Page:History of Knox Church Dunedin.djvu/154

120, furnishes information regarding the various organisations connected with Knox Church congregation. Photographs of the church building are also forwarded. The new church, including the site and the organ, has cost about £20,000. The debt has now been reduced to £3000, and it is hoped that this will be extinguished in the course of a few years."

The Commissioners cordially accepted the difficult and responsible duty imposed upon them, and set about their undertaking with the determination to satisfy to the utmost possible extent the somewhat highly-pitched demands set forth in the memorandum. They spared no labour in their search after the right man, and at length unanimously decided to invite the Rev. Alexander Pringle Davidson, M.A., minister of the Free Church, St. Fergus, Aberdeenshire, to accept the appointment. That gentleman, after full and mature deliberation, intimated his acceptance, and in due course left for Melbourne by the steamer "Britannia" with his newly-wedded bride. After a brief stay in Melbourne, Mr and Mrs Davidson left by the s.s. "Tarawera," landed at the Bluff, and arrived at Dunedin by the South express on April 16, 1890. They were met at Mosgiel by Dr Stuart, Mr John Roberts, C.M.G., and others; and on reaching Dunedin they received a most cordial reception from office-bearers and members of the congregation, of whom there was a large number assembled on the station platform. Until they entered their present residence in Clyde street Mr and Mrs Davidson were the guests of Mr and Mrs R. Glendining, Nithvale, N. E. Valley.

By appointment of the Presbytery Mr Davidson's induction as co-pastor of Knox Church took place on April 30, 1890. Previous to the meeting the members of Presbytery were entertained by the wives of the office-bearers at a repast in the class-room of the Old Church. The Presbytery then met in the New Church, which was crowded by members of the congregation and numerous friends from other congregations and denominations. The service was opened by Dr Stuart (moderator for the occasion), after which the Rev. Professor Watt, D.D., preached an able sermon from 1 Cor. i. 26–29, "For ye see your