Rosewood History. Qld. 

Lanefield Baptist Church- Golden Jubilee

Daily Mail (Brisbane, Qld. : 1903; 1916 – 1926), Friday 24 September 1926, page 8

CHURCH JUBILEE
LANEFIELD BAPTISTS
FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS

Lanefield Baptist Church celebrated the golden, jubilee of its establishment last, weekend. In the early seventies, the Ipswich Central Baptist Church was doing a great amount of mission work in out lying districts. Settlement was growing up in the Rosewood scrub round the district now known as Lanefield, and an initial service was held by Mr. T. Woolley, of Ipswich, on September 17, 1871, at Mr. C. Webb’s residence on the site of the present coal mine. 

At its inception the church was known as the Rosewood branch church in tho Rosewood scrub. The first communion service was celebrated on October 15, 1871, when Mr. James Alfred Smith was given the right hand of fellowship, and was subsequently superintendent of the Sunday school for 46 years. He also donated the ground on which the church was built later.  A tablet to the memory of Mr. Smith, who died in 1921, was erected in the church by its members. In 1873 the first church was built and opened by Rev, T S. Gerrard, then in charge of Ipswich Church— on August 3, 1873.

This building was enlarged in  1875, and in 1888 the present larger and more commodious building was erected.  In 1887, 38 members of the Ipswich Church living in the district were, by request, dismissed to form a local church at Lanefield. The foundation members included the pioneer families of Bassett, Bunney, Coulsen, Grimsey, Greet, Henderson, Hobbs, Horne, Hallett, Keats, Perrem, Smith, Voight, Winchester, Waters, and Webster. 

The first pastor after separation from Ipswich was Mr. J. Alexander (now of Melbourne), who was followed by Mr. T. Vigis (now of Adelaide), Mr. W. Petie (of Crow’s Nest), Mr. E. R. Makin (deceased), Rev. T. W. Symonds (of Brisbane, retired). Rev. J, Glover, Rev. E. Barnett (both deceased). Rev. H. R. G. Hill (Petrie-terrace), Rev. G. H. Leighton, Rev. T. E. Ashworth (Sandgate), and the present pastor, Rev. A. Hedley Abbott.

JUBILEE SERVICES
Of tho former pastors of the Church, there were present at the jubilee, Revs. H. R. G. Hill, T. E. Ashworth, T. W. Symonds. Mr. K. R. Smith, president of the Baptist Association, who presided at all the services, and Mr. Ronnie Smith, of Brisbane, a nephew of the late Mr. J. A. Smith also were present. Others present were Rev. B. Hewison (superintendent of Home Missions), Mr. David Webster, an active member of the Brisbane Church, (whose parents were amongst the earliest settlers of Lanefield, and were members of the church in its, pioneer days), Pastor Robert Schmitt (of Nambour, formerly n member of the Lanefield Church), and Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Hodges (an aged couple from Gympie, formerly residents of Lanefield). Mr. Hodges assisted in building the present church. In celebration of the jubilee the Church has been renovated. 

The celebrations commenced with a service at 11 o’clock last Saturday morning, at which Mr. W. R. Smith presided. Interesting addresses, with reminiscences of the curly days, were given by Rev. T. W. Symonds, and Mr. David Webster, and the Church history was read by Pastor Hedley Abbott. Pastor R. Schmitt gave a short address. Anthems were rendered by the choir, under the direction of Mrs. H. M. Stevens, with Miss F. Morgan was organist. 

In the course of his address, Pastor Abbott made reference to the death, a fortnight previously, of the church treasurer, Mr. Peter Whyte. 

Luncheon und afternoon tea were served in the new and spacious shed, under the supervision of the Women’s Guild, and in the afternoon a second jubilee service was held at which Revs. Hewison and Hill were the speakers. 

LARGE CONGREGATIONS
On Sunday the jubilee services were continued, Rev. T. E. Ashworth being the preacher at the morning service, and Rev. H. R. G. Hill at the evening service. At all these services there were splendid congregations. The choir rendered anthems at each. 

On Monday night the celebrations concluded with a concert given by the Silkstone choir under the direction of  Rev. J. C. Farquhar. Pastor H. Abbott presided. The church ground, as well as the church, were crowded. 

Following are the officers of the church for this year: Pastor. Rev. A. Hedley Abbott; life deacon, Mr. G. Merritt (who was ill in hospital and unable to attend); deacons, Messrs. C. A. Home (secretary), J. Domrow, W. Kuss, L. E. Horne; organist, Miss F. Morgan; Sunday school superintendent, Mr. C. A. Horne; teachers, Mrs. H. M. Stevens, Miss G. Waight,  N. Whyte, T. Horne; Women’s Guild, Mrs. Abbott (president and secretary), Miss F. Morgan (treasurer); Young People’s Bible Class, Miss G. Waight (secretary), Miss N. Whyte (treasurer). 

Brisbane Courier (Qld. : 1864 – 1933), Friday 24 September 1926, page 23

GOLDEN JUBILEE.
LANEFIELD BAPTIST CHURCH.

ROSEWOOD, September 22.
The golden jubilee of the Lanefield Baptist Church was celebrated last weekend with a series of inspiring services and social functions. The church was established in the early 70’s as a branch of the Ipswich Central Baptist Church and was known as the Rosewood branch Church in the Rosewood Scrub. Mr. T. Woolley of Ipswich held the first service in the home of Mr Webb sen., on September 17, 1871. This place, now owned by Mr C. Waight, s the site of the Lanefield Colliery. The last Communion service was celebrated on October 15 1871, when the right hand of fellowship was given to Mr James Alfred Smith, who was an active member, and subsequently Superintendent of the Sunday School for 46 years. He donated an area of land on his property, on which the first church was built in 1873. It was opened by the Rev. T. S. Gerrard (who was then in charge of Ipswich) on August 3, 1873. Very soon this building had to be enlarged, and in 1888 it was disposed of and the present building erected. In 1887, 38 members of the Ipswich Church living in the district were, by request, dismissed to form a local church at Lanefield.

FOUNDATION MEMBERS AND PASTORS.
The foundation members of the Church were:- M.r W. Bunney, Master Fred. Bunney, Mr. W. Bassett, Miss Amy Bassett, Mr. J. Best, Miss A. Bunney, Mr. Geo. Coulsen, sen, Mrs. Geo. Coulsen, Mr. and Mrs. Thos. Coulsen, Misses M. and A. Coulsen, Mr. and Mrs. W. Grimsey, Mrs. J. Greet, Misses M. A. and J. Grimsey, Miss L. Greet, Mr. and Mrs. J. Henderson, Mr. and Mrs. C. Hobbs, Mrs. C. Horne, sen, Messrs W. Hallett, G. Keats, Mr. and Mrs. Fred Perrem, Mr. J. A. Smith, Mr. and Mrs. W. Voight sen, Mr. W. Voigt, Miss C. Voigt, Mr. H. Winchester, Mrs. Winchester, Miss Winchester, Mr. and Mrs. W. Waters, and Miss M. Waters. 

The pastors in succession were:- Messrs. J. Alexander (now of Melbourne), T. Vigis (Adelaide), W. Petie (Crow’s Nest), E. R. Makin (deceased), Revs. T. U. Symonds (retired, Brisbane) G. H. Leighton, J. Glover (deceased), E. Barnett (deceased), H. R. G. Hill (Petrie-terrace), T. E. Ashworth (Sandgate), A. Hedley Abbott (present pastor). Of the former pastors Revs. T. U. Symonds, H. R. G. Hill, and T. E. Ashworth were present during the celebrations. The president.of the Queensland Baptist Association also attended, and presided at all the services. 

Other visitors were Rev. B. Hewison (Superintendent of Home Missions), Pastor Robert Schmitt (of Nambour, who started on his mission work from Lanefield), Messrs David Webster (of Brisbane, a son of old pioneers and an early member of the church), Ronald Smith (of Brisbane, a nephew of the late Mr. J. A. Smith, whose name is held in honoured memory, and for whom a tablet is erected in the church), Mr and Mrs. Samuel Hodges (of Gympie, one time residents, and members of the church). Mr. Hodges assisted in the building of the present church.

THE CELEBRATIONS.
The celebrations were commenced on Saturday morning when an inspiring jubilee service was held. Pastor Abbott read the history of the church, and paid tribute to the work of the late treasurer, Mr Peter Whyte, whom death claimed while the preparations for the jubilee were in progress. Addressees full of reminiscences were given by Rev. T. U. Symonds and Mr. David Webster, and Pastor Schmitt extended greetings to his old church. At the afternoon service addresses were given by Revs. B. Hewison and H. R. G. Hill. Luncheon and afternoon tea were provided in the tea shed (a new addition to the church property), under the supervision of the Women’s Guild, of which Mrs Abbott is president and secretary. On Sunday the Rev. T. E. Ashworth was the preacher in the morning, and the Rev. H. R. G. Hill at night. All the services were largely attended. The choir, under the direction of Mrs H. M. Stevens, rendered several anthems pleasingly. Miss F Morgan was organist. On Monday evening the celebrations were concluded with an enjoyable concert given by the Silkstone Choir, led by the Rev. J. Farquhar. The church and grounds were crowded. Interesting souvenirs of the jubilee celebrations were distributed.