SPECIAL CELEBRATION

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 87, 10 October 1927, Page 5

SPECIAL CELEBRATION

S6TH SUNDAY SCHOOL ANNIVERSARY

Of the towns of New Zealand Wellington has the honour of having had the first resident Methodist minister, as well as being the first settlement in New Zealand to organise a Methodist Church circuit. On 23rd December, 1840, the Rev. J. Aldred landed Here to take charge of the Uuropea- and Maori work in connection with the U'esleyan-Methodist Church, and on the following Sunday in the corner of a big .Native chapel he conducted the first service m English to a congregation of s.ev™- During the first year of Mr. Aldreds residence in Wellington a Sunday school was commenced, with Mr. J X JBradshaw as superintendent. This Sun-' day school was originally held in a raupo church, then in, what was known as the Exchange Hall, and later in the Manners ?oo« Church > where it continued until ISSO when under the ministry of the Rev. W. liirk a removal was made to the present site in Taranaki street. Yesterday was therefore the 86th anniversary of the bunday school, and special services were held, under ideal weather conditions The spacious church was prettily decorated wi i ycopodium and arum lilies The whole front of the rostrum was a mass of green, with the words "86th Anniversary" m aurum lilies, a very effective design Large congregations attended all the services, a special feature of which was the singing of the children under the conductorship of Mr. W. E. Howe, with Mr. K. llaymes at the organ. The moraine service was. conducted by the Rev E Patcliett who gave air interesting address to the children on "Kindness." In the afternoon the Rev. J. Blanchard, of St John" was the preacher. Mr. Blanchard gave ,- ,s'• If en some good colmsel concerll . ing Gilded Ha'pennies." The big church 2 mi; f ctt,°2 BJ? aU t0 hoU all the Pe°P'e who attended the evening service The superintendent minister/tht Rev. C Eaton «rW thl p"'^' • His address ™ Oiiistian Service," directed chiefly to the joung people, was based on 2 Timothy, t p<f• ,2, verse 20. He appealed ;to the children to become "vessels of gold and silver" and not mere "wood and earthenware" on God's table of service Ihe ranging of the scholars was a"am a special feature of the service. The^Sn* veisary tea and concert on Wednesdiv evening will conclude the celebration E y