obtained in Victoria Chambers in 1912 and in 1913 in Dominion Buildings. In 1930 the buildings known as Gravenor Buildings, situated on the corner of Manchester and Hereford Streets was purchased by the Supernumerary Fund Board, and following the plans of Mr G. T. Lucas, A.N.Z.I.A., two additional storeys were built while the tenants in the lower portion of the building were still in occupation. In this way an additional forty-two rooms were added as well as four planned for Connexional purposes. The contractors were Messrs. D. Scott and Sons. On January 14, 1931, the building was re-opened under the name of Epworth Chambers. Since then the Connexional Office occupying this fine city property has been the administrative centre of many Connexional Funds and departments. PERMANENT CAMP SITES The most recent District developments have been the acquisition of Permanent Camp Sites. As an aid to evangelism, camps have long been known to Methodism. Indeed, they helped bring about the separation of Primitive from Wesleyan Methodism during the nineteenth century. Since then their use as an aid to inspiration. fellowship and evangelism has been amply proved. Late in the 1920's the use of regular camps on a permanent site was begun by the North Canterbury Young Men's Bible Class Union. The right to use the Amberley Domain each Easter was secured and over the years permanent buildings have been erected. The sports facilities available are excellent, and the buildings erected by the Bible Class Union have amply fitted the Domain for its higher service. Able leadership in the Christian life and rich Christian fellowship besides the fun and frolic of camp life have made Amberley dear to the heart of all those who have shared the Easter experience there. The value of such a site has long been realized by Campers and the vexation of trying to find a site each year is well known to those who have shouldered the responsibility of organizing this side of our youth activities. This condition led the Youth Board to write to the District Youth Councils "to forward a statement regarding any suitable sites in this district. . . sites at present used as military camps, or sites on Crown lands or any other situation so that purchase may be considered by the Youth Board." Thus the pioneer work of Amberley had become the endorsed policy of the Board.
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On November 26, 1945, the first really serious propositions were made to the District Youth Council by the Rev. M. A. McDowell, then Youth Director for the South Island. The following resolutions were received and adopted. (1) That the District Youth Council approve the proposal to establish a permanent camp site in the North Canterbury District for the purpose of:— a. Youth Camping. b. Leadership Schools and Training purposes generally c. Rallies. d. Sunday School Picnics. e. Retreats. f. General Church Purposes, e.g. May Synods. (2) That the District Youth Council set up a Committee to lay the matter before the District Executive with a view to enlisting the support of North Canterbury Methodism. (3) That a strong Committee representing the District Youth Council, and the District Executive be formed to promote the scheme. (4) That the Committee be recommended to follow the investigations already made regarding the Purau Property, and in the event of this or any other property proving suitable the Committee be given power to act. (5) That the District Youth Council recommend that the scheme be proceeded with as soon as possible. (6) That the Committee consider Military buildings as a starting-point for the structural side of the camp and be empowered to purchase same at their own discretion. The District Executive appointed the following members to the Committee:— Messrs. S. Ayers, H. W. Heslop and L. G. K. Steven. To these the District Youth Council added the names of Miss M. Robinson and Messrs. L. J. Dale and A. E. Lawry with the Youth Directors ex-officio. By this Committee, sites on the Peninsula and at Woodend, Brooklands, North Brighton and Amberley were considered, but changes in the personnel of the Committee impeded progress. Meanwhile the Young Women's Bible Class Fellowship was becoming perplexed how to accommodate all the campers. At least three sites had to be found, and the total number of campers divided into three groups. On May 13, 1947, the District Youth Council asked the Young Women's Fellowship to act as a "Prospecting Committee". With alacrity the Fellowship set about its work. Sites as far apart as Rakaia and Leithfield, Oxford and the Peninsula were investigated, but few proved satisfactory. Some that were satisfactory in other respects were inaccessible.
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So the number was reduced. During May, 1948, a suitable site on the banks of the Makerikeri River, Loburn, was purchased. This property was dedicated on November 27, of that year and named "Leigh Camp" in memory of Samuel Leigh, the pioneer Wesleyan Missionary to New Zealand. Since the date of purchase a comprehensive scheme of development has been outlined to the District Youth Council. The grounds have been cleared, shelter belts planted, a well sunk, and other preparatory work done. To meet the cost of this venture North Canterbury Methodists have worked hard and given generously to provide a permanent centre where young people may gather for fun and fellowship, but above all for winning youth for Christ and His Kingdom.
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THE DEVELOPMENT OF METHODISM IN SOUTH CANTERBURY (Compiled from notes supplied by the Rev. W. T. Blight, B.A., B.D.) For Methodists the South Canterbury Synodal District covers that vast tract of fertile plain between the Rakaia and Waitaki Rivers. This area was penetrated from three directions: from Christchurch southwards, from Otago northwards, from the sea inland from Timaru. Before the railway was opened the main routes to Timaru were overland by Cobb's coaches which were somewhat irregular owing to the number of unbridged snow-fed rivers intersecting the Plain to be crossed, and by sea which then was not a pleasant journey. In spite of poor travelling facilities the early families pushed into this country from the north, south or east seeking employment on the large sheep runs or perhaps at the timber mills operating in isolated places. Among these people were a number of Methodist families who, combined together, formed the first Methodist Societies. These early Methodist families possessed two qualities which facilitated rapid Methodist extension. Nothing could break their loyalty to their Church and wherever they went they commended their faith to others who, being drawn into a spiritual fellowship formed the nucleus of Societies which needed only direction and cohesion to form a Circuit. Thus by June, 1863, when the Rev. James Buller, Chairman of the North. Canterbury District, visited Timaru, he found that already Mr William Clough had been preaching in his own house at Sanditown and that Mr John Manchester had been conducting divine worship with his neighbours in Waimate, Wherever there were Methodist families, Buller visited and as a result of his journeys and consultations with the Methodist people, it was decided to form a Circuit, to which the Rev. J. B. Richardson was appointed in 1865. Arriving by ship at Timaru on Sunday, April 23, 1865, Mr Richardson preached that evening in the Mechanic's Hall which had been kindly lent by the Presbyterian people who had rented it for religious purposes. Subsequently the day school was hired and worship conducted each Sunday morning and evening. Two Society classes were formed. That under Mr Richardson was composed of Messrs. J. Maberley, W. Clough, J. Shields, G. Butler, J. Wallace, J. Brown, W. Wilcox, W. H. Dickes, dark and H. Manchester: that under Mrs Maberley consisted of Mesdames Clough, Scavar, Butler, Fonseca, Wallace, Sim, Brown, Blackmore Chivers, Shields, Mason and Walford. In July, 1865, a Church Building Committee was formed. Plans were drawn up by Mr Maberley and upon land given by Messrs. Rhodes Bros. the first Methodist Church in South Canterbury was erected. Neat and comfortable, the church housed a growing congregation which necessitated enlarging the building in 1868, the re-opening services being conducted by Mr Richardson on March 29, his last Sunday in the
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Circuit. On the completion of the Church, the Sunday School was removed from private to Church premises and by 1871, the scholars numbered 250 children. Meanwhile other centres were not neglected. The Waimate class (viz. Messrs. John, George and William Manchester, S. W. and Mrs Goldsmith, Messrs W. Day, B. M. Tregoning and J. W. Freeman) was regularly visited during the third weekend in every month, the minister preaching on the Sunday and Monday evenings and visiting on Saturday and Monday. Soon a neat little church was built and opened by the Rev. W. Cannell of Oamaru. (While Oamaru is in the South Canterbury Synodal District it is not in the Canterbury Province. Hence its origin is not recorded here.) The first Wesleyan Church was opened in Oamaru on April 2, 1864. Mr Cannel was probably the minister responsible for superintending the work of the Probationers appointed to Timaru and so had the honour of opening these Churches. The services commenced at Temuka by Mr Job Brown in his own house were continued by the minister, but as the number of attendants grew it was found expedient to remove to the day school. Four years later, in 1869, the first Church was burnt to the ground before it was opened but with commendable zeal the congregation set to work to rebuild in brick. This Church was duly opened by the Rev. Rainsford Bavin on December 26, of the same year. In the same area a small sod church was opened at Waitohi in 1865. This was replaced by a more substantial building in 1876. At the same time Mr Job Brown's extension work at Geraldine was closely followed up by the minister. There services were held in Mrs Maslin's Cottage until a small Church, 20ft. by 16ft., was opened by the Rev. H. Bull on April 19, 1868.
The Rev. J. B. Richardson, pioneer Wesleyan Methodist Minister in South Canterbury. Wesley Historical Society (NZ) Publication #8 (3&4) 1950 Page 68 Our Yesteryears 1840-1950 by W. A. Chambers
Ministers came and went. Following the Rev. J. B. Richardson's three year pastorate in South Canterbury, came the Revs. H. Bull for one year, W. Lee and R. Bavin for three years each and the Rev. W. C. Oliver. Each of these men had charge of the whole southern part of the Province. In spite of the extensiveness of the Circuit, the unbridged rivers and financial depressions the work prospered exceedingly. The statistical returns at the end of the first decade were: Churches 6, Other Preaching Places 1, Married Ministers 2, Parsonages 2, Local Preachers 12, Class Leaders 7, Members 160, Sunday Schools 5, Sunday School Scholars over 500, Attendants at Public Worship 1,200. By this time the railhead had been pushed as far south as Ashburton and land in what is now the Ashburton County was being more closely settled. Preachers from the Springston Circuit were conducting worship at Seafield for Methodist families settling there from Springston and Rangiora. In Ashburton itself the Primitive Methodists had opened the first Church in the rapidly growing township. Nevertheless the Wesleyan District Meeting of 1876 recommended that services should be commenced in the township and a minister appointed as soon as possible. Ministers and laymen from Christchurch volunteered help and strongly stood behind the new venture until it was soundly established. On November 5, 1876, the Rev. J. Crump, then Chairman of the District, conducted the first Wesleyan services in the Library, a dozen people being present in the morning and twenty-five in the evening. The following year the Rev. W. B. Marten was appointed to the newly constituted Circuit. A Church site on Cameron Street and a Parsonage site in Havelock Street were procured through the generosity of Mr George Gould of Christchurch. The Parsonage was completed first, the Church being opened on December 30, 1877, by the Rev. William Morley. Just a year previously a Church had been opened at Seafield on December 22, 1876. In 1882 this little Church was removed to Wakanui. Services were also commenced in the public school at Greenstreet where in 1893 another Church was opened at a cost of £270. Later the Ashburton Church was removed to a more central position in Baring Square where the present beautiful brick Church was opened on March 13, 1926. Today the Ashburton Circuit includes what for a time was the Rakaia-Methven Home Mission Station. On the south side of the river other services were commenced, the first being conducted by the Rev. W. Morley in 1877 in what was then known as the South Ashburton School. Five years later on September 24, the Rev. W. Keall opened the first Church at Willowby. Other Churches were built at Waterton in 1884, Hinds 1887, Tinwald 1897, Mayfield 1904 and Lowecliffe 1909. In 1895, Willowby was constituted a separate Circuit. For a time Mayfield and the northern part of the Circuit was constituted a Home Mission Station, but in 1936 reverted to the Willowby Circuit.
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Baring Square Methodist Church, Ashburton. Meanwhile the southern part of the District was also progressing. In 1876, Temuka was constituted a separate Circuit comprised of Temuka, Geraldine and Waitohi where a new Church was opened in the same year. In Temuka itself the congregation grew so rapidly that a new Church was urgently needed. A new site was given in 1883 and the new Church opened six years later. The services at Geraldine were discontinued in 1884, but other preaching places were placed on the plan, viz. Rangitata Island, Orton, Pleasant Point, Winchester, while through the years much valuable work has been done among the Maori people at Arowhenua. Prior to the Wesleyan withdrawal from Geraldine the Primitive Methodists had commenced work and built a Church. The present Church was erected in 1908. Into the Methodist Union of 1913, this Primitive Methodist Church brought 80 members, 648 attendants on Public Worship and 7 Preaching Places. Today the work is almost confined to Geraldine itself. Following the first division of the original South Canterbury Circuit in 1876, Waimate was constituted a separate Circuit iin 1877 when there were only 43 members. In 1878 a series of revival services were conducted by the Rev. J. S. Smalley and as a result the membership was doubled. Eight years later the Church and School were destroyed by fire but the Good Templar Hall was bought, fitted for divine worship, and the work
Wesley Historical Society (NZ) Publication #8 (3&4) 1950 Page 70 Our Yesteryears 1840-1950 by W. A. Chambers continued. In 1888 the present Church (St. Paul's) was built and a little later a brick parsonage situated on a considerable amount of land was purchased. This property was sold in 1909 and land nearer the heart of the town purchased, and a fine minister's residence built. In 1929 the present brick Sunday School was built and Waimate came into full possession of its present fine suite of buildings. Some work has also been done among the Maori people at Waihao. Today the only other preaching place in the Circuit is at Nukuroa where a Church was opened on December 28, 1890. In Timaru itself, the work continued to grow from strength to strength. The wooden Church in Bank Street was replaced by a commodious stone building in 1874 and enlarged in 1890. In 1913 the pipe organ was installed and in 1930 the spire erected. The new Sunday School, Wesley Hall, was built in 1908 on land given in 1904 by the late Mr John Jackson, while in 1942 a beautiful brick two storyed parsonage was purchased in North Street to replace that built in Butler Street many years before. The other preaching places in the Wesleyan Circuit were Pareora, where a Church was built in 1870, Fair View, Claremont, Adair, Kingston and Springbank. Side by side with the Wesleyan Church in Timaru there flourished the Primitive Methodist Church begun in the Mechanics' Institute by the Rev. Josaiah Ward in 1873. Soon a Church was built in Barnard Street and a succession of Ministers and "hired" Local Preachers extended the work to Waimate, Temuka, Geraldine, Gleniti, Washdyke and Adair. Subsequently the Church had to be enlarged and a Parsonage built in 1877. In 1909 a decision to build a Church out of the town was reached and hastened into effect by the summary condemnation of the Barnard Street Church in 1911. The present Woodlands Street Church, opened in 1912, is the spiritual successor. Into the Union of 1913, the Timaru Primitive Methodist Church brought 2 Churches, 92 members and 302 attendants at public worship, besides Sunday School scholars. In 1919, Banks Street and Woodlands Street became one Circuit. During this period the Woodlands Street brick parsonage was built in 1926 and today there is a useful property consisting of Church with rooms in the rear, added in 1941, a wooden hall, tennis court, a dwelling and section on which it is proposed to erect a new hall as soon as funds are available. At Waimataitai, North Timaru, the Methodists owned two small Churches, one a Wesleyan and the other a Primitive. The latter was sold in 1913 to the Church of England and the former is now the centre of quite a strong and progressive cause. In 1935, Timaru Methodism was divided into three Circuits which are still operating today. These Circuits are (1) Bank Street, composed of Bank Street, Adair and Claremont. (2) Woodlands Street, composed of Woodlands Street and Waimataitai. (3) Timaru South, composed of Kensington, Pareora East, Pareora West, (where Churches are erected) and Kingsdown. It is a great pity that in a district where there is Wesley Historical Society (NZ) Publication #8 (3&4) 1950 Page 71 Our Yesteryears 1840-1950 by W. A. Chambers so much need and so many loyal and faithful Methodist people, we are unable to appoint a minister who is able to remain long enough to consolidate thoroughly the work in Timaru South Circuit. Nevertheless the work in the South Canterbury District is solid, the 1949 statistical returns showing 22 Churches, 11 other Preaching Places, 12 Schoolrooms, 9 Parsonages, 9 Ministers, 2 Home Missionaries, 28 Local Preachers and 1514 Members.
The present Bank Street Methodist Church, Timaru. THE FORWARD MOVEMENT "See how great a flame aspires, Kindled by a spark of grace: Jesu's love the nations fires, Sets the kingdoms on a blaze. To bring fire on earth He came; Kindled in some hearts it is: 0 that all might catch the flame, All partake the glorious bliss! " CHARLES WESLEY, 1707—88
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It appears that Methodism in North Canterbury is drawing near to the end of the second phase of its development. The rapid expansion of the period from 1850 to 1880 has been followed by years of internal consolidation and Connexional and Institutional progress. Just as the prophetic movement in ancient Israel was succeeded by the era of the sages, in North Canterbury Methodism the age of the itinerant ministers was followed by the age of the Christian business men who soundly consolidated the gains of the earlier years. For ministers such as John Aldred, James Buller, Thomas Buddle, Alfred R. Fitchett and John J. Lewis who gave the inspiration and impetus for rapid territorial expansion we should continually give thanks to God. And from the example of such laymen as have already been mentioned together with a host of others, we should take courage. Through them we have Churches in all the important centres of population in the District, and are insured against loss by fire and earthquake, monies are available to assist with the erection of Churches, School-rooms and parsonages, Camp sites are available for our youth, and a Training Institution, for those called to the Deaconess Order. All these are a God-given heritage.
A Methodist building of later years: Bryndwr Methodist Church. The period of Connexional and Institutional progress is now well advanced. We stand ready to move forward again. The increasing population and rapidly developing new housing areas, together with the growing desire on the part of many of our people to bridge the gap between the Church and the home, are hopeful signs for further advancement. It is the conviction of those best qualified to judge, that God has matched the need of our day with the means to meet it. The instrument we have been looking for, is here in the "Crusade for Christ and His Kingdom." "This Crusade," writes President E. T. Olds in the Preface to the Crusade Handbook, "is no human plan devised to meet a desperate situation. It is born of Wesley Historical Society (NZ) Publication #8 (3&4) 1950 Page 73 Our Yesteryears 1840-1950 by W. A. Chambers
the Spirit of God to grasp a glorious opportunity. Consequently it comes to us as a challenge that none dare evade. ... Deeply we feel that Methodism, brought into being by the will of God to save a spiritually decaying age, is today hearing the insistent call of her Lord to gird, herself and apply her genius to the thrilling task of saving this generation. ... We are joining forces with our brethren across the seas in a world offensive. Far from being dismayed by the powers of evil, refusing to accept the cynical judgment that the Christian gospel has had its day, we are carrying the war into the enemy's country, daring to affirm the adequacy, the necessity of Christ to match this decisive hour." If this be so, then ours is to continue in a tradition well-founded by the ministers and laymen who consolidated the Methodist witness to Christ in this Province. Then, possessed of a courage and devotion like theirs, entranced by the same vision of the world for Christ, and with an integrity of personal character that leaves the hall-mark of the Christ, let us by word and deed propagate the Faith as it has come down to us from our fathers through the Apostles.
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APPENDIX WESLEYAN METHODIST CHURCH OF NEW ZEALAND CHAIRMEN OF THE DISTRICT The Wellington District. 1855—1862 James Buller The Southern District. 1863—1865 James Buller 1866—1867 Thomas Buddle The Southern District (as distinct from the Middle District) 1868—1869 Thomas Buddle 1870—1872 Alexander Reid The Canterbury District. 1873—1875 James Buller 1876—1878 John Crump 1879 Alexander Reid 1880—1881 John B. Richardson 1882—1883 William Morley 1884—1885 Joseph Berry 1886 William J. Williams 1887 William Morley 1888 William J. Williams 1889 William Morley 1890 John J. Lewis 1891 William Morley 1892 George Bond 1893—1896 William Morley 1897 Paul W. Fairclough 1898 William Morley 1899 John Orchard 1900—1901 William Morley D.D. 1902 William Lee 1903 John A. Luxford 1904—1905 Samuel Lawry 1906 William Lee 1907 H. R. Dewsbury 1908 Samuel Lawry Wesley Historical Society (NZ) Publication #8 (3&4) 1950 Page 75 Our Yesteryears 1840-1950 by W. A. Chambers
1909 C. H. Garland 1910—1912 C. H. Laws, B.A.
The North Canterbury District 1913 Samuel Lawry 1914—1915 W. A. Sinclair 1916—1918 A. C. Lawry 1919—1922 T. A. Joughin 1923—1925 W. Arthur Hay 1926 E. D. Patchett 1927—1928 W. Greenslade 1929—1931 A. N. Scotter 1932 M. A. Rugby Pratt, F.R.Hist.S 1933—1938 Clarence Eaton 1939—1941 W. A. Burley, M.A. 1942—1944 J. H. Alien 1945—1947 A. M. Costain 1948—1950 H. J. Odell
Chairmen of the South Canterbury District. 1913 W. J. Williams 1914 T. A. Joughin 1919 Thoams W. Vealie 1921 W. Arthur Hay 1923 A. C. Lawry 1928 William Grigg 1932 Harold T. Peat 1933 John D. McArthur 1937 Angus McBean 1943 William W. Avery 1945 William T. Blight, B.A., B.D.
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METHODIST CHURCHES IN NORTH CANTERBURY WITH THE DATES OF THEIR ERECTION, ENLARGEMENT, ETC.
ADDINGTON (Bible Christian) stonelaying 21-2-88; opened 24.5-88. ADDINGTON (Free Methodist) Church opened 13-11-64; enlarged 1872. Second Church opened 24-5-88; Sunday School commenced 20-11-64. AMBERLEY Church opened 21-10-83. ASHLEY (Free Methodist) Services began 1876; Church opened 1-6-84. AVONSIDE (Wesleyan) Church sold 1870. BECKENHAM School opened 23-3-29; Class rooms opened 6-12-41. BELFAST (Wesleyan Services 1883—1886); Bible Christian Church opened 23-10-87; Parsonage 1893. BROADFIELDS Church opened 1873; Enlarged Church opened 12-6-81. BROOKSIDE On Christchurch Plan 1869; Church opened 20-2-70; Church enlarged 1880; Sunday School opened 30.10-76 BRYNDWR Services commenced 9-8-25;
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Stonelaying of Church 3-9-27; Church opened 3-11-28. Sunday School opened 28-5-50. CAMBRIDGE TERRACE (Primitive) Church opened 8-6-73; Parsonage opened 1881; Second Parsonage purchased 1899; Present Parsonage. CASHMERE Stonelaying of Church 11-2-22; Church opened 7-5-22; Stonelaying of Sunday School 1-9-28. CLARKVILLE Church opened 7-2-97; Second Church Stone-laying 27-2-49; Opened 3-4-49. CRESCENT ROAD (Knights Town) Church opened 19-6-70; Class rooms added 1884; Others subsequently. OUST DARFIELD Services commenced 1882; Church opened 1890; Church improved 1892. DEACONESS HOUSE Barbadoes Street House opened 1900; St. Asaph Street House opened 5-12-1907; Latimer Square House dedicated 16-6-23; new wing added 28-5-27. DUNSANDEL Church opened 4-4-12. DURHAM STREET First Trustees appointed 11-8-63; Foundation stone laid 28-1-64; opened 25-12-64; Pipe Organ opened 30-7-74; Memorial Tablets unveiled 30-3-86; Interior of Church damaged by fire 13-5-45; New Pipe Organ dedicated 14-3-48. Wesley Historical Society (NZ) Publication #8 (3&4) 1950 Page 78 Our Yesteryears 1840-1950 by W. A. Chambers
Re-opened after renovations 2-10-49; First New Zealand Conference 28-1-74; First Church Union Committee met 12-7-83. DURHAM STREET SOUTH Stonelaying 12-12-01; Opened 11-5-02. DOYLESTON Sunday School Site given 1894. EAST BELT CHURCH Church Hall opened 9-4-76; Wesley Church Stonelaying 25-7-81; opened 22-1-82; Galleries opened 16-8-85; Sunday School stone-laying 20-11-02. EDGEWARE ROAD Church Stonelaying 29-7-09; First stone-laying of Sunday School 9-7-21; opened 20-10-21 Second part of Sunday School Stonelaying 14-7-28; opening of complete school 13-10-28. ELLESMERE Church Stonelaying 27-4-11; opening 7-7-11. EPWORTH CHAMBERS Opened 14-1-31. EYRETON Church, March, 1875. FRIESTON Church opened 4-12-70. GREENDALE (Primitive) Permission given for erection of Church 11-4-73; Church opened 1874; GREENPARK Church opened 1873. HALSWELL (Bible Christian) Church opened 25-9-87.
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HARPER STREET Re-opened 18-4-75. HAWARDEN Church Stonelaying 12-6-18; opening 11-9-18. HEATHCOTE VALLEY Wesleyan Services commenced 1871; Church opened 9-3-73; New Church opened 28-11-86. HIGH STREET Church opened 16-4-54; Second Church opened 25-12-59; Sold to help finance Durham Street Church. HORRELVILLE Church opened 26-12.80; Vestry added 1890. IRWELL Church opened 17-8-73. KAIAPOI First Church opened Easter Sunday 1860; Second Church Stonelaying 8-8-70; opened 25-12-70; Third Church Stonelaying 1-9-34; 9-2-35; Model Sunday School opened 11-1-83 Memorial Tablets unveiled 16.6-18. KIMBERLEY (Bible Christian) Services commenced 1888 Church opened 1-10-93. KOWHAI BUSH Services commenced 1864. LEESTON Church opened 15-8-75; Second Church stone-laying 29-3-89; opened 1-9-89; First Parsonage purchased 1877; Second Parsonage 1883 LEIGH CAMP
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Dedicated 27-11-48.
LEITHFIELD Permission to erect Church given 26-3-72 Removed to Sefton 1886. LINCOLN ROAD Church built in early '60's; Closed about 1877 (Free Methodist) Removed Church from Spreydon 1886; Schoolrooms burnt 1-5-22. LINWOOD First Church opened 19-7-96; Stonelaying of brick Church 4-6-32. LITTLE RIVER (Bible Christian) Church Stonelaying 22-8-88 Church opened 30-12-88. LOWER HIGH STREET Church Stonelaying 12-12-88. LYTTELTON St. David's Street Church opened 4-3.55 Second Church Stonelaying 31-12-60; Second Church opened 1-9-61; Enlarged Church re-opened 14-10-77; Parsonage site purchased 4-7-62; Parsonage built 1862; Second built 1881; Sunday School built 1863; Sunday School enlarged 1876; Infant Room added 1892. MARSHLANDS (Bible Christian) Services commenced 1889 Church opened 8-12-89. MASHAM Church Stonelaying 1871. MONTREAL STREET Church opened 17.7-70.
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NEW BRIGHTON Foundation block of first Church laid 1-12.88; opened 1-1-89; Second Church Stonelaying 6-9-13; opened 13-12-13. OHOKA (Mandeville) First Church opened 1865; Second Church opened 30-12-77; Parsonage built 16-10-13. OPAWA Stonelaying of Church 2-3-07; Church opened 18-8.07. ORPHANAGE AND CHILDREN'S HOME First Home opened 24-4-14; Enlarged 17-3-16; Aeroplane crash 17-3-26; New Home Stonelaying 10-11-33; opened 9-11-34. OXFORD (Wesleyan) services commenced 1873. OXFORD (Free Methodist) Built in West Oxford circa 1872; East Oxford circa 1875; East and West Oxford Churches destroyed by gale 9-9-78; East Oxford Church removed to Free Methodist site in Central Oxford after the Union of 1896. PAPANUI Services commenced 1857; Site purchased 1858; Stonelaying of first Church 18-11-69; Opened 27-2-70; Brick Church Stonelaying 14-11-12; opened 1-5-13; New Sunday School opened 30-1-27. PREBBLETON (Wesleyan) preaching place 1862; (Bible Christian) Church opened 24-3-89; Church sold 1949.
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RAITHBY Stonelaying 12.12.66; opening 30-12-66
RANGIORA First Church opened 1871; Removed to Southbrook 1872; Second Church opened 24-11-75; Church enlarged 1896; Sunday School opened 1886; Enlarged 1892; Bible Class rooms opened 3-10-31; Parsonage built 1877; New Parsonage opened 2-2-26; REDCLIFFS Church opened 13-6-26; Sunday School opened 8-8-36. RICCARTON Services held in fifties then discontinued; First service held in Riccarton Village school-house 3-5-85; Church Stonelaying 24-5-86; opened 17-9-86; Second Church opening 11-5-11; Sunday School Stonelaying 5-11-27; Opening 4-3-28. RICHMOND (Free Methodist) First Church opened May,1869; Sunday School Stonelaying 24-5-86; opened 12-9-86. RUSSELL'S FLAT Church opened 15-4-94. ST. ALBANS First Sunday School Anniversary celebrated 16-12-60; Church Stonelaying 16-10-68; Enlarged Church opened 1-6-84; Rugby Street Stonelaying 1.11-94; opened 5-5-95; Sunday School burnt 29-1-02; New Sunday School Stonelaying 8-5-02; opening 19-10-02; Wesley Historical Society (NZ) Publication #8 (3&4) 1950 Page 83 Our Yesteryears 1840-1950 by W. A. Chambers
First separate Quarterly Meeting 28-6-71. ST. ALBANS LANE Church opened 11-4-69.
ST. ASAPH STREET New Church built 1877; Enlarged Church opened 6-9-85; Church burnt 3-3-00. SEFTON Church removed from Leithfield 25-7-86; New Church opened 31-10-31. SELWYN STREET, LOWER Church opened 1883; Second Church opened 1888. SHEFFIELD First Services at Coalmine 1862; (Free Methodist); Church purchased 1886; Church enlarged 1899. SHIRLEY First Church opened 1868; Removed and re-opened 1884; Stonelaying of new Church 14-12-18; opening 9-3-19; Brick Sunday School Stonelaying 19-2-28; opening 3-6-28; Pipe Organ opened 29-7-39; Parsonage purchased 1946. SOMERFIELD Church Stonelaying 27-8-32; opened 3-12-32. SOUTHBRIDGE Removed from Northbridge; Re-opened 21-11.75; Sold 1949. SOUTHBROOK Services began 1867; Church opened 1872; Larger Church opened 1873; Sunday School enlarged 1877; Rangiora Free Methodist Church removed to Southbrook 1896. Wesley Historical Society (NZ) Publication #8 (3&4) 1950 Page 84 Our Yesteryears 1840-1950 by W. A. Chambers
SPRING CREEK Church opened 30-3-73. SPRINGFIELD Services commenced circa 1885; House converted into Church and services later discontinued. SPRINGSTON First Service April, 1864; First Church opened 29-7-66; Second Church Stonelaying 12-9-72; Dedicated 18-4-73; Sunday School enlarged and re-opened 21-8-90; Parsonage site acquired 1874. SUMNER Church Stonelaying 27-9-00; Opening 23-12-00; Sunday School Stonelaying 27-7-25; Opening 14-10-25. SWANNANOA Church opened 23-11-73. SYDENHAM Church Stonelaying 5-7-77; opening 3-2-78; Galleries opened 3-8-79; Sunday School Hall burnt 10-9-47; New Youth Centre dedicated 18-9-49. TAI TAPU First Church opened 23-9-66; Enlarged 1874; Second Church Stonelaying 25-11-81; Opened 7-4-82; Memorial Windows unveiled 9-4-14; Sunday School enlarged 1891. TAUMUTU, JOHN WESLEY CHURCH Opened 7-4-85. TEMPLETON (Wesleyan) Services commenced 1866; later discontinued. (Bible Christians) Services commenced 1877; Parsonage built 1893. Wesley Historical Society (NZ) Publication #8 (3&4) 1950 Page 85 Our Yesteryears 1840-1950 by W. A. Chambers
UPPER RICCARTON Church opened 1871 VIEW HILL Church destroyed by gale 9-9-78; services resumed 1890. WADDINGTON Permission granted to erect Church 17-4-73; WALTHAM Church opened 1870; Reopened 17-4-87; Later sold; WAIKUKU Services commenced 1873; Stonelaying 7-12-99 opened 5-2-00. WAINONI Sunday School Stonelaying 13-3-37; Opened 1-5-37; enlarged 1946. WEEDONS Services commenced in 1866; Church opened 1872; Enlarged Church opened 5-10-90. WEST MELTON Church opened 1869. WILLOWBANK (Free Methodist) Hall opened 24.10-86. WOODEND Services commenced 1858-9; First Church opened 18-12-64; Enlarged Church opened 15-4-77; Brick Church Stonelaying 22-12-10; opening 18-5-11; Parsonage site acquired 1880; Parsonage built 1889. WOOLSTON First Church opened February, 1872; Wesley Historical Society (NZ) Publication #8 (3&4) 1950 Page 86 Our Yesteryears 1840-1950 by W. A. Chambers
Removed to another site and enlarged 1885; New Church Stonelaying 1-10-96; opened 10-1-97; Bible Class Room Stonelaying 20-5-11; Sunday School Hall opened 26-11-11. METHODIST CHURCHES IN SOUTH CANTERBURY WITH THE DATES OF THEIR ERECTION, ENLARGEMENT, ETC. ALLENTON Church Hall opened 1946. ASHBURTON (Primitive) Services commenced 1874, Church opened 14-11-75; Church closed 1919. ASHBURTON (Wesleyan) Services commenced 5-11-76; Stonelaying of Cameron Street Church 16-10-77; Memorial Stones laid 20-9-92; Removed to Baring Square, 16-12-92; Stonelaying of Baring Square Church 18-4-25; opened 13-3-26. GERALDINE (Primitive) GERALDINE (Wesleyan). GREENSTREET (Wesleyan) Church opened 1893. HINDS (Wesleyan) Church opened 16-12-87. KENSINGTON LOWCLIFFE (Wesleyan) Church opened 1909. MAYFIELD (Wesleyan) Church opened 1904. METHVEN (Wesleyan) NUKUROA (Wesleyan) Church opened 28-12-99. OAMARU (Wesleyan) Wesley Historical Society (NZ) Publication #8 (3&4) 1950 Page 87 Our Yesteryears 1840-1950 by W. A. Chambers
First Church opened 2-6-64; Second Church opened 3-2-75; Sunday School opened 12-8-87; New Organ opened 22-12-13.
OAMARU (Primitive) Church opened 2-11-84. PAREORA EAST PAREORA WEST RAKAIA (Wesleyan) Church Hall opened at Newtown 17-11-89; Enlarged 1893; Removed to Rakaia 1898. SEAFIELD (Wesleyan) Church opened 22-12.76; Removed to Wakanui 1882. TEMUKA (Wesleyan) Services commenced 1865; First Church burnt before opening May, 1869; Second Church opened 26-12-69; Third Church Stonelaying 18-10-88; opened 28-4-89. TEMUKA (Primitive) Church opened 11-12-81; Second Church opened 8-12-92. TIMARU (Wesleyan) First Church opened October, 1866; Enlarged Church opened 29-3-68; Stone Church Stonelaying 28-10-74; Enlarged Church opened 1890; Pipe Organ installed 1913; Stonelaying of tower 7-6-30; Re-opening after alterations 1-11-30; New Sunday School opened 4-8-07; First Parsonage built 1869; Brick Parsonage purchased 1942. TIMARU (Primitive) First Services held 1873; Enlarged Church opened 13-12-74;
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Parsonage built 1877; Woodlands Street Church opened 1912; Second parsonage built 1926. TINWALD (Wesleyan) Church opened 1897. WAIMATAITAI (Primitive) Church sold 1913. WAIMATAITAI (Wesleyan) Church opened 29.4-06; WAIMATE (Wesleyan) First class constituted 1863; First Church opened ; Second Church opened 24-6-77; Third Church (St. Paul's) opened 17-6-88; New Sunday School opened 10-3-29. WAITOHI (Wesleyan) Sod Church erected about 1865; New Church 1876. WAKANUI (Wesleyan) First Church opened 27-11-82; Second Church opened WATERTON (Wesleyan) Church opened 1885. WILLOWBY (Wesleyan) First Church opened 24-9-82; Church enlarged 1884; Transept added 19-2-93.
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