Religious.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1057, 2 June 1892, Page 14

Religious.

The half-yearly meeting of the Wesleyan Mutual Improvement Society was held in the Wesleyan schoolroom last wesk. There was a good attendance, and the Rev J. J. Lewis presided. The Committee’s report for the past session was read and adopted. It congratulated the members upon the increased interest taken by them and the general public

in the Society’s meetings. The past session, though the shortest on record, had been the most successful yet held. The introduction of

musical selections and lantern entertainments at the meetings had been a great success. There were now 60 members on the books. The work of the syllabus had been faithfully carried out by the members interested. The Committee recorded their indebtedness to the President (Rev J. J. Lewis) for his unflagging zeil in the Society’s work, and to Mrs Helyer, Miss A. Fletcher, and Messrs C. Benbow and Uawnsley for their help at the Society’s meetings. The Committee, in conclusion, urged upon members the necessity of pressing forward the Society’s claim on all young men and women. The Treasurer’s report (which showed that the Society was in a good financial position) and the Librarian’s report were also adopted. Officers were elected as follow : —President, Rev J. J. Lewis ; Vice-Presidents, Messrs C. W. Benbow and W. J. Helyer ; Secretary and Treasurer, Mr W. E. Fuller; Librarian, Mr R. Tait ; Committee —Messrs J. Godber, T. Kendall, Burgess, J. Mitchell and R. Renner ; Editor of Journal, Mr J. Mitchell. During the coming session the ladies interested in the Society will entertain the members. The choir of St Mary's Cathedral is making rapid strides under its new administrator, the Rev Father Dawson. His idea is that at the evening service the congregation shall join with the choir in the singing, so as to make the service of a much more important character. This innovation was partially attempted on Sunday, when the choir was supplemented by the Rev Father Power and the children attending the Convent school, and the beautiful quartet, ‘ God is a Spirit,’ was sung by Mrs Mac Duff Boyd, Miss Kelly and Messrs Loughnan and Laishley. Next Sunday High Mass will be celebrated in the morning, _ when the Cathedral choir, under the direction of Mr Mac Duff Boyd, will render Haydn’s ‘ Sixteenth Mass,’ with full orchestral accompaniment, and the service in the evening will also he of a more elaborate character than heretofore.

There was a large congregation at Wesley Church on Sunday to hear the Rev J. J. Le wis’ monthly lecture to young men. The subject on hand was ‘ The Bargain that Paid 8.-sr.,’ and Mr Lewis preached a powerful discourse upon it. A special service was held at St Paul’s ProOathedral on Sunday morning for the purpose of ordaining Mr Tisdail. The ceremony of ordination was performed by the Primate, an eloqu-nt and appropriate address being delivered by the Van Arch eacon Fancourt. • The Blessing of Ephraim and Manasseh,’ ably opened by Mr A. D. Thomp on. was discussed at the Sunday morning meeting of the St John’s Fellowship Ass' ciation. Next week a paper vill be read bv Mr Frank Mason on ‘The church and the Working Classes.’ _ At the Pleasant Sunday Afternoon service in the Congregational Church, Courtenay place, on Sunday, the address was given by Mr Coltman. Mrs Lewis sang ‘ There is a Green Hill.' Sankey’s hymns were used, Mr Forsyth presiding at the organ. Next Sunday Mr Luke will give the address. Sunday was Sunday School day at St John’s Presbyterian Church, sermons specially addressed to the young people of the congregation being preached by the Rev James Paterson (morning and evening), and the Rev J. Kennedy Elliott, BA. (afternoon). Special hymns were sung by the scholars, and a collection was taken up at each service in aid of the school funds. _ A remarkable scene was witnessed in Trinity Church, ‘ Reformed Church of England,’ Southend, one Sunday in April. The Rev A. Waller was some time ago appointed curate to ‘ Bishop ’ Greg, the incumbent, but the latter became insane, and his place was temporarily filled by Mr Waller. The incumbency was afterwards given to the Rev Charles Snosswell, who on the Saturday informed Mr Waller that his services were no longer required. _ Notwithstanding this, Mr Waller appeared in the church on Sunday morning, and when the new incumbent began reading the MorniDg Service the curate did the same in a loud voice. One of the churchwardens approached Mr Waller, and told him that unless he desisted he would be arrested for brawling. Mr Waller, however, continued, and two police sergeants were fetched to remove him. He maintained an animated altercation with the officers, who finally seized him and marched him down the aisle to the church door, bareheaded and surpliced, carrying a book in one hand and his hat in the other. The prisoner walked down High street to the police station between the two constables, followed by a. large crowd of people. Mr Waller remained in custody until after the Evening Service, when he was liberated on bail.