KAIAPOI WESLEYAN SUNDAY SCHOOL ANNIVERSARY.

Press, Volume XXI, Issue 2401, 16 April 1873, Page 3

KAIAPOI WESLEYAN SUNDAY SCHOOL ANNIVERSARY.

sermons of this school 1 the Kaiapoi Wesleyan ■■ *&* fm Sunday last; in the morning by $**)* a Bond, who chose for his text, $* -,[lei. chap 12, verse 1—" Remember **£2tathJ days of thy youth," and t^^fSThis hearers on the adviser, the those advised in the foregoing r #£> u the evening, the Rev R. Bavin, 'i *$»* .-adent of the Kaiapoi circuit, deW^ i an eloqnent discourse bearing on the = schools. During the afternoon the j the number of 240 were i phool cau p U blic examination, conducted i of the circuit. The i W X L. «yen to the various questions were satisfactory; and during the select hymns were sung by : *?* It is not too much to say that ' * e ?Se reflects great credit on the Rev **! Tin. who has for some time been teach-S-rte choir, and to Miss Lock, who pre- ' Sβ"!. t h e harmonium. The amount taken 1 of the day was £6 11s 7d. 1 "nn Monday a public tea-meeting was Jfifl the Wesleyan day school, which for nccasion bad been tastefully decorated 1 flowers, and grasses by SL BUlens, Brooke, A'Court, Evans, **Tbe stormy look of the weather ?Liened, however, to interfere with the *siance at the tea, though we are glad to ffjfcdid not do so to any.extent. The SLwere profusely supplied with creature *«furtfl by Meadames Lock, H. Anderson, fSStoi, B- BmenB > w - Weston, J. JLtW T. Todd, the bachelors, and also a S& tray, both of the latter being well complete success, the tables Jnetoaded with good things, which were rtldectlj appreciated by the numerous M W as proved by the fact that after the repast most of the tables were literally •mntiea rf CTer y e& * &^e ' There must have jjbei tea, an ad]ournment was made to the Church, which was crowded to excess, when rtie Ect B. BaviD, superintendent of the cir-,-ijt failing Mr Garrick, who was absent, took the chair. Ihe children smg the hymn," Sing to the great Jehovah's Praise," in a most creditable BHsmer, doing great credit to their leader. \ jiisa Locke presided at the harmonium. After j which, ittte Eev. George Bond engaged in 1 y»Jff. <j3se Chairman said he heartily congratu\jiei Uiose present on the brilliant success (£fiss to meeting. On entering the school jj X ,j D _iQ which the tea was laid out—he had jeen «aßed to find it looking so lively and Toat&M. It seemed to him that, it had taien afresh lease of its youth, thanks to the friends who had so kindly decorated it. He tad been amused at the straights to which the ladies had been-put, to supply the many friends who had been present, and plentiful as the supply of corn in Egypt had been, the consumption had been equal if not in excess ef the supply. He would not trespass further upon their time, but would call upon Mr John Ellen, the general secretary, to read the jeport. Mr Ellen then. Tead the report as follows: — "Iα presenting the annual report your office-bearers and teachers have great pleasure in congratulating — first, upon their financial position, as they find that at the end of the year they are only a few pounds in, debt. The income for the past year from various sources has amounted to £29 Iβ Hid. The expenditure has been £37 lls 10d, inclusive of previous liabilities, Upon a careful consideration your teachers and committee have estimated the expenditure at about £28 for the present year, which trill include cleaning school, books for the use of the school, reward books, replenishing the library, discharging our present liabilities, which amount to £9 8s 4d. We have at the present time in the school 14 male and 9 female teachers; total, 23. Last year we had 13 male and 9 femaleteachers; increase on the present year, 1 male teacher. There are at present on the roll book 257 scholars. Last year at this time we had 230 on the roll, increase on the present year 17 scholars. The aierage attendance of teachers during the past year has been, morning, 2 : afternoon, 14 J. Last year, morning, 3 ; afternoon, 14. During the year three teachers have left the eeihool; four have removed to other parts; oaeha&\)een removed by death (we allude to Mias Hary Hardy). Hef labors in the jchool were brief, but we'aTe grateful to record that fier death was marked great peace. She has gone to be for ever with the Lord. The average attendance of scholars for the year has been, morning, 22|; afterLast year, morning, 35 £ ; aftersooa, 154 J. Decrease of average attendance Oα the year of about eleven scholars.

"Your teachers see no reason to be disieartened on account of the small decrease, Aβ two other Sabbath schools have been Opened in the town daring the past year, and several of our scholars are attending them. Oar school is divided into three sections, lirat, Infant class, numbering 42. The reason wbyyour committee took the step to form an infant class apart from the school was, because the number and npise of the little ones was found very inconvenient to the carrying <a of the general school. The second or tlsaentary section numbers 181 ; the Scriptoe class 34. Your committee caw the necessity for building a room for the infant class, bat not having funds at their command fte trustees kindly consented to allow them theoseofthe veetry. During the year the teskchera have held quarterly tea meetings wd monthly meetings for business, the whole <i Which has been marked with perfect "aiimity and oneness of mind. But still -tesldwant presses upon us, and that is SSK teachers. We sometimes have to put two classes in one, and at other times we nave no teacher at all for some of the ..classes. The children thereby become negates, and the old proverb holds good, «jj« year's seeding brings nine years' *eedjng,» ft n by the report ■ttaFthereare 113 more scholars on the roll *™B the average attendance. The question Where are these children, and what weffiey doing? In order to answer these nB, we m,lßt k ßve an absentee visitor, «m this cannot be done unless some member ■■.« will volunteer to do the *"**• We would also bring under your «*KSB the young men of our school. The ,TOion has often been mooted at our teeners' meetings, What shall be done to «ep them from leaving our schools ? It has said ' We should have a select class for W&S men. The old obstacles rises up "Sj ,, We must have more teachers, and ™j-eBB we can procure the services of some we from our congregation, or have our num- *® of teachers increased, these young men perish from lack of knowledge, and we «»People will not be found guiltless. The «wol has been brought under the Conferof 1872, with very satisfac- ' g*T Jesuits. Our school library contains w? ames; " doinggood service, and we **ff to make it more efficient. f sang the hymn " Battling' sang the hymn " Battling for i.P'fpHAiKMAN said he had great pleasure MUitrodacing the Rev H. Bull, who had Jest arrived in their circuit. T«e, Eev H. Bull, who was warmly re- ? ea, said he had great pleasure in beinp ™at at their meeting, though if he had wuowed the dictates of his own feelings he «TOia not have been present, as he was suf"*ag from a severe cold. He impressed "£°a the parents and teachers the import- ; aaee or first consecrating themselves to k«l acd His service. liT esp ß Blackwell and Bate then dea Ppropriate addresses, which were The Bey Geobge Boxd followed with an speech, in which he related a few ™*j excellent and telling anecdotes, to Pwe that children are very capable of re"jng good. *k£ Election was then made, during wmcjj the children sang another hymn. *Ja Ch A 2 B3IAN closed with a few pointed «m appropriate remarks. &<»n TO v Of tbanke to thc ,adies and gentleytno had provided the trays was pro«

posed by Mr Eyres, seconded by Mr B. Pamham, and carried with applause. Mr B. ElltS then proposed a vote of thanks to the superintendent of the school, the officers, and teachers. Mr Locke had great pleasure in seconding the vote of thanks, and it was carried with immense applause. The Rev H. Bull then pronounced the benediction. The amount of collections, &c, received at the different meetings was as follows ■— Sunday—morning, £4 5s 6d ; evening £2 69 Id ; proceeds of tea, £16 18s 9d ; Monday collection, £l 16s lid ; total, £25 7s 3d