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Mount Ida Presbyterian Church
The discovery of gold in Maniototo following on the Tuapeka find, found the Church short of personnel and the source of supply, Scotland, distant. New recruits were seized on by well settled and organised communities. The Church could not immediately respond to the new call.
When any Protestant minister should visit the settlements he should be invited to preach. There was no thought of the appointment of a settled minister of one particular denomination. The forerunners of Christian activity were the Union Churches of the Maniototo. They were of varying grades and size and comfort. Among them were: Cambrians 1864, Hyde 1864, Hogburn (Naseby) 1865, St. Bathans 1865, Kyeburn Diggings 1869, Sowburn (Patearoa) 1870 and Serpentine 1873.
Rev. D. M. Stuart opened two of these and visited the districts. Bishop Selwyn was a visiting preacher.
Most of these churches were corrugated iron - ovens in summer and refrigerators in winter - some calico and stone. Serpentine, at 3100 feet, was the highest in New Zealand. The minister arrived late to its opening and found his congregation had filled in time with liquid refreshment. The service was cut short.
Henry Flamank, a Methodist Home Missionary at Waikouaiti visited often, settling as a farmer at Hyde to serve the Gospel to the peoples of the districts. Every weekend he would set out on preaching tours, and died of heart trouble aged 52 and was buried in the Hamilton's cemetery. After his death Waipiata and Patearoa are visited by ministers from Strath Taieri and Naseby.
Care and welfare fell on the three great runholders: Puketoi, Linnburn and Sowburn. The itinerating preachers were constant visitors, making interior headquarters at the stations. Rowley and Captain Hamilton conducted services themselves, and Hamilton probably preached at the opening of the Union Church at Sowburn.
The Hogburn Union Church ran for several years. The population declined during the ministery of Rev. J. Burchett, a Methodist. C. S. Ross visited the district, and the Church Extension Committee sent up Rev. G. Sutherland to settle a Presbyterian minister.
November 1872 the Union Church was devoted to become an Atheneum.
1870 Synod authorised the Presbytery to ordain the Goldfield's minister, expected shortly to arrive and send him to Mount Ida to be inducted after a call had been given.
1871 Rev. J. McCosh Smith inducted. The foundation stone for a new church was laid.
October 1872 New church opened.
H. Wilson: joint proprietor of the Mount Ida Chronicle, Clerk of Maniototo County Council, and Clerk of Session, secretary and treasurer, Sunday School superintendent and choir member, memorial tablet at church beside McCosh Smith.
1881 Union Church at Kyeburn Diggings replaced with mud brick building.
Becks Home Mission Station.
1884 Rev. James Henry at Becks.
1891 Miss E. McCready forms the Sunday School at Kyeburn Diggings.
1895 Waipiata and Patearoa separate from Strath Taieri with J. C. Jamieson, Home Missionary.
1897 J. C. Jamieson takes services at Kokonga
1889 Hills Creek is transferred to Lauder, later to Ida Valley in 1930.
1898 New church replaces Patearoa Union Church.
1900 Railway opens up Eweburn district, renamed Ranfurly.
1905 Rev. Waddell opens the Ranfurly Church. Waipiata and Patearoa becomes a Church Extension Charge. Services at Hamiltons move to Cleland's Hall in Waipiata.
1907 James McCosh Smith resigns, continues living at Blackston Hill Station.
1912 Manse built at Oturehua. Church built at Becks.
1917 Hamilton services cease after 52 years.
1922 Hamilton church sold.1925 New church opened at Oturehua
1927 Sir Charles Ferguson opens Persson Memorial Church at Hyde, from a bequest by Frederick Persson.
1928 Oturehua made a Church Extension Charge. New manse at Ranfurly.
When any Protestant minister should visit the settlements he should be invited to preach. There was no thought of the appointment of a settled minister of one particular denomination. The forerunners of Christian activity were the Union Churches of the Maniototo. They were of varying grades and size and comfort. Among them were: Cambrians 1864, Hyde 1864, Hogburn (Naseby) 1865, St. Bathans 1865, Kyeburn Diggings 1869, Sowburn (Patearoa) 1870 and Serpentine 1873.
Rev. D. M. Stuart opened two of these and visited the districts. Bishop Selwyn was a visiting preacher.
Most of these churches were corrugated iron - ovens in summer and refrigerators in winter - some calico and stone. Serpentine, at 3100 feet, was the highest in New Zealand. The minister arrived late to its opening and found his congregation had filled in time with liquid refreshment. The service was cut short.
Henry Flamank, a Methodist Home Missionary at Waikouaiti visited often, settling as a farmer at Hyde to serve the Gospel to the peoples of the districts. Every weekend he would set out on preaching tours, and died of heart trouble aged 52 and was buried in the Hamilton's cemetery. After his death Waipiata and Patearoa are visited by ministers from Strath Taieri and Naseby.
Care and welfare fell on the three great runholders: Puketoi, Linnburn and Sowburn. The itinerating preachers were constant visitors, making interior headquarters at the stations. Rowley and Captain Hamilton conducted services themselves, and Hamilton probably preached at the opening of the Union Church at Sowburn.
The Hogburn Union Church ran for several years. The population declined during the ministery of Rev. J. Burchett, a Methodist. C. S. Ross visited the district, and the Church Extension Committee sent up Rev. G. Sutherland to settle a Presbyterian minister.
November 1872 the Union Church was devoted to become an Atheneum.
1870 Synod authorised the Presbytery to ordain the Goldfield's minister, expected shortly to arrive and send him to Mount Ida to be inducted after a call had been given.
1871 Rev. J. McCosh Smith inducted. The foundation stone for a new church was laid.
October 1872 New church opened.
H. Wilson: joint proprietor of the Mount Ida Chronicle, Clerk of Maniototo County Council, and Clerk of Session, secretary and treasurer, Sunday School superintendent and choir member, memorial tablet at church beside McCosh Smith.
1881 Union Church at Kyeburn Diggings replaced with mud brick building.
Becks Home Mission Station.
1884 Rev. James Henry at Becks.
1891 Miss E. McCready forms the Sunday School at Kyeburn Diggings.
1895 Waipiata and Patearoa separate from Strath Taieri with J. C. Jamieson, Home Missionary.
1897 J. C. Jamieson takes services at Kokonga
1889 Hills Creek is transferred to Lauder, later to Ida Valley in 1930.
1898 New church replaces Patearoa Union Church.
1900 Railway opens up Eweburn district, renamed Ranfurly.
1905 Rev. Waddell opens the Ranfurly Church. Waipiata and Patearoa becomes a Church Extension Charge. Services at Hamiltons move to Cleland's Hall in Waipiata.
1907 James McCosh Smith resigns, continues living at Blackston Hill Station.
1912 Manse built at Oturehua. Church built at Becks.
1917 Hamilton services cease after 52 years.
1922 Hamilton church sold.1925 New church opened at Oturehua
1927 Sir Charles Ferguson opens Persson Memorial Church at Hyde, from a bequest by Frederick Persson.
1928 Oturehua made a Church Extension Charge. New manse at Ranfurly.
Relates to
Recollect CollectionCentral Otago Presbytery
Mount Ida Presbyterian Church. Presbyterian Research Centre, accessed 10/06/2026, https://pcanzarchives.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/112552
