KNOX CHURCH.

Evening Star, Issue 12585, 17 August 1905, Page 1

KNOX CHURCH.

Members of Knox Church held their annual business meeting in the Church Hall last evening. Hr Dunlop, moderator of session, presiding. After the usual devotional beginning the chairman put the annual repoi t (summary already published) before the meeting. Mr W. L. Craig moved its adoption, and in doing so spoke of various matters contained m it. He expressed the hope that th* minister (the Rev. W. Hewiteoo) was having a good and beneficial holidav. and mentioned incidentally that though some very able men had tilled the pulpit in his absence, the attendances bad not been e, large as might reasonably have been, expected. Special reference was made to the excellent work being done by Mr Todd and -filter Marie. The speaker also urged that special attention should be given to the falling away of the office-bearers’ monthly prayer meeting. Tribute was also paid to i,be good work done at the mission stations by the late Mrs P. L. Clark. In the matter of finance be asked every member to earnestly consider whether the church was doing as much aggressive work as it ought to do.

Mr M'Aral who seconded the motion, did rot think they' could congratulate themselves on the financial statement put before them. They had gone to the bad some £272. Certainly that sum was to a great extent accounted for by expenditure of an unusual nature. Still, the fact remained that the liabilities had been Increased during the year. The church door collections bad fallen away to the extent of £59, which he thought was to be regretted. There was an increase in tie sum given for missions. The membership had fallen away to the extent of fourteen members. It was not large, still it was a falling off. Many of the organisations hod done splendid work, and great credit was due to those who carried on the work. He referred particularly to the Young Men’s Bible Claes. Ho believed there was a future before the young mens’ movement, and it was one the church should cherish'as much as she could. He trusted the Committee of the doss would make a strong effort next year to have a gymnastic class started. The Fellowship Union was not reported on very favorably in the report. There was plenty of room for the union, as well as the Bible does. The church was not retaining its- hold on the. young men as it should do. There was something wrong, and the question would have to be faced. It was mentioned that no reference was made in the report to the work df Dr Dunlop qs moderator. Mr W. T. Todd explained there were one or two omissions. This was’one, and the otbeie wnre .references to the Maori Hfifl Church and the Bible Class contribution to the mission fund. After Mr G, M. Thomson bad referred to the good work done by Mr Todd, Sister Marie, Messrs W. Hiskm and S. M. Park, the report and belance-weet were adopted, and the meeting concluded with the customary votes of thanks and devotional exercises.