1. Our hotel (left of church) was near the huge Anglican Cathedral downtown, across from the train station.

2. The cathedral is of classic architecture and is in very good condition.

3. Inside were huge buttresses and archways with a towering ceiling.

4. The altar on the left and a huge eagle brass sculpture on the right were in the front of the cathedral.

5. An ornate tiled floor lined the bottom of the cathedral; it was perhaps 50 yards in length from the entry to the altar area up front. Carved wooden pews graced each side of the tiled aisle.

6. The exquisite pulpit at the front of the cathedral had some nice blooming flowers placed in front of it.

7. A massive, intricately decorated pipe organ was in the cathedral.

8. Left: some brass depictions of famous Christian figures. Lower left: a place to light candles and pray. Lower right: carvings of kings and bishops in the history of the church.

9. As with the huge cathedrals we visited in Europe, the Anglican Cathedral in Melbourne had some wonderful stained glass windows on each side of the cathedral.

10. Just a block in another direction from our hotel was the Scots Presbyterian Church. Founded in 1838, this old church is still very active. The Russells attended one of the services; however, the focus of the sermon was more historical than theological (since “Australian Day” was being celebrated that weekend. Still, it was memorable.

11. The outside grounds of Scot Presbyterian Church—quite nice, beautiful and serene.

12. The rear of Scot’s Church had part of its pipe organ framed by nice stained glass windows.

13. A photo inside the church, looking from the altar up front to the back of the church.

14. A nicely painted section in the back of Scot’s Church—with stained glass windows.

15. The pulpit is carved from wood as are the chairs for the staff and hierarchy of Scot’s Church. The symbols in the carpeting look very closely like “Boy Scouts of America” symbols!

16. On one side of the church, a gorgeous pipe organ dominated the area.

17. The organ’s main components are over 100 years old; however, some of it was refurbished recently.

18. A four manual (keyboard) console with numerous stops for the thousands of pipes were available for the organist to use.

19. Left: A Baptist church across from our hotel; Right: a Christian church not far away.

20. The Christian Church (Church of Christ) revealed the effort to merge religion with the community.

21. A “Uniting” Church (Methodism renamed) across from Scot’s Presbyterian Church.

22. The “Uniting Church,” like the other churches, have been engulfed by the towering skyscrapers of modern Melbourne. Four old churches were within one block of our hotel in the center of the city.

23. A few blocks from our hotel, there was another Uniting (Methodist) Church; this one had a nice statue of John Wesley and a Wesley Study Center next to it. Two congregations met in this church, as the sign shows.

24. Another shot to show how even the tall spire of the Uniting Church near our hotel seemed dwarfed by a modern skyscraper. The city doesn’t allow some nice church grounds (paths, sitting areas, cemetery), which is sad—but at least they have withstood the encroachment of the city for over a hundred years.