ST. JOHN'S CHURCH

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 953, 21 October 1910, Page 8

ST. JOHN'S CHURCH

THE ANNUAL MEETING. ; ■ AN, INTERESTING REPOKT. The an.riual riieeting and . anniversary social of St.. John's congregation (Presbyterian) was held in the School Hall, Dixon Street,, on:, Wednesday . evening.There was a' large attendance-of members and adherents'of the church. Dr. Gibb presided, ami the report and . balancesheet, which has been published, were taken'-as'read. .-.- .■ ". -.•-..■. .... ,j Mr. James 1 M'Kerrow moved the' adopiion of the. report.- .He .alluded to tha difficulties with .which they were faced by the growth- suburbwards of.the city,' but said /that in spite of this they had held their own- very well. Spiritually, the church had prospered, and the finances were' satisfactory.,. .They , ended the year '• with a' bank debit' balance α-educed from ,£476 t0.£215;- The motion was-sec-onded- by Mr.-John Boal, who made reference to the,many,, tokens;of the churcn's vitality. It was sometimes, said in.these days that, the Church was'dying. - It would be well.if those-'who were so mind-' ed would:, only look .into' St.; John's on a' Sunday. , .It- was-. true, ;however, -that' tliere. was room for a large - increase of the spirit.of saorifice. '' . ; . ■; ■'•:. . . Remarks by. Dr. Gibb.'■; :'■'■■, in, putting the,:motion,,Dr." Gibb saidi there was; f the: less need of ' a lengthy speech : from 'him in ihat every phase' of the. congregation's,' ivbrk .had - been. Vdealt with'- in the--report. .•;'.He., expressed ' deep, appreciation, of-the generous and hearty assistance, he had received.'fromworkers in all the -departments of their activity... .'There-was,-however, ground'.of complaint that so many people in their communion, as. in all -the cliurches,'-'con-ditioned their attitude not by , a.sense of duty,- : .'bpt by <, mere'-inclinahon. ■ •- What was , there they.-'inight not ..attempt. and accomplish if they were all fully inspired by the spirit of Christ? He mentioned that if; was- now 'seven'".years, and :. two months since he had had the honour of being inducted ■ as -.' their minister. At that time, considering, the question whe-ther-he'had done' wisely in leaving - Dunedin, he had.said that the question' could not.be: answered ,in': a few months "or I year, or ..t}Yo. ' Seven years'! later -he. had' said -he would', tell . \them what-he thought. ;Well, : .the.seven years had 'come and gone, .and he was.now. pre-. pared,.to. say- that he wasglad he. had come to -Wellington and St.: John's.: Their membership'in full communion, had very .'greatly; increased.,;, 'In finance; they- had. raised., year.'after- year ,-for their own purposes;'nearly .six hundred pounds mor"e than: fofmejrly,: and the'..contributions 'to. outside, objects had also been several , . hundfedy'pounds ,per. annum But', .vliplherv'thw measure of prosperity, coilldy bo' continned, "was .another question:"-It w is becoming more' difficult • every year, to ke-ij)^St.; John's- together as ; a , -.family' congregation; The suburbs, were tellingheavily.: against, t&ehi, .and the' congregation,was; fast becoming a collection-;of individuals,rather/than; o f :-, But. this filing- ;was sure-., If they;, were .only minded, to ;do, each'..man. and.jWomari.:. of them,,their: very; best., and. to .depend , in all things.bi| the: help .of God, then/ the success; of'the .qhurch in a spiritual sense .would be' assured,;.and,it migW.'.be-.that also'in' all. other respecti,- they:' would continue,to/prosper. : ■ . ': . •■• -~'■...• ;. : '"' ' ■■'' : - f: ;"? The' Roll. :- : '"r'.'■:'"!■■ ,; ■]-:■ The following is a "condensation of .the ;phief-,items i)f; the report. Kefererice ..is ■made to -the loss sustained during recent years through the movement suburbwards'| ;of many.of the .people. In> tho , year just! ended-j.np.:,; fewer than' ; . 143 names ivhad'. ■been; ! .remoye'il':fr,6m the":'roll.: "Of: these' |; 12' were accounted for by death', 15' had .left.^the ", :chinch "arid could' , iot be''traced,' ;and;. 116 ;ha'a received certificates of .disjunction. •' The .dearth; of families .'was thrown -into clear relief, by the ; fact"-that' iirom .-December IS, 1909/ to; June 30/-1910,': ■'not i'qne-child "was baptised- by tlie'. in ini:.ister,;" 'and:•/■ the',.totali birthrrat'e ■',in:: the :.cbngregati6n., for,: the y.ear';wks l '.nirie; ? '. / ■ ii':Tne l ;;additi6ns"' : ;tb.;,thy. ci'm'munioh ,xo\\ by'. examiriatipri-;-.'49,.;-'by. .certificate' 67.','•■.' The Average attendance at ;the';.(juarterly communions had been-420.' .;l{ei'Srr'ing"'tb-'the attendance "at the Sunday '■'■'services; •' the .'report -:s'ays: '."The !; ; morriing ' congregation.' ;-usually f ; well ...fills !the^,dli l Sr'(ih',' ~Jt lie^!e : vening"-' 'corigVe'gatiih" jcrbwds it: , ';'So -long' as." they, xould: add large numbers' of-young men ari,d- women ;!tb their membership, and keep the chiiroh ';full on.-Sundays, there would be,no occajsion for disquietude': , in -the: changes' 'al;luded: to; above. .■»■'■ :.. . ; ':.,.■■..-.-.;, ■■ v'.-.:.;- ,'.*.- ! .;'■': ■,•■.■".:.''••■■ !.: The following resolution, adopted'at the lannual meeting, of; ■office-bearers,:.is•'in-cluded- in- the-report:—"This'.meeting, of •.omce-he.arers expresses to Dr. , '-Gibb-its ideep'.appreciatiori'. of:the"able"and-devoted. |_EervicesLT'erideredi--byi-him-:;tb-th© ; .Church.ii»nd .-congregatiorii throughout ii-theic- ,past; <year._:,'. ;For :a/-Gosp'eb faithfully, preacned,ii'ol. , ::iuntirilig '. ell'orts-. to:'.ipromote -the. (healtbinl.'.a'ctivity of,the .numerous'-- organ:isations:qf the Church,; for/incessant pas--j toraT visitation, .for- timely, and;-fearless iutterances in",the.;cause• of,truth'—fo'r.''.ali ! these.. we. expi-ess. ! our,'• gratitude: -to'■', God, 'the.'giye'r,,:of every g00d,, : - ,We, -would'.as-; /sure. Dr. Gibb; of our desire.^to , cp-operate ; wittt him and to. support him,.loyally.'inhis. work, and'pray, that..in-.increasing 1 measure, it may be given to Mm to , know that his labour is 'notiin -vain in the ;Lord." ' - :; :--.. - '■"•' V .;,' ''' -.':' '■.'The, session,-' contains.; 3.0. ■ elders,-:

had diligently supervised the work of the congregation throughout the. year. Among other matters falling directly within their competence, was the introduction of the-: new hymn-book, of which it is' staled the minister had made full use for the enrichment of public worship. The Commandments, and Beatitudes, with responses, were repeated ■at studied intervals, and the Apostle's Creed was 1 recited by the .congregation at thoK , quarterly communion' services. .••""' The choir has-31 members, and, under Mr. Maughau. llarnetfs had done excellent work.in.leading..the praise and rendering; anthems.- •"' The contributions to fore'ign '■ missions had amounted t0..£310. Of this sum the AVomen's' Missionary Association had raised ,£l4B, ami done much besides to interest the .people in -the .great cause; the Young Women's".Missionary Guild had collected..£llo; and the 'Sabbath schools and Bible classes had contributed JEB2. :'--,;' For the 'Poor. ■:/. ,-. ■'".; * The'Ladies'.:Visiting and.'Dorcas Society .had .had a good year's.w.ork. They had administered the fund ;■ collected for the poor. (iSSO), made.a: "very.'large number" of- ■ garments which ,haa-.been;. given, away to deserving 'persons} and rendered, much assistance .to-: the Orphanage. A. large ■' amount of -relief to the" poor had also ■■■ been -given - directly;, through the minister, and deaconess. -The- deaconess, Sister Mabel, is .referred : to: : in complimentary terms. . She' is proving herself a worker of great value'to the church, arid besides helni ng. to' lighten the minis-, ter's heavy burden she carries out a large amount' of work on'her own'-initiative;. The .mothers' meeting :is. a,philanthropic agency'. directly supervised by. the.■•deaconess/: and gives to 'many', help both of a spiritual and. material -"-kind."". /;',.. ' '■-.- ii : * ■;.'•:•'.''.Sabhaih'..Schools';;_:;;".■'.- :; .. ■■ .'■The Sabbath ; schools have , ; .suffered, much, during recent.r'-yea'rsjCthrough the conditions : .indicated -at the': : ,beginning of the .report,.. but - they jare .in firswate working J)rder.'and thoroughly equipped.; The seholars at the Willis -Street 'School number 217; at-Mount Cook ,102; total, 319.- There are 44 teachers .'and officers.' A very valuable-training-.class':for teachers- :is {conducted'. by. ; one.;■.of the elders, ; ■Mr.-' W- Gray,- M.A., of. the ~ Wellington. Training: College. ■': r '-'■'.' *» : . '>-..- ■■:• ~'The Bible classes continue to flourish. The total- roir numbers 286;-as against! '251 last', .year. .. The .Willis-Street- men's class has::99. members, of.'whoin 38, are in' full Communion' with 'f£e -.'cTrnich.'. tTheincome has ~l*een'.. JESO, : of-. which-.the. greater > part had ; been - donated.' to" mis-' sions, the Boys' Institute,,^tc.i : .'■: The loss of Mf.\C, A. .Eedßray'y.;.xoiut-lead?r, is referredltb -in terms of, ,detep; regret andappreciationi.of■ hisvchar'acter.:and 'work. The.,;class.:h"as. m'aUy>;'.;adjunpts. iri.the fofm-'of '.it : . ! socidl .parlour,' library, gym-, riastnm,. football■. i The. Willis?' S t -3et ■ Young ■ .'• Women's .' ■ Class '■ : has ;100-members'i.of wliom's7 are.-Gommuni-: ;cant's.::'Much,.,work; ; of U."philanthropic character?had been: done," and, d£3s had. been"donated , to missions. ' The Willis. Street' Young' Women's Class No. 2 had' also an excellent year—membership 52,jrith.,lß .Communicants.- ;; Contributions were made- to missions,.-the- Orphanage;and many o'ther .charities.' '■'' Mount Cook Young .Women's .Class has .a membership. of: 19,'- with .eight ".Communicants.;:- ..Contributions to missions and charities, .£lO. The- Young Class at:Mount.Cook had : a. mqmbership:-.of .10, mth.-foui' 'muriic'ariK.'.' :, ;'■:!:'vVr^vv; ' - : ',/■' ■'' : .Management';timmlttee.(y .- -'.i \ The Management '■Committee-,numbers 20. '.They have during-the year faced the "task of raising 'money to , , wipe .put the debt- on --the" 1 church,: repaint',; the., exterior of ffie building,'and' euect;:necessary extertsive."repairs in "tneseriand nnC.the: or-: gan j ; . .£1450 has,; ,MhV:'promifee;d { to; these objects, : and : av good^deal^more is; ,ex-. bected; '-The , , total"reyenue , for;the year amounts" to" i3300.';'. : 0f this' itmount had-beentficeived : frbhi';the..Jubilee. : Fund,. the New., Debt Eeductipn'-Fund, and .other, special" sources'. ' - The cbllectio'ris.. ary and 'ipecial) amounted to 1 .£1231, >'or 13s. '.per; Suriday/-,: The. ordinary "col-, lections, realised "161020,' iseat -Tente JESOS. Contributions; to'..misaqns.fpHome.;•'missions, '.'■• the -pbor; '.. and■■various charittes institute a record, -reaching.; as tltey :did to..upwards of '^po;:,vV v>. ;) ~. ; \ ■. During : : : thev'evening';the..VphoKi!r'rindei the.'leadership :'of MrV.Barnett, : sang -withfine:Vtf#i#.;:Rßm>er.;:9frvß%T'^oSfj;,'« n n ?oloV'^ere/,.cpiifaViited'-py: > Mr." : A'recitatibn"was..supplied, by Mr; G. H. Gibb'. • of'thanks to; 'all ;wh'o had .helped iin the; entertainment and attended' to "th'e...catering brought/a; very, pleasant evening.;to a", conclusion.'