ALL SAINTS’ CHURCH, PREBBLETON.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXI, Issue 7221, 22 April 1884, Page 4

ALL SAINTS’ CHURCH, PREBBLETON.

The annual parish meeting in connection with the above church was held in the schoolroom on Thursday evening last, the Incumbent in the chair. The meeting was opened with prayer by the Chairman, who aftei’wards addressed those present upon the work done in the parish during the last year, and also thanked Mr East for the help he had received from him.

The churchwarden road the balancesheet, which proved very satisfactory, showing that the old debt of last year had been reduced, and that now there was only a deficiency, or rather an overdraft at the Bank, of £lB 8s 2d. He also spoke of tho salary of £ls paid to the organist, and recommended that tho church do without an organist for twelve months to save this amount, as ho could not see where the funds were coming from to pay him. The meeting decided that this matter should be settled by tho vestry. Mr East pointed out that the Blue

Eibbon movement had already injured the church, and would do so to a greater extent i£ the movement was pushed ahead. The balance-sheet as read was adopted. Mr East was re-elected minister’s churchwarden, and Mr J. W. Overton, parishioners’ churchwarden. The following were elected as vestrymen Messrs Tosswill, Haydon, Hazleburst, W. Carpenter, Oabbitcs, Comerford, E, Probble, Harwood, W. F. White, and A. Alsop. There was a sharp discussion in reference to the Blue Eibbon movement mentioned above.

Mr Haydon said ho was very much hurt to hear a churchwarden and lay reader express fears that the church would suffer if temperance were pushed ahead in the district. In his opinion, if the church would not flourish hand in hand with temperance, she would not flourish otherwise, and those who had taken offence at the temperance movement, and had withdrawn their subscriptions from the minister’s stipend list, had the welfare of the church little at heart. For his part, he was willing to pay half the amount lost in this way. The following resolution was earned unanimously : —Proposed by Mr Tosswill, seconded by Mr Haydon—" That the thanks of this meeting be given to the Incumbent for the efforts he has made in the parish during the past few months in the cause of temperance,” After votes of thanks were passed to the churchwardens, vestrymen, Sunday school teachers, choir, and the ladies for decorating the church for the past year, the meeting closed with prayer.