ANNUAL REPORT.

Evening Star, Issue 14628, 26 July 1911, Page 3

ANNUAL REPORT.

j YALLFY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. ]' The. annual report of the Xcrtti-e,.-t ! Vailoy Preshyteriaii Church makes plca.-ant ' reading. 'J'ho work of the pa.it 12 months ! luis boon oF it high standard, and the I church continues to uphold its gotid reptt I tation. i In his minister's foreword the. JhVv. 11. B. Gray e-tatcs: —The year has been one of consolidation rather than of in gathering. This has buvi ncce.-snry in vitsiv- of the fact that within the last live ; years 363 members have b,*en received j into the Church. A roi.s-i.-lera.hio. number oi I tlitwo have been young pt.->v-.oi!« to whom ! patient' instruct ion in the things of (bxl ; has been most eesciitial. At the Sunday j morning service, at the Wednesday evenj irtg meeting, in Sabkiih school and l!ibk i ei;is.s and Christian Endeavor Society such : instruction has been given, with the result that the spiritual Ji:'u of many i.- being j greatly deepened anil strengthened. Jiut i ingalheiing is ale'i nc essaiy, for "the 1 fields are white, unto the harvest." There are many in oar neighhorho<-d who are. in j dire need of the < Jopcl message. Our eli'ort to reach them imi.-.r. be mote untiring I than ever. Yet perhaps it is not more i effort we are neixiine;, but mure power. I And as a congregation wo need to be con- ; shnt.ly reminded that tho only avenue to : spiritual power is patient wailing upon ! (Ted. We need morn p<;wer if titer;: is to ibe any great ingatheirig. Hut we. will ' need more room ako. .Had the increase in ', our membership during the p;u-t year been i as great as in two former years we could I scarcely hive accommodated ilie people-. j Are we. to work and pray fur thai lor j which we are making no provision? Howj ever, the congregation may answer this I question. The year upon which wo have. witu'cil will be critic til and difficult. : The members of the session fiubmit a lucid report upon die. woik.-i uf the callous , departments of the ehtinli. They :,t:Ho , that the attendance during the year has ; been remarkably good, especially in tho I morning. The evening attendances for the | paut few weeks have been lies satisfaei toiy. Forty-ono persons joined the ihurch | dining the year, lour members have- died, ! and 11 have received disjunction eo-tili- | catcs. The 101 l be.-, alio been severely | purged, leaving an actual mo.ni!:-ersh;p o'l ! 42j. The- Wedne.-day ]invw nieeti inir is still largely'attended, the usual .•lumber present being about ICO. Tho annual week of prayer was held in the h> ginning of February, being followed by a K-ck of special meetings conducted by the Rev. C 1,. Perry, of "Xi wport, \Va!e.;. Mi- Perry's work was much appreciated, although it did not result in each an ingathering as was hoped, yet- it is believed good was accomplished. For one thing. aggressive work in the various streets o: the district has. been organised. Monthiy cottage meetings are held, and efforts are made to get into personal contact with neighbors and friends. After making reference, to the after-meeting and open-air service the report states that Mr D. S. Heath is stdl superintendent of the Sabbath school, and is assisted by 22 workers. There are 216 scholars on the" roll, with an average attendance of 171. The cffortii of the teachers are greatly handicapped by | the crowded condition of the school. The i Christian Endeavor Society, though not ' quite so strong num« ricaliv as it "was a year ago, is still one of the most aggressive spiritual' agencies of tho church/ Th" senior youm.- women's Bible, class is now under the charge of Sister .lean. The number on the roll i t - ; 54. Ibis class is helping to maintain the staff of Sundav school toachers. Tho junior vouii" v.-omen's class has also had a eh.in'-o of leader. In view <jf her approaching marriage Mrs A. Steven gave place .o Miss Allan, who is continuin" the earnest and effective work of her predecee--1'" J h .° ckss membership now stands at £&. -Unrteen of these are church niemoers. Good woik has been done bv the members of the men's class in carry hi" on the services at Upper Junction. '""The intermediate class was compeilod to j)art with one- of their leaders (Mr Frazer Barton) in the course of the year \s sole leader Mr A. Steven carried a heavv burden for some months, but is now iHoei' by the appointmen f of Mr A. M'Xeur'as co-leader. The boys' Bible class has a membeiship of 18, and under the leadership of Mr G. Manson have done good work. The membership of the choir stands in need oi ' being increased. There are onlv 22 singers '' Miss Lowery stiff give* devoted service to the juniors in the Scripture reading bands. Tiie senior band has amalgamated with tin Junior Christian .Endeavor Society, and 'V now under the charge of Sister Jian. In the mutter of church extension, the Upper Junction and Mount. Caigil! servicer; havt teen arranged for, and during the year a forward step has been taken in the work of tho Opoho Church. The deacons' court wero fortunate in securing the Rev. Albert Wright for the evening services, and also for visitation during the week. Since this appointment was made the attendances on Sundays «nd at the week-night prayer meetings have increased, and altogether a deeper spiritual interest is manifested. During the year the dcaconeoe. after faithful sendees, retired, owing to her approaching ; marriage. The congregation know that the sesetDii have been wisely guided in offering the position to Sister "Jean. The re- j port concludes with appreciative reference to the work of Mr and Mrs Gray. The members of the deacons' court- in

their report state : The court de<>ire to congratulate the congremtion on the splendid mariner in. which th<> various sources of revenue hay.-: been maintained during tho. vear. It is pleasing to bo able to report thnt tho revenue for ordinary purposes is easily a record in every department. Church . door collections particularly show an in- ; crease ficr the fourth year in succession), being £385, as against £329 Iriist year. The ! sustentation' fund has also advanced from i £llß to £135, and seat rents from £76 to j £BB. In view of possible large alterations j little has been don? in the way of church ; repairs during the veat, the item of £126 lis 6d und-r that heading being mainly for urgent, temporary v-.ork in the Sabbath; school, whi'b \a now dangerously over- | crowded. This mainly accounts for the somewhat large credit balance carried for- \ ward !£43 12s Id). Whether the proposals. ! now before the congregation are adopted or not, considerable expi rise will save to b« : incurred during the coming year in the way ■. of renovations. The court is glad to an- t nouncc that it has recently been enabled to j pay off another £I.OO of the debt on the ; Sabbath, school buildings, leaving us now with ;i liability, of only £IOO, exclusive of £l4O borrowed - in connection with tho pur-

chase of the Opoho property. The court have been strengthened during the year by the election of several now deacons, who have taken up their share of the work with, a zeal which speaks well for our future success.