CONVERSAZIONE AT ST JOHN’S.

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVIII, Issue 8008, 12 February 1887, Page 2

CONVERSAZIONE AT ST JOHN’S.

A public conversazione was held in St John’s Schoolroom last night in connection with the Presbyterian General Assemble now holding its session in Wellington. The room had been very tastefully decorated with green stuff and Hags. The decorations had been attended to by Mrs Greenfield, Misses Gardner, Paterson, Barron, and Messrs Fraser and Wilson, and those ladies and gentlemen are to be complimented on having made the room' look so pretty. There was a very large attendance, the hall being crowded. The united Presbyterian choirs of the City, under the able leadership of Mr England, gave several anthems daring the evening, which were very pleasingly sung. An abundant supply of refreshments was provided and, an interval being mads during the proceedings, were heartily partaken of by the audience. Several very interesting addressee were given during the evening by members of the Assembly, which were greatly enjoyed by the audience. - . The chair was occupied by the Bev G. B. Monro, Moderator of the Assembly, who in addressing the audience said it was very encouraging to the Assembly to find so much interest being taken in its proceedings by ' the Presbyterians of this city. He spoke of the growth of the Assembly since its first session, and said that when the Assembly first sat in Auckland some -1 years ago it was not so strong as the Presbytery of Wellington was nt the present time. He had noticed with pleasure the growth and progress of Presbyterianism in Wellington, and he had also noticed that the people of Wellington had not felt the commercial depression as they had in Auckland. Ha had -been told by business men of the city that trade was very good, and he hoped it would continue so. He would like to ssy a word to the audience, as representatives of the Christian pnbUc of Wellington, abont their duty in doing good. They should not leave all the work for the minister, bat each member should try and do something for the good of the Church. If each member did this, the progress and prosperity of the Cbnrch would he certain.

Rev J. MoCoah Smith, Moderator of the Synod of Otago, briefly addressed the audience. He thought that the union that they so much longed for between the two Churches wonld come of its own accord.

Rev J. Gillies Paterson, ot Napier, bad much pleasure in addressing such a large and influential meeting. He was for a long time a minister of the Synod of- Otago) and , .. he was always in favor of union. He believed in union of all sorts, and nothing pleased him better than when a young man came to him with that “sheepish look,” and asked him to “tie the knot." He wonld make a few remarks in connection with the report on religion and morals, brought up for discussion in the Assembly on Thursday night. Thera was a great outory at the present time about juvenile crime. Now it was his opinion that such crime sprang directly from bad home r training—ho was thoroughly convinced of that. He mentioned that in the city (Napier) where he had coma from ha had seen boys and girls of about 14 and 16 years of age wandering about the ■ streets at : 10 o’clock at night, and visiting a rotunda. Now, who was to blame for that ? . He would stand there aud say that the blame laid at the door of the parents., Let the child have good home training,, and he would go forth into the world thoroughly armed against the many evils he would meet and have to fight against. If people only gave more attention , to the home training of children,, a good many souls wonld be saved from death. Mr John Jack spoke of the earnestness and intelligence of the discussions in tha. Assembly. Mr J. Aitken addressed.the meeting. Be said that a member of the Assembly had confidently told him that he was so pleased with Wellington that he would strive to make it the ecclesiastical capital of the Presbyterian Church in New Zealand.

Rev T. H. Cairns (ex-moderator) said that when thinking of a subject on which to address the meeting, he had thought'of a heading he had seen in the newspapers at Home, “Pen and ink sketches. They could, he thought, flatter themselves that . they were good representatives of the Presbyterian Church. ' Looking at the assembly, he was very much struck'with the different representatives. There were members of the Broad Church, members of thq High Churoh, and members qf the Low Church. Re know by saying this that he ran a great risk of having to defend himself in the Assembly against some severe motion (laughter). Of the hospitality of the people of Wellington he canid not say too much. If, as Mr Aitken had mentioned, any effort was going to be made to have Wellington made the ecclesiastical capital of the Church, be woqid be aa advocate in the cause. It appeared to him that it waa the only place in New Zealand that had any prosperity. He wonld endorse all that Mr Paterson had said about home training, bat he would go a little beyond that, and say a few words m reference to Sunday school training. He would like to see a system of letsona taughtin the schools. The teachers ought to be carefully trained, so that they would be in a position to thoroughly instruct the children. Another point which might be of very great profit was that the teachers should make themselves thoroughly acquainted with all the children in the class. In vary many oases tbs teachers did not make themselves so well acquainted with the scholars aa they ought. He had no faith in the system of bribing scholars to attend school by giving them marks ot a book or two once or twice a year. The parents, too, he thought, should sea that their children should, prepare their lessons before going to school. No teacher could be snccessfol unless he had at heart the salvation of the sonL

Rev Mr Fergusson, of Invercargill, alto gave a short address, during which he said that great good would be- brought about by the^ministers taking a young men’s class, ana giving them really good instruction. He also spoke of the kind welcome he had re* ceived in Wellington. The proceedings were brought to a close about 10 p.m., the evening having been spent in a most enjoyable manner.