TUPAKEA NEWS.

Evening Star, Issue 12882, 3 August 1906, Page 8

TUPAKEA NEWS.

[Special to the Star.] LAWRENCE, August 3. The annual congregational meeting of the Lawrence Presbyterian Church, followed by a sociaf, was held here on Wednesday evening, when there was a capital attendance. The Session report stated that there were now 213 names on the membership roll, 46 having been added during the year. The Management Committee's report showed that the vear was begun with a debit balance of £IS 13s 3d, and wound up with a credit of £2B 6s 4d. The various sources of income showed an all-round increase over the previous year, the congregation having contributed very liberally. The Rev. R. Scott-Allan, the minister, is held in the highest esteem, and is noted for the enthusiasm which he infuses into his work. The meeting after the social was addressed by the Revs. Jas. Chisholm (Roslyn), D. Maclennan (Dunedin), and Macki-: (Alexandra). The selections by a strong choir were in keeping with the occasion, adding greatly to the evening's enjoyment. Towards the close of the church meeting Mr John Browne, who lately relinquished the position of precentor, which be held for eight years, was the recipient of a marble clock." The Rev. Scott-Allan made the presentation, referring in very happy terms to the faithful and capable way in which Mr Browne had carried out his duties. In acknowledging the gift, Mr Browne said he did not look for any reward for his services; his chief pleasure was to see the choir practices well attended and a full muster at the Sabbath services. He regretted that his many week-night engagements had really forced him to retire from the position of conductor of the choir. The brief visit of the Rev. Mr Maclennan (of Chalmers Church) to the district gave a lot of pleasure in a quiet way to a number of Highlanders living in Lawrence and the immediate neighborhood. "There was more Gaelic," one enthusiastic Highlander told your correspondent, "spoken in Lawrence on Thursday than has been the case for many a long year." Mr Maclennan is a noted Gaelic ?enolar. and takes a keen delight in moving among his countrymen and conversing with them in their native tongue. The subject of golfing on the Sabbath Day has been attracting considerable interest locally of late, and the protest in the local and other newspapers is having (so it is said) a wholesome influence on the transgressors. A strong protest against Sabbath golfing was entered up last Sunday evening by the Rev. Scott-Allan in his monthly sermon to young men. After showing that the love of pleasure could bo natural, pure, and right, and that th© Scriptures were in harmony with this doctrine, the rev. gentleman said it was not to be denied that to-day there was an alarming prevalence of the love of people which threatened to have a degenerating effect on the interests of morality and to lower the high standard of life. He passed in review many of the forms the love of pleasure took, and coming nearer home, forcibly protested against the abuse of the lawful pleasures of those who evidently considered that they could profane all good principle and transgress the moral law in the. fulfilment of selfish and unwarrantable desire. With such the holiness and the happiness of the community was as nothing, and regard for the Sabbath, which characterised th© life of this community, was as a useless thing to be cast aside for an inordinate indulgence in a pastime which, lawful in iteelf, became debased when all the principles of reverence and respect were overruled. If Sabbath desecration was to become a part ot the price a man was tempted to pay for pleasure, then there was a bad outlook for the race. If men were willing to barter their souls for a mess of pottage and to Bell theix Uvea to secure their carnal gratification, thenthey surely have abandoned th© moral strife which has God and goodness as its end. It is a tribute to- the strong sense of righteousness that prevails in our midst that the unlawful indulgence in lawful pleasures has been met by strong and effective protest, and we have no fear but that the voice of this people will ever be raised in load defence of th© great moral principles by which alone a community and a nation can be exalted.

Th© members of the Roxburgh Railway League are now on tho warpath, and are soliciting the support of the League in backing up their efforts for a £50,000 grant next session of Parliament for pushing on the construction of the Lawrence-Roxburgh Railway. The £IO,OOO grant of last session will not carry 'the work much beyond Evans Flat, and there is considerable anxiety on the part of the leaguers to have the line completed as far as the Beaumont with as little delay as possible. '■ The annual examination of the District High School by two of th© Education Board's inspectors begins on. Monday, 20th inat.