The Pacific commercial advertiser., 1892-11-29

6fgan OCcupleu Tue Iouhu0u p>'i' S
in back over the vestibule TO accom-
modate it. When the choir rose TO
sing, the congregation also stood, and
turning round faced the choir, those
i'm the back seats had the pleasure OF
gazing at the bulkhead under the
gallery, as they could not see the
choir. 1t was while the present Chlef
Justice, A. +. Judd, was leader of the
choir in 1868 that we procured the
pipe organ that has for SO many years
done US such good service, and which,
with a small outlay could be made as
good as new. The choir gave number
of concerts in aid of the organ fund,
and everyone seemed anxious TO help.
1t was a question for some time where
to put the new organ. The trustees
thought at first of enlarging the gall
lery, or making an opening above
similar to that in the kawalahao
Church. | suggested that they build
an addition at the other end back OF
pulpit, which plan, after much
| thought and discussion, was finally
| adopted and it has always given good
satisfaction. Since then the audience
have not been obliged to turn round
in order to face the choir, although
| for several weeks after the change
was made persons in the congregation
would, through force of habit, rise
and face not only the choir, but the
| smiling faces of those seated behind
| them. Since the time of Professor
| Newman, we have had as organists
Miss Nellie Judd, who served longer,
| perhaps, than any other, and whose
| faithful services both as organist and
singer, | take pleasure here in ac-
| knowledging. Then Mrs. A. f. Judd
presided at the organ for several years
most acceptably, and even now most
kindly supplies the place when occa-
sion calls. Mr.. MyrOn Jones most
faithfully occupied the bench for
several years, and his fine rendering
of the most difficult music was always
the delight of the audience. For n
short time Mr.. Wray Taylor supplied
the place very acceptably until last
year, when our present accomplished
organist, Miss Louise Dale, arrived,
and assumed also the leadership of
the choir. / have always considered
it an honor and privilege to have been
connected with the Fort Street Church
choir since 1854 to the present time
either as singer or leader. Chief JUS
tice Judd has also been leader of the
choir number of times also Miss
Mary Montague Cooke (now Mrs.
Turner; and later Mr.. Theo. Richards
of the Kamehameha School, Rev. Mr..
Bissell, and Prof. Yarndley, so we'll
known. [ know of several instances
where three generations in a family
have sung in the choir, and there are
many instances where the children
have taken the places of their parents,
and no doubt this will go on in future
years. OF the present members, Mr..
John Waterhouse and myself are the
only relics of the old Fort Street choir
and as a subcommittee we represent
the Standing Committee of the Church
in the general management and over
sight of choir matters. Our choir has
been entirely free from any of those
serious troubles which so often affect
and sometimes break up volunteer
choirs in other places and it is to be
hoped that this harmonious feeling
will ever prevail, and that when we
occupy the new and beautiful church
edifice now finished, and have the
benefit of q finer organ and more
space, the choir will be able to do
even better service than it has in the
past.
Remarks by Hon. A. F. Judd.
, Judge Judd drew attention to the
, condition of Honolulu when this
church was erected At that time,
during the reign of Kamehameha V,
there were two Houses of the Legis-
lature; the Civil Code had not been
adopted; Bishop Staley, who founded
the Anglican Church in this city, had
not been thought of. The limited ca
pacity of the Bethel led to the erec-
ton of this building at cost of $15,-
600. The community was a very poor
one then and it required great self
? denial, patience and activity to raise
such sum. The annual exports were
! less than half a million in value-con-
, trast that with the twelve and thir-
| teen millions of later years. One lady
gave the foundation,-lava rock from
the stone wall which surrounded her
home. Although the Church was built
only 36 years ago no one can remember
whether the corner stone was laid, but
the fact would doubtless be ascer-
tanned when the building was demol-
ished. Before the Church was built
, the taro patches came down to it's site,
fed with water from the PauOa stream
and there was hardly a house East of
, Thomas Square. The Lyceum was
then used as Methodist Chapel. This
| building was the first wooden church
of any size in the islands, the wood be-
! ing imported from the Sound, and not
from Boston, as previously the custom.
: The city was not watered in those
, days, nor the streets shaded, as now.
There were very few carriages. The
Church was lighted with sperm oil.
When the Church was built it had the
) bell which has now been transferred
! to the new Church. 1t was the
: lOudest and clearest in the whole
group, and filled the natives with
: admiration. At that time there were
no public halls, so that the church
was used for variety of purposes
some of them, perhaps, not suited to
: the character of the edifice. Lectures,
/ temperance discourses, Christmas fes-
: tivals, farewells to departing mis-
r sionaries, agricultural society adj
dresses, were all held in that room.
2 The Oahu College commencements
t were held there, and many of Homo
, lulu's now prominent citizens had
there made their debut The first
' minister ordained in the church was
/ its present pastor, DR.. Beckwith. A
f prominent characteristic of the Church
? had always been the absence of de-
2 nominational controversy, and many
l had gone away from here without
: knowing the difference between Pres
byterians, Methodists, Baptists, etc. 1t
2 was gratifying that this had been SO