AUCKLAXD SUNDAY-SCHOOLS EXHIBITION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVI, Issue 5635, 8 December 1879, Page 6

AUCKLAXD SUNDAY-SCHOOLS EXHIBITION.

As November 2G was to have been the closing day of the above exhibition, the drill-shed was pretty well iiiled, but the receip'.sol tlie evening (£3O), show a considerable falling off from the attendance of some of the evenings last week. The intero3t that has been manifested ever since the opening night has been most encouraging and gratifying to the projectors of the exhi'.ition. Thij has be-n the inoat profitable of any of the exhibitions, the net profits being about £110, whereas £00 was the meat that was obtained at any former exhibition. The Engineer Baud enlivened the affair by playing popular pieces throughout the evening. Punctually at 10 μ-tu. Mr. J. C. Firih, supeiinteudeut of the Auckland Sunday-school L r uiou, ascended the central music stand, and formally c'.oaed the exhibition iu a brief but eloquent aud very appropriate address. He began by saying that at this late hour he would not detain his aulicn.-c, but ouly desired to say a few words. This had been the thirl exhibition of the Auckland Sunday-school Union, and its object was by this time well known to all present. It was, in short, forthe encouragement of industry among ttic young peopla of this part of tne colony of New Zealand. The Suuday-schojl Uuiou of Auckland had doue well, both spintuallv aud temporarily, an would be seen when the results of the pmsent exhdjition were detailed. In a financial point of view there was little tj be desired. The aggregate estimate expenditure of all kinds, independeut of all volunteer aid, was £150; total receipt?, up to that evening inclusive, £-60, leaving a «sum of £110—(applause)— to devote to strengthening the Sundayschool Union in enabling timrn to help puor and isolated schools towardu taking a step in advance. The number or exhibits had been 1300 ; exbibitors, 950 ; schools represented, 50 ; the aggregate attendance since the opening evening, 5250. (Applause.) At this time of day It was not necessary Lo say much in favour of Sunday-schoda. Tlie presence and hearty sympathy and kindly feeling ol those present were sufficient to show tae deep interest taken in the Sundaybchool movement. Soma might say that the teaching of Christian truths iu Sunday-schools waa limited, and he, hiuisielf, had be. n asked what Sunday-school teacheis did to remove the many doubts which agitated the world. They were asked with a boastful pride and ignorance to explain the Creator, the origin of evil, and the mystery of the Incarnation, lie, himself, waa crossing a farm the other day, holding his little child by the hand, wiien she asked him : " Papa, why ha 3 that yellow hen got a a black tail ?" Ke thought; he scratched his head ; ho could n it answer t.'io qnestiui. There was the y-How hi-n with the black tail, but why ? He was obliged to confers to Ilia child that he cjuld not explain to her Unreason. When so simple, a thing as that wa-t beyondtheir knowledge, surel) they co.Ul leave other and more philosophical d.iubts to b> sulved by-aud-by. Let Sunday-seho.il teachers go on hold'ng up the Great Central I-'iuure, the Founder Himself, Jesus Christ, before the children, and depend upnu it that il they kept that grand exsinulu over before the u-iing generation the world would be r.ettcr for it. Tbc Sunday school Union l.ad domj well in coll'cling .ill exhibition as iia 1 ije.cn just witnejued. The little people who had contributed were not tlie only gainera. They had learned the value of industry, and had shown that when set tu work they could do something. Who could tell the value of such a lessen on a child's mind? Ho had heard it aa.id that the Auckland ptoplo were indolent. To be honest, he was afraid that there was some truth in the allegation, aud it had been attributed to the delightful climate of Aucklaufl, but the Sunday-school t-acbure and scholars had, by their good example, done much to remove such an imputation. In conclusion he declared the exhibition to be closed, and iu doing so he asked for the concurrence of those present in the. vote of thanks which he, on behalf of the Sundayschool Union, tendered to the. following persons who had rendered much valuablu aid : to tho several Volunteer corps who had so kindly placed this hill at the disposal of another Bet of volunteers ; to the four Volunteer banda who had conduced ao much to the pleasure and success of the exhibition ; to Mr. Crook and Mr. Dennes, for their successful efforts to entertain and instruct their audiences ; to the various school choirs who had so cheerfully come forward to render their services ; and last, but no means least, he asked those present to endorse his thanks to tlio two gentlemen who had worked so energetically and so unceasingly for the success of the exhibition, the two secretaries, Messrs. Thorno and Buttle. Applause.)