HOME MISSION SOCIETY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIV, Issue 8062, 1 October 1887, Page 3

HOME MISSION SOCIETY.

The fourth annual meeting of the Home Mission Society was held at St. Matthew's schoolroom, Hobson-street. There was a large attendance, the Right Rev, Bishop Cowie presiding, Amongst the other clergymen present were :—Archdeacon Dudley, Rev. ijr. O'Callagban, Revs. W. Tebbs, O. M. Nelson, T. H. Sprott, J. Haselden, F. Gould, A. G. Purchas, and Beatty, The report was as follows :—

Twentr-four new members have Joined the Society during the year. It'now numbers 324 members. R ther more than half these a<e resident in the country districts of the diocese. The sum of £153 17s 5d has been received during the past year, and £110 has been paid to the Standing Committed as contributions to the Home Mission Fond. The financial depression that lias prevailed throughout the whole diocese has affected the receipts of the Socioty. Some of the members have lessened the amount of tbeli subscriptions, and a few have not yet paid their subscriptions. ibis, it is thought, has been caused by forgitfulness rather than a l»ik of Interest is the work or ti>e effect of reduced income*. There most be more than 324 persons in the diocese who are willing to assist in this most important work, and if p rouhial branches of the Society were form-id 1c each parish, and regular honse-to-hom.e subscriptions coile ted from the parishioners, thi the receipts might be Considerably increased. The committee would urge upon the subscribers the great necesdty tiers exists for easing the usefulness of the society. It the members w.ll ask their friends to become tuoioribers the work may be very much assisted thereby From the reports of th« standing committee and the organising clergyman it Will be seen what has been done during the past year in supplying ministrations of clergymen to the outdistricts. Many new settlement, are Being visited and resident ministers appointed, while some of the older districts, which hare been for years receiving help from the fund, are now endeavouring to b« selfsupporting. .

The following is the balance-sheet—

Receipts.—Balanco July 1, 1886, (Si 103 ; subscriptions, £127 lis 6'i ; donations, £11; collection at annual meeting, £8 flj Bd ; concert (Mrs. Clayton's pupils), £4 4s 8d ; bos in Diocesan Office, oa Sd ; subscriptions in advance, 18:8, £4 6i; total, £151 4s 3d,

KxpiNDiroßi.—Standing Committee, £140; expenses annual meeting, Hi 12s ; office expenses, £3 6i lid; printing reports, &c,.£l 19i ; naps and frames, £2 18* 2d; adrerki.einenis, £2 ; balance in hand, £1 13s 2d ; total, £154 4s 3d.

Interesting papers were read by the Rev. T. H. Sprott and the . Rev. John Haselden. The former related the work done in the parish of St. John the Evangelist, at Lambeth, of which he was formerly the incumbent. Mr. ilaselden's paper dealt with the progress of home mission work, the number of clergymen receiving grants from the fund having increased within the past few years. During the year there had been, however, a falling off of £50 in the receipts, and the expenditure no>v exceeded the income. B.ehop Conia favourably- reviewed the papers, and contrasted missionary work in Auckland with tnat in Lonnou. .

The following gentlemen were re-elected the committee for the ensuing year :—Bishop Cowie, Venerable Archdeacons Clarke,, Dudley, Govett, Mannsell, and Willie; the ttevs. J. Bates, W. Calder, F. Gould, J. Harden, O. M. Nelson, E. J. Phillips, W. Tebbs, and G. H.. S. Walpole; and Messrs. K. Maris Clark, W. MoOullongb, E. B. Hammond, W. C. Kensington, S. Lake, M. Rawlings, V. E. Rice, Percy Smith, and H. G. Seth Smith. .

Votes af thanks were passed to the Revs. T. H. Sproit and J. Haselden ; to the choir of St. Paui's, and to the Rev. W. Tebbs and the church officers for the use of the schoolroom, and the meeting terminated with prayer. During the course of, the evening the following selections of music were rendered in a most acceptable manner by the choir of Sit. Paul's Cburch :—Chorus, " How Lovrly Are Thy Dwellings," with solo by Mis. Rayn«; solo, " A Winter Story," Mibs Champion; solo, "The New Kingdom," vi rs. Uoates, with'cello obligato by Mr. H. F. Windsor; chorus, "The Lord As My -hepherd ;" duet, "When Thou Fastest Through the Waters," Messrs. Gilmer and Knight.