SOIREE OF THE PITTSTREET WESLEYAN CHURCH.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXIII, Issue 3192, 9 October 1867, Page 3

SOIREE OF THE PITTSTREET WESLEYAN CHURCH.

The anniversary of the opening of the Pittstreet Wesleyan ChuToh was held last evening* and was very largely attended. Tea was served in the school-room below the church, which was decorated with evergreens and flags kindly supplied by Captain Craighead, of the < Ballarat.' After tea, those present assembled in tn* chapel. Mr. Buller, Chairman of the Northern District, presided, and amongst those on the I platform were the Eev. Messrs. Macdonald, ' Hamer, Davis, Booker, Warren, Berry, Battle, l Hill, Wallace, and Cornford. I The Chubman referred to the first anniversary, and said he was glad to see so large a number present as were then there. He was also glad to see so many of his friends of the ministry present. He would not anticipate the report, which would give a review of the past year; and, if not altogether congratulatory, it would not be without some reason for encouragement and hope. A year ago, at the opening services, it was his lot to occupy the place which he found that he must fill again that night. It had been the earnest hope of the trustees, together with his own, that that meeting would have been presided over by a gentleman who had been connected with the Methodist Church in Auckland from his earliest years, whom God had greatly blessed, and to whom He had given a disposition liberally to contribute of his substance for the support of institutions promoting that righteousness which only exalteth a nation. It was fitting that such a wish should be entertained, for the gentleman to whom he referred was not only a stated worshipper with his family there, but he had laid the foundation stone of the structure, had been the largest contributor, and had ever manifested the greatest interest in all its concerns. He was therefore very sorry that, by reason of his protracted absence in the South, they were deprived of the presence of the gentleman to whom he alluded, namely, Mr. Thomas Russell. (Great cheering.) The past year had been not only to them, but to the entire community, full of unprecedented trial, and he wished he could say that they had come to the end of it. He wished that it could be said of their social and financial condition as of the season of the year, " the winter is past, and the time of the singing of birds has come." Bat if the night was not yet right over, and they had yet the winter with dull days and cloudy nights, he did nevertheless anticipate the good time coming. " Sorrow may endure for the night, joy cometh in the morning." And even in the worst of times, the old hands had not lost faith in the grand future of their goodly land. (Qheers.) He for one saw no reason to be at all surprised at the difficulties which they were at present labouring under. He ventured to say that these were altogether owing to a series of mistakes, and they were realising the truth of the saying, that " what a man soweth that shall he also reap." In too many instances they had sown to the wind, and now they were reaping the whirlwind. While they were passing through these trials, God was teaching them valuable lessons. One lesson appeared to him very clear, namely, the inexpediency of building their churches with borrowed 'money. (Great cheering.) They might apply that, if they liked, to any other enterprise. They ought to brace themselves heartily and nobly to the duty of redeeming their engagements, and to sustain the trustees iin struggling under the great burden they had to bear. He was quite sure that the honour of their connec tion would be upheld, and, if not, then, for the first time, he would feel ashamed to be called a minister of the Methodist Church. The time would come when the debt would be a thing of the past, and then they would have class-rooms, and vestries, and galleries made to accommodate the increasing congregations that would assemble in that well-situated and commodious church. Instead of having to do as their trustees now did — meet to consider how they should fulfil their engagements during the current year— they would be considering how they could better accommodate the worshippers. Mr. Fletcb:e:r then read the following report :—

Report for the Period between October 14, 1866, and September 30, 1867. The reporb which the trustees hare to make iipon the past year is not one calculated to evoke rejoicing, neither, on the other hand, should it be allowed to produce despondency. The burdens with which the trust is encumberrd are serious, and occasion the trustees anxious thought ; yet they may be borne, if only union, resolve, and systematic liberality are maintained by Church and congregation. These difficulties have arisen both from an original expenditure beyond what was intended, and from the unlooked-for but now* too-well-known commercial depression, by which the resources of all have been impaired, and the means o! many well-nigh dried tip. The trustee-, entered into their engagements for the public good, and with every sign of public approval ; to th« public, therefore, they now look for sympathy and substantial aid. The principal items of receipt for the building fund during fche past year have been — Soirge £78 « ? Bazaar 014 9 4 Subscriptions, donations, &o 1,321 10 1 Total ... ■ ..'• £2,014 18 7 This income, however, has been insufficient to meet the demands, and there is now owing upon the site and building fund account a sum o£ £851 4s. Bd., besides the mortgage of £4,000. And here the trustees would remark that the hearty thanks of the congregation are due, and no doubt are accorded, to the ladies by whose enterprise and long-continued labours so large a sum a1?a 1 ? six hundred pounds was set to the credit of the fund. There is still a valuable stock of goods retraining on hand, and the trustees would invite their friends to be ou the alert for any opportunity of making it available for the relief of the trust. The general account stands as follows : —

It will thus be seen the income has been nearly £180 below the working expenditure, a fact which causes the trustee* even greater uueanness than the deficiency upon the building account. This deficiency upon the general account must .be made up, and the trustees would appeal to their friends to do their utmost in a matter which can be effected by the many with comparatively little tax, but which— falling on the few who are immediately responsible will be burdensome in the extreme. The year's expenditure now reported has been, in several particulars, heavier than it may be expected to be in the current year, yet a very deoided im- - provement is needed in the stated income to meet the unavoidable expenses. It may be uoticeJ that the deficiency is about equal either to the collections •- or; to the seat rents. If, therefore, everyone will double his weekly contributions, or the, number of sittings that he engages, the difficulty will be at an end. The truitees would respectfully invite tho«e who regularly or frequently attend this place of worship, if they hare it in their power, to show their sympathy and give theiraid by taking sittings, the charges for which are now sufficiently light. to be met by any but the unemployed. The poorest will still be welcome, and the trustees will *lwayp ' • esteem it a pleasure, as well as a duty, to reserve ample accommodation for a class to whom especially the Saviour addressed His Gospel. It is to be remarked that the general account presented above is for a period of only 50 weeks, and that it contains the proceeds of no soirge, this anniversaty celebration occurring a week earlier than th'e J opening, and the proceeds of the first Sundays and of the opening soirge haying been included m fcht , building account. ' ' '-,-'

Turning from financial questions, the trustees are able to speak more cheeringly. The number of hearers in encouraging, and shows a gradual increase. The number of recognised ohurch members in connection with this congregation is about 150, and is Constantly increased by the addition from time to time of those whose bents the Lord hath touched. The trustees are thankful to be able to record that the Gospel has not beep preached in vain, but that during the past year sinners ha\e been converted and believers edified. Not the least pleasing fact to be noticed in this connection is that many young people have been led to religious decision, and in not a few instances through the instrumentality of the Sunday-school, which lias been oonduoted by its managers and teachers with praiseworthy seal and self-denying perseverance. The average attendance of soholars is shown by the books to be 120 in the morning, and 174in^the afternoon; and of teachers, 19 in the morn* ing, and 22 in the afternoon. Thanks are due to the organist, and to the choir who throughout the year have exerted themselves \fith him in behalf of the musical department of the services; and the trustees would here state that the organ is not the property of the trust, that it was placed in the church by a few friends who undertook its responsibility, and that they fear it will have to be withdrawn in consequence of the difficulty in paying its rent,,which, though moderate, is yet not easily met in times like the present. Mr. Cixbt, ome of the trustees, spoke of their difficulties in consequence of the financial state of the congregation. One great mistake had been the purchase of the site, for which a lar j>e sum had been paid. The subscriptions not doming in, the trustees had had to give a promissory note for £1,000. Their college friends had come to their aid in a most liberal way. The trustees had also had to go to the bank for a loan of £2,000 to furnish the church with seats. The sum of £1,000 was due to the bank on the personal responsibility of the trustees, and that engagement must soon be met. Every part of the property was under the first mortgage. The trustees had felt deep responsibility and anxiety on account of the heavy debt resting upon them. £400 were still ♦owing on subscriptions first promised. ' Mr. Caley strongly urged the duty of the congregation giving liberally. He had seen a young man the othfef day, who had said that he was going to the Thames, and that, if it pleased the Lord to. give him a good reef, he would come back and pay the debt upon the Pitt-street Church. Mr. Westmoreland then sang, "He was despised and rejected of men," with skill and feeling. The Eev. Mr. Hill then addressed the meeting, expressing his full concurrence in the statements made by the chairman, particularly as to the expediency of not building churches with borrowed money. He supposed the young man spoken of by Mr. Caley would call his reef, when he found it, the Wesleyan reef; and he hoped some one would go down to the Thames and find a Presbyterian reef. (Cheers.), The Eev. Mr. Maodonald also urged upon the congregation the duty of olearing off the debt. The choir then sang, " Glory to God." The Bey. Mr. Cobxfobd then addressed the meeting. Mr. Westmoreland sang, " I know that my Redeemer liveth." The Eev. Mr. Wabben then spoke, stating that to any sum gathered during the next month, to clear off the debt, he would be glad to add 20 percent, as his personal subscription. The Chairman here held up a piece of quartz, which he said was worth 255., and stated that it was the first contribution from the Thames goldfield to the building fond. The choir then sang, "I will lift up mine eyes." The Eev. Mr. Davis next spoke upon the subject of " Croakers," enumerating the grounds for thankfulness which they had amidst their difficulties. The Eev. Mr. Buttle then moved a vote of thanks to the ladies for the tea, to the singers for the psalmody, and to the young men for the decorations. In doing so,- he said that he hoped the good providence of God would go with that young man to the Thames, and help him to find the Wesleyan reef. (Cheers.) The Eev. Mr. Wallis seconded the motion, which was carried with acclamation. After a few words from the Chairman, the meeting sang the doxolo.gy.and dispersed.

Collections Seat rents interest ... ilent of Hobson-street school-room £184 U 179 13 1' 122 15 i 16 16 i £503 16 : 3al»nce deficiency 179 10 J £683 6 I

i)ismj±i3o.ra.nici j.o. interest, lighting, oleaning, &o. £683 6 £683 6

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