Bowden Southern Gable end of the Way Memorial Methodist Church (originally Bible Christian), South Australia
Bowden Bible Christian Church later Way Memorial Methodist Church
Jubilee Services
The jubilee of the Bowden Methodist Church was celebrated on Sunday. This church was founded by the late Rev James Way, father of the Right Hon Sir Samuel Way Bart, and Dr E W Way.
In 1850 the late Rev James Way arrived at Port Adelaide with the Rev James Rowe, as missionaries from the English Conference. They came to Bowden, and finding Bible Christian friends, among whom were the late Messrs Samuel Coombe, P P Dungey, and J R Rundle, they started the cause.
Services at first were held in a butcher's shop. The cause prospered, and in 1851 the foundation-stone of a meeting house was laid.
A little later the building was opened with special services.
A few years afterwards a more commodious building was required. Land was purchased, and its erection was proceeded with, and early in 1857 it was opened for divine worship.
Nearly 20 years later both buildings were enlarged, and the original structure was made to serve as a lecture hall. Slight additions have been made since.
Naturally the name of the late Mr Way is associated with the church, and a mural tablet bears the following inscription — 'In memory of Rev James Way, founder of the Bible Christian Church in South Australia, born at Morchard Bishop, Devon, England, June 17, 1804: entered the ministry 1826: arrived in South Australia 1850: died at Sea View, Noarlunga, August 14, 1884. He being dead yet speaketh. Also of Jane Way, wife of the above, died May 15, 1878, aged 67 years.'
This tablet was erected by the members of this church, of which Mr Way was the first pastor.
The church, for the first 17 or 18 years, was in the Adelaide circuit, and afterwards was made the head of the Bowden circuit, having branch churches in Thebarton, Findon, and West Hindmarsh.
In 1900, when Methodist union was consummated, it became part of the Hindmarsh circuit.
On Monday evening a public tea meeting was held in the lecture hall. The pastor, the Rev F Bullock, congratulated all present on the jubilee celebration. There was on one of the tables a jubilee cake, and he would Mrs S Coombe, to cut it. Mrs Coombe is the only surviving original member of the church. She had been present with her late husband, Mr S Coombe, when meetings were held in Rundle’s butcher's shop. The cake was cut amidst applause. It bore the inscription, 'Bowden Methodist Church Jubilee, 1851 to 1901’.
A public meeting followed in the church, over which Sir Samuel Way, Bart., presided.
His Honour the Chief Justice said it was not the first time he had attended an anniversary at Bowden.
He referred to his love of the Bible Christian denomination. The name, he said, was now lost, but its union into the Methodist Church he did not doubt would result beneficially. He was not in South Australia when his father laid the foundation stone of the Bowden Church, as he was still at school in England.
There had been much controversy as to whether Bowden was the first Bible Christian Church in South Australia. Mr Coombe had insisted that it was, but he had not taken into account the chapel built at Burra— built before Mr Way or Mr Rowe arrived in South Australia, and the chapel at Kapunda was also opened before the Bowden Church.
His association with the Bowden Church dated from the time he landed from the ‘Cleopatra’ in 1853. When he arrived, he was asked by Mr Coombe to preach at Bowden. [Ref: Register Tuesday 24-9-1901]
Bowden Methodist Church
Diamond Jubilee
The diamond jubilee of the Bowden Methodist Church, and of the labours in Australia of the late Rev James Way, the founder of the Bible Christian denomination here, was celebrated on Sunday.
The Rev James Way, father of the Chief Justice, became connected with the Bible Christian denomination in its infancy, and for three years was a local preacher. He entered the ministry at the eighth annual English Conference, in 1826, and in 1847 was elected President of the Conference.
Although Mr Way entered the ranks of superannuated ministers, he frequently preached in churches of the denomination nearly until the time of his death, at the age of 80 years.
He was pressed to take charge of the Canadian missions by the English Conference, but he refused, because he had promised his widowed mother that he would never leave England during her lifetime. The Rev James Thorne, one of the founders of the Bible Christian denomination in England, and secretary of the missionary society, subsequently asked Mr Way to go to Australia and the Conference unanimously elected him to found the Bible Christian denomination in this State. The Rev James Rowe was chosen to accompany him. Mr Way, with his wife and children (excepting their eldest son, Sir Samuel), and Mr and Mrs Rowe, left England in the ‘Anna Maria’, on August 12, 1850, and arrived on November 4. On leaving the vessel at Port Adelaide, Mr Way and Mr Rowe proceeded to Bowden.
Mr Way, at his ministerial jubilee celebration, said:—"I began my preaching at Bowden, in a butcher's shop. I carried a letter to Mr Rundle, and in the course of conversation, he said to his wife, 'What do you say, Mary? Shall we let Mr Way preach in our shop?' to which she replied 'I don't think it will do to sell meat in the morning and have Mr Way preach in the afternoon.'
I agreed with her that the two things would not suit together, and a stop having been put to Sunday trading, I began preaching in the shop.
A Chapel Built
Having left Mr Rowe at the Burra, Mr Way returned and resumed his work at Bowden, which afterwards was included in the southern circuit. Land was purchased in Sixth street in the name of Mr Way, and the building of a chapel was soon begun. The laying of the foundation stone was thus described: “On Monday, August 4, 1851, a little after 4 o'clock pm. the foundation stone of a new chapel was laid in Bowden, for the use of people denominated Bible Christians, by Mr Jas Way, pastor of the Australian Mission”.
The church was opened on Sunday, November 30, 1851. The builders were Messrs George Cole & Simon Clarke.
In 1856 the debt was paid off the chapel, and the foundation stone of the new one was laid by Mr Way. On February 15 of the following year it was opened. The cost amounted to £700.
In 1876, during the pastorate of Rev Joseph Hancock, the new church was enlarged. and a gallery put in one end, and the old church was enlarged to twice the original size. This is now used as a lecture hall.
[Ref: Evening Journal Monday 25-9-1911]
This property is now a winery.
Bowden Southern Gable end of the Way Memorial Methodist Church (originally Bible Christian), South Australia
Bowden Bible Christian Church later Way Memorial Methodist Church
Jubilee Services
The jubilee of the Bowden Methodist Church was celebrated on Sunday. This church was founded by the late Rev James Way, father of the Right Hon Sir Samuel Way Bart, and Dr E W Way.
In 1850 the late Rev James Way arrived at Port Adelaide with the Rev James Rowe, as missionaries from the English Conference. They came to Bowden, and finding Bible Christian friends, among whom were the late Messrs Samuel Coombe, P P Dungey, and J R Rundle, they started the cause.
Services at first were held in a butcher's shop. The cause prospered, and in 1851 the foundation-stone of a meeting house was laid.
A little later the building was opened with special services.
A few years afterwards a more commodious building was required. Land was purchased, and its erection was proceeded with, and early in 1857 it was opened for divine worship.
Nearly 20 years later both buildings were enlarged, and the original structure was made to serve as a lecture hall. Slight additions have been made since.
Naturally the name of the late Mr Way is associated with the church, and a mural tablet bears the following inscription — 'In memory of Rev James Way, founder of the Bible Christian Church in South Australia, born at Morchard Bishop, Devon, England, June 17, 1804: entered the ministry 1826: arrived in South Australia 1850: died at Sea View, Noarlunga, August 14, 1884. He being dead yet speaketh. Also of Jane Way, wife of the above, died May 15, 1878, aged 67 years.'
This tablet was erected by the members of this church, of which Mr Way was the first pastor.
The church, for the first 17 or 18 years, was in the Adelaide circuit, and afterwards was made the head of the Bowden circuit, having branch churches in Thebarton, Findon, and West Hindmarsh.
In 1900, when Methodist union was consummated, it became part of the Hindmarsh circuit.
On Monday evening a public tea meeting was held in the lecture hall. The pastor, the Rev F Bullock, congratulated all present on the jubilee celebration. There was on one of the tables a jubilee cake, and he would Mrs S Coombe, to cut it. Mrs Coombe is the only surviving original member of the church. She had been present with her late husband, Mr S Coombe, when meetings were held in Rundle’s butcher's shop. The cake was cut amidst applause. It bore the inscription, 'Bowden Methodist Church Jubilee, 1851 to 1901’.
A public meeting followed in the church, over which Sir Samuel Way, Bart., presided.
His Honour the Chief Justice said it was not the first time he had attended an anniversary at Bowden.
He referred to his love of the Bible Christian denomination. The name, he said, was now lost, but its union into the Methodist Church he did not doubt would result beneficially. He was not in South Australia when his father laid the foundation stone of the Bowden Church, as he was still at school in England.
There had been much controversy as to whether Bowden was the first Bible Christian Church in South Australia. Mr Coombe had insisted that it was, but he had not taken into account the chapel built at Burra— built before Mr Way or Mr Rowe arrived in South Australia, and the chapel at Kapunda was also opened before the Bowden Church.
His association with the Bowden Church dated from the time he landed from the ‘Cleopatra’ in 1853. When he arrived, he was asked by Mr Coombe to preach at Bowden. [Ref: Register Tuesday 24-9-1901]
Bowden Methodist Church
Diamond Jubilee
The diamond jubilee of the Bowden Methodist Church, and of the labours in Australia of the late Rev James Way, the founder of the Bible Christian denomination here, was celebrated on Sunday.
The Rev James Way, father of the Chief Justice, became connected with the Bible Christian denomination in its infancy, and for three years was a local preacher. He entered the ministry at the eighth annual English Conference, in 1826, and in 1847 was elected President of the Conference.
Although Mr Way entered the ranks of superannuated ministers, he frequently preached in churches of the denomination nearly until the time of his death, at the age of 80 years.
He was pressed to take charge of the Canadian missions by the English Conference, but he refused, because he had promised his widowed mother that he would never leave England during her lifetime. The Rev James Thorne, one of the founders of the Bible Christian denomination in England, and secretary of the missionary society, subsequently asked Mr Way to go to Australia and the Conference unanimously elected him to found the Bible Christian denomination in this State. The Rev James Rowe was chosen to accompany him. Mr Way, with his wife and children (excepting their eldest son, Sir Samuel), and Mr and Mrs Rowe, left England in the ‘Anna Maria’, on August 12, 1850, and arrived on November 4. On leaving the vessel at Port Adelaide, Mr Way and Mr Rowe proceeded to Bowden.
Mr Way, at his ministerial jubilee celebration, said:—"I began my preaching at Bowden, in a butcher's shop. I carried a letter to Mr Rundle, and in the course of conversation, he said to his wife, 'What do you say, Mary? Shall we let Mr Way preach in our shop?' to which she replied 'I don't think it will do to sell meat in the morning and have Mr Way preach in the afternoon.'
I agreed with her that the two things would not suit together, and a stop having been put to Sunday trading, I began preaching in the shop.
A Chapel Built
Having left Mr Rowe at the Burra, Mr Way returned and resumed his work at Bowden, which afterwards was included in the southern circuit. Land was purchased in Sixth street in the name of Mr Way, and the building of a chapel was soon begun. The laying of the foundation stone was thus described: “On Monday, August 4, 1851, a little after 4 o'clock pm. the foundation stone of a new chapel was laid in Bowden, for the use of people denominated Bible Christians, by Mr Jas Way, pastor of the Australian Mission”.
The church was opened on Sunday, November 30, 1851. The builders were Messrs George Cole & Simon Clarke.
In 1856 the debt was paid off the chapel, and the foundation stone of the new one was laid by Mr Way. On February 15 of the following year it was opened. The cost amounted to £700.
In 1876, during the pastorate of Rev Joseph Hancock, the new church was enlarged. and a gallery put in one end, and the old church was enlarged to twice the original size. This is now used as a lecture hall.
[Ref: Evening Journal Monday 25-9-1911]
This property is now a winery.