Warepa Soiree.

Clutha Leader, Volume II, Issue 66, 14 October 1875, Page 5

Warepa Soiree.

. A soiree in connection with the Warepa congregation took place on Tuesday night,. in. the church. There -was a large .attendance, the building being well filled. The 'pro<jeedings of the evening, were, commenced by the Rev. Mr Bannerman asking a ' blessing; - Tea : was then served' by an efficient staff of.stewards. • The.good things were in great abundance, and were heartily partaken off. The tea over, the Rev. Mr "Waters, the pastor of the congregation, took the'chair, and beside, him were the. Revs.- Messrs 'Bannerman,. Mackie (First Church, Dunedin), M'Ara, and Allan.. The 100 th' Psjilm was' sung,' by the congregation, after which the choir sang one of Saukeyte hymns, "Hold the Fort." , ! The Chairman then said the first duty was for him to' lay before • the report'"' of the ; Deacon's Court as to .the.present financial, position of the congregation, and from, which we give the following extracts:—There has been no formal report 'made .to the congregation since we had our last soiree, ;which was in. 1872, and near about ; the.same date as we have it this v . year. ■. But the "whole monies'of the congregation are every year j made public in the printed copies, of the Synod's I proceedings, a copy of .whichis left at every house I in the-congregation. The financial statement.— | The BUstentatioh l fuhd: During the period of the last five years there has been a.considerable increase in oar contributions to .this fund. each of years 1870 and 71, the'contnbutidns amounted to (without counting shillings)'£l47 j in 1872 to •ei«>,7mlß73;;to : £l6o;>.in 1874,t0 £178; in June, for last half year, to £90.85. r Indeed, each of the'last half'years the contributions /to this fund have kept-close about ;£9O. ■: It isi to he hoped that ;this present half; year wiUVnotbe less. During the two or three years, a good many have ihereksed ; their; contributions, and a considerable number of yoUng>people. have ,be, come contributors, but unfortunately many of these have left or soon "will leave'the congregation, being drawiv off to the riewsettleraerits that are being taken up.'.. Church door.-rCollections ordinary 0 : During the last five years.the lowest to which the door collections,'amounted was in the years 72 and 73, while ih74 and 75ithese ' collections ha,ve been the highest. ..Last year the. ; amount was £42 j in 71 it was £31 5 in 72£36. The average of the other years are £41: These lowest-years were times when the prices for>farra> produce were Very low especially, in 7}. i Special collections: These are ior chur«h ex'tehsmni'missioiis, for passage mbmoyfor for the Bible Sooietyi and.for the Beneyolenti Institution.- Tb.e. former; ; of these are, more, especially the church's own schenfes; the latter' two (Bible 'Society- and Benevolent -Institution)j are more from the. .outside. '. Our first mission; contributions were—in 71, £10, Us; .in 73, -£13; 1; in 73,£i5 4s Id; in 74, £20 Bssd; for' mission ship in 74, ?£1914s 7d ; total fortforeigri mission purposes, JB7B 19s Id.: For' 75 ! the;, cbllection'for 4 missions r falls to be made in the ; beginning bf next'month". '"'• You are aware : thkt' the"; foregn : mission: scheme 7of j • our jTshuroh-. includes, not only the New ( Hebrides, bu.talso;the, Maoris and Chinese in Otago.' If is- not perhaps very s greatv but it 1 -is' a-matter bf gratificatibn that from this /congregation, fqr .thetjlasjb four years an. average "of £20 a.year of 'our money, has been.. applied to try to pkuit the .Gospel''of'-Christ; among these Heathen people. ' >Therthought'of l it awakens the fe'elmg.of having; to do "a good' and'laxidable thing.. Church ox--tehsibtf.-HFbr this 'fuhd'in 70, £2; in 71',; fil 13s;, in 72f,. JSli'lOs. y. £2-ss;! in 74;)16sl; !iri-tfs, - £5 9s 6d; B for.fiye, years,,,. £U 13s 6d. Ministers' passage money.—ln the year 70, £17s 6d;-in.71,-£22s J in 74, ,£3 2s ri 6dV.; total four years, 6d," Collection for '75 nbt ; yet mad >.''. Aged and: infirm roihistevs' oh 1 in ■ 74;" £2 17s '8d: Forcible, Society in ;1874;. £7 10s.9d.;iNo.con,-;, tributioos have .been; made: yet, fpr the,present' year.' For the.Bsnevolfenti Ihstifcutiofcfor 1874; , £7 ls'.Bd -t in 75, £7s 17s 9d.; > ''MissiohV-P : ' Foivthis scheme,we.hay^' ; average of about £1,53 only for the last few years. > ' : Tliere remains only'the "seat rents to We topbi'ted.' If isnot easy to report these; 1 accurately, 1 &s ftfceys game in in, very small .sums, andlwere e)itef'ed.,as;: they came in, and by a strict rule were .applied; j to payment of'clebt oh church,'-or to paytnent of j interest on loans, or. to:incideritat repairs. .fTke- . small sum,of d? 2 for ins»ra,nce,oAmanse ' paid bui; of,'it. Such' is a'stal%rinenb 01 6,ur cpn'gregabio'nalrdvenue'foij trie last fivb' -yeark.' 1 ' r A'l- ' though -we; .-might -.all.: wish ;it • to" ; be .higber; -yet'i taking' the oircumsfences of many, of these . ihfb 'cflnsidefafeiobt thbre ! is"'t.Uffi,cienV"fbr. fe&'ing* gratified'that they amounted to so do.. As. to; ,how r thesefmoneys.rhawe -been -6X7 pended,'of course all, except^the'brdinary|ao]lec r . "tious, to a ?i pciiOV are paid over'to 'tlie schemes ,for. w,hjch 'jthoy were givbnvand-all-appearrinjthe. 'ahujualfipahcialstaleinent of. the Synod., ...As tp : ■ r th4 ordinary 'doorcollectiba's,' they are applied ai jfoliows expenses', : £l f lO's* td'l2si ; u .r,W;arfl;p,»- ?.nd; -£p ynfiynbH' "and Tresbytery ex'pe.nsos, £'d!; f ,so T(as'"^ n 'ffiere f ackbb\\'ledgmeh , t)-J to minister", * as u supiile)mentic£^o.^: , :tjOaah{hlre\l;b' , '.£l4.os',;^hjcli, , poTrnd/Jps'twoi 'of balanbe 'in hard, which r occasions hasj, j'bee%fpXTd^t^' r the'susteTriatibTi Mn'd; ;OUt;sbvdral" : the-iwh9le. > '.ambuutoPf rrthei J short of, meeting thqaboEe'Sums I n > p i f • -rthose < tMW^b? r wW f a J littlq cufiiownf C'rlport $k*"do»ilß4 Chigdiiailons s x ifegard'mg ( ;•tho^reaaj«Sf t 'manse". The amount,of the tender..wa^r,£2^9.^

—— « ' • • _Of.thissuni:£2ooh'ad"beenliotSom '■ A P ew , stable, had.,also been erected, * and the whole remaining -debt in connection With these works was_.£9o,_wMch__could-be paid as convex nient. .The. Chairman coucluded his report by ; expressing his belief 'thai, 'the whole of their ; buildings l were, more complete than Hhose of any of. their neighbors, while.their debt was perhaps less than any of them.: He paid a high compliment to the office-bearer* of the congregation for the economy, they practised, and- the great trouble they took' in cynnection with;- the affairs of the congregation, and closed as follows t Jjefrmit .mc .*« say ere/ I sit down that this assembly here to-night, recalls to my mind-our' last meeting of this nature, and,another.event which I have, not. forgotten; and that I desire to embrace this,as r th> first opportunity 1 have.had of tendering to you of thiscougtegatiou very deep and sincere thanks for the>kindness and sympathy which I then and.since have .experienced at,the bands of all 6f you.. '"-I shall say <ho,mote. :-.. The Chairman then called upon - x A The Rev. Mr Allan,,.who,, hi a humorous referred to the rumor.;jajt one time ourrent, of an intention to give him a call to the Warepa congregation. 'When he ..had traversed "Shaw's? track," cinße'then he ;f,elt glad he' s badnotgoS the call, but now that he, saw their ,-fine church and manse, he, was' inclined to. feel sorry they, werenot his. He thought it scarcely "modest o£ Mr Waters to blow his own trumpet so loudly. He had attempted to show that Warepa-had kes? debt than their neighbors, but he (Mr.Allanl could inform them that Inch Clutha were alto* gethei- free "of. .'.debt,- He (Mr Allan) had th* oldest church ih'the district, and he much respected it, but it was now doomed, as they were about to have a new churoh, and it would jba such as would take the shine out of s the whole of them.. Mr Allan then delivered a very good address upon the various kinds and phases of* love, and concluded by congratulating the congregation Upoh their comfort and.prosperity,. :.;"-. . The Rev. Mr Bannerman said he was not going' ; to inflict a speech upon them, and that for various reasons. They had how heard his' frequently for the past 21 years, and he'bad spoken to them upon so many subjects that were he to address them,then he would likely just go over old ground. Besides, they had amongst theru that evening a gentleman they had not hitherto heard, and who they would like to hear. He referred to the Rev. Mr Mackie. fiewiu* glad to hear from the report read that the congregation was in T so prosperous a position,, ahdt urged that now they were out of debt they should] help their neighbors. Mr Allan had; addressed them upon the subject of love, and he,(Mr,B;f found it written of love that it seeketh, riot its own but the things of others. Ab to the practical shape this love should take in the case of the congregation, he read extracts from a letter he had just received from tfce Rev. Mr Paton, New Hebrides Missionary,; giving an, acceunt of the great encouragement they had in connection with the mission work in the islands, and the heed i which existed for more laborers. -Mr. Patonalso ' mentioned that it was necessary ,Mr Milne's house should be enlarged to accommodate the natives who came for instruction, and ..also, he required a boat to replace the rickety old.carioe which was all he at present had. The cost of theboat would be from £20 to £30, and,,ho B.) suggested that the Warepa congregation should supply the boat (applattße). Mr; Milno i was a 'missionary sent by their church m Otago, and he (Mr B.) asked the congregation to: broyide boat, and also to make the mission field r the subjebt of their earnest prayers, for a Messing upbb the labors of the missionaries! : ; , The Rev. Mr Mackie, who was received with loud and continued, applause, said it was a pleasant Surprise to him to be present.at their soiree. He had just arrived at Ba'clutha that, evening from Invercargill, and had come on .with Mf M'Ara, He was also glad to have arrived amongst them with his life, and hoped they would set about mending their ways. He humorously depicted the state bf the road from the Mataura, saying it was a" General Wade" all the pray. Ho was much pleased with their great proficiency m music. He had in , the Synoa supported their Minister in'h'is pioposal that the Presbytery should engage a, teacher to teach their; cpngrega* tions, and he was now very glad he had done so, for from the nature of the music, to which they had listened that evening, the plan had proved entirely successful. Referring to music generally, he said it seemed as if recent revivals had enabled them to discover the wonderful power of, hymns and music. ■ He referred to a. number of cases .where, in his own .experience," Singing of these hymns had been blessed to suf* fevers oh their death, beds in Difaedin. He referred to the practice elsewhere of young ladies visiting death-beds, and singing hymns to the sufferers, and recommended the adoption, of the course. Since, his arrival in Dunedin he had been so much occupied with the affairs of his own congregation that he had hot as yet had time to visit many others. He had, however, officiated for Mr Greig, on the Peninsula, and .was just returning from dispensinglhe communion for Mr Stobo at Invercargill.- He was struck multitudes who attended, and J the growing vital interest every where manifesto 1 in matters of religion. As communities and as ;congregations, he said all were interested and busy in matters affecting the Church; but he hoped each individual would seek to have a'.personal'interest in religionUthat all should make,buto that; they.', were safe in the arms of Jesus, as' they had been

singing.' J''':' ''- ' ' '.".A.'. „- ' • The Rev. Mi? M'Ara Baidhe had;prepared a \ speech for the bbcasibn, but'at that late hour,hh r Would.only give them the.text, and would deliver. ;the' speech the next time he.<ame but.; .The text he' said"was "There's naemck about the.house,'! U6. ;He therefore would merely ,cohgratulate A the congregation Upon its prbsperbua^cuTum--stances,'ahd asdelighted with. ; - the'excellent music towhich they hadlistetted. "j". Messrs Johnston, and, : Poisonialso mSde a few ; appropriate remarks; •.,.,- •, : -i Thrphghbiit the eyenihg a numerous., choir,:; sung a' number of Sankey's hymns,; atfd various r ; selections!from .«? The, Service/; of SbhV';and trip was : glveri by Misses Aysph and B*bmet,.aho:y 1 Mrs Dabinet. ' The whole were;- rendered moat £ efficiently, andreflected great credit.utoiitheir7 teacher,: Mr Reid, ,as-"well as upon thepupfls, for. \ the strict jmy. mus,t have.' given their 'Mr Betd iias;;pniy f^been w£/ . gaged'with l theht one night a f ,three, } mohthsi ey;en. ifc.hts nigp'thef "of," th8 r 'jbuuemg.oi: tjie variousl pieces'.was\ah aireeablo' sw-prw tosu;.. •,;..;; , At';thCcohclus|Lon;bf.theprbgr% man'calledupbu. • ..,ifi,V..V/ ?.:*w>'"ur> ! H-')haii\"~tL Mr Fleming, who. Said he asmrich enitledaa ( pre^nj£, B Hi# pleasure, hqssver r :- wha[t different ; •' gratified • Mr ; Mackie,7whbm'he had long^fished Js^j>J~ ; he^WihedLtb^ar^, ; %hjfl;&rjggj 0 , cessbr-V-Dr/BOrhsL '*Wp& 7 debt only aWuhted'tb;^p.f-bu.t;h%'(Mf ; ':believfed it'matte^^ery.ljtfle "}jftto^Sffll9ixi'« x £90,br:J^()q,;a 3; tihey:coifl4 *ay,it ? »> morning if they cpose., ,7Jle ' !fo heatMrßanneMWs.to i Mr Milne;. and.^M.B.ufo^reo^ •■ to t4ke' the' initiative, and 3 | ; onci^'sub^^ii^^ ' gratification, arose from ,; - (name $em;'; as .bejptnomte, : i in wsmmm%m Wd- ffoußgJadies ~^ alonp/ • seen.s&hipy j ;nbthl»g.;.; the janest ' *)r antfgijgr^^e.^s^ 3i ,-y^^S^^^|