Inquirer (Perth, WA : 1840 - 1855), Wednesday 9 August 1843, page 3


OPENING OF THE CHURCH AT FREMANTLE. The Church of Fremantle was opened for divine service on Friday last, the 4th instant, amid the thankgivings of hundreds of our bro-ther settlers, many of whom came from distant parts of the colony to be present on this joyful occasion. It was a deeply interesting ceremony, not merely on account of the proceedings of the day, although these were, to the secluded inha-bitants of this part of the world, both novel and striking, but with reference also to the future effects of that day's work; effects which we trust and believe will be beneficially felt throughout our little community for ages to come. Among those who testified by their presence the interest they took in the ceremony, were many of our very oldest settlers ; men who remember what Fremantle was fourteen years ago; and who, looking back upon the days when all around them was an unknown and mistrusted desert, must indeed have found their hearts glad at the glorious change, and in thus witnessing the highest proof of civilization and improvement that can be offered by man— the erection, viz., of a place of worship to his Creator. The present edifice, too, is the first Episcopal Church — pro-perly so to be called — that has yet been com-pleted either in Fremantle or Perth, and this, no doubt, served to make the occasion even more than commonly important and imposing. In the much to be lamented absence of the Bfchop, there was of course no attempt at conse-cration, the procession set out from the house of the Government Resident of Fremantle, headed by the Churchwardens Messrs. Bateman and Davey. Next came the Governor, sup-ported by R. McBride Brown, Esq., the Resident, and followed by the Clergy in full canonicals. A vast number of persons collected

together from all parts of the colony brought up the procession, and in this order they reached the Church, which, although containing seats for nearly three hundred persans, was soon crowded to excess. The worship of the day was con-ducted by the Reverends J. B. Wittenoom, J. H. Wollaston, W. Mitchell, and G. King; the responses being audibly and feelingly pronounced throughout the densely crowded pews. We can not better express our own feelings on this occa-sion than by here reciting the words of the Rev. G. King, the officiating Chaplain at Fremantle, as they occur in a letter which that gentleman has written to us since the ceremony. Mr. King thus writes : — "Never did I feel more powerfully the pathos of that simple, rapturous exclamation, "Lord, how delightful 'tis to see a whole assembly wor-ship thee," and then the beautifully sublime ex-pression of our venerable liturgy, in spirit and in purity, as in the establishment of its divine and comprehensive adaptation, exhibiting not merely the impress of its heavenly founder's mould, but, carrying out the design conceived in its heavenly founder's first grand model formulary, seemed to inspire our souls with that devotion the Apostles felt, which is still the birthright of the Church of Christ, when "they lifted up their voice to God with one accord." O, if the worship of the Church were received in the spirit, as well as in the letter of her sanctifying service, there would be no scene in the created universe to equal the

assembling of ourselves together in the holy sanctuary." The form of prayer consisted of the Church morning service, with the exception of the litany, for which was substituted a variety of prayers proper to the peculiar occasion. These being concluded, the Rev. G. King preached an excel-lent sermon on the text "Know thou the God of thy fathers" ; in which, after observing how much his gratification at the success of that high mo-ment was mingled with a knowledge of the responsibility that now attached to him, he pointed out, in a forcible and feeling manner, the divine origin of our church establishment, and the great claim it had upon our regards. The building itself is very chaste and pleasing,

and reflects great credit on the skill and taste of Messrs. Davey and Harwood, the contractors for the work. The internal arrangement is very complete, and approaches as near the old eccle-siastical design as circumstances would permit; the chandelier is a carving of native mahogany and cedar, presented to the church by Mr. B. Von Bibra. Externally, the structure presents a peculiarly modest yet harmonious form, and the justly-proportioned dome, surmounted by the triumphant emblem of our redemption, smiling back upon the wilderness beyond, strikes upon the eye, as well upon the mind, with a pleasing and salutary effect. The site of the church has been well selected. Standing in the centre of King's-square, it com-mands the entire view of the main street of Fre-mantle, at the extremity of which the majestic "Arthur's Head," with the various buildings on

its summit, full in view, forms a prospect only to be surpassed by that which the beautiftul church itself exhibits when viewed from the same bold headland. To the ladies and gentlemen forming the choir of the Perth Church, by whose exquisite per-formances the service of the day was admirably sustained, the warmest acknowledgments are due. Several very beautiful hymns were sung during the service, and one in particular, the celebrated "Denmark Hymn," we never expected to have heard so well executed in a choir having such small means at its disposal. Neither, assuredly, must we forget to record the disinterested and praiseworthy conduct of our fellow townsmen Messrs. Gray, Morton, and Dyer, in equipping and sending forth some half-dozen boats for the gratuitous conveyance of the visitors from Perth, and others living at a distance from Fremantle. Such acts as these, done by comparatively poor men, are indeed grateful evidences of the right feeling that was awakened by the occasion, and richly deserve a place in our humble records. The offerings collected in the Church amount-ed to £46 0s. 4d., which will be appropriated towards the discharge of the debt incurred in the building. The new church is to be called St. John's. We cannot conclude our notict of this most gratifying event without expressing a fervent hope that the great success which has thus at-tended the exertions of our friends at Fremantle

may operate as a stimulus in hastening the com-pletion of the new Church in Perth. Disguise it from ourselves as we may, we may rest assured that the want of a church in the metro-politan town of the colony is a national disgrace ; a disgrace to us as colonists and as Christians. By the word church, we of course mean a pro-per and sacred edifice exclusively set apart for the worship of God. Episcopal churches have been raised even in the most remote parts of the colony; but in Perth—while the Wesleyans have their proper and sacred place of worship— the Church of England is driven to take shelter where it may and its followers, all numerous

and influential as they are, are still content to assemble in a building which, six days out of the seven, reverberates with law quibbles, and even with more unholy echoes. How long will our brother settlers consent that this worse than heathen neglect shall remain as a reproach to us! Latterly something more of activity has been shown, but much remains to be done, and many sacrifices to be made, before the inhabitants of this town can participate in the same pure joys as those which our friends at Fremantle now experience.