PRESBYTERIAN CHURCHES.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 189, 11 August 1928, Page 21

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCHES.

ST. LUKE'S, REMUERA. PROPOSED NEW CHURCH. TO COST £15,000. There was a gooa attendance at the annual meeting of tbe congregation of St. Luke's Presbyterian Churcb, Remuera. The Rev. J. A. Thomson presided. All the organisations connected with the church were reported to be in a satisfactory condition. The average attendance at the services was better than for some years past. The roll had increased from 238 to 252, and there were 113 attendants at the Sunday school. The statement of the treasurer showed total contributions from all sources for the past year £2078, which included a donation of £100 from Miss Dingwall to endow a cot at Leslie Orphanage. Donations to missions and other outside objects from the church receipts amounted to £482. This is believed to be a record, being an increase of £108 on the previous twelve months. The expenditure, apart from donations to missions, was £870, which was £78 less than the previous year, when a large sum was spent renovating the interior of the manse.

It was reported that £1074 was in hand for the fund for building a new church. An anonymous donation had been received of £500, making £1000 from the same source. The amount invested under the will of' the late Rev. G. B. Munro was £750. Further substantial promises of financial support for the new building had been made, and it was decided to erect a structure to cost about £15.000.

Messrs. J. McDonald and James Hardle were elected to the board of managers. An , address was delivered by the Rev. W. M. Ryburn on his work at Kherer, India, and the congregation agreed to be responsible for the primary glasses in his school. NORTHCOTE. The annual meeting of the congregation 1 of the Presbyterian. Church at Northcote, was presided over by the Rev. S. L. Boot. The reports revealed steady progress In the various activities associated with the church. The church membership had increased, and the offertories had exceeded by £90 the amount received In any previous year. The year's income was about £500. The amount in hand towards the erection of a new church was £ 660. The Sunday school receipts had been £ 60, and the credit balance was £ 12. An appeal was made for more workers as teachers in the work of the Sunday school. The earnestness of the efforts of Mrs. Boot in the various branches of church work was emphasised. The following were elected as the board of managers: Messrs. H. H. Broady, J. Hay, R. McGbie, Jas. Lockie, D. Munro. P. Brunton. Hector MacKinnon, J. A. Roberton, P. Blott, W. Scott and J. Meston. ONEHUNGA. The annual meeting of the Onehunga Presbyterian Church was held on Wednesday evening, the Rev. D. D. Scott presiding. Appreciation of Mr. Scott's services as preacher and pastor was embodied in a resolution and carried with acclamation, In replying, Mr. Scott referred to the hearty co-operation of the officers and members. He congratulated the churcb on having no mortgage debt. There are 261 members on the church roll and 23 in the choir. The revenue from all sources amounted to £1051 3/3, including £181 for missions. The sum of £017 is in hand towards the church improvement scheme, which is estimated to cost £1200. There are 206 children in the Sunday school, with an average attendance of 75 per cent, and teaching staff of 17. At Onehunga Tawhiri Road Sunday school.: 48 scholars and 4 teachers. Te Papapa Sunday school: Teachers B, and scholars 67/ Managers were elected as follows: —Messrs. T. R. Glllman, W. Benfell, J. Bowman, R. Crompton, W. Moore, H. S. Scott, and Geo. Stoupe; auditors, Messrs. J. Park and N. A. Whyte; representatives to Council of Churches, Messrs. D. G. Cole and H. Murdock. . / i ST. STEPHEN'S, PONSONBY. The annual meeting of the congregation of St. Stephen's Presbyterian Church Ponsonby, was held on Wednesday night, the Rev. Frazer Barton presiding. Reports were submitted of a satisfactory nature. The total receipts were £2800, of which £860 was distributed to outside objects, mainly mission work. Another £860 was added to the jubilee building fund, and £150 was spent on repairs and maintenance. Theproperty acquired in Jervois Road was now fully utilised for church work, and had relieved the congestion in the main buildings. During the year 72 members were added to the communion roll, which now stands at 439. The roll of the Sunday school stands at 328, and there are 97 on the roll of the branch at Richmond. In all there was a total of 53 officers and teachers, ! and 108 members of tbe Bible classes.

The following were elected to the board of managers:—Messrs. T. King, ,T. Matthews, E. Farrel, J. Cameron, A. K. Fraser, W. McKlnlay, J. Patterson and A. Ridling. MOUNT ALBERT. The annual meeting of the congregation of Mount Albert Presbyterian Church was largely attended. Rev. W. D. Morrison Sutherland presiding. The different activities connected with the church were reported to be in a flourishing condition. The membership showed a large increase, and also the receipts from various sources. Tribute was pald'by speakers to the ability and faithful work of the minister during the past year. The business meeting was followed by a social gathering. PRESBYTERIAN ASSOCIATION. The Auckland Presbyterian Association held its annual meeting in St. David's Hall, Khyber Pass, Rev. T. H. Roseveare, Moderator of the Presbytery, presiding. There were over 140 representatives present from 25 branches. The total number of branches is 41, with a membership of 024, and the association raised £1601 for missions, which enabled gift boxes of considerable value to be sent out. Officers were elected as follow: —President, Mrs. Webster; vice-presidents, Mesdames Harries, Ryburn, Bradstreet., Cole and Miss Wilson ; secretary. Miss Young; assistant-secretary, Miss Galloway ; treasurer, Mrs. Henderson.' SOMERVELL MEMORIAL. The seventeenth annual report was submitted at a meeting of the congregation of Somervell Memorial Church, Remuera. over which the fcev. J. Pattison presided. It waß stated •'that the membership of the church had Increased from 248 to 253 during the year. The Meadowbank branch Sunday School had made good progress, having now 80 children on the roll. The statement of accounts showed total receipts for the year to be £ 849 —and there was a credit, balance of 14/. Receipts for the mission fund totalled £539 8/10. The chairman stated that the congregation had raised during the year for all purposes over £ 1300, added to which upwards of £4500 was in hand or promised'for the fund for erection of a new church building. That fund was now increasing each year by £200 from- interest alone. The report and balance-sheet were adopted, and thanks were accorded the various workers, including the minister and his wife. The following management committee was elected: —Messrs. A. V. Hopkirk, J. McKlnney. G. L. Hutchinson, A. J. Robertson, T. Graham, F. Woods, P. Wright, R. Campbell, H. Brown, T. Adams, W. H. O. Johnstone, J. P. Fisher, A. Hall, ■ S. Burt and Captain McCrour. TE AROHA PRESBYTERIANS. , The Te Aroha Presbyterians "held their ' annual meeting last evening, there being a > large attendance. The Rev. J. H. Starnes i presided. Mr. H. Wood submitted a report for the , managers. The total attendance for the : vear at committee meetings was 114. The : Rev. James Ings had been granted six I months' leave of absence to attend the . Scottish General Assembly In Edinburgh. It was proposed to erect the new church 1 as early as possible. Special thanks were ! tendered Mrs. Mossman and Mr. Marglson . for their Interest in church work.

Mr. Marglson presented the annual balance sheet, which showed that Te Aroha collections totalled £167 16/9, Waitoa £19 17/4, Manawaru £10 1/11. Springdale £20 0/4, Walhou £7 7/8. Envelopes provided £150 18/, and the ladles' guild £68. There was a credit balance of £164 collected by the ladles for the new building scheme, and there was an old debt due of £204. The following managers were appointed: Messrs. H. Harris, w. C. Kennedy, N. Jewis, J. Loughlln. W. McCullay. F. Schell. IR. Woodroffe, V. Hamilton, S. Carrie; snd W. Williams. The report of the ladies' guild showed that the annual bazaar had realised £I.~>o. while the total collections for tlie year were £348 Hr. Bennett reported favourably on Ih" progress of the Sunday School, and Mrf. C. Stephenson that the P.W.M.U. had raised £47 In the year. £be various efemil

CAMBRIDGE METHODISTS

(From Our Own Correspondent.)

CAMBRIDGE, this day. The Cambridge Methodists are celebrating their diamond Jubilee, and the commemoration is to extend over three weeks. Methodism cominsliced operations in the Waikato in 1854, when the Rev. W. Moon took up his residence near Kawhia as a missionary to the Maoris. He was followed by Rev. Johr Whlieiey, whose fidelity to Christianity and the church cost him his life at White Cliffs, Waitara, Taranaki. In 1564 the Rev. J. S. Riehworth was appointed to the Waikato with a roving commission. He was followed in 1867 by Rev. Joseph Berry, who laid the foundation stone of Waikato Methodism. To the Methodist Church belongs the honour of erecting the first church in Cambridge. The original building was an .unpretentious one erected in Anzac Street. It was the only church building in the district for 15 years. Owing to : the disappearance of some of the early 'church records, it has been impossible to ascertain the exact date of the opening, .butall the evidence points to 1868. The following ministers have had charge cf the work at Cambridge:—lS67, the Rev. Joseph Berx-y; 1869, J. H. Simmonds; 1871, J. Law; 1873. W. G. Thomas; 1875, John Smith; 1878, W. J. Watkins; 1879, 11. Bull; 1882, T. G. Carr; 1883, H. It. Dewsbury; 1886, J. S. Rishworth; ISB9, C. H. Garland; 1892, J. H. Pimmonds; 1895, L. Hudson; 1898, W. Cannell; 1900, S. J. Gibson ; 1905, W. H. Bick ; 1!»10, W. Tinsley; 1913; T. Trestrail; 191(5, G.S. Cook; 1919, J. D. McArthur; 1024, W. J. Elliott; 1927, J. W. Parker.

The foundation of tne present church was laid in September, 1883.

A feature of the jubilee is the presence of Cambridge's "grand old man," Mr. Geo. E. Clark, the only member whose association with-the church began at the time of the opening of the original church. An opportunity is being taken during the jubilee celebrations to make additions to the church in Queen Street at a cost of £500. Donations and promises total £320.

A jubilee concert was held last evening in the Town Hall, when there was a record attendance. Special services will be held during the next three Sundays.