ST. PAUL'S ANNUAL CONGREGATIONAL MEETING.

North Otago Times, 26 July 1906, Page 2

ST. PAUL'S ANNUAL CONGREGATIONAL MEETING.

There was only a fair : attendance Vst evening, in, St. Paul's Church at the annual business meetng of the congregation. The minister, Rev. R, J. Porter, presided. Aftoii the proceedings liad been opened by hymn inn and prayer, the session clerk read 'the minutes of last annual meeting, which were confirmed. The clerk next read the report o! the session published in yesterday's issue, and already adopted by the session. The 'Rev. R, J. Porter, speaking to the report, referred feeiingly to the losses of. the congregation by 'death, and said lie had ollioiatcd at more funerals than in any previous year sinice he had been minister at St. Paul's. Mr B. Molliscu was specially mentioned. The minis-: ter also referred most feelingly to the death of Mrs J. R. Don, and to her useful life. The deepest sympathy, of tho congregation went out to l)r Don, and to all those who had suffered bereavements during the year. Many families had been lost to the com gregation,' through • removal, hut others had arrived In their places, and the minister bcspoKc for the latter tho congregation's hearty welcome. Mr Porter went on to note, with pleasui'Cj the good work being done among live young, and the in. teresi in missions, imlicatiMc, lie thought, of a growing spiritual interest. In conclusion, he pleaded for more enthusiasm, which was all that was wanted to mrfe the current year the best in the congregation's history. Mr Rose read the Sabbath school report as follows: -Sabbath School Report.-

"There are now 242 scholars ami 23 teaclieas on the main school roll, and 29 scholars and two teachers on Eveline branch school, making a total of 271 Kjcliolars ami 25 leaclicrs. The average attendances for the past ye a r. are • Main school 184, 'liiveline 2-3. During the year we have to record with regret tlie loss from our teaching staff of Misses Bicknell, Farnilton, Lindsay, .Walls, and Messrs Hay anil Strachan, but in their places we liavfc welcomed Misses Kinlayson, Gilliand, Holt, M'lntosh, M'Naught, Ward, anil Messrs Bishop and Wisnesky. Wc wish to express our gratification that the Young Women's Uibl Class has evinced practical interest in our work by providing teachers from amongst its members, This wc look upon as a true sign of the' Value of the B hie class movement-sending out into the departments of Church work workers whose Bible study should eminently fit them for efficient service for the Master. We would gladly welcome a similar result from the Young Men's Bible Class, - " A fair number of scholars, went up for the Assembly's examination 'last year, and, in order to bring our schools into closer toich with the congregation, a special service was held on loth October-", Children's l)ay Vi —at 'the forenoon service, when prizes Y'cre presented to • the successful competitors. This proved a very interesting service, ami wc hope it may he made an annual one. "The picnic was licljl on the last, Thursday of January, at Hampden, ami wc had a successful gathering of teachers, scholars, and members of the congregation. '• Wc must record our appreciation of the increased facilities alfonlcd by the additions to our school, tlic extr a class-rooms arc of ncslimable value, and the new 'library room is a great convenience. ' " Our mission contributions for the year amounted to £2!) us id, ot which £:i 9s 9d comes, from Eveline an'l 1:1s <ul from the main -school'. - Thi mtiiiey lias been apportioned to the following schemes of the Church—viz., Canton Village,'£2 ; Canton Villages building fund,. £5 as id; native teacher, £B, Dayspring, £ro; Duiiedir. Training Home, £1 i.os; general, Us. ' '' .

„ I' Misses Patterson and Diclrl, in repoi'l »g on the yi'ai's work at Eveline, refer lo the continual kindness of Mc and Airs Douglas -in placing a ruoin and an organ at our disposal. Needless to say, without this generous treatment the school could not be. mirintaineil, ami we arc very grateful to Mr and Mrs Douglas. 'His report says the school has, filled a much felt need, and has been the means of imparting spiritual knowledge to many who in Die past had had no such opportunity. There arc still children in the district who might avail themselves of t'hc opportunity of attending. Miss Howie has kindly helped as relieving teacher when required. Misses PattciSon and Diclil express the School's synipath. with the relatives of Willie Watson, wlin, ii is regretted, (lied during the yeai Ho was. one of their most promising scholars. " the report oi the growing 'work at Eveliho wo thins opens up the question as to whether the time js nut ripe for St. i'aulcs Church to make a forward movement in that district by securing a piece of ground in a central position on erect a building suitable for a Sabbath school ami for rclig ons services. We commend this matter to the congregation as one of considerable iiul.ortanco. I " The work of striving to inculcate Biblo truth into the minds and hearts of our young, people has passed through' another year, and there is cause for thankfulness that so much [interest has been displayed by both' j teachers and scholars. I " The results of that worn depended In 'some measure on tlio faithfulness with which wc discharged our great privilege, but t:lic bless ug. of Go 1 .1 alone can bring the much desired consummation—the leading of our ; scholars to the Saviour. •

With the prayer in our hearts that the seed already sown may Liing forth fruit to Uiis end, and with a like hope stimulating us tor future work,, we go into the new year trusting to the Master's guidance and help." . This was followed, by the reports of tho St, Paul's branch of the P.W., Missionary, Union, and the Ladies', Guild: -St; ; Pail's Branch of the P.W.M.U, Report.~

'■l Our branch has to roport ricreasing interest year by year, in mission work)' as shown by. the contributions, and also in tho membership, .which is now 54, The collectors this year received £4B 6s 6d by boxes and subscriptions, an increase of £l2 over last year. The amount given through all the various organisat ons at work is i£loo, this-being the largest , suin. contr buted for mission purposes.; in the history of our Church. We feel grateful to God for the; advance in this branch of 'our Christian.work, and. pray, that our/efforts' may .be still more abundantly blesstfOn future)" - I -Ladies' GuiWßeport,- .• . year- we held our. ua\ial sew«

ing meeting from tiie middle of March to October 39th, when we held our annual sale, whicli-was a very.successful'Olic.' After all 'our expenses were Paid we liad a balance of. £l7B ios, which" weni towards tlic cost of lli« additional'.classrooms-in -the • Wear .Street Hall.. Tlii» ycai* we are wort ing for. tlic same object, and • have excellent meetings, Llic ladies attending, in larger "numbers than ever bciorc; anil everything points to an even more successful sale this year, which we have decided :t'o hold on October lath, lfttli, and apth." The treasurer, Mr Jas. Martin, then read the balance-sheet for the year showing receipts !£i29B 7s-6d, expenditure £1247 7s cd, leaving a credit, balance of £■«, There hall beeir raised during the year, in addition to the toe 7 S : (Sid, a sum of nearly £too for special purposes. ' The 'managers'-report was read by Mi Mart n as follows: "" The managers, in presenting tl;cir annual report,, are pleased to stale that the financial affairs of the congregation continue on the whole very satisfactory, for although some sources of revenue shows'a considerable shrinkage, others have increased, so.that the actual receipts for this year are only £l2 2s fld less than (lie previous year. " The total receipts for the. year, . including £s;i las od credit balance at ist JUIy, 1905, amounts to U2% vs fid, but this docs not iiiclml» the. ■ contributions received on account of the additions toWoar Sheet Hall, . which amount to inso r>s sd, and for which a separate report; will bo submitted. Our expenditure for the same ; period has been £1217 -is lid, leaving a balance of £w 3s :t'ri to carry fori ward to the current year's account. . " The ordinary collections ainoiuitlo £;mi lfis Hid, being £;h 2s id less ; than last- year. The seat rents also , show a cons dcrable shrinkage, being i only £uio as against £lso 3s oil for I i!Mi3. a decrease of f M Us sd.

'•'Tlic contributions to the sustention f-ind amount to £' !, B iss mil, an increase of £7 12s The con. i'ibii lions to the. various miss our have reached the highest point, in Hie history of ehc Church, the receipts being £IOO, or £0 Os 3d more than last year. "Tlic rails rcccvcil from Wear Street Mail amount to £B9 • 3s, There lias, however, been consiflerahle expenditure in connection with the drainage, asphalting, etc., of Church ami Hall, amounting to £&2 'is 8(1, lAi I 'the expenditure is nonrecurring,

" During the yeai the debentures on the manse, amounting to £2:>o, have been p<rid off, and both church and manse ai.e now entirely free from debt. To the Ladies' Guild is due the credit for this Very satisfactory state of affairs, as during the five years that the G'oild has been in ex, istrtice it has handed over to the managers the very handsome sum of £73115s id. The amount received from the last, sa'e of work being £l7s' 12s Bd. To the Guild the managed tender their very hearty thanks. " The managers, at the request of the choir and organist, have jfuctioncd a considerable enlargement, to the organ, the cost of which will amount to about £2lO. The contractor, 1 Mr Pcarsc, of Christcliurch, expects to start work shortly, and' the managers arc assuicd that the proposed additions will malic our organ a really lirsl-class instrument). The treasurer, Mr Hardeman, is prepared to receive subscriptions for the 1 quidation of the debt." On the motion of Messrs Dcwar and Menzies the managers' report .and the AalaiicKliect were unanimously adopted. Several members spoke in gratifying terms of the position as disclosed;. Special reference was made to the facti-tlie important fact—that the- church was now quite free of debt. 1

' Mr J. S. Holmes read tSlie report of the Sunday school building fund, as follows:

" I hfijlc t'Jm pleasure of subm tting herewith a statement of receipts and expenditure in connection with the •additions to the Wear Street Hall. " The total cost, including school fittings, has been £«80 19s 6d, the total received from all sources amounts tofewo 5s 3d, leaving a balance due to the treasurer of £29u 14s id.

■'"The buildings have boon in constant use for Sunday school and otlic; purposes, and have been especially appreciated by the teachers of the classes in the Sunday school. " The La-dies' Guild is working again this year, and intend to hold a sale of work on the same lines a s before, at the usual time. With this and a little further liberality from the members of our congregation we should red'uee the liability on this account to a very small amount indeed. .The thanks of the managers are specially due to Mr John Allan for his services as inspector of works without charge, anil to the ladies who have provided such a large amount by their labors, as well as to those who have contributed directly to this object." Mr Holmes paid a very high tribute to the wort, of the Ladies' Guild, \vh ch had contributed, in five years, close on £IOOO to the funds of the church, The Christian Endeavor report ana the Bible class reports were read as follows by Mr J. S. Holmes: -Christian Endeavor Reports.— " The Senior Christian Kndeavor Society has held its meetings every Tuesday evening, and the attendance of, the members lias been good on the whole, but the membership has decreased during the year from le. movals and withdrawals, The membership now stands at 10,' aiiil il really good work is to be done by this Society there ,is needed a much increased interest by, the young people of. the congregation. ~ " The Junior Christian Endeavor Society continues to flourish vigorously, ami"* the attendance of .the. members is most regular and encouraging. The number on the roll is 40, and tho work done by the members is ,vcry carefully and.ia thlully. done, This Society, has rather out* ; grown its name, anil should bo called aii intermediate Sociel' There ut now, room for the establishment of a new Junior Sdcie'ty, as the present members are so advanced that there is a difficulty in enlisting young riv cruits from the panics of tiis.plors growing up among us. If any member of our congregation is fi'a'ly to give himself to this work tlui'e is abundant material, and there is l no doubt that a strong Junior b»cieiy. could be gathered together, ami who- N ever willingly consecrates himself to this work would be richly rewarded,"

-Bible Classes' Reports.-, " Young Women's t) ble Class.—This class meets every Sunday afternoon during its session in the room at tho back"- of tho church at half-past, two; ; in the afternoon; Tho memjwrship is'. now 84, with an average attendance .'■■■■■ of-M.vThe class.has; this year been./ studying the " ; Gospcl by Mark and lessons from the life: of Elijah alter-, natelyrThc members patt 'ln tho meetings by: writing papers': oii differ.. ; ent subjects, or by bringing notes on the lesson. There~-are seven committees» >; at work, LooK-o'ut, Syllabus, , Sewing' Guild; and • Sifoday School,' Discussion, Misslon',; : Musical, Social,, ■ the. oblect of ' being ;to: assist tho-'. Sunday, school *'■: and draw I 'the

Bible Class and the Sunday school closer together. • '' Young Men's Bible Class. This class meets oMery Sunday in the Oddfellows' Hall at 2 o'clocK, during the six winter months. There arc at picsent l'J members on the roll, and the average attendance is about i'«\ This year wc are silmlying the Gospel of Jo4tu, and on alteinalc Sundays- I,'rmc ate paiiors by the members on some topical subject, with a discussion Upon it, The present office-bearers are: President. Rev, R. J, Porter; leader, Mr J, S. Holmes; deputyleader, Mr H, D; Stevenson secretary, Mr W. Wlson; treasurer, Mr \V. Edwardj. We earnestly desire a large addition to our members, and extend a hearty invitation to the young men of the congregation to come and help us in our class."

Speaking to these reports, Mr Holmes impressed on the congregation that the future o( the church depended on the young people in the Bible classes, Endeavor and other societies, and bespo'fe the earnest sup'port of these good works by the older members ot the church.

Hearty and special Votes ot thanks Were passed, on the Rev. It. J. Porter's motion, to the session clerk ,(Mr Rose), Sir A, Hcdlcy, Mr James Martiiu Mr. .Stevenson, Mr J. S. Holmes, Miss Sumpter, awl the members ot the Management Uonimjltee, Votes ot thanks were also passed to the Sustentation Committee (proposed by Mr Fraser), Scat-letting Committee (Mr Jas. M'Failanc), Sabbath school teachers, superintendent and libmrian (Mr Henry Allan), Ladies' ..Guild (Mr J. I>, Grant), mission (Collectors (.Mr J, H. Milligan), organist and choir (Mr Patterson), aujditor (Mr Stevenson), and a special vote to Mr J. S. Holmes (Mr Rose), for his work in connection .Willi the Sunday school hall On the mot on of Mr J. 11. Milligan the work of the Rev , R. J. Porter and Mrs Porter was recognised by a spec al and hearty vote of thanks, ami the Congregation cart ed standing a vote of sympathy with Mrs Porter in the death of her lathes. The singing of the Doxology, and tho benediction closed the proceedings.;