WESLYAN CONGREGATIONAL TEA MEETING

New Zealander, Volume 1, Issue 31, 3 January 1846, Page 3

Wesleyan Congregational Tea Meeting

On Thursday evening last, a Tea Meeting, in connexion with theWesleyan Congregation of this place, was held in the Mechanic's Institute, at which the Rev. Walter Lawry presided. The Hall of the Institute was tastefully decorated with boughs and flowers, and the platform was tapestried around with banners belonging to the Society's schooner, Triton, „_. at present in our port, Upwards of one hundred persons sat down to tea, after which the business of the meeting was opened by singing and prayer. The Chairman commenced by stating the objects of the meeting. He said that the accommodation afforded by the present Chapel was not considered sufficiently extensive for the encreasing number of hearers attending that place of worship ; for his own part, it gave him much pleasure to observe, from the pulpit, on the sabbath-days, that the house was well filled— but he had been informed that, frequently, many, who perhaps arrived after the service had commenced; were obliged to retire to their homes from want of convenient room in the chapel. The liniits of the building were also found to be incommodious for' the children attending the SabbathSchool connected with this congregation ; and it had now become desirable that a Day-school should be established— but for such school they had at present no suitable accommodation! It was a principle laid down by the Wesleyan body at home, that the congregations in connexion with' them should erect, at their own expense, their own places of worship, and of such dimensions as would suit their own convenience. This principle had been acted upon in the other colonies, and also in Africa, India, and in the South Sea Islands ; and he would say that he believed it to be a very just and wise system. Such being the case, there was no assistance to be reasonably anticipated from the home society for the enlargement of the Auckland Wesleyan Chapel. Hence, it was the object in convening this meeting, to discuss the propriety of devising means for encreasing their church and school accommodation. He would ask the meeting then, in the' first place, were they of opinion that their chapel required enlargment ? (To this question the meeting nnanimously assented.) And next he ■would enquire — were the meeting of opinion that a Day-school would be desirable in connexion with the congregation ? — (This was also carried in the affirmative). The chairman then said he would leave jt with the meeting to devise the best means for carrying out the determination at which they had just arrived. He might inform them that there existed a fund set apart by the Government for educational purposes, to portion of which the projected school would be entitled, in proportion to the number of pupils produced. This was as it should be— and he hoped the Wesleyan body here would soon be in a position to claim their just share of such properly appropriated funds. The Rev. T. Buddle then rose and addressed the assembly. He was gratified that so much unanimity prevailed on the very important matters before the meeting.. For his own part he wss often much grieved that their chapel was so limited as to be incapable of affording convenience to all those who seemed eager to attend the public worship of the Most High ; but he trusted that this meeting would be the commencment of such arrangements as would amply supply the means of accommodation for all who felt disposed to attend God's house upon His holy day. he admitted that, for some tune back, there had been much that was discouraging t» the settlers, caused by the unhappy collision with the natives, and that the improvement of their place of worship, as well as o.ther undertakings, might have been retarded ; but he had every reason to hope that prosperity had now dawned upon New Zealand, and the gloomy aspect of things had passed away. Certain he was that the prayers of the British churches, on behalf of this country, would not be unheeded— and since the news of the sacking of Kororarika had reached home, our fathers and brethren in our native land had, frequently, he was convinced, borne us up in faithful and lervent prayer, which would, he felt assured, prevail, and bring down blessings upon our heads. — Convinced of this, he saw no reason why we should not now bestir ourselves to enlarge our boundaries, so that the influx of worshippers to our little temple may be conveniently provided for. With regard to the day-school proposed— he felt it his duty to m( st cordially to assent. Nothing could be more detrimental to the welfare of the rising generation than the want of a proper system of education. It had been long matter of serious thought to him, with respect to the youth of this colony— the probability of their growing in years without the opportunity of acquiring sound instruction ; and indeed it appeared that, with the present limited facilities for education, there existed a probability of the next generation degenerating most deplorably. He would therefore urge the necessity for the formation of proper educational establishments at the various settlements ; and would call upon that meeting to take immediate steps at Auckland to ensure to their children the advantages of sound and proper education. . Mr. Forsajth, who was introduced to the meeting by the chairman, said .that he cordially concurred with all that had fallen from the Rev. gentlemen who had preceded him ; that he would be most happy to see every facility offered for the judicious education of the youth of the colony— and approved of a system being adopted by the Government here, similar to the national system of education in existence at home whereby all sects and denominations have equal opportunities afforded them of training their children He would be glad to see the Wesleyan Chapel enlarged ; but thought that it would be practicable to erect a substantial scoria building, and appropriate the present chapel to the purpose of a school-room. He thought that Auckland, in her religious edifices, should not be behind the other settlements ; but, on this travels he observed that such was the case as regards the Webleyan Chapel. He would be most anxious to co operate with the meeting in the desirable objects they had in contemplation ; and before sitting down would beg to propose " That an Executive Committee be now appointed to collpct funds and make all necessary arrangements for the extension of the Wesleyan church accommodation at Auckland : and for the establishment of a day-school in connexion therewith. 1 ' The motion being seconded, was put to the meeting and carried uuauimously. Mr. J. Robinson then came forward and said he was proud to behold such a meeting as the present, assembled for the purpose of extending the bounda ries of the Wesleyan Chapel. The present building was commenced under less propitious circumstances.

At that time there were but a few individuals to undertake the duty ; but those few, trusting in Providence, earnestly weut forward, and erected a building- which suited their requirements at that time, and in which the preaching of the gospel has been since instrumental of great good to many who now suri rounded him. He felt gratified that the time had arrived when the accommodation within the walls of that building was # insufficient for the congregation attending it, and urged it as a duty now devolving upon the present more numerous members of the society, to unite heartily in enlarging the place to such dimensions as are necessary, in order that much more manifold good may yet be accomplished within its extended limits. Mr. Thomas Somerville, Mr. Vaile, Mr. Gorrie, Mr Langford, Mr. Coney, and several others, having briefly addressed the Meeting 1 , a subscription list was opened, to which a number of subscribers attached their names, for various sums to carry out the designs of the Meeting. A night was then appointed for the Executive Committee to meet, and the business was concluded by singing and prayer. Previous to the meeting breaking up, itwas proposed that the Rev. "W. Lawry leave the Chair, and that the Rev. T. Buddie take the same : when a vote of thanks was unanimously given to the Rev. Chairman for the very sociable and agreeable manner in which he hadconducted the business of the evening to which the Rev. Gentleman briefly replied, and the Assembly separated evidently much gratified and encouraged with the result of the Evening's proceedings.