ST. JOHN'S PARISH.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XXV, Issue 1673, 27 April 1866, Page 2

ST. JOHN'S PARISH.

♦ A meeting of the parishioners of St. John the Baptist's, was held yesterday evening, at seven o'clock, at Collins's Hotel. The Rev. J. O'B. Hoare, the Incumbent, occupied the chair, and amongst those present were Dr. Deamer, Lieut. Deane, Messrs. Mytton, Cuff, St. Quentin, Thomson, Lowther, Prince, Collins, Hobbs, McKellar, C. W. Bishop, Jollie, &c. The minutes of the last meeting baring been read and confirmed, The Rev. the Chairman stated that the principal business before the meeting was the consideration of the financial position of the parish and of the Church; but especially the latter. He suggested that the two considerations should be kept separate. He agreed with the sentiment expressed by the Ven. the' Archdeacon of Christchurch, that the best plan would be to memorialize the Synod, with reference to the employment of a portion of the offertories for the purposes of the Parochial Aid Fund. The debt on the Church was much larger than the parishioners had been led to expect. The question was, how to pay off that debt. He regretted to see that church feeling was almost dead in Christchurch. Now that a new church and a new parish had been established was the time to make an effort to revive it. A churchman had offered to give £3OO, to be paid in August, provided a similar amount were raised by that date. He (the speaker) hoped that the churchmen of the parish would make strong exertions to free the House of God from the debt which now weighed so heavily upon it. Mr. C. W. Bishop would like to know what amount of money available for the purposes of the parish was remaining in the hands of the Church Property Trustees. They were lending out money at interest, and he should like to ascertain if they could not render any assistance to the parish. The Rev. Chairman said that the whole income of the Church Property Trustees was about £BOO per annum. Mr. C. W. Bishop thought that the Church Property Trustees might so manage the trusts as to Increase their assets, so as to enable them to lend a helping hand to such churches as required it. Mr. St. Qointin, citing his experience in Victoria, thought that the debt might be liquidated either by a personal guarantee on the part of a committee to be appointed for the purpose, each member guaranteeing a certain sum. There were about thirty persons in that room—let each guarantee, say £lO, and £3OO would at once be raised. Another plan would be to raise the money by way of loan, either with interest or without it, by way of debentures, to be taken up after a certain time. But he should prefer the former expedient. Lieut. Deank stated that the sum of £7OO, which had been mentioned in the circulars as being absolutely necessary to be paid off shortly, must be found. The late churchwardens had given bills for the amount, and the sum must be provided, or the bills would be dishonoured. Mr. Sheppard suggested that the parish should be divided into small districts, and actively canvassed by the vestrymen, aided by some other gentlemen, for subscriptions; he had no doubt but that a considerable sum would be raised by this means. Mr. St. Qdentin proposed, that a subscription list should be at once opened and that each person should place his name against the amount he is prepared to collect before August 31. Mr. Thomson seconded the motion. Mr. Lowther suggested that a committee consisting of some of the gentlemen present should be appointed, assisted by the members of the vestry, or a portion of the latter, in order to consider the subject of the debt. Mr. St. Quentin remarked that his object in bringing forward his motion was to enlist a more general sympathy with the movement. Let a subscription list first be opened, and then the committee alluded to might be formed as suggested. Otherwise, the committee might devise some other means of discharging the debt. Mr. Lowther moved as an amendment—"That a committee of eight should be appointed to collect subscriptions in aid of the payment of the debt." Mr. Sheppard seconded the amendment. Mr. C. W. Bishop suggested that the number of committeemen proposed was too small. The parish was so extensive that it would be almost impossible for so' limited a number to canvass it properly. He thought that the committee should consist of all the seat-holders in the church. Mr. M'Kklur remarked that the matter, in his opinion, rested with the churchwardens and vestrymen, assisted by a small number of gentlemen. A committee such as proposed by Mr. Bishop would be far too cumbersome to manage. After some discussion the amendment was carried, the words" with the co-operation of the vestrymen and churchwardens, with power to add to their number," being inserted after the word " appointed," The following gentlemen were appointed as a committee:—Messrs. M'Kellar (nominated by the Rev. Chairman) Sheppard, St. Quentin, M'Lean, Thomson, Barrett, Hobbs, and Hawkins. On the motion of Mr. Bishop it was decided that the committee should make a statement of their accounts on or before August 31. Mr. St. Quentin's resolution was withdrawn. A subscription list was opened, and the sum of £l6O was collected. Before the meeting broke up. The Rev. Chairman stated that, at the last meeting, the election of a church property trustee for the parish of St. John's had been accidentally omitted, and that it would be well to rectify the oversight on the present occasion, Mr. C. W. Bishop was unanimously appointed to the office. Lieut. Deane stated that the Rev. Incumbent was the gentleman who had generously offered to give the sum of £3OO, alluded to in the early part of tho evening. Mr. St. Qobntin proposed a vote of thanks to the Rev. Chairman, both for his conduct in the chair, and also for his liberal donation. It was more than the parishioners could have hoped for, and more than they had any right to expect. Mr. Hoare had exhorted them to make a vigorous effort to free the church from debt, and he had set them a noble example. Mr. C W. Bishop seconded the motion, ; which was carried unanimously; after which ■ the meeting adjourned. j