BAPTIST TABERNACLE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXII, Issue 238, 7 October 1891, Page 2

BAPTIST TABERNACLE.

A soiree and public meeting was held last night in the Baptist Tabernacle to celebrate the anniversary of the church. Despite the heavy downpour, there was a fair attendance at the tea. A large number of members and friends attended the public meeting, which was held in the schoolroom. In the absence of a permanent pastor, Mr J. T. Garlick presided, and opened the proceedings by reading a chapter from the Scriptures, after which Pastor Gilmore engaged in prayer. Mr Seering 11. Matthews, church secretary, read the 3Gth annual report. Slight reference was made to tho disagreement of the past year, and the hope was expressed that the untoward thing from which the church had suffered might work for their ultimate good. The church roll had been revised, showing a total of 555 members at the beginning of July. Thanks were given Revs. P.II. Cornford,.]. Walter and T. Spurgeon for services rendered since the resignation of the late pastor, they having served to smooth down the ruffled feelings caused by the late pastor. Reference was made to the success attending the mission lately conducted by Mr T. Spnrgeon. The report stated that the church was now awaiting Divine guidance as to the selection of a new pastpr, also that Mr Joshua Robinson had been appointed church visitor in the moan time. Good work was being done in tho Sunday-school, which had a roll of 55 teachora and 443 scholars, while the Band of Hops and Temperance Society numbered 473 members, 46 having been added during the year. The Foreign Mission Society was reported to bo in a flourishing: condition, while the Benevolent Society had distributed 240 garments, in addition to monetary aid. Arrangements had been made by which the interest on the unoccupied land belonging to the church had been reduced by £50 per annum, and aa the Mount Eden Church had taken over the mortgage on that property an additional £20 per annum would be saved. By these means and renewed efforts ib was hoped that the present small overdraft would soon be converted into a credit balance, and that the new year would prove a prosperous one. Addresses were delivered by tho Revs. J. Chew,'E. Isaac, W. R. Woolley, J. Walter, and G. D. Cox.