CHURCH MEETINGS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIV, Issue 187, 7 August 1913, Page 6

CHURCH MEETINGS.

ST. DAVID'S PEESBYTBRUX CHTJRCH. eveniug tuu hall. There was a lur-'O and representative attendance. The Key. J M. Saunders occupied the chair, and with him on the plauorin were a number of olli.-e----bearers, also the Key. D. D. (Scott, o f OneMr. J. .T. Ker, assistant session clerk read the session report, which was of a very uopelul and satisfactory nature, a feature being the large number of accessions to membership durliig the year, there ue-iug 31 by profession and 01 by certincate. The n.ll had been carefully purged, which left Kaiu or Sβ for the year. Mr. Saunde'rs' earnest ministrations and high spiritual tone were referred to, also the stimulus to missions through the visit of Dγ Kirk Dγ Chapman and Mr. Alexander.

The geeretary (Mr. Fleming) read the reDort of Che board of managers. This disclosed tlit* fuct iiiHt there was considerjible vitality lit the liuanclal condition of the church. The year commenced with a credit balance of £71 8/11, wlilch was just about retadned. Collections amounted to £606 4/2, showing an increase of £SU 0/8 over last year, the average being £11 IS/4 per Sunday. Seat rents amounted to £U!l 15/. Contributions to missions had also Increased from £103 1/e to £122 13,3. Four new classrooms had beeu added at a cost of about £140, which amount was raised by the congregation. Regret was expressed at the resignation of the Key. W. A. Keay, who had done such excellent work at Sγ. Enoch's, Morulngside. The li-cancee of this offshoot of St. Davids had been placed on a mucti more eui tls'uct ory footlD** , In. reel v liuo to the untiring efforts of Mr. lveay.

The treasurer. Mr. Dnldy, read the statement of receipts and expenditure, and Mr. James Macgregor the Sunday school report. The latter showed a healthy condition of the school. The uuml'er of scholars stood at 225, many of whom had done well in both the S.S. Union and General Assembly's examinations. The winners of medals etc., were Doris McKenzie. Kdna V. French, Winnie Macgregor, Sylvia Kirk and Margaret Peters. The retiring managers, Messrs. Will Lambert, D. Ferguson and James Smith, were re-elected. Mr. Jnlni M. McKenzie was also elected. Mr. <»eorge I'eiice was elected auditor. The chairman and Itev. l>! 1). Scott delivered short and pirhy addresses. Mr. Saunders remarked that in all their experiences of Church life the past twelve months had been the happiest lie and Mrs. Saumlers had ever spent. KNOX CITUKCH. AN ENCOUItACING YEAR. The annual meeting of the Knox Presbyterian Church, l'aruell, was held last evening, the liev. Ilouert iugtis, M.A., presiding. The annual review of the session stated that the work of the past year had been marked by encouraging features, iv spite of the adverse circumstances of a vacancy which occurred through the translation of the Rev. .1. M. Simpson to Gore. Kcfereme was made to the call that had been extended to the Itev. Hobert lnglis, of Khjundallah, Wellington, and tbe hope church would be a power for good in' I'arnell. The attendances at public worship had been well maintained during the year. The average aitoudance at the four communions was 115, IT persons had been enrolled as members;, and 38 had been disjoined.

In the report ot the hoard of managers mention was made of the completion and erection of tUo new organ by Mr Croft, which was giving entire satisfaction. Mr W. Woodhouse, the treasurer, had to resisrn through pressure of business, and tie duties were being carried out by the church's first secretary Mr J. B. Patersou. The late envelope secretary, Mr X b Sadler, had been appointed secretary to the court, Mr MeLachlan being the new envelope secretary. The choir, under the able leadership of Mr J. F. Eenuett had rendered valuable services during the year According to the Sabbath School report,' the teachers expressed the opinion that better work conld be done if there was a larger staff. The superintendent recretted that there was only one male teacher "There is surely more than one man in the church who has sufficient interest in the school to help in the teaching." remarked the report. "So short at one time was the supply of teachers that the question of dismissing the npper class of boys was discussed." The number of scholars on the roll was IG7, the average attendance bein"

The Knox Junior Girls - BfMe Class has a roll number of 2:2. with an average attendance of 14. The Young Men's Junior Bible Class has a roll of 11. The choir has a membership of 30. Thanks were expressed in the choir report to Miss Whitson and Mr Baxter for handsome donations towards the organ fund. The <-hurch branch of the P.W.M.U. collected £66 during the year, of which £62 had been allocated to various missions. The C.E. Society has a membership of 23 active and 15 associate members, the average attendance being 14. According to the balance-sheet the receipts for the year were £048. The collections by plate amounted to £220, by envelope £2." G. special £100. Tlip expenditure left a credit balance «t a ilttlp over £2. The inr.nse fnml now stands lit f2.*:!. After the election of officers, the retiring managers bcim. r re-elected, Ibo matter or i\ marine for tl'.o now minister was rliscpssed. ami it nas ricirlpil to purchase a siiital'le property in Ayr Street, for the sum

of £1.200. [■'Intlering reference was made to the splendid services rendered to the church by Mγ J. B. Tnterson. the treasnrer. and a special vote of thanks was accorded him. Mr Croft, the builder nf the organ, was also I thanked for his work, which has given much ! satisfaction.