WESLEYAN SUNDAY SCHOOL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume III, Issue 686, 25 January 1866, Page 6

WESLEYAN SUNDAY SCHOOL.

ANNTTEBBABY TEA MEETING. Yesterday evening a public meeting in connection with the High-street Wesleyan Sunday School was held in the school-room. There were about 200 poople sat down to a sumptuous tea, providod by tho lutlie- 1 in connection with the school, and after full justice had been dono to the good things provided, tho tables were cleared away for tho purpose of holding a public meeting ; the liev. Mr. Boddi.e being called to the chair Tho proceedings wore opened by singing tho hymn page 307, afer which, The Rev. Mr. Morlky engaged in prayer. Tho Rev. Mr. Bud dm, in opening tho meeting, callod upon tho Secretary to read the report. Mr. Thomas Bpdplh, fioorctary, then road tho following report: — Hioh-street Weslkyan sun-day School Rei'out, ISG/5. The Committee, and Teachers of the H:gh-sl—et Wesleyan Methodist Mimlty-school feel great pleasure iu presenting the report of another ye ;r's labours. At the close of the v.vir ending 31st T>eeember, ISGS, the statistics of the School stood as follows:— TK U'IIEUS : Male, Fomnlo. Total. Totd on Books 1" 12 2!) Admitted 5 2 7 Left 4 1 o .^onoLAus: Male. Female. Total. Total on Books 118 S9 '207 Number admitted through year -10 19 HO ~ removed (one by death) 0 4 10 Highest attendance. 85 SO IGS Lowest attendance 22 13 ">5 Average morning ;H» -10 00 ~ afternoon 75 G5 110 Tn connection with tho above, your Committee feel bound to explain an apparent diminution in tho number of scholars, as soon in compar; r.g the above statements with those presented :'n the report of last year. The number of scholars then in the sclu-ol was, by error, sated to ba 2:13, whereas tho actual number was not more than 170 or ISO, eo that, instead of the number being less this year tl an last, thoro has been an actual increase of between 30 and 10 children. Pever.il of tho teachers have left; di ring the yr A' - , principally through being compelled to remove i'rom the Prorince, for various reasons. Yoer Committee take this opportrn-ty ■ f inviting the young men and women of our congregations who feel the love of God shed abroad in their hear'-, a:d an earnest desire of labouring in Christ's vineyard, to come forward and assist them in the glorious work of leading tho little ones to the foot of the Cross. One of the hoys, named Allan Warren, was removed by death, in the If t'.er end of Juno. He died rejoicing in a Saviour's love, and .sent his dying request, bv bis teacher, t > his schoolfoliows, that they would all meet him in heaven. This is an instance that tho Sunday-school Teacher does not labour in vain, or spend his strength t< v naught. From the Bible-class, under the care of Mr. John Hoskini;, the f-chool h»is h en supplied with three teachers during the year. It is gratifying to see that a large proportion of the teachers engaged in tho school have thus risen from tho various classes into the Bible-class, and thence became teachers. Some of these old scholars, also, are teachers in other Sunday-schools in the circuit. The reduced number now in th"> Bible-class is thus satisfactorily accounted for. Your Committeo look upon ilus class as an important auxiliary, because, through its agency, tho school may bo coust intls supplied with teachers, and they pray th it the untiring zeal of its leader, Mr. Hosking, may be rewarded in the best possible way —by seeing all its members brought to the knowledge of liod. Teachers' meetings, for business, are held every month, and social tea meetings once a quarter. At, the last tea meeting, the teachers of all the Wesleyan Suday-schoo s were invited, when a very interesting paper was read by liev. William Morley, on tho subject of giving rewards in Sunday-school?, and a friendly discussion followed. Your Committee rejoice in these social gatherings, as being the means of engend ring a greater feeling of unity and affection between the teachers and the various schools. Tn their last report your Committee informed you of tho addition to the library of about 800 volumes, at a cost of upwards of £40. The children continue to manifest great interest in theso book 3, and they are regularly circulated every Sunday. The school Ins been regularly visited by tbe Miuislors o:ice a month,- and 011 the intermediate Sundays, addresses have been delivered by the teachers in turn. Your Committee would again solicit an occasional visit from tho senior members of the congregatians ; with such visits, during tho past year, the school has been favoured but two or three times. On Sunday, the 31st December, 1865, tho usual anniversary services were held. Rev. J. Warren preached in tho morning, from 1 Cliron., xxviii chap. 9 ver. In the afternoon, at h.llf-past two o'clock, the examination was held iri tho chapel; thero was a largo attendance of children, and a considerable number of friends were also present. Rov. T. Buddie examined tho children on the Catechism, and the story of the family of Kethauy, and a short address was delivered by Mr. Morley. In tho evening Mr. Morley prsachod from tho <Jt,h verse of the 119 th Psalm, " Wherewithal chall a young man clean no his way, by taking heed then to according to the Word." Collections were made at tho close of each service. The amount collected iri the mornin"was £11 12s 3d ; evening £!)8s Sd ; total, &l\os lid! On the following, day, being New Year's Day, the usual treat was given to tho children. Tho six schools in this circuit met at Rev. Mr. Lawry's paddock, Carleton ''•'ore, kindly lent for the occasion, at. about ten o'clock in tho morning; the total number of children present was a-,out, -ISO, all of whom entered heartily into various games and amusements, and did ample justice to the refreshments provided for them. They returned home about half-past five in the evening, apparently well satisfiod with their day's recreation. Your Committeo have to present the Wowing financial statement (account read, which, showed a balance in hand of £S 9s 2 VI). In conclusion, your Committee tender to their friends and supporters generally their hearty thanks for past liberality and consideration, and, on "entering on another year's labours, the beg to solicit not only a continuance of that pecuniary aid which they have so liberally given, but, also, and more especially, a constant interest in their prayers. The Chairman said there wcro ono or two points he would like to call their attention to. From the report he would judgo that thero was a want of teachers. He thought there was an ample supply of labourers in the chapel, and ho trusted tho appea' would not be made in vain. Ho would impress this on the minds of the junior members of the church. Then mature experience was especially required in Sunday School work. The hand l * of the younger teachers would thus be very mueh strengthened, jtle would like to know the reason why" they were not identified with the Sabbath School. Another point was only one death in the Sunday School. It spoke highly for the climato of New Zealand. (A Voice : No e better in tho world). (Hear, hear). He was glad to find that tho school was self-supporting. Ho would like one thing explained. They had a senior Biblo Class for the boys. What had the girls' done that they should not have one too ? He hoped the minds of his friends would be directed to this matter, and that there would be more classes of tho kind. He had been connected with tho school 21 years, so had attained his majority in it. It was very small when he first kuew it, and many that were then very little children, were now men and women. Among thera was his esteemed friend the Superintendent, Mr, Ashby. He had held some of them in his

arms to baptize, and now he was beginning to marry them. He hoped that wherever thoir lot might be cast in future, they would meet at tho right han lof Grod, and having sown together, they would reap together, and rejoice in the presence of God over all their labours. The Choir, under tho leadership of Mr. Bndso , then sang tho pioco entitlod " Incline thino oar." The Rov. Mr. Mouley, in moving the adoption of the report, said it was a duty to assoniato a religious with a secular education. To educa'o in these days meant merely mental accomplishments, without rofereueo to religious and moral training. He had 111 faith at all in this kind of education. Ho had a great faith in that old-fashioned Book called the Bible as a moans of education. He would far rather that his children should grow up among tho rustic than among tho refined, if they had no knowledge of tho literature of tho Bible. Thero was a general Judgment at which every nun must put in a personal appcarance, and therefore a Biblo education was tho one thing needful. Tho Sabbath r'chool was tho groat moans, undor God, for preparing a human being to attend that great Judgment without fear and trembling. While however tho working of the school was left in tho hands of young members, it was absolutely nocessary that tho oversight of it should bo in tho hands of the senior members of the church, whilo tho pastor kept a watchful oys over n'.l. It should always bo understood that the interests of tho School and tho Church wero inseparable, for tho School was but tho nurseiy of the Church. 110 concludod by moving tho adoption of tho re--1 Mr. Shei-uekU, in a vory appropriate speoch, seconded tho motion, and mado a few observations on that report, congratulating tho school on tho fact that in a time of such pecuniary distress the funds wero in such a flourishing condition. Tho motion was then put and carried unanimously. Tho Choir then sang •' Behold how good and how joyful." Mr. Mori my then moved tho following resolution : —That the lollowing be appointed officers for the ensuing year: Superintendent, Mr. Ashby; TIIO3. Huddle ; Librarian, J. Uittos; treasurer, J- L. Wilson ; Committee, Messrs. W ilHamson, Prime, Caloy, liobbs, French, Hosking, Shepherd, Blackburn, Carr, Mears, Fletcher, and Hduon; Auditors, Messrs. Griffiths and M. Soinorvillc. Ho urged upon the teachers tho necessity of preparation of their lectrrcs before bringing them bjfore their classes, and that tea -he:s should continue at their labours after they had married. It, seemed to bo a common practice for young people to kwo their Sabbath School duties immediately aftor their marriage. What was highly necessary was, that they should continue teachers as long as possible, so as to gain experience enough to undertake the conduct of the senior classes. Mr. Sin'gke, Superintendent of the Purnell Sabbath School, seconded the motion. The Choii then sang "Praise the] Lord, Oil Jerusalem." A ffer which addresses were delivered bv the Superintendent, Mr. Ashby, and several other gentlemen, for which we regret, wc cannot find room. And after the Choir had suns; a piece entitled "Sin!? Oh Heavens," th) N'mn: Dimitti.s was sung by the meeting, and then the gathering broke up.