CHURCH REPORTS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1523, 20 August 1912, Page 5

CHURCH REPORTS.

ST. JAMES PRESBYTERIAN,

The annual repcrt of St. James's Presbyterian Chuo-ch states that the Comtnnnion roll contains 359 members, nn increaso of 10. During the year 46 members Temoved, and 2 were removed by death. The attendances at Communion were 225, 227, 237, and (weather unfavourable), 121. The League of Prayer has 55 members, the Biblo Re-iding Association HO. The Sacraoient of Baptism was administered to 80 infants and two adults. The noncommunicant members number 90; young persons under IG, 380; families represented by menibors (communicant and non-com-municant), 195; other families, 82. A considerable number of families has remuved from district. It is stated that "constant and systematic pastoral visitation has been maintained." Public institutions have received attention. . . The Ladies' Visiting and Social Committee has welcomed newcomers, visited those in sickness, and promoted social intercourse. , Over 450 visits have been made by visitors. The Sunday. School has 316 on roll,' 134 names were added, 83 scholars removed. There arc 17G namos. on Cradle Roll. The School h»s 28' teachers and three officers. The Junior Y.M. Bible Class has 25 members. Tho Young Men's Bible Class has 30 members. The Young Women's Biblo Class numbers 27. All classes have contributed to missions. The Christian Endeavour Societies (senior and junior) have: continued effective work with diligence and zeal. The Women's Missionary Union hold regular meetings.- A box was sent to Canton Village Mission, and over .£l4 was collected for missions.', The circulation of missionary , magazine, "The Harvest Field," has steadily increased. The Maori Birthday League has 117 members; over J!5 has been, raised. A sewing meeting has aided the work at the orphanage. The Ladies' Sewing Bee and' Guild held annual sale .of work. The result was that iIOO was added to Debt Extinction Fund. A special winter sale realised .£l9. Tho proceeds were partly devoted to improvements' in new schoolroom. Earnest efforts are being made to promote interest in the psalmody of the church. Improrement is recorded, and ap-preciation-expressed of services by tho , honorary choir leader and honor-' ary organist. The question of adopting another Book-/of Praiso will receivo attention. The receipts amounted to .£593 17s. Id. in ordinary, account. . The gross revenue reported to assembly £733 14s. 3d. The finances have required careful attention oh account of increased charges on. Revenue through erection 'of new schoolroom and other liabilities. , ' Island Bay district has noV been created into a Home Mission Charge, and united with Seatoun and Miramar under the care of the Rev. .W. Shirer and Session of■ St. James's Church. At the time of the change, Island Bay charge had 31 families, 27 communicants, GO Sunday School scholars. . The property was. free of debt. Mr. , Harvey was appointed agent. . In the report, reference is made to a "measure of discouragement," but this is being overcome. appeal is made for increasing personal, practical interest by -individual members. Profound thankfulcess is reverently expressed to the Supreme Head of the Church.. . . ST. ANDREW'S PRESBYTERIAN. Tho annual report;of the session and board of managers of St.'Andrew's Presbyterian Church, Wellington: "Terracei adopted at the recent annual meeting of the church, -, •• . The work has been carried on.much as formerly, yet in.some respects there is reason to believo that a spirit of .aspiration and endeavour after a more intense and effective congregational life is making ■ itself felt. The close of the year has been marked by an unusual number of Sundays distinguished by savere and inclement weather, but the attendance at pnblic worship has been on tho whole well maintained. During the- year' 28 new members were added to the Communion roll. This rais«d the number on the roll to 245, but on ths other hand three members were removed by death, ten by disjunction lines, arid eight otherwise, leaving tho numper at present on the roll at 224, an increase 'of seven over last year. The attendance at Communion was: —1911: September 120, December 12G; 1912: March 96 and June 107. On the two last occasions attendance was hindered by the severity of the weather. There were 28 baptisms, two of which ■were at Wadestown, one of these-, being performed by the Rev. M. B. Harris. Ths Moderator officiated at 25 marriages, and attended ten funerals. The Home Mission station at Wadestown continues iinder the supervision of St. Andrew's Session. During the early part of the year, Professor Picken and Mr. A. P. Webster were elected as members of ,the session. In response to the session's appeal for two more elders, Messrs. 11. A. Gold and G. M'Carfney -were elected and ordained. Vacancies on the board of managers were filled' by Messrs. Brownlee, Orange, M'Farlane, Burns, and S. Lambert. .Amongst the matters engaging the attention of the session during the year was the question of a new hymn-book. After investigation it was finally agreed to adopt the new edition of "Church Praise," and the public use thereof was commenced on the first Sunday in July last. Following upon the resignation of Mr. Rowley, organist and choirmaster, Miv Claughton was appointed' to fill the Tacancy. Tho report of tho Young Men's Bible Class shows that a considerable amount of good work has been done during the year. Several members of the class contribute 10s. each to the Home Mission fund for tho support of the Home Mission agent, and as a whole the class raises £1- 10s; per annum for the support of Sir. Davis, the Bible Class missionary in China. The class is under the leadership of Mr. D. S. Smith. The Youiigr Wcmeifs Bible Claw has 18 names on the regular and 12 on tho supplementary roll. Tho average attendance! is. 12. Four members have left Wellington during the year, aud 5 new members have enrolled. Towards the end of tho year Miss Johnslou, through ill-health', rcFigned from the Miss Coad has bean chosen to fill the vacancy. • The number on tho re-Hoi , the Sabbath School is 94, and the average attendance 58. The library has received considerable additions from the money derived from the -Barry bequest. The thanks of the congregation, are duo to Messrs. J. M'Eldowney and C. Haynes for their annual special prizes, and also to the Biblo classes for. similar aid. In order to maintain the connection of the children with the Sabbath services without taxing them beyond thnr powers, it has been arranged that the hrrt half hour of the morning service shall te conducted as a children's service. T i? e . ladj-.r-ollectors have shown no falling ofl in their zeal for homo and forei-sn missions The Women's Guild has also con.lmipd its w-pkly mp-etings. The thanks of the congregation' are due to Pevp Corarie, Paterson, cud Whe?!don and Professor Picken. , Early iiUtlie year I he Bnnrd nf Managers submitted to tho congregation propo=als to. discontinue. Hip m>3t rents and fjubstihita therpfor a fund (o l;i> known a* Jhe St. Andrew's Church Fund," to be contributed, to by ine-mkrs and adherents of the congregation in annual sums. \ congregational meeting, held on Sopteml-.er 27, 1911, adopted these propnsol.s, and tlm ■new fund came into operation on October 1. 1911.. The expectation cf the managers that the n*w fund would materially the -finances of tlie congrerjaHon has been fully realised, as it has nroWn total of .£2ll is. for tho jiine nwnths it has been in operation as ogninst Mat rents c&lkcted in the two previous years of .£lO7 17s. Gd. and .6153 l.is. respectively. The Board of Manners desires to acinowledga tho loyal and hearty support which has been given it by the congregation in (.his matter. Duriiitc t.hn year tho bqard was notified by Hie Public' Trustee that a legacy of ,£ls free of duty would be eomiiisr to St. Andrew's Church under the will of the late. Mr. F. H. Frascr. Ihe ordinary collections for tho year amonnred to .£293 9s. Bd., as against ,£303 ss. sil. for the previous year. Special collections were taken up dining the year for the youth of the Church. Mncri Missons, Chapman-Alexander Mission. Kno.x College, and BerhamporeOrphniiaßC a total of .£3B 3s. lid. bring raised for these object?, a,i against ,£2O Bs. ria.-ed in the previous v«it. Tho siiteerJDHons to Koroign Missions obtained by the. larly. mllecmrs amounted to £3-1 11s.. as against -MS 17s. 6d. in the previous year; whilst t.hpamount similarly collected for Church extension and Home Mi??ions von .£4l Is., Bβ against ,£33 lte. in 1010-11. The inoreas-

Ed support given to those two funds repreesmts an advance of 20 per cent, on the previous year. '

KENT TERRACE PRESBYTERIAN. It is now 25 years sinco tho formation of Kent Torraco Church, states the annual report of the church, and during tho wholo of that period the Rev. J. hennedy Elliott has bsen pastor. Mr. Elliott is at present on a holiday trip to tho Homeland, and during his absence the Bov. Hugh Eeggs is capably tilling the vacancy. On July SO, Mr. John M'Eldowney was inducted to tbe eldership, and on February 25 Messrs. J. AV. Jack, T. S. Mayer, J. C. M'Dowall, aJid J. Tamblyn were ordained as deacons. The attendances at the quarterly celebration of the Lord's Supper were—l9ll: July, 193; October, 178; 1912: January, 180; April, 1-43. Tho additions-were <!8 (certificate, 15; examination,-13), and tho removals 23 (left district, 20; deceased, 3). Tho total number on the Communion roll is 302, being an increase of 5 over last year, and the average attendance was 174. There were 41 children baptised during the year. . ■ ■ There lias been an increased interest in the prayer meeting. At times the attendances taxed the capacity of the room. Wo are greatly indebted to. .Mr.. Elliott and Mr. Beggs for their helpful addresses at the-se meetings. The choir has again earned the gratitude of the congregation, not only for its help on Sundays, but for the readiness which has always been shown to render assistance at all church; gatherings. The organ is about to be improved by the addition of two stops. We take pleasure in recording the generosity of our able organist and choirmaster, Mr. Godier, and thanks are due to Miss. Evans for presiding at the organ on many ocThe 'work of the Sabbath. school ,has been carried on during the past year with earnest devotion on the part of the teaching staff. AVo believe that wo have never had a more faithful band of workers than now, and would congratulate the superintendent, Mr. Hannay. The total number of-scholars on the roll 251 (123 boys and 128 girls), an increase of. 17 on. the previous year. The average attendance, however, is below the usual standard, the number being .136, as against 156 for the previous year. This is to a largo extent accounted for by, inclemency 'of tie weather, which considerably affects the attendance of the infant class. The attendance of the other classes is fair (57 per cent.), though it is remarkable that many of the absenting ones are, to an extent, habitual. ■ Tho number of' teachers and staff is 20 (8 ladies and 12 gentlemen). More teachers are urgently needed. The work of tho school is greatly hampered by lack of accommodation, and wo trust tho building of a new school will not be long delayed. ' . . Reference is also, made to the good work done by the Young Women's Bible Class, the Christian Endeavour Society, the. Women's Missionary Union, and the mothers' meetings. . During the year the mothers' meetings have" been held regularly, every Friday fortnight. • ' ■ The total revenue for the year amounted to .£899 10s. 7d.' A committee has been appointed to study tho finances of the congregation, and it has been asked to report on the advisability of adopting the envelop system. During the year an anonymous letter was received from a "Working Man," enclosing .£l2, and stating that ho had been enabled to give it because he had alway3 set aside for God s work a Is. out' of every .£1 earned. ' '