WESLEY CHURCH.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLII, Issue 92, 18 April 1908, Page 5

WESLEY CHURCH.

ANNIVERSARY DAY

The anniversary tea in connection with Wesley Church was held last evening. The. usual ample supply of good things was provided by the ladies of the congregation, and a large number sat down to enjoy the most excellent provision. After tea a public meeting was held in the Church, presided over by Mr. W. B. Parker, the senior circuit steward. The Chairman was in a delightfully reminiscent mood, and recounted the commencement of the Methodist cause in Blenheim some forty years since, showing how, even in the days of small things, it had been possible to build a suitable church in'~the course of a few months from the formation of the society, and also how the tea meetr ings of olden times before the day of tennis, golf, cricket and other games were quite an event of the year, and provided an opportunity of social foregathering which was largely availed ■of by friends from far and near. The flioir, under the conductorship of Mr J. W. Rose, rendered two anthems in good style, which .were much appreciated by the ; large audience present. Mr Percy Cobke sang quite appropriately and r with : - excellent taste a song entitled-"The- Children's Shepherd," and Miss Cora Hadfield received hearty applause for her fine rendering of "In Thy Hands." The circuit stewards, who were the circuit representatives at the Conference held in Auckland early in March, reviewed the work done there. Mr Parker indicated the large amount of detail business incidental to the furtherance of the development of Methodism in the Dominion, and Mr W. D. P/ike reviewed exhaustively the work of such important, -branches of Methodist Church efEortas^ the Home Missions, Foreign Missions, Young People's Forward Movement, Sunday Schools, and other agencies actively engaged in the various parts of the Dominion. Appropriate addresses Were given by: the Rev. C. Penney and the Rev. H. Ranston, and an optimistic report of the year's work in the Blenheim 'Church was presented by the Secretary. : The; meeting was closed \by singing the Doxology, the ReV. C. Penney pronouncing' the Benediction.