ALMOST ONE HUNDRED YEARS The history of the Mt. Eden Baptist Church from 1864 to 1960. Research Essay presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in History M. John Bowen University of Auckland December, 1979 Mop Hesheriea! correchons trate by 4m BarkerCONTENTS Acknowledgements Abbreviations used Introduction Chapter 1: "The Beginnings and Consolidation" 1864 to 1917 Chapter 2: “Fluctuating Fortunes” 1918 to 1948 Chapter 3: "the Decline" 1949 to 1960 Conclusion: Appendices: Bibliography: 56 79ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS In the writing of a research to thank, all of whom contribut per, there are a number of people in some way to its writing. I am indebted to Mr Max Barker and his wife not only for their friendship but also for their invaluable help with the facts and stories of the Mt. Eden Baptist Church - a church which for many years they were actively involved in. My thanks also go to my supervisor Dr. Hugh Jackson for his views and guidance throughout the entire writing of this paper, and to Miss Wendy Pike, who facilitated this ‘typed presentation. I would also like to give my warmest thanks to my family and girlfriend, Anne-Marie for their patience and understanding in having to endure me as a university student, not only for this year, but for all those that preceded it. Finally, my hunblest thanks to the guy "up above" who makes all things possible. John Bowden,CMB. A.C.R. a8. ALBA. AS.S.U, P.P.A, ABBREVIATIONS Church Minute Book Annual Church Report, Jubilee Souvenir Auckland Baptist Association Auckland Sunday School Union Protestant Political AssociationINTRODUCTION ‘This paper is concemed with the history of the Mt. Eden Baptist Church, a history that spanned ninety six years from 1864 to 1960. The Baptists' beginnings in the Mt. Bden district constituted that denominations second group in the A uckland area and what started as a small gathering of adults and children in a Newton Road house in 1864, grew into a large Auckland suburban church by the 1920s; and then for a number of reasons lost its status as a church and became the Auckland Baptist City Mission in 1961. But why write a history of one church? Firstly, as a church-goer and one who is deeply interested in the Auckland Baptist City Mission, I believed that the history of its predecessor the Mt. Eden Baptist Church would be a colourful one, and of interest to thase people that had had some interest or part in its history. Secondly, the ninety six years that the Mt, Eden Baptists were involved in Auckland's society were years of major occurences and events; how the Mt. Eden Baptists coped with these and played their part in Auckland's society, is not only a story of success but is also a story of christian faith and fortitude, Thirdly, the Mt. Eden Baptist Church was one of the earliest Baptist churchs in Auckland, and therefore played a major role in the extending of the Baptist denomination in Auckland and to districts outside it by either providing manpower or financial assistance. Also a history of a church involves people. The Mt. Eden Baptist Church had many personalities throughout its existenceand therefore it is not surprising to find that the ministers and the role they played in Mt. Eden's development and growth becomes a major ‘there in the history of the church - these two aspects of Mt. Eden's history caught my imagination and which, if developed further, would provide ample opportunity for further research. For the purposes of this paper the history of the Mt. Hden Baptist Church has been divided into three eras, and I assume full responsibility for what is written and how it has been interpreted.CHAPTER ONE “HE BEGINNINGS AND CONSOLIDATION" 1864 bo 1917 "But Jesus called the children to him and let the children come to me and do not stop them, because the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these." ~ St. Luke, 18: 16~3- ‘The efforts of the Baptists in the district of Mt. Bden had sail beginnings. In the early days of 1864 two men Mr Cornford and Mr Nefon met with Job Heath, a member of the Wellesley Street Baptist church,* put a resident in Me. Eden. Mt. Eden was a district that was 2 ; one result of Auckland's* rapid population growth and geographical expansion of the 1850s and coinciding with this growth and expansion was the upsurge in religious interest and practice. This upsurge influenced Messrs Cornford and Maton to enquire of Heath whether there ‘was any place about here (Newton Road) where an Afternoon Service could be held.'? with typical evangalistic enthusiasm and religious zeal Heath offered his hone:- 'I bless God. 1 was led to reply at once, to this effect: my house is open for the Service of the Gospel. !4 ‘The Baptist efforts had begun. Tt was soon found however, that once these afternoon meetings and later an evening meeting became established at Heath's house, some form of christian entertainment was needed for those children that attended with their parents. Theophilus Heath, Job Heath's son soon recognised the need of providing for the children and established the Mt. Eden Sunday School, which was also held in his father's house. ‘The Sunday School work soon became the focal point of attention for those people wishing to establish a flourishing 1. ‘The Wellesley Street Church constituted the first and only Baptist Church at this particular time in Auckland. Several Baptists began to meet as a group in 1855 and they then built a chapel and schoolroom in the early Iséos. 2. The Site of Auckland was determined by Lt, Governor Hobson in 1840. He was the leader of a survey party and he finally decided on the southern shore of the Waitemata, near what is now Shelley Beach ...to be the most suitable site for a capital of the Dependency of New Zealand.‘ For further information on the beginnings and subsequent expansion of Auckland see R.W. Armstrong, ‘Auckland, 1896 - An Urban Geography," Master's thesis, University of Auckland 1958, 3. deb Heath to anon, 26 April 1865 4. Ibid~~ Baptist church in the area, = the growth in the membership of the sunday School soon outstripped the growth in membership of the adult meetings. ‘This is not surprising as one of the most significant develognents in church organisation in the nineteenth century was undoubtedly the growth and increasing importance of the Sunday school movenent.> For the next two decades, the talents, finances, and energies of the Me, Hien Baptists were devoted to the expansion and strengthening of their Sunday School. By nStGWae-ce 1965 land had been purchased and the first buildin: had been erected which was used for both adult and children meetings. And if the newspaper report is anything to go by, the opening of the new building was of importance and interest to the peoples of Mt. Eden:~ The building is conveniently situated for the already and vapidly increasing population of the district between Mt. Eden, Khyber Pass and Cabbage Tree Swamp Roads. It will accommodate nearly 200 scholars. ‘The proceedings were opened with 2 hyrn and prayer. ‘The building was tastefully decorated with flags and evergreen. ‘The Chaiman delivered an address which was listened to with great interest by about 150 persons of his own and other congregations. Several were obliged to leave in con: of insufficient room at the tea-tables. ‘The address treated principally of the extension of Christianity and colonisation in the Australian colonies and New Zealand. Not only was the new building used for christian purposes, but ilding was comp use as a school building and for many years, the new building ved a dual purpose ~ christian and secular education of children. 3. M.J. Powell, "The Church in Auckland Society iety, Master's Thesis, University of Auckland, 1970, p. 6. New Zealand Herald, 29 April 1865. 1880-1 28,Charles ~10- ‘The Mt. Eden Sunday School owed much of its form and structure to its counterpart in Great Britain - Discipline was enforced on both teacher and pupil’ with regularity and purpose; major and minor decisions were not finalised until every detail had been ascertained and discussed & those on committees?” the art of singing, important in many British institutions, remained a top priority with the new colonists, as a Mr, Bloomfield was appointed in charge of the maintaining and improvement of the stuients singing. As @id the appointment of a "canvasser" a type of modern day salesperson. This job entailed the appointee going about th district appealing to households for their children to attend Sunday School. The scheme must have had some success, as the Sunday School menbership gradually increased between 1865 to 1885. This increase typified the Auckland trend ~ in 1871, 51% of the children aged between five and fifteen years in the Auckland Province attended Sunday Schools. This proportion had increased considerably to 68.5% by 1886. In fact from 1871 to 1886 the percentage rease in the number of children attending Sunday Schools was greater than the increase in the number of children aged five to fifteen y The Wellesley Street Church also played an important role in the evelopment of the Baptist denomination in Mt. Eden throughout the 1860s and 1870s. Major decisions conceming the Sunday School had to be approved by them, and they also provided manpower especially for 7. Mr and Mrs Wood were both teachers in the Sunday School. In Decenber of 1866 a three-man delegation conferred with Mr Wood cn his necessity ‘to attend more of his classes. However, the meeting between them failed as in the attendance records of February 1867 Wood was present 12 tines, late 7, and 14 absent while his wife's attendance was not. mich better. Their attendances were worse in May 1867 and they finally resigned their posts in Jme. ‘There were many examples of discipline being -nforved on the students. For example in 1878 the Superintendent suspended two students for bad behaviour, 8. For example, it took eighteen months before the Mt. Bden Baptist Sunday School decided to join the Auckland Sunday School Union despite the topic caming up for discussion many times. 9. Powell, M.S. pp. 29 - 30} ) re) ‘the work amongst adults - the Wellesley Street Minister the Rev. P.H, Cornford periodically conducted a Sunday service, while leading the week night meetings on a regular basis, while other menbers sat on committees with those from Mt. Eden, discussing matters of mutual interest. As with other Sunday Schools in the Auckland area, the Mt, Eden Sunday School became the means whereby the Mt. Eden Baptists reached cut to adults who were not churchgoers. ‘The pattern which is common today of parents sending their children along to Sunday School, but not attending church themselves, developed remarkably a true in the case of Mt. Bden, as the formation of the church proper, did not take place until 1885, sare twenty ye: bLishwent of the Sunday School. Tt is difficult to ascertain the effects of the introduction of secular education enkodied in the Education act 1877, on the Me. Eden Sunday School. On the surface, the new Act did not seem to dampen the rate of progress in nimbezs or buildings as by the end of the 1870s it was found necessary to eect a larger building to cater for the increasing nurbers.++ hus the pioneers and leaders of the Sunday School, despite their Links with their mother comtry and their mother church, showed signs of individuality! and enterprise, which they carried on into the 1880s and which indeed pervaded the work and the church, through- decisions made by the future leades out the twentieth century. The lessons learnt and the experience gained in church organisation and business, the gaining of experienced men and women in church affail 40. Ibid p. 28 ll. see Appendix 1. On 31 cot was officially opened, the Sunday cost of 5551.10s. 12. For example in 1866 the teachers declined to meet with the hierarchy of Wellesley Street Baptist Church é requested; in 1885 the teaching staff declined the offer for Sunday School, teachers mede by the A.S.S.U. new Sunday School building contributing #146 to the totalfrom various sources and areas, the continued growth and expansion of the district which provided continued adult and children menbers for the hurch; and the cumlative results of School work combined to help the Ba; tists of Mt. ne efforts made in the Sunday len to face the 1880s with confidence and christian vigour. ‘The solid work of the past two decades was fully needed by the Mt. Eden Baptists in the 1880s as they, and the rest of the Christian Church in Auckland faced problems conmon to Christiar the Western world in the ning enth century; intellectual doubt, militant opposition to the church, and widespread indifference to the Christian message; and f issues - temperance, morality, ang a definite lead and renain at the forefront of the commmity discussion. sed increasing social ation which they sought to take In the May of 1885 the Wellesley Street Baptist Church moved its headquarters to upper Queen Street revealed in the colossal fom of the new Baptist Tabernacle - at a cost of £14,000 it was a monument to their Minister Thomas Spurgeon's organising ability and his world-wide crusading for funds, that it opened debt free. “4 and on a much lesser scale of importance, several residen Some two months later ts of the Mi, Eden district who constituted the Baptists in that area, met in their chapel to forma case, and then present it to the Baptist Tabernacle indicating their desire to form a church - this was expressed by the followin ‘That we members of the Baptist Tabernacle Church, resident in Mt, Eden dist ct, earnestly request the Church to take sone imnediate and to th decisive steps with respec work in that locality. Whenever the services have been under efficient conduct, we consider that the results have been encouraging, and we respectfully urge that the rapid growth of th 2 Popul on in this district constitutes a call for devoted effort. We also sugges once be sought. 4. 13. Powell, MJ. p. iii 14. Ibid p. 43 that ministerial help should at 15. Church Minutes Book 1885 to September 1889 (hereinafter referred to as the C.M.2.) 13ise As a result of this historic meeting, a cetition was forwarded to the hierarchy of the Queen Street Tabernacle to consider:~ We, the undersigned Baptists, resident in Mt. Bden, request the Church meeting in the Tabernacle to constitute us a church affiliation with the Tabernacle Church, and we request permission to retain the use of the present building. 5. Negotiations between the two parties proceeded with haste. Once the terms of acquiring the property, the arranging of the financial Liabili~ ‘ties, and the possibilities of supporting a minister had been finalised, ‘the Mt. Eden Baptist Church became an established fact on 23 September 1885. The new, young, and Auckland's third Baptist church, began ‘th twenty foundation menbers:- H, Mason, H.W. Jenkins, Jos Bayes, Eliza Bayes, JA. Penman, R, Lovatt, Mrs R. Lovatt, M. Denison, E. Mason, J. Webley, T. Cranwell, J. Champion, G. Long, H. Freeman, G. Ardem, R. Crudge, E, Fitness, Mrs B. Fitness, 3. Stainton, Mrs J, Stainton ‘The influence of the clergy on their respective churches life and position in the commmity plays and has a special part in their history, and it so happens that the ministers of the Mt. Eden Baptish Church were a colourful and interesting breed, many of them playing a significant role in the evolution, nature, and course the church took and developed over the decades. In March of 1886 some six months after the establishnent of the church it received its first mini: ~ the Rev. T. Bray, who was also assistant Minister of the Baptist Tabernacle. Bray fulfilled this val role until the middle of 1888 when he velinguished his position ac the Tabernacle and assuted full responsibility of Mt. Eden. The young church heavily relied and devended upon the Tabernacle for finan- cial assistance, the usuage of buildings and facilities; e.g. the baptistry, and for guidance concerning church government. and involvement 16. Ibidfor example the joining to the Baptist Union of New Zealand. Despite this early reliance independence aS soon gained, signified with Bray assuming full ministerial responsib: and th e Tabernacle handing over the property rights to the Mt. Eden Church in June of 188, ‘The church in Auckland played an active role in the promoting, continuing, and the sus taining of the temperance movement in Auckland society throughout the late nineteenth and early twentieth century Many temperance societies and groups sprung up throughout New Zealand!” many of them basing mich of their efforts and concems in Auckland. ‘The church's involvement in the temperance movement was part of their response to the call made by society to display a mich greater interest in the social problems and ar thus ducing Bray's term as Church minister a flourishing and popular Band of Hope was established in conjunction with the Sunday schoot.2® me 18808 was an important decade of growth and advance for the temperance cause and temperance workers made considerable steps in marshalling public support." this is indicated in the rapid growth of menbership 17, 1835 ~ New Zealand Temperance Society (Paihia) 1842 ~ Auckland Total Abstinence Society 1854 ~ Auckland Temperance Society 1860 to 1880 - Independent Order of Rochabites International Order of Good Templars Sons and Daughters of Tenperance 1880s ~ New Zealand Alliance Gospel ‘Temperance Mission Auckland Band of Hope Union Women's Christian Temperance Union For further information see P.P, McKimey, "The Temperance Movement in New Zealand, 1835 ~ 1894, Master's Thesis, University of Auckland, 1968 pp 50 ~ 60. 18. For other members see Ap; 19. Powell, Md. p. 93 dixof the Mt. Eden Baptist Band of Hope for within two years, the menbership had grown from thirty members to two hundred and thirty mesbers, and the fortnightly meetings were scon crowded ou! Each evening we find sore who are anxious to cast in their lot with us and do battle with this giant., ‘The growth of the Church membership could not match the spectacular growth of their Band of Hope. Nevertheless, both adult and children numbers shoved steady increase under Bray's ministry, indicating that progress was being made in terms of numbers, and that their branch of the Band of Hope movement was of major influence in the district. The rather salubrious relationship that eloped between the church and its first minister became rather strained towards the middle of 1889, the net result being Bray accepting the Nelson Baptist's invita~ tion to become minister there.?! Despite this ther sad end to Bray's term, he can be remenbered as a minister that served the young church with enthusiasm and fidelity.His was a pioneering effort as the new church found its feet and began to make its presence felt in the district. x the ‘he provision and the obtaining of clergy in Auckland and rest of New Zealand, was real problem for most: denominations in the latter decades of the nineteanth century. Most denominations were to a Large extent depe nt on Britain for its supply of clergy and lack of adequate theological facilities compounded the difficulties of providing 20. Band of Hope. A distinguished mestber Baptists Band of Hope was Sir Willian Fox at one tine Prine Minister of New Zealand. 21, The usual monthly church meeting was held on 24 July 1889. At this meeting in a response to a letter written by a church menber, the deacons Lieved that Bray was not visiting enough church members and the spiritue tone of the church was suffering as a result. Bray disliked these con- clusions and the church received his resignation at the following monthly church meeting, After this episode, the deacons decided that the future ministers of the church gave three months notice of their intention to ave.igs : A 22 ahhative' ministry for those churches in the auckland area.** In the case of Mt, Eden finance was also an important goveming factor as to where they searched snd eventually i itated their future ministers, and thus Australia, due to its proximity to New 2 land, became their ministerial recruitment field as it did for the other Baptist Churchs in the country. Mt, Eden thus entered the last decade ¢ the nineteenth century with its first Australian Bapt: niste?*the Rev. C.D. Cox who began his term in the February of 1890. With Cox's ability as a minister, fanned by an evangelistic mission conducted by Thos Spurgeon the ‘Tabernacles mi ter, in 1891, the church enjoyed a swelling in its ranks of aduit menbers, in the three short years of Cox's ministry. How sver, Cox's ability was more evident in his in the Sunday The Sunday School enjoyed quite a spectacular growth in its metbership rate between 1890 to 1833. This grovth was partly due to Cox commencing the Christian Endeavour Society in 1892 which proved our effective training ground for aspiring ministers, missionaries, and Christian workers and also partly due to the commencement of a Library and debating society which proved to be a further attraction for the young people of a the district.” However, as with Brays leaving, the Church had to face evother dent in its relationship with the Minister. The net result was that Cox left and accepted the invitation to becore minister 25 ‘The deacons of the church showed th LL, MJ. pp 35 - 36 rch had six Australians as ministers. See Appendix IV 24. F, Bade and J.M. Bark Jubilee Souvenir of Mt. Eden Baptist Church, Auckland, New Zealand. Brief History from 186d to 1935, 1935 p. I (hereinafter referred to as 3.3.) 25. At a special church meeting in Decenber of 1893, Cox presented his intention of accegting an invitation to another church unless the church could guarantee the new annual salary rate of $165. ‘The deacons could not guarantee such a proposal and thus Cox accepted the invitation to Napier Baptist.ei for Cox and his ill wife which had developed over their short ministry, by waving the three month notice period which was required by constitu- tion, and allowing their second minister and his wife to move to their new church as soon as possiby It was quite apparent, however, that the experiences endured by the church hierarchy and the menbers, concerning the departing of their first two ministers, severely dampened their enthusiasm to invite another minister immediately, and for the next three years, the Church maintained a policy of being "pastorless." The result of this planned decision by the Church to be without a minister seemed to have little effect although their numbers. 76 the Sunday School suffered a sharp decline Throughout this "pastorless" period the Mt. Bden Church carried on with its work within and without the church doors, being serviced by various Baptists in the Auckland area and by the menbers themselves. In. this three year period, however, the subject and the position of women in the church and in the Baptist denomination came to the fore. The role of women in church affairs in the last decade of the nine~ teenth centuxy and the decades preceeding it, was in the main, confined to teaching in the Sunday Schools or meeting as a group in the Church for sewing choir practice, prayer circles and such like. Women could not take a public part in the services of the church, and could not be elected to vestries or managerent boartis. The church remained pre~ stitution’? but the dominantly a male x hold was weakening. Me. Bde who were ardent supporters and menber Baptist had its womer of the church, and who contributed to Life of the church by teaching in the Sunday School, providing flowers for the church services, and 26. This trend was soon reversed with the arrival of the next minister in 1897, See Appendix 1, 27, Powell, Md. pp. 26 - 28~1g- most importantly bringing to the attention of the other members of the church especially the males, the role and work of missionaries and their missions. ‘he present trend today in many churches with more single unmarried waren entering the missionary occupation as their chosen career compared to the single unmarried men, and if Wt. Eden Baptist is a typical example of this trend, then it had its beginnings in the late nineteenth century. With mich of the interest in missionary work being show by the female menbers it is aot surprising that Mt. Eden Beptistls fixst missionary was Ethol Pry, a single unmucied woman, who went to India, probably in the capacity as a nurse.”? the pressures on the male meters of the church to allow femles to play a more effective and positive role in church affairs e.g. be elected to committees and boards etc. were slowly increasing, but major change was slow. Towards the end of 1896, the Baptist Union indicated that if enough churches supported the idea, to allow female renbers of Baptist churches to become delegates of their churches to the general assenb! y Of the dencmination, then it would be drafted into the Union's constitution. ‘he spirit of enterprise and individuality that had been evident in previous . Eden church dis- cussions was not apparent in this one. In their church meeting of October 1896 to discuss the issue, the Mt. Eden members opposed the idea by nine votes to seven - the church as a man's domain remained intact but it was slowly being eroded. Yet the women's position and role in Mt. Bden and in the other Baptist churches in New Zealand remained relatively unaltered for a further twelve year period until August of 1908 when the Mt, Eden church finally agreed to the principle, that the female menbers of the Baptist Union were to be given equal status with the male menbers. The vote in 1896 of retaining male members as church 28. See Appendix VE for the number of church missionaries who were single unmarried woren, single unmarried men, and carried couples.rae delegates to the Baptist Gen 1 assembly was largely overshadowed by by the acceptance of the Rev. J.F. Jones from Invercargill to become the Mt. Eden's third Minister at 2 end of 1896, All was not well within the church circles. At the end of Jones* first year as minister, church wenbership had drogped while the Sunday Schools nenbership had plummeted to the late 1870s levels. The Sunday School predicament was further weakened by the resignation of the Super- intendent Mr. P.N, Andrews after eleven years because the church had spoken ungraciously and ungenerously of his teaching staff. Despite pleas by various church members to Andrews to reconsider his position, he verained unmoved in his plan to sign from both the Superintendency and the Church. Although adult menbership figures reached an all-time gh at the end of 1898, they continued to show a dowward trend until, 1901, when once more they began to rise, This decline was not helped by the return to Invercargill by Jones at the end of 1899, and by a further period of two “pastorless" years. Pinancial problems camanded the centre stage of church affairs throughout this second "pastorless" era”? and while the majority of church members accepted the ministers that fulfilled the gap while the deacons began searching for another full-time minister, some apparently rejected them, Criticism was ci 29. Firstly, the Mt. Eden Baptists were upset at the Tabernacle's idea to start another Baptist church in Mt, Roskill, some three miles away, and proposed that the money spent on establishing another church should instead be spent on their church. Secondly, the church found it extremely difficult to find any minister to occupy the pulpit at the rate of payment ‘they offered - two ministers Gordon and Sliner, declined to preach because the money was not hh, even though they were not to be full- time.-20- Human nature, it would appear, was afflicted with the same shortcomings in those days as it ever has been, for, as the then Assistant Secretary recalls, that, when sane menbers and worshippers reached the Church doors, and discovered that Mr So-and-so was conducting the service he wes asked: "why did you get that man to preach?” Others would carry their dislike a step further by turing on their heels at the door of the Church, and retracing their steps hareward. Evidently there were some, even at that period who required to leam ‘the all-important lesson that we repair to God's House on His day, to meet with, and worship Him, more than merely meeting to hear a man preach, or to see one another and the fashions adomed by those assembled. 49 Despite the troubles the Mt. Eden Baptists d, the Sunday School work, and the rate of growth, provided a bright spot from the time Andrews xesigned in 1898 and when Cr i ge became Superintenden By the end of the second "pastorless" period, the membership of the Sunday School had reached an all~time high - one hundred and ninety members. This then, was the state of Church affairs with which the Mt. Bden Baptists entered the twentieth century, and which the Rev. J.B. Sneyd discovered when he arrived at Mt. Eden at the end of 1901 to become Mt. Eden's second Australian Baptist Minister. The fluctuating fortunes of the Mt. Eden Baptist Church since its arrival on the Auckland church scene were, for to rest with the subsequent ministry of Sneyd. @ first decade of the twentieth century, it seems was not only of great benefit to the Mt. Bden Baptist Church but to the Bay omination as a whole Auckland area.From-1901_onvands_in-both the Church_and Sunday School rolls the Mt. 2 Bien Baptists began to enjoy a sustained growth in numbers” be attributed to a number of factors. The first of these was the minister .p and of "pastorless" tines the majority of organisation of Sunday services and of church departments fell into the hands of the church hierarchy with the rest of the active church nerbers being involved in the maintaining of church organisations; thus mich of the efforts by the Mt. Bden Baptists to increase their menbership and numbers tended to decline - this is reflected in the decline of the church roll from 1898. Conbined with the fact that the church was going through a testing time at the beginning of the twentieth century, the menbers were relieved when a minister finally accepted their invitation; 34 it meant that they had a leader whose job required and entailed the running and leading of a church. . Eden as with any church, the advent of a new minister bought stability and renewed growth in mbers, which began with the arrival of Sney Secondly, at the beginning of 1904, the church embarked on a new programe aimed at increasing the attendances at the Sunday night services. At a monthly church meeting towards the end of 1903, a com mittee was formed to look into the possibilities and practicalities of holding open air meetings in the Mt. Eden district. ‘This committee reported back to the church in January of 1904 and after detailed iscussion, the church decided to conduct open air and cottage meetings. The church entered this new venture with enthusiasm - 1000 tracts were printed and distributed indicating the tine and place of the two meetings in the district. Figures are not available to show whether the evening 32. See Appendices 1 and 11 33. The members present at the ci Doxology when hearing of Sneyd's accaptanc ng in 1901 cose and sang the=22= services attendances increased as a result of this tso pronged attack into the commity, but the nembership of the Church only slightly increased, perhaps, indicating that this new scheme was not the best method in attracting new menbers.24 aut nevertheless it showed that the Mt. Bden Baptists were willing to try new methods to interest the non-church goer in christian affairs and be of influence in their commmity. Thirdly, the church decided to restart advertising its services in the local newspapers of the time, the New Zealand Herald and the Auckland Star. For various reasons, the church decided in August of 1903 to stop all advertising of its church services, the main one being to cut costs, as the church had decided to increase the minister's salary by 531 per year of that year. With the open air and cottage meetings proving to be ess successful than they had envisaged, the church decided to restart its advertising campaign in Septenter of 1905 which helped attract new menbers. After experiencing a rapid drop in numbers, the Sunday School con tinued to enjoy another period where menbership reached a new high. ‘This substantial rate of growth was probably due in part to the competence and enthusiasm engendered by the Superintendents of the period”? and in part dus to the introduction of a qymasiim club for young people and a youth club the aims of which were to k literary and intellectual improverent. and sc But as these new innovations pro ctions for the young people of the Mt. Eden district when they were introduced the novelty of them soon wore off and fram the beginning of 1904 the Sunday School 34. The Open Air metings were conducted on an infrequent basis until 1915 when they were finally curtailed until the 1920s. 35. See Appendix Vv. 36. C.M.B., October 1903 - May 1916eiedt “2 roll, once more began a downward trend. Tt was during Sneyd's term that the Auckland Baptists were con- templating a soc. outreach into the cammni by establishing a Baptist City Mission. However, the . Eden Church decided that there was in- sufficient information available to properly evaluate the idea, and thus the scheme quietly lapsed until the 1950s.” A mumber of other Baptist causes were established in the Auckland area, however, many of which owed a great deal to the Mt. Eden Baptist Church, for either financial assis~ tance or manpower - many Mt. Eden Baptists became foundation members of new Baptist churches that commenced in this period and in future years.7? ‘The gradual increase in mmbers in both church and Sunday school. rolls soon put pressure on the existing church buildings, and at the end of 1906, the church menbers resolved to raise £2000 in order to erect a new building which could cater for the growing numbers. The amount was duly raised, and within seventeen months the new church building was completed with the first services being conducted on May 17 1908 by the Rev. H.K. Kempton, the Rev. A. North, and Mt. Eden's own minister J.B. Sneyd. Sney2 lived Jong enough to preach once more within ‘the new building when in the August of 1908 he died after a lengthy illness. Sneyd's contribution to the progress, direction and re-estab- lishing stability of the church has been aptly described as:~ seven years of a faithful fruitful and solidly Biblical ministry. 45 8 June 1909 saw the arrival of Mt n's £ifth minister who also congituted the third Australian to become leader of the church. ‘The Rev, H. Eliot's term as church minister was one of the most colourful, 37, ‘he establishment of the Baptist City Mission is dealt with on pp y+ 38. See Appendix Ix. 39. 3.S., 1935 p. 14ENiert EMioth varied and interesting periods of the Mt. Bden Baptist Church's history - both the church and Sunday School rolls reached membership levels never again attained; the church with the rest of the country had to face the effects of the first World War; and new innovations were introduced to the church's lifestyle. The Mt. Eden Baptists were engaged in a multitude of activities ‘throughout Eliot's term as minister, some related, others unrelated to the World War. As in Sneyd's tine, several Mt. Eden menbers became foundation members of new Auckland Baptist second decade of the twentieth century, but a certain group played a more important role, than just becaming foundation menbers. In 1913 4 group of young Mt, Eden Baptist men pionsered the work of Mt. Albert Baptist from which later wexe established the Sandringham and White Swan Baptist churches. Not only did these young men commence the work of Mt. Albert but also helped construct the church under the guidance of J.B. Penman ~ the builder of the Mt. Eden Church, and in 1915, some twelve menbers were transferred fran Mt. Eden to form the nucleus of ‘the Mt. Albert menbership. Despite the financial hardships and liabilities the church faced throughout Eliot's ministry progress was evident. In May of 1916, the Church gained the installation of electricity as its source of lighting; the choir menbers contributed a new church organ completely funded by them; while the minister's salary and expenses were increased. More importantly, the women and children of the cl ich were actively engaged in caring for the needs of the commmity, and for those church men fight~ ing in the War - for exarple, the women of the church were in charge of sending parcels of food, books and clothing to those serving New Zealand} 1 Both in the War from the church, while the Junior Christian Endeavour Society of the Church distributed 3500 button holes and biblical texts to those in the Auckland Fospital. ‘The expansion and growth of the M . Eden Baptist: Church since its inception and arrival in Auckland culminat: i in 1917 when the menbership roll revealed a shade over 160 menbers - a membership figure that was never again reached. What makes this membership figure all the more significant, was that it was attained throughout the period of the first World War, when one would expect a decline in m rhership, with the church's men leaving to became engaged in the war.“° However, as Ligures show, the church roll continued its upy 41 d thrust throughout the war period. Conversely, the Sunday Schcol reached its peak in membership soon after Eliot arrived. In 1910 their m bers reached 260 menbers and as with the church roll, this figure was never again reached. For the next fifteen yea: (1920 - 1925) however, the Sunday School roll plumeted from 260 to 80 menbers indicating that a nutber of pressures had combined to cause this drop in numbers. ‘The Mt. Eden Baptist Sunday School was not alone or unique, concerning its dramatic loss of numbers, as it was a tren that was obvious throughout the whole country. ‘The church owed its continued growth in numbers throughout the war period, to the magnetism and varied capabilities of her 5 the Rev, H. Eliot. Wh: 2 church attendance was slowly slipping throughout Ne Zealand including Auckland before and during the war period, . Eden Baptist, as previously stated experienced a tremendous rate of growth, most of wh ch can be attributed to Eliot. However, when one looks at Eliot's role in Auckland society 40. Some forty church members were actively engaged in Wil. A roll of honour was established in 1915. 41. See Appendix 11~19- Despite the innovations introduced by Taylor and the Mt. Eden Baptists aimed at increasing the numbers, they proved to he of no u avail - both the Chucch and Sunday School rolls continued to plunmet, ‘Therefore the efforts and energies by Taylor ani the church were not to be the solutions to the problems the Mt. Bien Baptists faced ~ ‘the Annual Church Report of 1958 sunmed up the situation clearly:~ it is quite evident that we cannot carry on as we are with so few workers. > Tt seens probable that despite the dual nature of Mt. Eden's work which began with Taylor's appointment in 1956 the Mt. Eden Baptists probably wished to continue their status as a suburban charch if at all possible, however, with the departing of Taylor in 1958 to Waihi and with the matbership rapidly declining, it finally convinced the Mt. Eden Baptists that some practical steps had to be taken to renedy the situation. ‘The eventual role the Mt, Eden Baptists were eventually going to play in the Auckland church scene, had its real beginnings in 1955. From that year the efforts the church in combining both church and social work had been hampered by various factors ‘the major one being the lack of personnel available to participate, however, during the middle of 1958 the first positive signs of Mt. Eden attempting to solve their precarious situation energed. In June of 1958 after various suggestions had been mooted the Mt. Eden Baptists gave their church hierachy the go-ahead to meet with their counterparts of the Valley Road and Grange Road Baptist. churches to discuss the possibilities of amalgamation. after numerous meetings between the three, the Mt. Eden Baptists recomended 11. See Appendices I and Ir. 12. ACR, 1958, p. 5.-50- the merging of their church with Valley Road as the bast inmediate move amongst the three, and offered auggestions to that effect.!3 Naturally, the Auckland Baptist Association was kept well informed about the proposals, as one of the main points of the merger was that the buildings of the Mt. Eden Baptists were to be usad for mission and other activities under the jurisdiction of the A.B.A. - by the end of 1958 the A.B.A. had already been granted part of the Mt. Eden Baptist buildings for use as a christian bookrocm, with the housing of the Association's secretary at Mt. Eden soon following. whatever the reasons, Valley Roads reply to the Mt. Bden Baptists suggestions on the proposed merger were not acceptable and Mt. Eden's hierachy quashed any further dealings with them:~ ‘The deacon reccrmends that the Valley Road Church be aivised that the conditions of their reply are not acceptable to this church at the present time, and that any further discussions be deferred in the meantime... Further discussions with Valley Road Baptist Church never eventuated and thus the first attempts at finding a solution for Mt. Eden's position had failed. Coinciding with these merging proposals with the Valley and Grange Road churches, the Mt. Eden Baptists were also having discussions with the Newton East Mission concerning possible amalgamation. At the December 1958 church meeting, once the Mt. Eden Baptists had agreed to decline with any future deals with valley Road on amalgamation, they decided to go ahead with the recommendations pat 13. For the details on the proposed menger see Appendix XI. 14. ‘The housing of the Auckland Baptist Association's secratary occurred in 1959. the Chinese Mission were also using the buildings fran 1958. 15. C.M.B., 1949-1960, p. 173.“51+ forward by the chucch hierachy on merging with the Newton Rast Mission.*® owever, this second attempt at Zinding a solution also ended in failure with the Newton Bast Mission deciding to continue as a separete identity. Once again Mt. Eden Baptist Church had to look elsewhere for its solution. Through all the dealings and proposals the Mt. Eden Baptists became engaged in from the middle half of the 1950s conceming their future the A.B.A, was prominent. Therefore it is rot surprising to find that as a result of Mt. Eden's failure with its amalgamation proposals that at the beginning of 1989, they turned to the A.B.A. to assume full control of the churches activities and properties, also susgesting that social outreach should be of major importance in the futuze. ‘the first tentative steps of changing the status of Mt. Eden from a Church to a City Mission, began in the January of 1959. Resolutions were put and confirmed at the January church meeting that required legal opinions of changing the crusteeship of the church, and that enabled representatives from both the A.B.A. and Mt. Eden to meet and discuss the "taking over plan. The first results of discussions between the two parties were expressed at the next church meeting in April of 1959,17 and a month later in the May meeting,” when the Me. Bien Baptists agreed unanimously in their request to have the church's properties vested in the Baptist Union of New Zealand. 16. For the details on the proposed meryar see Appendix XIE. 17. For the details of the April meeting see Appendix XIIT. 18. For the details of the May meoting see Appendix XIV.“52- Throughout all the dealings of 1959, the renaining Mt. Eden Baptists carried on with york inside and outside the church, despite the continuing loss of numbers.19 the jast of the church missionaries, Grace Wanhill, began her new occupation as a missionary in Papua; a suber of church members assisted in the organization of the 1959 Billy Graham Crusade; while the Boys" Club and the children's film rallies which had comenced under ‘taylor's tem as charch minister, along with the Girls Brigede continued. Overall however, the focus of attention was on the dealings and discussions between the Mt. Eden Baptists and the A the dealings on the future of the Mt. Eden Baptist Church were reinforced by the situation the Mt. Eden Baptists found themselves in at the end of 1959:- ALL departments show a are fewer and older. continue to carry the increasing burden? Undoubtedly there is a work to be done in the district ...5, ‘The year 1960 marked the beginning of a new decade, the 75 year Subilee celebrations of the Mt. Eden Baptist Church, and the Einal seven months of discussions which culminated in the ending of Auckland's third oldest Baptist Church, but signifying the arrival of the Auckland Baptist City Mission.7! At the Church meeting in June of 1966, the Mt. Bden Baptist Church hievachy presented to the Mt. Bien Baptists the statement and proposals for the future of their church which had been worked out 19. See Appendix IZ. 20. A.C.R., 1959, p. 5. 21. The Auckland Baptists actually had their first City Mission in 1903. In 1891 a breakaway group from the Tabernacle formed the Union Free Baptist Church in Wellesley Street. By 1903 this group had changed the name of their church to the Auckland Baptist City Mission, however, it only lasted five years when in 1908 most of the menbers returned to the Tabernacle and it was forced to close down.“53+ between them and the A.B.A. In view of the declining membership and impending removal of some of the present officers, we feel that the time has care when satie definite action mst be taken regarding the future control and status of the Church There is a great need for mission and social work in this part of the city, and same success has been achieved through the G.L.B, Boys' Club, Children's Film rally, etc but these cannot be continued without workers. This work, we feel, should be the responsibility of all Baptists of Auckland, and not just a small group. We are therefore of the opinion, that the time is opportune for the Baptists of Auckland to consider the formation of a Baptist City Mission and Social Service organization, which could be situated in the present Nt. Eden church.»5 Some three weeks later the executive of the 2 B.A, unanimously resolved to accept the statements and proposals to form the Auckland Baptist City Mission, Once this approval had been attained the Mt. Eden Baptists then met at a special church meeting n 21 September, 1960 to ratify the details of the changeover fram 23 church to mission;*? just one week later on 28 September, 1960 the ‘Mt. Eden Baptist Church ceased to ex So ended the second oldest Baptist cause in Auckland - almost one hundred. But it was not a dispirited group of thirty six people, the majority of whem were Mt. Eden Baptists, who became the foundation members of the new Auckland Baptist City Mission, but a group, highly enthused about the future for:~ as a City Mission there is a great opportunity for christian service, particularly amongst those in material need as well as spiritual ...5) 22, C.M.B., 1960, For the proposals see Appendix XV. 23. For the detailed particulars see Appendix X\ 24. A.C.R., 1960, p. 4CONCLUSION, There are a number of factors ali of which contributed to the decline of the Mt. Eden Baptists numbers and organizations, and which in the end forced them to change their status and role in the Mt. Eden district by 1961. One of the major long tarm factors was the gradual expansion of the Baptist dencminaticn in the Auckland area, This meant of course that the first Baptist churches on the Auckland scene were going to suffer, with many of their members going to the new churches that sprang up in the Auckland district and those outside it from the beginning of the twentieth century. This was certainly the case for the Mt. Eden Baptist church, as many of its members left to became foundation members of these churches, or sometime later moved to the Baptist churches that were nearby or in their neighbourhood. The total effect of this movement to other Baptist churches by the Mt, Eden Baptists was a major con tory force to the erosion of Mt. Bden Baptist as a church status. The second long tenn factor was the gradual exosion of one of ‘the main sources for Mt. Eden's future menbership ~ the Sunday School. ‘The majority of churches, whatev dencmination, draw on a number of areas in onder to maintain and increase their numbers and one of these areas is their Sunday Schools. The Sunday School in its broadest. concept involves those from the young age group, that is five years to those in the older aye group ~ fifteen to nineteen years - and it is the latter age group that eventually forms a large proportion of the church's future mebership. ‘The Mt. Hen Sunday School reached its peak in mambership in 1910, for th next fifty years it experienced @ gradual loss of children of all ages, and thus the future basis ofesse the ME. Eden Baptist Church's membership and leadership was becoming more fragile as time progressed - the loss of young men as a result of the two World Wars and of families, e.g. the Tumers in 1915, the Simpson's in 1926 were the major forces which lay behind the decline of the Sunlay School numbers, That is not to say, however, that those Mt. Eden Baptists involved in the Sunday School work between 1910 and 1960 did not attempt to check this gradual decline, for we have seen that various methods and innovations were introduced over the years to boost the numbers. ‘The third factor that contributed to the decline of Mt. Eden's status as a church, was the general trend of declining charch attendance throughout the whole of New Zealand - a trend which probably began in the early decades of the twentieth century and which affected ME. Bden especially from 1945. Finally, a short term factor was the changing nature of the Mt. Eden district from a residential to a non-residential one. This change produced two effects. Firstly, the continuing loss of mumbers especially families from the church as a result of the encroactment: of industry into the area. Secondly, the new nature of the Mt. Eden district warranted a more social service type approach ‘than the usual suburban church approach. With the continuing loss Of numbers and the lack of personnel available to participate in this new work, the ME. Blen Baptists realized that their church had to change its status and become the Baptist City Mission, which occurred in 196). Sy hoor bee (962 To became the City Mission was perhaps the most fitting end for ‘the Mt. Eden Baptist Church, that it could have hoped to have.-56= SuVvax G96T GS6T Shot SEGT SZ6T ST6T SO6T S68T S88T SL8T s98T H L Hi L A H L 1 Hf oz oF 09 08 oot ozt S@6r OF LI6L opt 868t 9 £68t O68t 09 TeBt 6 Best 0 B3BE \ ost isivek , \ BupMoTToy eu Joy eTGeTTeAe sambTz oN * \ 7 ost | 002 ¥096T ~ S98T yoanyo asT3deq wepa aw ey; Jo f ozz dtyszequow Tooyos Aepung ove 09z WWLOL I xTaNaaaw“57- SuvaA s96t sso Shor S€6T sz6t ST6L 06T — S68T set L ot. . 4 ni a L ot oz oe ov os 09 OL og 06 oot 096T - S98T oe yomyg astadeq uepa IW am JO dryszequew yoanys zt oft OFT ost 09t II_xraNaaay WWLOL096t soyares futueas - ~ ~~ ~ -5e- soqares SuyuxoM 096T - Zz6r yornyo asTadeq uepa aw eu Jo somnbyd souepusiaw os6t SUVHA OFet og6t TIE XIGNadav oz6t or oz o€ ov os 09 OL og | 06 oot ott ozt oer opt ‘TWLOL.Aap lain Hessen Chard =59- APPENDDX EV MINISTERS OF CHURCH Years Nae ea aise 1886-1889 Rev. T. Bray fuckland Tabernacle Nelson Baptist 1890-1893 Rev. G. D. Cox Australia Napier Baptist 1894-1896 Pastorless pericd of 3 years 1897-1899 F. Jones Invercargill Invercargill 1889-1900 Pastorless pericd of 2 years 1901-1908 Rev. J.B. Sneyd _ Australia Died 1909-1917 Rev. H, I. Elliot Australia Political vork in Auckland asia Rev. F, H. Radford Wanganui Baptist Secretary of Auckland S.S. Union 1919-1922 Rev. E. Evans WW, Tefighting » Caversham Baptist 1922-1925 Rev. J. A. Clarke Australia Oamaru Baptist 1925-1929 Rev, E. N. Goring Brooklyn Paptist Missionary) 1929-1935 Rev. R. Stowards x Australia hanes Baptist 1936-1940 Rev. J.D. Jensen Ponsonby Baptist Whangarei. Raptist 1940-1942 Rev. P.L.A. Crompton North Menorial Youth Director of Baptist Baptist Union (Petone) 1943 Pastorless period of 11 months 1943-1948 Rev. R, Goldsmith Napier Raptist Hawera Baptist 1949-1950 Pastoriess pericd of 2 years 1951-1955 Rev. L. N. Rawlings australia Gleniowie Baptist 1955-1956 Moderator in Rel\S-rumer 1956-1958 Zev. W. J. Taylor Mt Albert Baptist Waihi Baptist isSioner as well) 1959-1960 Pastoriess rericd of 2 yearsSUNDAY SCHOOL, SUPERINTENDANTS years 1864 1865-1966 1866 1866-1868 1868 1868-1877 1877-1879 1879-1886 1886 1887-1898 1898-1902 1902-1904 1904-1915 1915-1917 1917-1918 1918-1921, 1921-1924 1925 1925-1926 21926-1927 Rey. BE. N. Goring 1927-1937 P. Tippett 1937-1938 Rev, J. D. Jensen 1939-1940 G. Parker lodi-1944 F. Bade (Acting) 1944-1946 Rey, R. Goldemith (Acting) 1946-1947 C. J. Patchett 1948 Bade (Acting) 1949 50 Heath ~ FOUNDER . Fitness 3 roe i 1952 1952-1953 1953-1955 1956-1958 1958-1959 1959-1960 1960~in doubt. APPENDIX VI CHURCH MISSIONARIES Name 1. Miss Ethel Fry 2. Miss Gladys Buckton (Becomes Mrs Hicks in 1937) 3, Miss Bessie Martin 4, Miss Nina Drew 5. Me § Mrs Petersen a F 7. Miss Hilda Moore (Becemes Mrs Johnston) 8. Me V. i. Johnston 9. Me & Mrs H. G. Conway 10. Miss Hazel Drew LL. Mr Malcolm Bade 12. Mr Roy Bullen 13. Mr Phillip Peters 14. Miss Nora Conway 15. Miss Gwen Gibbs 16. Mr Doug Kitchingman 17. Me Jan Williams 18. Miss Grace Wanhi! thr. Joma Hughes, Mn HB. Heghes fan Aa Shoat Mn 5-8. Simpson Me Wd Taylor dears ‘Type of work and where 1894-1901 Nurse? India ? 1926-1946 Nurse, hospital work in Anglo’ Egyptian Sudan 1930-1933 Abyssinia Pea Kagaon= 1935- Hospital Work in THE? 1942-1948 Maori work at Quaio (N.Z.) 7 . a a 1946-1949 Language Tienshui in China Both at Wuwei_in China 1946-1949 Language Lanchow in China 1946-1951 Shanghai in China 1946~ Hospital Work East Bengal ioa6~ South Seas Evangelical Missic in Shipping Solomon Islands 1946-1951 Student at Baptist College eae Lene 1947-1951 Bible Training Institute and Baptist College auckland 1947-1951 Training young missionaries i Hospital Work Anking 1950-1957 Mospita}, Work in F: Yew Guinea 1957-1960 Children Missions in A 4 County Wee Sponges to the said 28 Septenber 1960 and duly audited. THAT all papers documents and records be harded to the Auckland Baptist Association for proper sa 1. C.M.B., 1960.-T1- ‘THAT the Mt. Bden Baptist Church be dissolved as at 28 September 1960. THAT se members of the Church who have expressed the desire to Join the proposed Auckland Baptist City ssion be transferred to such Mission by letter signed by the present Sccretary of the Church or failing him by one of the Deacons of the Church and ‘the names of those members of the Church who have not indicated their desire, to transfer their mmbership to the Mission or elsewhere be aleo forwarded in like manner to the Mission to be held on a Suspensory Roll with authority to the Mission Board to make such transfers from it to the Mission or bo such other Baptist Church as my subsequently be required by the persons concerned. THAT the Mi: jon Board and the Auckland Baptist: Association be requested to: (a) attend to the continuance of pastoral care of the elderly and infirm among the present Mt. fden Baptist Church members. (b) attend to the continuance of prayer support of the present missionary mambers of the Mt. Eden Baptist Church, THAT The Baptist Union of New Zealand be requested in so far as it can lawfully do so to see that the Church buildings should be used for the purposes of the Auckland Baptist City Mission or any other religious purpose but if this should prove impracticable then it is the wish of the Chu h that at no time should the Church buildings situated at th: Burleigh Street be used 4 purposes but in any such present site « and re-srected for a place or places of worship if pract: sible but that the land uron which the buildings now stand be dealt with by=78- the Baptist Union of New Zealand as it shall think fit. NOTICE IS HERSBY GIVEN that the above Resolution will be submitted for approval at a special menbers meeting of the Mt. Eden Baptist Church to be held at the Church on Wednesday the 21 Septenber 1960 at 7.30 p.m. in accordance with Notice given at a Menbers Business Meeting held on Wednesday 17 August 1960.BIBLIOGRAPHY i -19~ PRIMARY SOURCE MATERIAL (a) () Personal Interview Mr J. M. Barker Mt Eden Baptist Church Secretary 1925-1928 1932-1953 1955-1960 ‘Treasurer 1922-1925 1960 Documents and Denominational Records w Gay Mt. Eden Baptist Church Records (in the hands of the Baptist Historical Society, Ramera, Auckland). Church Minutes, 8 vols., 1885-1960 Church Annual Reports, 1917-1960 Sunday School Minutes, 4 vols., 1864-1921 Sunday School Annual Reports, 1991-3, 1917-21 Band of Hope Minutes, 1885-1895 Band of Hope Annual Report, 1887 Church Menbership Roll, 1885-1960 Band of Hope Pledge Book, 1991-1917 Our Boys' Gazette, M, 13/23, 2 issues, May 1889 Angust 1889 Letter M. 13/1, 26 April 1865 Brief Church History, M, 13/17, 1903 Other (in the bands of the Baptist flistorical society, Remuera, Auckland) Annual Report _and Balance Sheet, Auckland Band of Hope Salon Taegan Sheet Speakers Plan of Appointments, Auckland Band of Hope union, 1897.-80~ (c) Dencminational and Public Press: (i) Auckland Star, 1900-1905, Auckland Public Library New Zealand Herald, 1863, 1908, Auckland Public Library (ii) New Zealand Baptist, 99. Baptist Historical Society, fuckland, SECONDARY SOURCE MATERIAL (a) Published McIntyre W.D., and W. J. Gardner, ads. Speeches and Doaments on New Zealand History. Oxford University press, 1971. Sinclai 1K. A ilistory of New Zealand, London, 1959. (b) Pamphlets Mt Eden Baptist Sunday School 75th Anniversary, 12 Novenber 1939 Eade, P. ard Barker, J. M., eds. Jubilee Souvenir of Mt. Eden Baptist Church, Auckland, New Zealand. Brief History from 1864-1935 (c) Unpublished Armstrong, R. W. ‘Auckland 1896 ~ An Urhan Geography', Master's thesis, University of Auckland, 1958. MeKinmey, 8. P. “The Temperance Movement. in New Zealand, 1835-1894", Master's thesis, University of Auckland, 1968. Moores, HH. S. ‘The Rise of the Protestant Political Association’, Master's thesis, University of Auckland, 1966. Mutch, M. ‘Aspects of the Social and Econamic History of Auckland, 1890-1896", Master's thesis, University of Auckland, 1968. Powell, M. “The Church in Auckland Society, 1880-1886", Master's thesis, University of Auckland, 1970. (4i) Research Bssay Faulkner, T. F, 'Overawed by Orr?! some Aspects of the develogment ard character of the Methodist Central Mission 1927-1937", Research Essay, University of Auckland, 1979.