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The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Wellington Provincial District]

Ecclesiastical

Ecclesiastical.

All Saints' Anglican Church is situated in Church Street, Palmerston North. The English Church was established here about sixteen years ago, the foundation-stone of the present building having been laid in 1881. The building has, on two occasions since its erection, been enlarged, the last addition being put to it some four years ago. The accommodation of the church is now sufficient for five hundred worshippers. In connection with All Saints' Church there are two Sunday schools, which have something like five hundred children on the roll. In that part of Palmerston North known-as Terrace End, there is another Anglican Church known as St. Peter's, which will accommodate one hundred worshippers. This building was erected some years ago.

The Rev. Herbert Falkner Hunt, M.A., Vicar of All Saints' Church, Palmerston North Parochial District, was born in 1853 in Birmingham, and was educated at the Merchant Tailors' School, London, and at Jesus College, Cambridge, where he graduated B.A. in 1874, and M.A. in 1881. Ordained deacon in 1876, and priest the following year, the reverend gentleman was successively assistant curate of St. John the Evangelist, Newbury, 1876–81, of St. Giles', Reading, 1881–2, of St. Mary the Virgin, Reading, with charge of St. Saviour's Mission District, 1882–8, and assistant chaplain of St. Mary's Home, Reading, 1885–8. Appointed by the Bishop of Brisbane, he became rector of Southport, Queensland, 1888–9, of St. Andrew's, South Brisbane, 1889–92, and of Allora, Darling Downs, 1892–5. He came to New Zealand in 1895, receiving his present appointment. In 1888 Mr. Hunt was married to a daughter of Colonel Horne, of the Royal Horse Artillery (Indian Army), and has two sons.

The Rev. Percy Charles Wyndham Earee, Assistant Curate of All Saints' Church, Palmerston North, is a son of the Rev. W. Earée, Rector of Alphamstone, Essex, Educated at Dorchester Missionary College, near Oxford, he was ordained in London in 1891. Leaving immediately for Queensland, he was appointed to the staff of the Cathedral, Brisbane, with special charge of St. John Baptist, Bulimba. On his ordination as priest, Mr. Earée became assistant curate of the parish of Lutwyche, but was recalled to England owing to the failing health of his father. Till lately he has been assistant curate at Alphamstone. Mr. Earée was married in June, 1896, to a daughter of the Rev. W. H. E. R. Jervis, Rector of Bures, Essex.

St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church, Palmerston North, is situate in Church Street, and was erected in 1892 at a cost of £1100. It was opened the following year by the Rev. James Paterson, of Wellington. There is seating accommodation for 500 or 600. The Rev. Mr. McGregor was the first Presbyterian minister in Palmerston North, officiating in the old church which was erected about 1876. It now does duty as a Sunday school, having over 200 children attending.

The Rev. William Thomson, Minister in charge of St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church, Palmerston North, was born in 1862. He studied under the parish schoolmaster, who was a University scholar, and prided himself on the number of his pupils who went from the parish school to the University. After completing his course at the parish school, Mr. Thomson continued his studies for two years at the Royal Academy, Inverness, and the Grammar School, Old Aberdeen, after which he entered the University of Aberdeen. Mr. Thomson completed the classical part of his studies in Aberdeen, and went to St. Andrew's for the philosophical part of an art's course. In 1887 he began his theological studies in the Free Church College, Aberdeen, where he remained during the four years of the course, and obtained two bursaries, one of the value of £15, and one of £32, each of them tenable for two years. In 1891 he completed his theological course, and was licensed by the Free Church Presbytery, of Inverness, in May of the same year. In December he left England for New Zealand, and received a unanimous call to the pastorate of St. Andrew's Church, Palmerston North, in April, 1892. In May of that year he was ordained by the Presbytery of Wanganui.

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St. Patrick's Church. This church is most pleasantly situated in Broad Street, Palmerston North, and adjoining it is the presbytery, where the Rev. Father Patterson resides. The Roman Catholic Church has been established in this district for the last sixteen years, and during that time the number of its adherents have so increased that it was found necessary at first to add to the size of the original building, and about four years ago to discard it altogether as a place of worship, and erect a new church. This was done, the old chapel being used as a school, and a very handsome structure took its place, with tower and spire 130 feet high. The interior of the church is most beautiful, and is ornamented with very handsome carvings; gilding and paintings being also conspicuous, executed by Father Patterson. The cost of this elaborate decoration has been very great, and he has bestowed on it a great deal of labour, and gone to considerable expense to make it the artistic building which it now is. It possesses some exceptionally beautiful stained glass windows, and painted panels, while the altar is simply a marvel of chaste and elegant work. Father Patterson's district is a very extensive one, and in addition to St. Patrick's Church, he holds service in Roman Catholic churches at Foxton, Feilding, Ashurst, Campbelltown, and Halcombe. His district is about sixty-one miles long by fifty-two miles broad, in which there reside about 800 Catholics. Of this number, 150 dwell in the immediate vicinity of Palmerston North. The day school in connection with this church is conducted by Sisters of Mercy, under the able management of Father Patterson, the attendance being about 130 children.

St. Patrick's Church.

St. Patrick's Church.

The Rev. Father Patterson, who resides at St. Patrick's Presbytery, Broad Street, is a native of the North of England. In 1877 he was sent throughout England, as a deacon, by the late Cardinal Manning, to preach for St. Joseph's College, London, and the propagation of the faith. Two years later the reverend gentleman was ordained by the present Archbishop of Westminster, Cardinal Vaughan. In the year 1881 Father Patterson came out to the Australian colonies, and preached throughout New South Wales for the same college and the propagation of the faith till 1884, when he reached Auckland, in order to visit the Maoris of the North Island. With the Very Rev. Fathers O'Reilly, of the Thames, and F. Luck, of Kihikihi, Father Patterson travelled through Te Aroha, the Lake District, and the King Country. The result of this mission is shown by the fact that there are now seven priests solely devoted to the Maori work through the kindness and influence of the present cardinal archbishop of Westminster. Father Patterson wrote a report in book form to the cardinal, when he returned to England for about twelve months. In 1885 Father Patterson came to reside in the Colony per s.s. “Austral,” via Melbourne and Sydney, and received his present appointment to Palmerston North, where he has resided ever since, with the exception of some six months, when he went as chaplain to Archbishop The Rev. Father Patterson page 1160 Redwood to England. Father Patterson has endeared himself to his people in this district, which includes fully 3000 square miles of country. He has had the pleasure of seeing large accessions to the cause, which he has so zealously served during his nine years residence. Father Patterson is a lover of art, and has spent much time and money in beautifying and adorning with his own hands his new church, which appears in the description of Palmerston North. He is also a successful amateur photographer, as well as a musician of no mean order.

Palmerston North Wesleyan Church, Broad Street, was built about 1884. It is a wooden building with seating accommodation for 500, having a gallery at the back, the choir being situated in front of the pulpit. The Church is noted for the excellent orchestra which adds greatly to the attractiveness, particularly of the evening service. Beside the Church is a large schoolroom, which will hold 1000 people. There is a good Sunday school, which is attended by 500 children. Services are held also at Longburn, Bunnythorpe, and Ashurst, where there are small wooden churches, and in the hall at Pohangina, the total number of adherents, exclusive of children, being about 600.

Rev. Thomas Retallic Richards, the Wesleyan minister in charge of the district, was born at Chiltern, in the colony of Victoria, and was educated at Queen's College, University of Melbourne. In the year 1894 he crossed the Tasman Sea with the intention of settling in New Zealand. At the conference of the Wesleyan body held in Nelson, Mr. Richards was received as a probationer, and was appointed to the charge of the Birmingham district, and two years later he was stationed at Palmerston North (Broad Street), in charge during the absence of the Rev. W. Lee in England.

The Wesleyan Methodist Church at the corner of Cuba and Domain Streets, Palmerston North, was built in 1892, services having been held for a year previously in another building. Owing to the increase of population it has been found necessary to enlarge the Church to twice its original size, so that now (in 1896) it has seating accomodation for nearly 200 people. Taking into consideration the size of the Church, the choir is exceptionally good. The Sunday school held in the Church is well attended.

The Rev. Frederick Quintrell, the Minister in charge of the Wesleyan Church, Cuba Street, Palmerston North, was born near Falmouth, Cornwall, in 1864, and came to New Zealand in 1888. He was ordained in January, 1892, by the Rev. John Crewes and appointed at Belfast, and Banks Peninsula, and in the Christchurch circuit at Cromwell, (Central Otago), at different times. In 1894 he received the call to his present important position for which he is well qualified, the Church making rapid strides under his care. He journeys to Oroua Bridge and Taonui occasionally, returning to Palmerston North in time to conduct his evening service.