PARISHIONERS' MEETINGS.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16206, 8 May 1918, Page 9

PARISHIONERS' MEETINGS.

ST. MATTHEW'S, ST. ALBANS. There a pood attendance at the annual meeting' of parishioners of St. Mat. there's, St. Albans, presided over by the vicar, the Rev. Arthur Horo. The churchwardens' report stated that tho church fund account had closed -with a credit balance of £125 36a 4d, over £40 better than at the close of the previous year; there was & debit balance of £&1 63 8d on the day eshool account. Tho new organ fund had close*! with a crcdit balance of £575 15» 3d, an increase of £334 Is 6d, thanks to the generous gift by a parishioner of £200, and to tho ladies of tho Sewing Guild, who raised £100 by their anuual Bale of work. The building account liad closed with a credit balance of £166 14s lOd. The amount of indebtedness to the Church Property Trustees on March 31st la«t was £757 18a lid. The report was adopted. Tiie vicar's report st.atid that tho work of the parish had gone on steadily and quietly, The number of communicants showed an increase, but the congregations at other services, though well maintained, did not eeem to be as large as was to be expoctcd. The day school had continued to flourish, though tho roll number was not quite as high as it had been last year. Although the parish had in hand nearly sufficient money for a new organ, .it had been found impossible to obtain a tender for tho work owing to the enormously increased coet of metals, even if they could be get at present. It seemed that they would have to wait till the war was over before anything could bo done. Tho report vna adopted. Tho following officers wore elected :—Vicar's warden, Mr V\'. C. ArmiWgo; parishioners' warden, Mr F. J. Saville vestry, ;M«e?rs EatncG, Clibborn, Allen, Hebdcn, Lloyd, Hobbs, Bailey, Baker, Button, and Xunaij. The vicar, in ail address, dealt with the items mentioned in the report, and other parish matters, end stated that probably a new .Church of England school would bo started in tho parish in tho near future. A special vote of thanks was pataed to Miss (ii'.l. for many years teacher, and Sforetary oi the Sunday School. The Vestry waa elected a school committer to deal with tho already existing Church of Knglai-d day school, subject to tho conditions of tho diocesan education ache inc. Ii was resolved: "That this meeting of parishioners of St. Matthew's, St. Albans, is in favour of the church franchise (Archdeacon Williams's proposal being altered to a communicants' basis, and that it bo extended to include women." /