RURAL CHURCHES. 661 
thereto all improved methods of construction, hygiene, and 
experience ; abondoning that which is effeté, unmeaning, 
and obsolete. 
Thus shall we be guided by the truest principles of science 
and art, thus may we most readily bring our rural churches 
into sympathy with their environments, thus only can we 
hope to make them a living branch of architecture. 
The present time is most opportune, for meeting this 
question in a serious manner, because there now exists a 
large and seemingly continuous demand for rural churches. 
The older settled districts of this State were provided with 
church buildings in the early days of colonisation, but 
their design was usually of such a character as no well- 
wisher of art would desire to see perpetuated. Many of 
these erections have been removed within recent years. and 
more appropriate churches now stand in their place. In 
other instances, the original structure remains in all its 
pristine ugliness, but I have no hesitation in saying that 
considerable discontent is felt against these designs, and in 
many cases people are only waiting for a favourable 
opportunity to replace.them with something more worthy. 
In the newly-opened-out districts there is a most decided 
demand for church buildings; this demand is not likely to 
be satisfied immediately, for as soon as settlers feel that they 
have made some satisfactory progress in carving a home out 
of the forest, and are able to face the future with composure, 
one of their aspirations is to erect a church where they 
may renew those religious associations with which they 
were so familiar in childhood. 
When architects are called upon to supply this demand, 
they usually find that the amount of money at their disposal 
is insufficient to pay for such a building as they would lke 
to see erected, and they also discover, that frequently the 
class of materials, and available workmanship, are of such 
a type as to severely tax their patience, energy, and 
resourcefulness. 
Yet I appeal to them to carry out the work for art’s 
sake, and to give ungrudgingly of their time and ability in so 
good a cause. 
More particularly do I appeal to those who have the 
ordering of such new buildings to seek the best possible 
advice; to place the work in the hands of skilful and com- 
petent men; and then to be guided, as far as practicable, by 
such counsel as they may receive. 
My professional brothers will agree with me that these 
commissions are as a rule far from being profitable. The 
