“Fenton” - 8 Albert Street - Edgecliff - NSW

 

"Fenton" - 8 Albert Street - Edgecliff - New South Wales

Federation Day - January 1st 1901 - Centennial Park - NSW

 

Federation Day - January 1st 1901 -  Centennial

Park - New South Wales

On The 1^st January 1901

 A British Act Was Declared, Making Australia A Federation Of States Called The Commonwealth Of Australia, & Establishing It’s Constitution & Form Of Government 

On That Day, Australia’s First Head, it’s Governor General Lord Hopetoun Was Sworn In, As Was Its First Prime Minister, Edmund Barton & Australia’s First Federal Cabinet 

On That Day in 1901, A Procession Of Dignitries Bands Soldiers, & Horse Drawn Floats Passed Through Sydney City Centre & Marched 5 & A Half Miles To Centennial Park. The Streets & Balconies Were Lined With Thousands Of People. Buildings were elaborately Decorated Celebratring The Event 

The Slogan of The federation Was “ One People – One Destiny”
 
Special Arches Were Set Up for The occasion 
There Was An Arch From France. There was an Arch From The United States Of America There Was A Wool Growers Association Arch, There Was Coal industry Arch. There Was A Permanent Commonwealth Arch In Bridge Street 
 
The Procession Also Went Past The Statue Of Queen Victoria. 

 

In A Packed Centennial Park, Lord Hopetoun, The Governor General Elect, Primate Of Sydney’s Church of England, Arch Bishop William Smith, The New Prime Minister Edmund Barton & Other Dignitries Gathered In The Specially Constructed Pavillion 

The Choir Of St Andrews Church Sang The Hymn “O God Our Help In Ages Past”

The Crowd Stood With Beared Heads. With Deep Intonation, Arch Bishop Read The Prayers For The Commonwealth 

“O Lord God Almighty, High Above All Heights, Whose Lifetime Is Eternity

We Thine Unworthy Servants Give Thee Most Humble & Hearty Thanks For All Thy Goodness & Loving Kindness. We glorify Thee That Thou Has Been pleased In Thy Providence To Unite Australia In The Bonds Of Brotherly Love & Accord, & In One Commonwealth

Under Our Most Gracious Sovereign Lady Queen Victoria 

We Beseech Thee. Grant Unto This Union Thy Grace, & Heavenly Benediction That A Strong People May Arise, To Hallow Thy Name, To Do Justly, & To Love Mercy, & To Walk Humbly Before Thee In Reveranve & Righteousness Of Life

 

 

Furthermore We Pray Thee To Make Our Empire Always A Faithful & Fearless Leader Among The Nations, In All That Is Good, 

& To Bless Our Queen & Those Who Are Put In Authority Under Her, More Especially In This Land. Let Thy Wisdom Be Their Guide. Strengthen Them In Uprightness. Direct & Rule Their Hearts, That They May Govern According To Thy Holy Will, & Vouch Safe That All Things May Be Ordered & Settled Upon The Best & Surest Foundations 

That Peace & Happiness, Truth & Justice, Religion & Piuty May Be Deepened, & Increased Among Us, & That We Thy People May Perpetually Praise From Generation To Generation 

Blessed Be Thy Name Forever & Ever. Through Jesus Our Lord. Amen 

The Followed The Prayer For The Governor General, Then The Lords Prayer Followed

The Supreme Moment Had Arrived. As Guns Brought Fourth A Salute, As Lord Hopetoun Signed His Name, That He Had Assumed His Official Duties, & Was Vested With All The Powers Conferred 

A New Nation Had Been Born  

Ta Dam La Dammus – A Hymn Of Christian Praise And Affirmation Of God & Chirst 

After The Swearing In Of The First Prime Minister & Australia’s Federal Cabinet, The Ceremonies Came To An End.

The Celebrations Went On In Sydney For 2 Weeks, & There Was Celebrations Across All States. On The 9^th May 1901, The 1^st Federal Parliament Was Opened In Melbourne

 

So We Celebrate 

 

 St John's Anglican Church - Parramatta - New South Wales

Australia's First Official chirch was the original St John's At Parramatta. 
The oldest and most striking feature of the present building is the twin towers  which were erected between 1816 and 1820. it is said that they are based  on similar towers  of an ancient church at Reculver Kent England. By 18560 thw old building was in danger of falling down, and it was decided to erect a new church incorporating the original towers. 
A New nave was built in 1852 to a design by James Housion. Transepts were added in 1882 ad this time the Architect was Edmund Balckett. 
Closley associated with the building of St John's and its early history was the Rev Samuel Marsden, the controvertial but highly energectic  successor of Richard Johnson, Chaplain General Of New South Wales. Marsden served as Rector Of St John's until 1838 and was buried nearby in the St John's Cemetary
There are considerable gaps inthr history of the church doe to Marsden's failure to keep a complete register of services. 

Uniting Church - Prebyterian - Ebenezer - New South Wales

 Uniting Church - Presbyterian - Ebenezer - New South Wales

The quiet Hawkesbury River, North of Windsor, was hardly disturbed as a funeral cortege, in boats, proceede with muffled oars to the Ebenezer Presbyterian Church on the river bank. 


The Chapel is an elementary structure, with four thick stone walls and a gable roof. On the two long sides there are four windows, and two former central doors have been blocked up to provide an entrance at one end. 
Nevertheless, the simple chapel  survives today as the oldest standing church in Australia dating back to its completion in 1809