Congregational Church.

The Congregational Church of Nelson originated in the year 1875, through the previous efforts of Mr. Benjamin Short. He conceived the idea of starting a missionary church for the benefit of those in the neighbourhood of Toitoi Valley, Washington Valley, and the Port, who were living in a state of religious indifference. This was before the building of All Saints' Church. With this end he purchased from the Baptist denomination an old church in Hardy-street, on the site where the present building stands. Here he, with other lay helpers, carried on Evangelistic services, and the usual mission work, until the advent of Rev. J. Beckenham, who, coming from Australia in 1875, and finding a suitable sphere of labour in Nelson, undertook the pastorate of the church permanently. In process of time Mr. Beckenham succeeded in building up a considerable church membership, insomuch that on two separate occasions extensive additions and alterations had to be made to the old buildings. Indeed, of the original structure, the only fragment remaining to-day is the small vestry in rear of the present Congregational Church in Hardy-street. On the arrival of the Salvation Army in Nelson, a large number of Mr. Beckenham's youthful members and adherents were attracted thither by the Army's more stimulating services. At length, after a period of eight years' energetic labours, Mr. Beckenham accepted a call to Dunedin. To him succeeded Rev. H. J. Lewis, late of Bradford, Yorkshire, whose genial and thoughtful preaching, attracted many of the more intelligent order, to fill up the gaps caused towards the end of his predecessor's ministry. In the course of three years, Mr. Lewis was called to Newton Congregational Church, Auckland. He was followed by Rev. R. J. Williams, who, after a two years' ministry, resigned. The present minister, Rev. W. A. Evans, late of Bradford, Yorkshire, succeeded to the pastorate when the church was in a thoroughly weakened condition, two years ago. By him the church is being gradually built up with increase of its members and adherents. In addition to the usual church agencies of Sunday School Choir, Ladies' Sewing Party, which have been always in active operation during the history of the church, two Guilds have been started—a Senior, consisting of 70 members, and a Junior, of about 90, with the intention of developing especially the social side of religious life. As it at present exists, the Congregational Church in Nelson seeks to represent the forward movement of Christian thought, with special emphasis of the doctrines of the Fatherhood of God, and the Brotherhood of men in Christ.