Laying The Foundation Stone Of Saint Andrew's Presbyterian Church, Taranaki, New Zealand.

LAYING THE FOUNDATION STONE OF SAINT ANDREW'S PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH , TARANAKI , NEW ZEALAND .

LONDON , SATURDAY , SEPTEMBER 29 , 1866 .

Wednesday , the 27 th June last , having been appointed for the laying of the foundation stone of the first Presby terian church in this settlement , the brethren of the three lodges met at the Masonic hall at 1 p . m ., and at 2 o ' clock proceeded to

assist in the ceremony . About thirty brethren attended , and many more would have been present but for the inconvenient hour and inclemency of the weather . The proceedings throughout were under the immediate superintendence of Bro .

Black , R . W . M ., and brethren of the Southern Kilwinning Lodge , assisted by the W . M . ' s and officers of the Mount Egmont Lodge , E . G ., and De Burgh Adams Lodge , 1 . 0 . On arriving at the ground some delay was occasioned by Mr . Hoby

taking two photographic views , one of the stone , another of the assembly . The proceedings were then opened by the offering up of a prayer by the Rev . R . F . McNicol and the singing of the 23 rd psalm . Then folloAved the reading of a copy of the

inscription placed along with the customary coins and copies of the local papers in a bottle beneath the stone . The followiug is the inscription referred to which was read to the assembly by the Secretary of the Southern Kilwinning Lodge , Bro .

Keeling : — In the Reign of Her Most Gracious Majesty Victoria , the Foundation Stone of St . Andrew's Presbyterian Church was laid with Masonic honours by R . W . M . Black , of the Southern Kilwinning Lodge , New Plymouth , on AVed nesday , the 27 th day of June , 1 S 66 . This church was erected by general contribution , and by the

efforts of the Presbyterians of New Plymouth , iu the earnest desire of permanently enjoying the privilege of worshipping God according to their own principles and after the manner of their fathers . An application liOA'ing been sent by the Presbytery of Auckland to the Colonial Committee of the Church of Scotland for

a Minister for Taranaki , it being then the only province of New Zealand in which the Presbyterian Church was not represented , the Rev . R . F . McNicol was sent , iu compliance with the request to occupy the field . C 03 IMITXEE OP MAJJAGEliS . AV . BLACK . G . J . CUAIMIUG .

J . GILMOUB . AV . RESJDAE . AV . WATSOU . J . HUE . A . HOOD . Wye . WATSON , Architect . J . HENEY . B . SrmiEBEAXD , Builder , J , LAIED . " " 0 praise the Lord , all ye nations , Praise Him all ye people For His merciful kindness is great towards us ; And the truth of the Lord endureth for ever . " ( Psalm cyxii ., 1 , 2 . )

The stone was then lowered to its bed while the scv . Psalm was chanted , and the following words pronounced by Bro . R . W . M . Black : — " Thus saith the Lord God , behold , Hay in Zion for a foundation stone , a tried stone , a precious corner stone ,

a sure foundation ; he that believeth shall not make haste . Judgment also will I . lay to the line and righteousness to the plummet . " The plumb , level , and square , Avas now applied by the respective proper officers , as follovvs : —

R . W . M . —Worshipful Depute Master , what is thejeAvel of your office?—The square . R . W . M . —Have you applied the square to the angles of the stone ?—I have done so and find them correct .

R . W . M . —Worshipful S . W ., what is the jewel of your office ?—The level . R . W . M . —Have you applied the level to the top of the stone ?—I have taken that precaution and find it correct .

R . W . M . —Worshipful J . W ., Avhat is the jewel of your office ?—The plumb . R . W . M . —Have you applied it to the edges of the stone ? — I have done so and find it perfect .

R . W . M . —Having , brethren , full confidence in your skill in our royal art , it remains for me to finish the work—then , striking the stone thrice—• I pronounce this stone Avell laid , true , and trusty , and on this foundation may a superstructure arise

perfect and honourable to the builder . The elements of consecration—corn , Avine , and oil— -were then handed to the R . W . M . Bro . Black ,, who poured the corn and Avine on the stone , and taking the oil , said , as follows : — " When Jacob , the son of Isaac the son of Abraham fled from the

face of his brother Esau , and going from Beersheba toAvards Haran he tarried in a certain place all night , Avhere he slept on the cold ground Avith a stone for his pilloAv Avith great discomfort . Here he had a vision of the gates of heaven , and Avhen

he aAVoke he anointed the stone on Avhich he had slept with oil , and named the place Bethel , or the House of God . In like manner I anoint this stone , the foundation of God ' s House Avith pure oil , praying the Most High to bless and accept this service at

our . hands . May the all Bountiful Author of nature bless the inhabitants of this place with all the necessaries , convenience , snd comforts of life ; assist at the erection and completion of this House ; protect the Avorkmen from every accident ; long preserve this structure from decay , and grant unto