Church Work.

THE ANNUAL MEETING. ' The annual meeting of the Church Work Society was held at Hobbs* Buildings at 8 p.m. yesterday. There was a very large attendance, and his Lordship Bishop Harper took the chair. In an impressive address the Chairman referred to the duty of the Society to encourage church members to work, not for themselves individually, but for the salvation of all members of the church, and more especially the young members thereof. He referred to the need of more energetic work in the Sunday schools, which should be inspected and examined. He touched on the valuable work done by the Bey T. Plavell in inspecting and giving lectures on Sunday school work, so far as his time allowed. He concluded by urging on young people to impart to others some of the knowledge of good that Ood had given them. | His Lordship's remarks were received ! with evident satisfaction by the meeting. The Bey T. Flavell read the report of the Committee, of whioh the following is a digest :— -In presenting a record of work for the year ending May, 1889, the Committee would first call attention to the Public Chaplaincy. Mr Holland, the Chaplain of the Hospital, Lunatic Asylum, and other public charitable institutions in the neighbourhood of Christchurch, has been unremitting in his duties, and hia visits and ministrations are thankfully welcomed by their inmates. He has also been of great assistance to some of the parochial clergy in many ways. The visits to the various institutions have been 381, number of services having been 260, baptisms 27, and burialß 13. The services have been as follows :— -Hospital 51, Asylum 54, Depdt 52, Refuge 53. The visits have been: — Hospital 267, ABylum 45, Dep6t36, Betuge 27, Convalescent Home 9. Mr Murphy has also taken a weekly Wednesday evening service at the Befuge, in the place of Mr Hargreaves, who has had to resign owing to ill health. Mr Hargreaves has done this work for many years, giving a weekly service. The Committee accord him tneir best thanks, and regret that he has been compelled to resign. After anxious consideration, the Committee decided that, having in view the many other objects of the Society, and the smallness of the sums at its disposal, it would not be justified in contributing in future more than £SO towards the support of the chaplain. They are glad, however, that other arragementa have been made, whereby Mr Holland's services are continued. In the discharge of his duties the chaplain has received efficient help from Messrs Cox, Kimbell, Bridge, Bean, and Hawley, for which the thanks of tbe Committee are due and are now heartily tendered. The Bey E. E. Chambers continues to act as chaplain to the seamen in Lyttelton. Sunday School. — The first examination of Sunday School teachers took place in August last, when thirty passed, and eighteen passed in honours, the number of failures being very small. The concluding section of this examination will take place in August next. Lectures on the New Testament subject, and on the "Art of Teaching" will shortly be delivered, the first by Canon Stadford, and the second hy the Hon Secretary. Church Day SchoolsThrough an opportune gitt by the Bishop I of a portion of the Lancaster legacy, small j grants have been made during the year to the following schools:— St Michael's, St Matthew's ; St John's, Rangiora; St Mary's, Merivale. Church News — During the year the financial management of the paper has been altered and the Committee believe the interests of the paper will be advanced. The Depdt. — The Committee regret that they are unable to report that the sales of publications at the Book Depdt have increased. The purchases this year have amounted to .£557 14s Bd, the sales to £526 Ids 7d, as against .£545 ls Id last year. It is, however, the belief of the Manager that the business has, of late, been greater. The expenses of the Depot have been considerably lessened in the course of the laßt six months. General. — Advantage was taken of tho presence of the Bishops of Nelson and of Melanesia in Christchurch in February last to aak their Lordships to give addreß66B on missionary topics, and these were given at a successful meeting held in St Michael's schoolroom. The collection amounted to JBB 6s, and was handed over to the funds of the Melanesian Mission. The -JB^v-^^^^^Bm^Kmixe^

read accounts, showing Diocesan Education Fund receipts £100 16s 6d, expenditure, £99 13s 5d s balance, £1 3s Id. Church of England Society's receipts, by offertories £22 4s 6d ; expenditure, to Promote Christian Knowledge, Propagation of the Gospel, and Missionary Societies £22 _>. Church Work Society, receipts £187 17s 5d j balance, £108 Oa sd. Totals, £295 17s lOd. Payments— Balance from May, 1888, £88 7s 4d; salaries and expenses, £207 10b 6d; total, £295 17s lOd. Diocesan Book Dep6t— Receipts, £527 15s sdj expenses, £625 Ss 7d. Church News Account — receipts, £83 3s ; expenditure, £85 ss. The Rev E. Whitehouse moved the adoption of the report, which was seconded by Mr Baldwin, and carried. The Rev F. Knowleß said Mr H. R. Webb urged on the meeting the necessity of members collecting and subscribing towards the funds of the Society. The Committee, as follows, were reelected i. Clergy — Bey Canons Stanford and Cholmondeley, Rttrs T. Flavell and H. B. Cocks ; Laity — Messrs J. M. Hey wood, W. G. Brittah, C. E. BevanBrown and T. M. Gee. The Rev H. B. Cocks moved— ■«• That the Church Work Society ia ah organ for promoting Buch Church work as is beyond the scope of single parishes. Churchmen of the diocese are earnestly asked to give it their cordial support." Seconded by Mr C. E. Bevan-Browh. The Ten Arohdeacon Harper spoke, etrongly supporting the motion, which was carried unanimously. The Very Rev the Dean moved a vote of thanks to the Right Bey the Chairman, whom as of necessity the opportunities for his presiding at such meetings became fewer they should appreciate and value all the more highly. His Lordship, in replying in feeling terms, advocated the establishment of home missions as a nieanß of counteracting parochialism into which they were in danger of drifting. Inaugurate this system, and he thought the necessary money would follow, and if the Church would take up the work in a more regular manner he was sure that valuable work would be done. The meeting closed with the Benediction.