FIRST CHURCH.

Evening Star, Issue 9278, 31 October 1893, Page 2

FIRST CHURCH.

The annual business meeting of the congregation of First Church of Otago was held in the hall of the church last evening, and was very well attended. The Rev. J. Gibb, pastor of the congregation, occupied the chair. The proceedings were opened with prayer and praise.

The Chairman congratulated tbe congregation upon tbe improved attendance, that being the largest he had seen at a business meeting. The attendance at such a meeting, however, was no criterion of the interest the people took in the work of the church—that was to be measured by the reports themselves, and even a superficial perusal of them would satisfy anyone that the people were very deeply interested indeed in the work of the congregation. He wished to express his sincere thankfulness for. the unbroken peace, harmony, and goodwill which had characterised the relations between the minister and office-bearers and between them and the congregation during the past twelve months; but the year had not been to him, in the narrower circle of his domestic relationship, an untroubled one; and he referred to this, not because he wished to obtrude his own feelings upon them, but in order that he might have an opportunity of thanking them for the sympathy they had shown with him in the words they had spoken, in the very tones of their voices, and in the kindly looks of their eyes. The reports, as the members would see, were, with only one or two exceptions, highly satisfactory. The Russell street dub had, after an existence' of three years, apparently reached the end of its usefulness. Perhaps, atf the secretary suggested in his separate report, some modification of the scheme might be devised next session which would give the club a fresh lease of life. The Literary Association had shown a falling off in its attendance. Speaking with his friend Mr Waddell the other day on the question of literary societies, that gentleman had expressed the opinion that such associations were probably no longer necessary in connection with the city churches, as the objects they were intended to realise were now easily attained by young men in connection with other and outside organisations. There was a good deal of truth in this opinion. The Technical Classes Association had withdrawn from attendance a good many who used to be regularly present at meetings of the society, and this was not to be regretted, but still it would be well if this Association could be maintained in vigorous existence. The other parts of the report were, as he had said, extremely satisfactory, and he wished particularly to express his satisfaction with the success which had attended the work of the Sunday schools. More and more he was impressed with the conviction that the problem of the world's salvation was to be solved in the Sunday schools. They must save the children, or, rather, they must so influence them that they would never need saving in the sense of reclamation from evil ways. The reports showed that the.hearts of the teachers were in their work, and he trusted that more and more, their labors would be crownpd with abundant success. It was not possible to estimate accurately, or other than by a very rough approximation, the amount of spiritual good which had been done by the church; but, so far as one could judge from the frequent intensity of the attention to the preaching of God's truth, impressions were being received which would not speedily be effaced. The report of the Kirk Session and Deacons' Court, a summary of which we published yesterday, was taken as read. Mr P. DUNCAN, in moving the adoption of the report, raid it was evident that tbe church had been kept at full steam all the year round. In the past they had ventured to hope great things for the church, and their hone had not been misplaced; and doubtless the Tropes which they now entertained that the present success of the congregation would be exceeded by the prosperity that was still in store for it would also be fully realised. He alluded to the harmony of the relations which had existed between the minister and bis office-bearers and between them again and the congregation as one of the more striking features of the work of the year, and said it was a great pleasure to work with the minister—he (Mr Gibb) was so appreciative of any service that was rendered to turn, and took so deep an interest in every department ot thechuruh's work. It would be difficult for huh adequately to express the sympathy which the congregation felt for the minister during the troubles with it had pleased God to afflict him. The minister had thankedthemf or their expressed sympathy, but the speaker would assure him that it-was only the delicacy of the feelings of the congregation for him which prevented tSem fromgiving an even more decided expression to their very deep feelings with him. Regarding the financial position of the church, he pointed' out there was a credit balance this year—not a large one," indeed, but they hoped and trusted # would be larger next year-and thanked the congregation for -their responsivewßs, and for then" co-operalaon with the office-bearers in carrying on the work. The chnrch was manifestly & * 1»y healthy cemditioa, and they looked forward to a futareof increasing- usefuln«BßMMi'suece»tt4lwservice of the King and -Bead of the Qhujsb*

u ir Riusay seconded the motion. He fen- vS*le «fld 0W» 4* W.«» IW wT. „f Firat TChurch. need be, ((shamed. Sefcht Kouldl befell that nienibeb pf Se Wshould be suppUed withies of it, for First Church was the mother chwch, and therefor? her welfare ought to be interesting to oil Presbyterians in tho community, It had be.en his duty for some years past to examine the accounts, and he had some knowledge of that kind of work, and he desired to sav that he had never seen any accounts so' well and carefully kept as those of First Church wero by the treasurer, Mr Duncan.. He was glad that the matter of a Sunday school band had been taken up in earnest, and suggested that when the debt incurred by the extensive repairs effected to the church some time ago had been liquidated, they might set about the building of a proper,hall for the,.main school, the lack of which was at present certainly a reproach to the church.

. The v report and balance-sheet were unanimously .adopted.', .. Mt B. S. Nicolson said that the task of jJreparing the.annual report fell on the .minister, §nd hence it. contained no direct reference tp the services he rendered the congregation." Perhaps reference of tins kind, even it the compilation of the report was undertaken by some other member of Session, would not be necessary, for tho report throughout indirectly testified to the ability and zeal with which Mr Gibb carried on the work of tjhe congregation. Yet it might be well to give voice at that meeting to their appreciation of their minister's labors, and to express their entire sympathy with him in his work. They all knew of the afflictions through which Mr Gibb had had to pass recently, and, on that account they should tell him, how much they felt for him. The labor which a congregation like theirs entailed was very considerable, indeed it was never ending. Some of it was manifest, and a gTeat deal could not be seen by the congregation generally. Even the study work must be done while the minister was" alone, and that of itself to produce the able discourses to which they were privileged to listen necessitated mental work of no mean! order. He would move the adoption of the following minute:—"We desire to acknowledge the goodness of God to us as a congregation, we recognise the harmony and goodwill existing between tho minister, tho office-bearers, and the people; we assure the minister that we are duly mindful of the heavy work involved in tho ministry to so large a congregation ; express our warmest appreciation of his pulpit and pastoral labors; and tender him our sincere sympathy in the h»avy domestic affliction which he has been called to suffer during the last twelve months." The Rev. J. Niven; in seconding the motion, said that, apart from sums raised to purchase the organ and liquidate the debt on the church, the congregation had, during the last eight years, raised a sum of £15,000, besides a further sum of close upon £I,OOO for necessary K.t N. Y. A. Wales referred to the eiithudasm shown by the head of each department of the church's work, and said it was an open secret they caught their enthusiasm from the pastor. The motion was carried unanimously amid loud applause. Mr John Mackay thought it would be well that the outside public should know that the congregation thoroughly sympathised with the minister in his exposure of the seamy side of D;-nedin, and keenly appreciated the tact and power with which Mr Gibb hail handled that verv difficult and delicate subject. He moved —"That the congregation thoroughly appreciate the action of Messrs Gibb and Saunders in their efforts to draw attention to prevalent vices in the community, and trust that their utterances may lead to steps being taken to combat these evils to save the young from the temptations by which they are surrounded." Mr Ewen Cameron seconded the motion, which was carried by acclamation. The benediction brought the meeting to a