PARISH MEETING. ST. MARK'S.

Evening Post, Volume XLVI, Issue 19, 22 July 1893, Page 4

PARISH MEETING. ST. MARK'S.

The parishioners of St. Mark's held their annual meeting in the Schoolroom last evening, about 80 attending. The Rev. R. Coffey, Incumbent, presided. The Chairman, in opening- the proceedings, said they had every reason to be thaukiul with the measure of success which bad attended the business of the year. The only thing he was dissatisfied with was the fault on the part of both yonng men and old mon of '* backsliding " as regards attendance at church worship. He would not say that it was at St. Mark's alone this declension was particularly noticeable, or in Wellington, or in New Zealand, but throughout the world. So long as their amusemonts and recreation came first, and God nowhere, so long must their clergymen deplore such a state of things. Arrangements had been almost completed for the separation of the Newtown portion of the parish, the object being to enable the Bishop and the Diocesan Synod to create a new cure. Newtown was growing rapidly, and it was felt that the time had now arrived for it to have a parish of its own St. Mark's congregation also had grown considerably, and the vestry in January next would be asked to consider the question of providing an assistant for the incumbent. At the communion services, in partionlar, assistance was required, the number of communicants being so large at times that it was nianif eitly impossible for ono olergy men to attend to the service. The Sunday schools were in a very flourishing condition, and the Doroai Society, Ladieß,' Guild and choirs were doing their work well. In conolußion, he expressed his thanks for the co-operation he had re. oeived on all sides in parish work. Mr. E. C. Hamerton read the annual report and balance-sheet, a summary oi which has already been published, and on hie motion, seconded by Mr. C. H. Chatwin, it nu adopted. Mr. Chatwin, referring to the church debt of JB3OOJ expressed a hope that it would be wiped out during the ourrent year. The Chairman announced that Mr. C. H. Chatwin bad consented to aot as incumbent's churchwarden for another year. Mr. H. J. H. Blow was elected as parishioners' churchwarden The Vestry for the next term was elected as follows, the Incumbent pointing ont that it was their duty to assiet the chu chwardens in keeping order in the church during service, set an example to others, &o. : — Messrs. «. E. BarlthrojS, B C. Hamerton, J. S. Chapman, T. W. Pilcher, jun., H. Gaby. G. N. Baggett, C. F. Brookett, H. F. AlLin, J. E. Page, and W. P. James. Messrs. H. E. liawnsley and J. M. Gold£nch were appointed to act as auditors.

1 The thanks of thp mrctinir woro accorded It tho Superint^nd'Hit" and ;-uiiday-Bohool I ,i> hers, thd retuimroihouis, the sewing bee, ! INncas Pocie*y, collectors and other helpers, J the choir, Mr it. C llumcrton for his ser1 v ne-i as Churchward, n, tlio Auditors, and to 1 tlio Incumbent.