PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, ONEHUNGA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIII, Issue 7553, 4 February 1886, Page 5

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, ONEHUNGA.

♦ The annual meeting of the congregation of the above church was held on Wednesday evening last. Rev. James Bruce, pastor, occupied the chair. The report of the Kirk

Session stated that the attendance at public

worship continued slowly to improve ; the Sabbath School was fairly well attended by the children of the congregation and neighbourhood, but stood greatly in need of more teachers. Mr. Andrew Dunwoodie also submitted the report of the Managers' Court, which stated that the congregational property, including the Manse, was now free of debt. Notwithstanding that about £200 had been raised to liquidate the debt on the Manse, the ordinary revenue was £8 15s better this year than last. After itevotiug £10 as a special thank offering to bo distributed among the deserving poor of the congregation and neighbourhood, the Treasurer (Mr. A. Robb) was able to report that hp closed the year with a balance of £1 0a 2d to the credit of the ordinary revenue account, and also £2" 3s 4cl to the credit of the Manse fund to meet expenses of painting and general repairs. On the motion of Mr. Stevenson, seconded by Mr. Whyte, the congregation unanimously resolved to adopt the revised and enlarged hymnal, entitled, •'Church Praise," sanctioned by the General Assembly, and recommended for use in public worship. Messrs. Dunwoodie, Stevenson, Kobb, Simpson and Evans were appointed a Psalmody Committee. A discussion then took place on "How to increase our usefulness as a congregation," which led to the raising of the question, whether the time had now come when the united charge of Onehunga and Mangere should be divided, and the services of Mr. Bruce retained for Onehunga alone. No decision was come to, but Messrs. Dunwoodie, Stevenson, and Simpson were appointed a committee to confer with the Mangere congregation on the subject. The gross revenue of the united charge for ISSS is £652 18s 2d, of which, including £9 193 6d collected for t'no British and Foreign Bible Society, £54 16« Id was specially contributed by the congregations and Sabbath-schools for Home and Foreign Missions. The Chairman intimated that Mes»rs. Stevenson, Kobb, and Simpson were elected managers, in room of those who retire by tfllaxion of time, after which the choir sang the anthem, "0 Praise the Lord," and the meeting closed with the benediction.