attendees than expected from neighboring congregations. The report continues: On Monday, the keystone was laid for the main building of Gill College (the building was handed over to the school on December 24, 1868). The procession started at the NGK church building. When it arrived on school grounds, Mr. Stretch gave a brief history of the institution due to be established, after which the Rev. Thompson gave the Lord's blessing to the school. Mr. Hudson then laid the stone and declared it "good and well placed." The Revs. Thompson, Hofmeyr, Murray, Solomon, and Stegmann all spoke in turn. At a "tea-meeting" that night, the Rev. Hofmeyr had the chance to make the acquaintance of his congregation in a convivial manner: "Tea was drunk - cake was eaten - the piano was played - people chatted - and "speeches" were made, heard, and enjoyed." The speakers included the Revs. Hudson, Barker, Edwards, and Solomon from the Wesleyan Church as well as the Revs. Hofmeyr, Stegmann, and Murray from the NGK. "All went well and the most pleasant mood could be felt," according to De Volkstem. On the subject of the Rev. Hofmeyr's work in the congregation, the Rev. Dreyer wrote that he did "his work in the congregation with optimism combined with a since sense of duty...He worked over a period of more than 41 years and was richly blessed with the delicious fruit it bore. True to the fulfillment of his preaching and pastoral work, he tasted the joy of helping build the congregation and expand God's Kingdom both within and outside the parish's borders." He was an advocate for ecumenical conferences. Already, two years after his arrival, a meeting was held on "The Christian plight and calling in the World." In 1884, his brother-in-law, Dr. Andrew Murray, held blessed revival services in Somerset East. At a later conference in 1891, Dr. Murray again presented a paper expounding on the Epistle to the Hebrews, which was much discussed and later published under the title "Seeing Jesus." The annual thanksgiving alms drive the Rev. Hofmeyr instituted in 1876 was another prime occasion. This taught the congregation to work together and give for the Lord's sake. At first, nothing was contributed but the Sunday collections, and the government paid the full salary (£200) that the minister earned. Only later did the church council supplement this. The Rev. Hofmeyr was one of the