TERRACE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 501, 7 May 1909, Page 6

TERRACE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.

■■",', ■ : - ANNUAL j MBETINQ.:,' '/, /■:-'; ■:. Congratulation :was thei keynote of the annual meeting of the -Wellington - Terrace Congregational Churchy held in tho schoolroom on Wednesday evening,. the Rev.' J. Reed Glas,'so prpnsiding. /..' ■ , '. -.'.'•;• /■ -. ~: :' ...•'. /.The '-pastor's letter .congratulated''! tbo congregation, on'-.'-."another,-year of quiet, unostentatious work without any yory. striking enterprise or/ .new! departure." '. , With sincere gratitude he called attention toTthe accessions' ,to j the church; during the year,'- and', to ; tho good work done by, the young people,"especially by the.young women. Both the Sunday, niornr ing prayer, meeting' and-.the week-night service: had been''well .maintained.., 'V ; ,' I '' ' '■The;annual report. stated l that the ■ momborship had increased from 122 to ML Reference 1 was made; to , the' death of Mrs. Rhodes and Mrs. John Knowles.' ; An improved attendance afc ; the Sunday ..services was reported,, and -the Sunday: School attendance had increased from 74' to:89.; /At Christmas"time the scholars, in conjunction ..with;the. Young -Women's Club,, ontartained a .number of poorer children at tea, and'distributed/presents from a Christmas tree.' The Young. Women's .Club, with an average .attendance of' 20, :wos preparing for a further;'distribution of clothing among the poor of - the'city.//The amount raised by the churoh and eohool for. the 'London Missionary Society during the.year was w£ll3 ISA id. The church finances were ina satisfactory' condi-. : ticm,-each-fund' being. in' credit,/and .the total amount raised for all purposes during' the year JG9I9 Os.-ld.'.-: The 'pastor's stipend had been increased, and a debit balance wiped off. ; The • average' weekly offertory had increased by!ss; 9d, per! Sunday, and the donations'had; also increased. / Mr. W. 'West-Rnowles, (secretary), and'Mr; F. Meadowcroft-(treasurer).congratulated the church on its:position, and referred in detail' to-various, aspects' of the; year's work.-.' The Rev. David; Hird, of Palmorston North," added his; congratulations to the church ■.■ and its 'pastor,;:who was now within sight' of' a fifteen/years', ministry. > They should'appreciate ;very highly, ,'tho- privilege .of having, a minister : of Hr.OGlasson'e attainments' l and character. ■: In-an earnest, - striking address, Mr.'-.Hird- then, said that it was very satis-; factory, that thechurch should notouly havo held its own, but have done something • more. In, these; da'yß, even to bo able to hold their own was' a very great deal..:' They lived in very difficult days lor the .ministry and 'ohurch' work in general.' To go to church; was once' a-matter of course; to-day, it might be said that to stay away from church was a matter of course.- The difficulty of the' times made it .very necessary "for Christians to realise - their 'responsibility both to the church and the world./' They could only meet the materialism of the.age by their' spirituality and the 'sacrifice they were willing to put into their life and service/ Ho did not think that many of the churches gave . to . the point "of sacrifice. - • Mr.: better than logical and ' theological arguments for/ the 'faith ■ would fP. "W 6ll } °f an intense devotion .to Christian, ideals. / They..would first meet the scepticism, about them by practical -Christian Jmng, and by making - people recognise that there was ,a.-difference, and a world of difference, between Christian people and other people.--It was encouraging ,to know that at leasttbis-jaa.nota materialistic age in;its' interpretation olhfo. ,Crude materialism-had had its .day. (Hear, hear.). People felt that some; kind of spiritual .interpretation' of life and/of the world was. necessarv. Their missoon was to show that Christ and all He represented gave them an' adequate and inspirS g t % terpretatl f li -,;-K; was. also ,encouraging that they were tending to the simplification of belief.; They:needed now to get back to tho apostolic notes of real living passion- towards 016 t ol v C l hnstlnn J»r. and.sacrifice. ter of the Congregational Church. (Hear, hear) He had not yet forgotten his pastorate at Courtenay. Place, and- ho was very glad to renew old acquaintances. The briehtest and of the Church, to his ? ea r "f^i 110 oultivation of sympa hy .prachcab.lity, : .and/spirituality as '^ntiS speeches : were - also made by the Revs W. Evans and Macdondld after which a given to soveralXmbers of. the congregariou who hare been abroad Several anthems by the choir were given rag the evening. ■ -. ■ ""