CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXX, Issue 8578, 4 September 1888, Page 5

CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.

Last night there was a tea and general meeting at this church, for the purpose of welcoming Dr Hannay and Mr Henry Lee, who, in addition to being delegates to tho Conference at Melbourne, are specially expected to visit and report upon tho condition of the various Nonconformist churches in the Australasian Colonies. There was a large attendance. The tea partook of tho nature of a social, and was arranged under the supervision of Mrs Sheppard and other ladies of the congregation. After the tea meeting, which was held in the schoolroom, the delegates delivered a special address to tho church workers.

At eight o’clock the meeting adjourned to the church, which was rather crowded. The Bov J. Hoataon took the Chair, and the platform was occupied by ministers from the several affiliated churches. The meeting opened with a hymn and prayer. The Rev Mr Bradbury then briefly moved a resolution to the effect that the delegates be accorded a hearty welcome. The Rev S. M'Farlane, delegate from the Christchurch Ministers’ Association, in seconding the motion, mentioned the benefits that would result from their visit, and alluded to the rapid spread of Congregationalism in the Colonies. Mr Hoatson would suggest a few subjects for the evening’s discourse, chief of which were the employment of lay agency in the work of the’church, aud confederation of denominations.

After a hymn. Dr Hannay addressed the meeting, dealing principally with financial affairs. He had been the instigator of a meeting of laymen at Birmingham, and Mr Lee had there drafted apian of federation. The result of this meeting was the formation of the Church Aid and Home Missionary Society. Dr Hannay said that the laity constituted the church, and the whole of the business was in the hands of the people, but preaching should be left to those specially gifted with the faculty, and he was of opinion that laymen should not preach. He contended that Baptists and Free Methodists were identical with Congregationalists. Dr Hannay spoke in an eloquent manner of confederation in the Old Country. He could not agree with Mr Bradbury that confederation destroyed selfishness, and told a pithy anecdote to illustrate his views.

The choir then sang the anthem, “ Oh Everyone that Thirstebh,” after which the Eev J. Hoatson introduced Mr Henry Leo, who spoke of the desirability of discharging the pecuniary liability of the church. A great deal more depended on the lady workers than on the men, and young ladies of the congregation should, therefore, put their hearts into their work by teaching. Sunday schools should be promoted and fostered in every way. The Eev J. Hoatson then addressed the meeting. He said JSI9OO was now the amount of the church debt, but Colonel Sargood and Mr Lee had promised £SO each if the debt was reduced to -£ISOO.

There was no formal vote of thanks, but the Rev J. Hoatson, on behalf of the congregation, thanked tho_ speakers for their addresses, and the meeting terminated.

Paris, with its suburbs, has a population of 2,961,089, of whom 2,314,450 are resident in Paris itself. At the beginning of the century the total population of the Seine was only 631,583, so that it is now more than four times as large as it then was, having increased to 1,200,000 in 1840 and to 2,400,000 in 1876. It has, therefore, increased by .about 600,000 in the last jtwelve.yeaacs."