ST. PETER'S PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume VIII, Issue 690, 11 February 1879, Page 3

ST. PETER'S PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.

ANNUAL MEETrXG

The annual .meeting in connection with St. Peter's. Presbyterian Church was held on Friday evening last.

The Rev Mr Hay presided, and after a few opening remarks, the following report was read by the Sccretaiy (Mr J. Maxwell) : —

" In proscnting this our second annual report, which will not be a lengthy one, your Committee trust that the congregation arc satisfied with our past year's services. In the month of February, IS7B, your Committee mot for the purpose of inspecting designs of the present church, and in June of the same year we assembled liere to commemorate the laying of the foundation block of our now very handsome church, which, in design and comfort, is second to none in the Province, and now that we have a good rallying point, your Committee hope that one and all v.'ho worship here will give

their hearty assistance in liquidating the debt at present hanging over it. "Your Committee very reluctantly draw the attention of the congregation to the fact that the stipend fund, in many instances, is very difficult to collect, and, in some cases, not paid at all, and though the treasurer's financial statement may show an increase in the total amounts as, stipend, there are yet Borne unpaid. These remarks might be overlooked wore our congregation a large { one; but, where the labourers are few, the burden becomes" lieavy. Before closing this report, we would heartily co-operate ; with the congregation in thanking the build- : ing committee, Messrs' S. L. Clavke and J. F. Buddie, for their indefatigable exertions ] in carrying out the architectural work and j seating of the church. | '. •' -•' "J. Maxwell, \ - . . . "Secretary. | T^vuranga, 6th February, 1879." | The Treasurer (Mr Robert-Henry) then read his report and balance-sheet, as under : — ; " In' presenting his report for the past < year,-your Treasurer has much pleasure in ; being enabled to make one of so satisfactory a nature. • In the first place, the collections amount to £125 8s 2d against 101 11s 9d last year, being an increase of £23 16s sd, the whole of which increase has taken place since the opening of the Church in the month of j November last. During the first 39 weeks j of the financial year the collections amounted j to. £74 5s Bd, or an average of £1 18s.ld; during the last 13 weeks they amounted to £51 2s 6d, or an average of £3 ISs Bd, but as two of these collections were for special purposes, we will take the other 11 weeks, the average of which is £2 11s 4d. In the next place the Guarantee Fund towards the Minister's Stipend this year produced £61 5s against £39 8s 9d last year, being an increase of £21 16s 3d, or a-total increase of £45 12s 8d over last year's revenue. , "For the Building Fund a subscription list was prepared, of which £240 has been collected, leaving £58 4s still to collect. " Seats have been let to the value of £37 10s per year, none of which ha 3 as yet been paid. "The following is a balance-sheet, containing a statement of the several accounts: —

. ' . • "Robert Henry, "Treasurer. "Audited and found corroct, "M. J. Matthews, • "Auditor." Upon the proposition of Mr Bennett, the report and balance-sheet as read were adopted. The Session Clerk (Mr J. F. Buddie) then read his report as follows : — " The session has to report as follows : — The weekly Sabbath services have, during the past year, been regularly held. The number of church members, as on 38th November last, was 20, and the number of church adherents, 55. The Sacrament of the Lord's Supper has been administered twice during the year, and there has been five baptisms, all of which latter have, however, been private. The session would strongly recommend the practice of publicly consecrating infants in baptism, and urge the congregation to diligently study that portion of the pastoral recently issued by the general Assembly, which bears upon this point. "As regards the attendance upon the Sabbath" services, the session sincerely regrets that a number of our adherents so frequently absent themselves from tho services of the church, and cannot but express its sorrow that many of the older members of the congregation fail to observe that regularity in their attendance upon public worship, which, if even only for the sake of example to the younger members, it is undoubtedly their duty to do. The session would strongly urge upon those who have hitherto shown a carelessness in this respect to endeavour for the future to mend their ways. "The Sunday School, in connection with the church, is in a flourishing condition, there being Go names on the roll, with an average attendance of 46. Tho success which has attended tho efforts of the teachers is exceedingly satisfactory, and the good ' that has resulted to the children attending is a matter for deep thatikfuhiess. "It is the intention of the session to examine the isoholors in about a fortnight's time, and to uv.f.. 1 pikes to ilio^c svho, l.y

their proficiency, show themselves deserving. "A weekly evening Bible class, conducted by the Rev. Mr Hay, was started about six weeks ago, but only about half-a-dozen have, so far, enrolled themselves as members. The session would earnestly invite all the young men and women of the congregation to avail themselves of their pastor's assistance in the study of the scriptures. "The choir of the church is in anything but a satisfactory condition. Our organist, Mr McKinney, has- worked hard and well for its efficiency, but his efforts have not been seconded by the congregation with that heai-tiness which is necessary to proficiency,; in this important part of public worship. It, cannot be expected that the efforts' of one or two will succeed in making the psalmody of the church what it ought to.be, and it 18 undoubtedly the duty of all those; who can to assist in making the' service of song as perfect and attractive as. possible. The session would again remind members of the congregation that every Thursday night has been set apart for a singing practice in the church, and invite all whose abilities lie in that direction to render every assistance in their power. "It may not be generally known to the congregation that the session, recognising the evils which resulted from the constant arrival of the Union Steam Shipping Company's steamers at this port on a Sunday during the first part of the past year sought the co-operation of the , incumbent and church-wardens of Trinity Episcopalian Church, with a view to making such representations to the authorities of the company in Dunedin as would lessen or altogether remove the evil complained of. In response to the memorial, which was forwarded from the two churches, the managing director of the company (Mr Mills) courteously met us, by making the arrival of the steamers here to fall on alternate Sundays, and now, as you are aware, the time-table has been so altered . that our Sabbaths are in this way no longer disturbed. "In concluding its report, the session ■desires to record its hearty thanks to Mr McKinney for his constant and valuable services as organist, and to Mr Henry for his gratuitous attention to the lighting of the church, and to the comfort of the congregation generally. "J. F. Rtodell, "Session Clerk." . The result of the late election of Com-mittee-men was then given, Messrs H. Clarke, J. Maxwell, T. Bennett, and Major Roberts being the gentlemen returned. Mr Bennett, having mentioned the uniform courtesy which the Bat of Plenty Times had extended to the congregation, through notices appearing in the. local column, the meeting terminated. At a meeting of the Committee held afterwards Mr Maxwell was ro-appointcd Secretary and Mr Henry Treasurer.

"BUILDING FUND. £ a. d. To subscriptions,' as per list • 240 0 0 Special collection - - - 15 5 0 Balance '' * ♦ • - 437 8 1 ' £092 13 1 . £ s. d. By D. Lvmdon '♦ - - - 650 3 6 Interest .. . - - - - 10 9 0 . Porter and Co. - - - 14 13 6 Thomas Wrigley - - - 611 7 0. M. Quintal. - - - 33 6 Communion Table - - 210 0 Exchange - - - - 02 0 Error in subscription list - 5 0 0 £692 13 1

" MANAGEMENT FUND. £ s. d. To collections - - - - 125 8 2 Subscriptions for Minister's stipend - - - - 61 5 0 £186 13 2 . £ s. d. By special collection credited to Building Fund - - IS 5 O Rev Mr Hay - - - 100 0 0 Rent of Hall, 0 months - 18 0 0 Rent of Manse - - - 24 10 0 Printing and Advertising - 3 9 0 General Assembly expenses - 10 0 Communion Cup .- - <• 0 8 6 Cleaning Church - - - 2 5 0 - - o o o Trinity Church - - - 7 7 6 Sundries - - • - 0 17 0 Balance - - - - 7 12 11 £186 13 2 "cash account. £ s. d. Amount of overdraft on Building . Fund, as per bank book - 466 16 6 tess credit balance on Management Fund account, as per bankbook - . - 39 8 3 Dr. balance in.bank - - - £427 8 3 „., ■ £ s, d. .Overdraft on Building^ Fund account, 1 as per Treasurer's statement • • - ■ 437 8 1 Credit balance on Management Fund account, as per Treasurer's statement - - 7 12 11 " ' £429 15 2 Due to Treasurer • - 2 6 11 £427 8 3