Hawera Presbyterian Church.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XX, Issue 2335, 28 January 1893, Page 2

Hawera Presbyterian Church.

Tbe annual congregational meeting of the above was held in the church on Thursday evening, there being a large gathering of members, adherents, and friends. The pastor, Bey. McGregor, presided. After the opening services of praise and prayer the obairman, on behalf of tbe session, reported that during the past year they had been going on in the usual way. It was impossible to make a tabulated statement of results. It had been a year of Bowing and they were now looking forward to the year of reaping, trusting to the great Head of the ehurob.

Mr. Bobbins, treasurer of tbe church, tben read the balance-sheet, wbiob showed the receipts in the general account to have been £318 9s sd, and expenditure, £318 Os lid, besides the debt on the Manse property bad been reduced by £142. The following were elected a committee of management :— Messrs. M. Hunter, B. C. Bobbins, D. Buchanan, A. H. Parkinson, W. Milne, Nielson, Winks, G. Syme, sen., W. Bobertson, A. Paterson, together with the elders — Messrs. MoFarland and Hutchison.

The Sunday School report showed a decrease in numbers, a regular and faithtui attendance of teaohers, and credit balance of Js2o. It deplored the dropping off of the senior olaßseß, and appealed to the parents for a greater and more active interest in Sabbath Sobool work.

The Chairman then, on behalf of the teaohers, distributed prizes to the successful competitors at an examination in scripture, catechism, and essays, the following beiug the prize takers :— Janet McGregor, Bhoda Syme, Geo. McGregor, Stanley Hutchison, James Campbell, and Edward Yeats; and a special prize for attendance and lessons to George Tooker. The business part of the programme being disposed of, tbe Chairman oalled upon the Bey. Mr. Martin (Patea) to address the meeting. The rev. gentleman, referred to tbe report of tbe session, and felt sure that there would be a good reaping from the seed sown. He made an appeal for the Sunday School, and pointed out tbe responsibility of parents in this matter. He spoke of tbe cloße friendly relations between the people and the minister, and tbe sooial element in ; religion, maintaining that there is a Booial side to religion which oan and ought to be enjoyed by Christians.

The Bey. Mr. Eay took for bis subject " Eclecticism ; or, to take the best out of everything." It was right that we should examine into other systems than our own, and therefore he liked to examine into tbe working of other churches, and to take the best out of these systems ; but we must be careful in oar examination, , for there was such a thing as taking the bad and leaving tbe good. There was something good in everything ; something helpful io every system ; and to him there were many useful bints in the working of other chuiches. He paid a high tribute to tbe Churoh of Scotland for the stand it had always taken for the uphold- | ing of tbe Bible in the home.. and before; I the people. People talked about Calvinism dying out, bnt it never would die outj for it was tbe great troth God Bules. Then ! let us get all the good we can out of Christianity, and. above all, study tbe life' and example of Christ.

Rev. McDonald, of Waverley, in a powerful speech, pointed out that every mao and woman ought to be a Christian worker. Tbe teaohipg of the Bible was that we were to be workers. Wotto God lays hold of a man tbe blessings whioh the man receives ought to flow out to others. There should not be any sleeping in relation to tbe work of God. It was not talkers tbat were wanted, but workers. He would have everyone feel tbat they have some work to do for God. It was a wonder to him how Christians could sit still. Some say Christianity is a thing to be bidden in the heart only. This is not right. At first it is a secret between God and the man, and after a public matter. The Bible proved this, and each ought to have something to say and something done for Christ. What we want in tbe Presbyterian Chnroh is some " go." If members would bring into their church some of the " go," they take into their business, bow the christain cause would progress. This "go " was 11 fire," for it is a warm heart rather than a large head whioh works for God. He stated that his church had a large credit balance, but he was doubtful if it was rigbt lor a church to have a credit balance because - thousands in tbe world were dying for tbe want of Christian knowledge, and while tbe world is going wrong it is not quite the thing for a church to have a credit balance. Reference had been made to tbe fact of senior scholars not attending our Sabbath school, and he deplored it. Now parents had something to do with this. Ministers too had something to do with this, bnt be wonld say to tbe teaohers, that tbe secret of this matter was for them to seek the salvation of their soholars before they reach this age. Conversion was tbe cure for the leakage in our Sunday schools. In conclusion, he again appealed to every Christain to work for God, so that it might be said of tbem " He or she hath done what they could.". During an interval for sooial intereonrse an abundance of refreshments was served by a committee of ladies, which was highly appreciated by all present. On the motion of Mr. MoFarland, a hearty vote of thanks was tendered to tbe speakers, the choir, ladies who had pro* vided refreshments, and to the treasurer.

During the evening a number of anthems were rendered in an efficient manner by the choir, under the leadership of Mr. Hutchison; Miss Bncbanan presiding at the piano. " ■•- ; -.v.v '.