PHILLOPSTOWN.

Press, Volume L, Issue 14952, 27 April 1914, Page 5

PHILLOPSTOWN.

The annual meeting of parishioners of the Church of the Good Shepherd, Phillipstown, was held in the parish schoolroom on Thursday evening, the Vicar, the Yen. Archdeacon Ensor, presiding over an attendance of about forty.

Tho Vicar, in his address, stated his regret at not being able, owing to illhealth, to minister to the parishioners during Lent and Eastertide, and informed those present that his medical advisers had ordered him away to a warmer climate for at least the three worst mouths of tho winter, but he hoped to bo able to again take up his work in the parish after August, hie congratulated the parishioners on their efforts to reduce the debt on the church and parish room, and stated that tho time was not far distant when thewholo of the debt would be wiped off. He referred to the splendid services rendered by Miss Hook ham. who had been forced through ill-health to relinquish her work in the Sunday School. Iv exclusion, he thanked nil who had their assistance in the church work during tho past year, especially the teachers of the State school* Bible classes, under Sister May. The attendunco at these classes, he stated, was most gratifying, no less than 243 children attending. The churchwardens' report congratulated the parishioners on still retaining the services of Archdeacon Ensor as Vicar, and upon the improved condition of the parish financially. During the year a lump sum of fifty pounds hud been paid oh tho principal of the church loan. The envelo)x. system had now been'in force two years, and judging by tho result, tho method was a good one, having increased tho S>mH_w offering fay fully one-third, although it had unfortunately closed other sources of revenue.

The statement of accounts showed that receipts for the past year amounted to £497 los Bd, and payments, including a balance of £30 _s lid brought forward from the previous year, amounted to £s_o 17_ 9d, whilst the total indebtedness of tho parish was £377 9s. of which cum £127 8s lOd represented the amount owing on the church loan, and £195 19s _d on the school loan.

Mr C. H. F. Hamilton was reappointed Vicar's warden, and Mr H. B. Veitch was re-elected parishioners' warden, whilst tho following members of the retiring vestry were re-elected: —Messrs 0. Toms, It. J. Stothers, H. G. Beauchamp, E. F. Wilcox, E. "Wright, J. Maddren, J. W. Cragg, R. H. Francis, and G. T. Bullock. Mr Alfred Hirtzoll was re-elected honorary auditor A motion' pledging .he support of the meeting to the request for a referendum on tho Bible in State schools question, was carried unanimously.