THE MANGERE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH : OPENING SERVICE.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXX, Issue 5112, 10 January 1874, Page 3

THE MANGERE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH : OPENING SERVICE.

Tnr Presbyterians have erected a very neat church at the lower «nd 01 the main road at Mitngerc. Xb will acaommodats about 12) poisons, ia well built, lined, and of excellent a «oustic propelling. 1b adds another attraction to the district. It waa opened on Sunday, tho 3id instant, for divine worship, with two services ; that in the morning w as conducted by the Rov. J. Hill, and iu the afternoon by the Rev. I*. H. Bunn, and the collections uiadcafter both services amounted to a 20 ITh (id. 'Ihe funds for its erection have boon obtained by a very active collecting committee '•olicitiug a money donation to supplement tho ellorls of tho Pifsbytenam of tho district, which has been very heartily responded tn, by all sects and classes ju tlmp their names down in tho lis>t of Milru ibn .?, so that enough raonoy and ti <]>pio v, -n obt.iijpd. Tiie event w is fintl>ev celebrated by a eoireo h"ld on Wednesday evening, the 7th intant, when about ISO persons availed themselves of tho opportunity of paying half-a-crown and being present. Messrs. James, Paul, Rennie, W. Scott, J. Anderson, Niciinlls, Hemwood, A AVallace, J. Johns, J. Wallace, and Miss Robertson presented well-famished trays, and were a listed by tho youth and beauty of the distiict, in tlie shape of f.irmeis' diughttis, who looked more like young Hebes, fresh from Fairy Land, attended by their apparently over worthy slaves, tho young stalwart knights of the plough, who seemed contending with each other who should Sfrve them mosf. The Ofcahuhu church choir attended, in the persons of Mrs. and and Miss Iliggins, tho Misses Gould, Mr. Ilig^iua, and tho Messrs. Bailey {Mr. (J. r»uley presiding at the harmonium), who sang, upon tho Rev. J. Macky taking Ins seat as chairman of the meeting, the Old Hundredth Psalm -The Rev. ' T. Norris engaged in prayer, when the C'haiiman aro^c and congratulated tho meeting upon their Cbuich e.ct '.ion, and hoped siucc.ely it would bo a means of grace to all concerned. Uo regretted being absent on Sabbath-day, but was with them in spuit, and he knew they were well supplied with able ministeis of tho New Testament. ITe gave a short synopsis of his neatly 20 years' pastorate, especially in connection with this distiict, and vividly brought to mind tho many difficulties the early 3ottlers uudorwout in attending Sabbath worship for want of loads and other means, lie paid alov'ng tribute of affection to ono of his oldest Mangeio fiiends, Mr. John Koott, who was ev or consistent and liberal, giving even aa he prospered. He considered tho oroction of this Church was mainly due to Mr. John Scott, assisted by the Messrs. Wallace aad other friends. Ihe sunounding population brought about tbi-3 change, as the .Schoolhouse was too small for babbath accommodation , a'ld they should never forgot the kindneis and assistance- alwaj'd so willingly rcndcied by Mus Wiguioie, the school teacher of the d. strict. Ifc hoped, too, this Chinch would piovo to bu tho HuUoO of God in all leality. "The Loni B'-ar me," was appropriately given by Hip choii. Mr. A. Aniloisoa °\',(\, ' Lailios raid Gentlemen, I shall now road an account of the subscription* which you kind fuenda have been no lioar.il ia sdb•ciihiiig to us for the e-eution of this place of wondip in winch vou a>o now assembled, which 1 cm allowed to gay h a ciedit to you and tho distncfc ; and rs to tho birlder, Mr. Sutbeilaud, who has perfoimed hu work in tho most woikmanhke aud eubitintial manner. On boi.alf of the commi'teo I beg to lcluin you then mo«t sincere tlianks for the hbaral manner in wh'ch you have I suppoited U3. Our financial position is as fallows : — Expenditure : Oont.act for build.ng, £225 ; extiafor building, £IG Is. 9d. ; aichitect's charges, £10 ; ndveilising, Lc, £5 Ms. 6.1.— Total, £250 !,>=». 3d. j iJi-ccipts : Xubsoriptions received, £2'20 10s.; aubacn'ptions ptomioefJ, £27; proceeds of S.ii>b..th collection, i2G loi. (>i — Total, £•283 os. Gd. Lulauce in favour of church committee, C2G 0*. 3d." 1 ho Chairman apolo^ieed for tho llev. \\. S. Bunns' absence, caused by a piior engagement. By tho choir — "Hail Sacred Morn!" Tho Kov. T. Norrie addressed tho mooting, giving them words of good counsel, advocitmjj the establishing of a Sabbath School, and congratulated the meeting on being free from debt and in funds. He had never buon in Mangere before, but ho had good reason to know the district was famed for its liberality m a good cnuso. — Mr. lliggius suug dohghtfully, accompinied on tho harmonium by Mr. B.u'ey, tlic song " Free as a Bird to tlie Mountain." Mr. (i. Wallace read a brochure on " A (iood Appeaiance." Tho choir sung " 1 ho l r oe Ikhind." Mr. Grainger, from Auckland, kindly volunteered and gave a sprightly reading of a stniii; of wiao axwt, entitled " if you don't bucceed, tiy ag;ain." When the choir loudeied very nicely "Aiiio, Shine on J/,011," — Mr. H. S. Andrews piopoaod the vote of thauks to iho ladies w!io had so liberally presented the rechorcho and plentifully-supplied trays, together with their young Jatly assistants, who had coiitiibuidl " so much to tdo pleasure and enjoyment of tho evening. During his speech ho sugejestod the advisability of establishing a hhraiy, lectures, and readings on instructive and popular subjects, With mutual improvement ci.isses, which would tend to widen and cement the bonds of love, fuendsuip, and gnod luilov.shii) in the district. — T.io motion was passed with acc'amalnn, and Mr. Allied Euttlu apjeued as ihe lidios' eli iTipion, i responding li.i. 1 i on their bcui f, ai^uii lg I the assi inl)!y t .o ladies weie al.s.i/i icoly ' and willing to help on himnnious y tins ] pcnMemcn ouw.ird oa tho loid t>l life. — Mr. J. Wallace m choice tcrm3 fiaul ed the choir for their \oiy ovee'lont miHic— Mr. Higgirs replied, Baying they were ever ready to assist on such occasious. — The choir then gave tho anthem, "Lord, dismiss us with Thy ble«8:ng." — When Mr. H. S. Andrews very feelingly proposed the cordial thanks to tho Rev. J. Macky for presiding, alluding to tho genial influence the Rev. gentloman had spread over tho meeting. — The Chairman replied, and hoped soon to meet them again at such another social gathering, for he quite agreed with Mr. Andrews, there was much pleasure and profit in these socul meetings. He then pronounced the Benediction, and tho m°eting separated apparently all well pleased with the evening's entertainment.

A correspondent of tho New Tori: Mail says that " ki >Tiny <i lady "with an Elizabethan riff' on is .ibmit as much fun as cnbi.ic. ing a enuil.ir s uv in full motion." 'Tom Dibdin had a cottage near Box Hill, to which, nflcr his theatrical labours, he was deli^luod to rotire. Ono htormy ni^ht, after Mr. and Mih. Dibdin had been m bo I somo time, Mrs. ]). boin^ kept awako by tho violence of tho weather, momed her husbind, exclaiming, "Tom, Torn, get up '" "What for?" eaid ho. "Don't you hear how vf»ry bad tho wind is ?" "Is it?" re plied Oilidin, ha 1 f asleep, though Jio coald not help punning, "put a peppermint lo/pii-^e out of .he window, my dear, it is tar; best tiling in the woild for the wind. ' 'I he \» fo of a Methodist nunistjr in IVnii' ,je hia b;on ha.iously ill for h nuu tine, but, says a Southern papor in announcing Vw f.itt, " liopos are entoi tamed that h!ie will recover " And then it adds, " Ii -t linn (Hio bus' ami) haro the sympathy and pi iyoi9 ot lu.s l)iothr«i in this hour of alllietion and discouragement " I'.T<ton pcoplo are celebrated for their politii'"3i. A iouinal of that city niys it ruined tho other evening, and there was .in ontutunment. A younj; gentleman said to » joun-ilady : "nuw I have iho pYsisme of protueting'vou with my nmlviun': 1 And said .she, with her round, expiescme e^os looking full into Iuh, " I'ut up your iag^ ' A curins feature of the Nagp:uiehami J-'.vir, held at Lneknow lately, is that girls make a number of dolls and then throw thorn down in the street to be beaten \t ith wooden .sticks by a host of young boys. After tho flagellation ii over, tho makers of the dolls present tho dostroyori of their handiwork with a handful of parched gram, and then both de-