ST. JOHN'S church.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 312, 26 September 1908, Page 7

ST. JOHN'S church.

| ' ,A' SUCCESSFUL' YEAR. The annual report of St. John's Prcsbyr teriaiv'Church, to bo, presented ..at the yearly, meeting ; next Wednesday, states that., the work for tho year, though disturbed by; circumstances ; of _ an qxtraprdiiiary nature, chief among which was the, absence on I furlough'- for several' months 0f..; tho Rev. j- I) r.. Gibb, has been characterised by much steady ■and progressive'■ effort.'in the .numerous departments of congregational '.activity; by loyal and. faithful servico of many devoted workers; by steadfast adherence on-tho.-part; ;of an increasing membership to the means of grace offered by. the Sabbalth; arid weeknight . services—all symptomatic -of,, a" strong, "and vigorous church' life, and of a widespread interest in the religious welfare of the congregation and in. tho progress of the church at large. Prior to Jiis departure, Dr. Gibb, together with a committeo appointed by tho session, 1 made complete arrangements for tho supply of the pulpit, and, so far, theso havo )>son carried out without hitch of any kind, and' have proved to ho extremely satisfactory. Tho Rev. J. Gibson Smith, of St.. Andrew's, was appointed moderator/ His work in. connection with tho general oversight of the congregation, and especially his ministrations at the Communion sorvices and his visitation of the sick, havo boon greatly appreciated. Referring to tho ministers who havo acted .as supply, tho report says: —"The imppession is borno in upon members by thoir contact with these visitors from other churches that the Presbyterian Church in New Zealand , and Victoria' has in its service men of rare devotion of heart and jbrain; fully alive to the needs of the church, and ably grappling with tho solution of pre-sent-day problems. Tho attendance at both services,has.been woll maintained; as a rulo ■the capacity' of tho. church is taxed to: its utmost at the evening service, a large percentage being visitors." Tho Communion Roll now stands at 697, an . advance of-seven over that of last year. The attendances .'at Communion' were as follow:—September, 1907, 400; December, 1907, 386: March, 1908, 355'; June, 1908,-360. The week-night service'has beeu very well attended on the whole;

- There, aro 209 -boys and 226, girls on tho rolls, of, the Willis Street and Mount Cook Sabbath Schools, a gain of thirty-four on last year's roll. Tho teachers number fiftyone, a gain of two over last year.' About twenty, teachers or ■ prospective teachers, most of them belonging -to tho schools of the congregation; have been in regular attendance at 'tbe weekly preparation class, their one object being to equip themselves more fully, so that their work may be • increasingly effective.' In this matter the superintendents and teachers aro loyally supporting tho elforts being made by tho Assembly to seouro more ofi'ectivo and more thorough teaching ii)' all our schools. Tho church is beginning to realise more intensely that tho oducatioaal sido of its work represented by tho Sunday schools and Bible classes must receivo greater prominence than heretofore. Thoro are 122 young men and 134 young women on th# rolls of tho Mount Cook and Willis Street classes. These continuo to be contres of vigorous and active life. AH the classes mako a strong featuro of contributing to various schemes of tho church, and especially to the mission-schemes. The Willis Street Young' Mon's Class still makes the Boys' Institute ono of its chief objectives. -Last year its contribution to this object amounted to £48. Tho total collected for mission purposos in this class was £20 9s. 6d. Tho total subscriptions to outside objccts by the Willis Street Young Women's Clas3 was £40. The subscriptions of tho Mount Cook classes aro equally good in proportion to their members. The Boys' Institute, which is one of tho most important organisations of tlie church, receives s, largo measure of. support from philanthropic irien and women outside a3 ,well as inside the! church. Well established in a good 'building, equipped with all neodful appliances for providing recreative and instructional' opportunities for tho lads, managed by its capablo leader, Mr. C. P...C01011eus, whoso efforts aro-supported by a strong and enthusiastic committee, ..tho institute promises to bo in tho future, even to { a greater extent than it. has hitherto been, a centre of beneficont influenco for the district. X The total income for all purposes amounts to £2832 9s. lid. Of this sum" £818 12s. Id. was for objects outsido the immediate wants of tho congregation, of which sum tho'largest portion went to homo and foreign missions, ' *