Holy Trinity Church.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume II, Issue 168, 12 July 1888, Page 3

Holy Trinity Church.

Tax annual meeting of parishioners in Holy Trinity Church was held in the School-house last night, there being about seventy present. The Bev. J. E. Fox took the chair. The usual pastoral letter was read. The annual report was read, the main points being as follows: — The year jnat closed enables the Vestry to report that the debt upon the Church is now wholly extinguished. A sum of £75 (molusire of £25 appropriated during the year) has also been paid off the Parsonage loan, leaving £375 still to be paid. The special loan for the purchase of the section at the back of the Church of £135 is also outstanding. If it should hereafter be decided not to sell this ■ection it will become necessarv to gradually extinguish thisloan. This gratifying reduction Of loan has been mainly accomplished during the past three years, and is almost entirely due to the steady persevering efforts of the ladies of the congregation, who. a few years ago, determined, if it were possible, that the

CLoroh should be free from debt. Daring nine months of the year the Pariah hae eontribnted towards the Per. 0. Dean's stipend at the rate of £5O per year promised. The Hawke's Bay Trust has contributed £5O and the Diocesan Fund £5O for the first year of the newly-established curacy. We are glad to find that this new charge has not, in fact added to the appreciable weight of our burdens. Mr Dean’s labors have been valued throughout the districts in which he has regularly conducted services. The country offertories show this year, inclusive of the period of nine months during which he was engaged, £45 5». fid., as against £lB 6s. 4d. last year. It is more difficult to show results, but we are confident that subscriptions to Stipend Fund have also benefited by the labours of a second Clergyman. It will be observed that this charge of £5O has been borne, while also, and perhaps we may say by reason of the appointment, the vestry funds have not received what has hitherto been an annual grant of £5O from the Hawke's Bay Trust. The services of the Church have been paid out of its normal income. We do not disparage special efforts, and we are heartily thankful to Mr W. L. Bees, Mr Shelton, and others who have so cordially aided us at the Hapara Fete and Concert, and at other times previously. At the same time, we believe such efforts should be confined to cases of emergency, and should not be, employed to make up a deficiency in the income requisite to maintain the services of the Church. An analysis of the figures shown in onr Balance Sheet will show that although we received £53 by ’special efforts, we ex pended more than that sum in reduction of debt and permanent repairs to the Church. The Gisborne offertories have increased, being for the past year £259 12s. 4d., as against £231 4s. "d., received in 1887. This does not include the sum of £ll 13s. Id. contributed to the Melanesian Mission, or the sum of £8 3s. sd. subscribed to the Diocesan Fund. This fund has now, we may remind you, a still stronger claim for your support. The comparative tables printed at the foot of the Balance Sheet will enable you to see how much has been done during the past three years to bring ynur finances into a satisfactory state. The debt which in 1885 stood at £1047 4s. 3d., is now reduced to £341 13s. 6d. This comparison is hardly a fair one, as the assets in 1885 in. eluded arrears of pew rents, which experience has shown, are not sufficiently certain to be treated as assets, and now in 1888 are only so treated in exceptional cases, the very moderate sum of £22 10s. being claimed as only recoverable. The effort now required of you is that of building a Sunday School. You still have, in consequence of the liberality of Archdeacon S. Williams, the site offered to you. I He has also offered £5O as a donation, payable when you dan decide to bnild, and has proI mised a further subsidy in aid of funds raised in the Parish. We wish we could impress upon the meeting to-night our deep sense of the necessity which exists for such a building. The staff of teachers have done what they could under very difficult circumstances. We are deeply thankful to them for the aelf-sacrifioe shown in carrying on this work. The parents can materially aid the efforts of the teachers by taking pains to see that the children attend with regularity. During a short holiday which the Bev. Incumbent allowed [himgelf in the hope of recruiting his strength, we were indebted to the Bev. E. Jennings, Colonel Simeon, and Mr Greenwood for supplying our services. In concluding our report we desire to express our belief the parishioners have great cause for gratitude for the measure of prosperity which has attended their efforts during the year. Buch prosperity is, we think, the result of the unity of effort and feeling which is happily so general in the Parish. We have no doubt but that that unity is based upon the unselfish labors of the Bev. Incumbent in oar midst. With God's blessing he himself has been strengthened for his work, and the Parish has prospered under h's charge, while we venture to think the Spiritual life of the Church has incteased. We pray that It may continue to increase more and mote, and that all our work may be done to the honor and glory of oar God. Dr Pollen had much pleasure in moving the adoption of the report,and made a few com plimentary remarks in reference to the wa; in which the affairs had been managed. Mr Matthews seconded, and the report wa unanimously adopted, Messrs C. A. DeLautour and C. P. Davie were re-elected Gburoh-wgrdene. It having been decided that the Vestr

should be composed of ten members, the folowing were elootsdMessrs Batt, Greenwood, Humphreys. Banger, W. Morgan, Beere, O. Gray, Kempthorns, C. Dunlop, Weetman, and Shelton. Messrs F. 1. Piesee and Capt Chrisp were elected auditors. With reference to the building of aSundsyscbool, Mr DeLautour proposed “ That the Sry now elected make every effort during • year of office to erect a Sunday schoolso take advantage of the very liberal advance made by Archdeacon Williams; and provided that one-half of the total cost of a suitable building is now in hand, the Vestry be authorised to commence building.’* Mr Greenwood seconded. The meeting was brought to a close in the Bsual way. ________