John King’s Bible is a link to the very earliest days of the Church Missionary Society in New Zealand The Kinder Library records of the Church Missionary Society’s earliest days in New Zealand, have been strengthened with the recent gift of John King’s Bible by descendants of John King, for… Read More »Gifted: John King’s Bible
When the book ‘Origines Britannicae’ was found in an upright piano We occasionally gratefully receive donations of pre-1800 books, which move into air-conditioned comfort in our special collections room. You often wonder about the journey that led them to our door and what interesting tales they could tell. Luckily for… Read More »‘Origines Britannicae’ Found in an Upright Piano
The paper-knife is one of the only surviving artefacts from Mrs Calder’s Bible Class “One of the most difficult problems a parish clergyman has to solve is, how to interest the elder boys of a Sunday School in the work of God’s Church” proclaims an article from the November 1893… Read More »Mrs Calder’s Bible Class
The adventures of the chapel bell at St John’s College The chapel bell, still in use at St John’s College, was formed from two cracked and disused church bells sent to England to be reforged into one. One of these was the original bell from when the College was established… Read More »The Chapel Bell at St John’s College
Ever seen a Silver Book of Common Prayer? A recent addition to the Kinder Library is a curious copy of a silver ‘The Book of Common Prayer’ which was found online by one of our eagle-eyed librarians. If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid… Read More »Silver Version of ‘The Book of Common Prayer’
Papers from St Paul’s Cathedral in Dunedin – General Synod 1895 We have recently received three bundles of papers found by the archivist at St Paul’s Cathedral in Dunedin on a shelf in the church safe. One bundle is labeled “Documents laid on the table, Synod 1895” and another “Archbishop’s… Read More »‘Documents Laid on the Table’ : General Synod 1895
The St John’s College Flag and Coat-of-Arms is held in the Kinder Library With the current debate over the New Zealand flag (edit: 2015), we thought we would shine some light on the St John’s Flag and Coat-of-Arms that we hold in our archives here at the John Kinder Theological… Read More »The St. John’s College Flag and Coat-of-Arms
This delightful keepsake was donated to the library by F. M. Doig from his wife’s family treasures and was recently requested by an overseas researcher studying the Melanesian Mission. This item is one, among others, that was originally made as a fundraiser for the Melanesian Mission at the turn of… Read More »Wooden Letter Opener Carved from the Melanesian Mission
Spotted in New York recently by the eagle eye of library team member Jenny Harper, was this impressive Selwyn plaque. The plaque, located in the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine in Amsterdam Avenue (reputedly the fourth largest Christian church in the world) survived a major fire in 2001,… Read More »Selwyn in New York
This is the Springbok Tour cross that was carried onto the rugby field at Hamilton by protesters against the 1981 Springbok Tour in August-September that year. St John’s College faculty and students had a high profile, and a group from the College travelled to Hamilton for this event. The Springbok… Read More »Were You There? | 1981 Springbok Tour Cross
