BALCLUTHA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH SOCIAL.

Clutha Leader, Volume XXVII, Issue 1439, 16 October 1900, Page 3

BALCLUTHA PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH SOCIAL.

i The annual social in connection with the Balclutha Presbyterian Church was held on Thursday evening lasfc. There was a good attendance of members aud friends. The Chairman, the Rev. Mr Currie, in his introductory remarks referred to the work of the past year. The attendance at public worship had, perhaps, been better than in the past, and yet, considering the number of members and adherents, should be much better. Too many of them attended very irregularly. He thanked the office-bearers, fche Sunday School teachers, the members of the choir, the ladies of the sewiDg guild and others for the help they had given during the past year. The following are the chief items of revenue and of expenditure — Of revenue : Sustentation Fund Ll4O, seat rents L3O 12s 6d, ordinary collections L 143, missions L 22 13s, other special collections Ll2 5s 4d, missionary sewing guild upwards of Lls, Sabbath School L 6 18s lid. On the side of expenditure : — Sustentation fund L2OG, minister's supplement L 25, choir L2O, church officer L2O. Addresses, interesting, strong, and helpful were thereafter given by tbe Rev. Mr Elliott on "Family Worship," by the Rev. Mr M'Kerrow (Mosgiel) upon " The Church," and by the Rev. Mr Sands, formerly of South Africa, on " The Boer War." Family Worship, Mr Elliott believed, was rapidly becoming less and less the important factor in the life of fche family it once was. The fact was beyond dispute and was greatly to be deplored. The daily recognition of God in the home had done much to make Scotland the nation she had become. Mr M'Kerrow gave a very thoughtful address and spoke, at. some length. He evidently has no great belief in the unattacked Christian, j The New Testament, he said contemplated ' no such person: The Church was the home for believers. Hearty co-operation, faithful service — these should ever be forthcoming. —Mr Sands regarded the war as a necessity.

V l ™™T^»»i»lHritl-______»__fcKiriiiW^ It was a terrible solution of a very difficult problem, but it was the only one." Life in many parts of South Africa was becoming intolerable to the British residents. The Boers held them in contempt and were rapidly preparing for the ' establishment of a strong and united South African Republic. The Chairman apologised for the absence of the Rev. Mr Allan of Stirling. During the evening the choir, with Mr Reid as leader, and Mrs Grigor as organist, rendered in a very effective manner, several anthems and solos, the parts in the latter oemg taken by Misses Clark, Moffat, Davidson, Mesdemes Jack, and Bentley, and by Messrs Jack, Maidmeht, and Moffat. Mr Brugh is his own finished style gave a reading from the Light of Asia. The usual votes of thanks to the speakers, to tbe choir, to the ladies who had provided the eatables and who had so nicely decorated the Church, were proposed and heartily carried, and the first part of the programme brought to an end Tea and a plentiful supply of sandwiches and cake were handed round about a quarter to ten o'clock. Needless to say full justice was | done to the good things and more especially by the boys and girls.