RAIKES CENTENARY.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1319, 22 September 1880, Page 2

RAIKES CENTENARY.

The second centenary meeting was held last evening in the Volunteer Hall, taking the form of a children's fruit soiree. The weather was all that could be desired, and the gathering of Sunday School children was, we believe, the largest ever seen in Oamaru, nearly 80C juveniles being present, exclusive oj about 200 adults. The centenary is being held under the auspices of the Waitaki Sunday School Teachers' Union, the following schools taking part :—Presbyterian, Wesleyan, Congregational, Primitive Methodist, and New Tees-street Hall Christian Brethren. The ministers present were—Revs. C. E. Barley (Chairman, President of the Union), A. B. Todd, J. Crump, and J. Foster. The hall was tastefully decorated for the occasion with flags and evergreens in a manner which showed the Committee had been at some pains. Mr. E. Grave kindly gave the use of the flags. Over the stage was stretohed the motto " Children love one another," in red and blue letters on a white ground, and suspended at the back and front of the stage were banners bearing the following :—" God is love," " God sent forth His Son," " I am the Bread of Life," " Emanuel God with us," "Lookins unto Jesus," and " Christ is risen indeed." Mr. Daniel Booth, assisted by a united church and Sunday School choir, led the singing, Miss Crump acting as accompanist, an the grand piano, kindly lent by the Philharmonic Society. Mr. Q, Q. Moore, provided the panorama apparatus, and was assisted in the exhibition by Mr. W. Ferrier. The pictures were thrown, by the aid of a limelight, on to a large screen suspended from the ceiling in front of the stage, The doors were opened shortly after half-past six, and by o'clock the hall was densely packed. The sight from the. stage was one to. be remembered, such a sea of faces, hemmed in with a horder of flags and evergreens, not being one of everyday ooourrenoe. Each child on entering the hall received a bag containing fruit and lollies, and the way these good things disappeared was astonishing. Although the gathering was so large a one, the best of order prevailed, and we must certainly compliment our Sunday ojot their good behaviour, and are no larrikinism took place. The proceedings* were opened by the Chairman, whpi in a few appropriate words, impressed the children with the necessity of- maintaining oyder and due decorum, hath during the time prayer was offered and while the panorama I was being exhibited. The hymn " Let : ua with a gladsome mind" was then sung, i after whioh the Rev. J. Foster engaged in prayer. Three hymns followed—"Stand up for Jesus," "Jewels," and " Childhoods years"—and then the panorama of Palestine was shown. This consisted of views taken from photographs of the most notable places mentioned in Bible history, including Bethlehem, Jerusalem, Nazareth, and the Garden of Gethsemane, The scenes were

of a superiov kind, and, in spite of a slight acoidont which happened to the apparatus, were shown very clearly. During the panaroma the hymn " Jesus loves me" was sung, and at its close " We are marching on" was given with great spirit, each child appearing to do his aiid her best to swell the harmony. The second part consisted of a series oij views of the Tabernacle in the "Wilderness. These were calculated to give Sunday scholars a capital idea of the typical worship, o| the anoient Jews, and to awak.Qfl W interest in the study of the i°?ty years 1 wandering of this truly wonderful people. There was the Tabernacle itsejfpwith its mystical contents, from the outer court to the holyof holies; thevarious vessels used ; the dresses worn by the priests ; and the different symbolic cere-, monies performed by the Israelites, bycommand of ..Moses. Taken together, ,the lime-light exhibition a, successful 'one, and if the teacher® aps scholars paid attention to wii?yt was shown them last night, their atock- of Biblical knowledge will bo materially inoreased. Mr. Moore gave readings of each scene, and Miss Crump played appropriate music., : The singing of a hymn and a prayqr- tey ' the Chairman closed the proceedings, and those .:;present,. from tha' oidost to the youngest, expressed themselves satisfied • ; with all that .iaJjfen place, and the happy faces of the" ohiidren certainly repaid the i .promoters of the movement for anv trouble • 1 they had been to. i'- This, evening, at tj\s "ssme. timp and place, 'the thiri meeting in connection with when the parents, o£ the children will btf i regaled, with'frp,ifr andv assesses, We ' hope. iu 1 Sunday' • " "* j Wtranee money taken last evening \ LgijSs.; ■ m;.