CONGREGATIONAL MEETING.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 5485, 16 March 1910, Page 2

CONGREGATIONAL MEETING.

' Immediately after the Sunday Sehott Cflebratious a Congregational meetiv was held, when there was a good it. | tendance, including several connte members. Mr M. Spence (circuit steward} mU that the conference had wished to n> move the Rev. A. Ilopper to Palatr. ston South. When the first iattaa. tion to this effect had been received a Tauranga several of the office- bettor sent a protest at once. Eubscqucttb they held a meeting and sent farther protests to the Eev. Mr Bond. Up till that time a reply had not been receiftd, as Mr Bond bad not arrived back it Auckland, The office • bearers hid asked that either the Beys. Bond « Brook should visit Tauranga and look into the position of affairs here. Obgnt work had recently been commencad it Papamoa, Te Puna Point, Oropi, In. ruru, and Bethlehem. Attendance it all these places meant a great deal of travelling, and it was thought that i new minister would find difficulty a taking up the work. They had ukld the congregation to assemble that night to support the action of the tffie* bearers. > Mr G. F. Ppooner referred -nT'lngi t rms to the excellent services of Mr Ilopper. Be Lad done well, and «ti likely to do well, especially in the ool* side districts. It was painted out to the Eev. Bond that a young man wm required to carry on the work cl tbf whole district. * Mr W. W. Brooks moved -Thatff action of tiie office -taarera in thtjl f Sorts to retain Mr Hopper's scrfiNi be confirmed, and that this nieetUf of the congregation express tWt earnest wish that he be ' retaintii here for another ypor. V^ The motion was seconded by X$ Keam. '. ■ ,

Messrs ]W. T. Teasey and T. & Allely supported the resolution, wUdi was then put to the meeting by Mr Spence, and c&riied without a tiogb dissentient. Mr Hopper returned thanks for tW vote and for the sympathy shown H him by the congregation. Mr J. Copeland expressed pleuatf at seeing such unanimity in favour tit a continuance of Mr Hopper's mmjfT tration in the district, and ftrosglf advised the congregation to endetvotf to raise the status of the church to t circuit, so that in the future they wmU be able to send a representative to tk Conference to look after their ia* terests. Mi> Spooner believed that if Mr Hopper's services were retained tar another year that they could then «k to be made a circuit. Mr Fowler endorsed Mr dpooiltft remarks, and said an energetic mini** •fcer and one familiar with the worit was required in the Tauranga dittriet He moved— That a copy of the iMjitf the circuit be made and gent to iW Home Mission Executive.— The motiit was duly seconded and passed nntti* mously. Mr £. Ho well said the questiott d raising the district from a home mh I sion station to a circuit was largely * matter of finance. Mr Spence intimated that the mitt* was one for future ca?.sider*tioa. This concluded the business at tW meeting of the congregation, fft>T which the office bearers met for tb# purpose of notifying the result to ikt Church authorities in Auckland.