OTEPOPO PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 10592, 22 October 1910, Page 1

OTEPOPO PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.

j (From Our Own .'Correspondent.) I The annual social -and meeting was held (>n Thursday night. Refreshments were served in the Athcnamm 'Hall, !" where tables had boon nicely laid, by [ the ladies, who must have I by the numbers "who did their;"best to ! sample the toothsome comestibles which 1 loaded the tables. r _' After refreshments sin'adjournment was made to the Church,' where the annual meeting was held. The Rev. ■' -P. C. Rennie presided, and -« as supported by the Revs W. Nichol (Hampden) and J. C. paterson (Mahcno). The usual dcvotionaj exercises having been engaged in, tbc choir gave a spirited rendering of the anthem "O Father Almighty,'' the bass solo being sung by 111- Aleiklc. The chairman in ,Ins address gave a succinct narrative of the year's v. ork and expressed his great sense of gratitude to God for the loyalty, and liberality of the congregation and for" the great labor of thc_ladies. In giving a forecast of the year's work ho expressed himself hopeful that the congregation would grow steadily aiul perscveringly. Services have been held ixi the -district for 50 years, and what theirsturdy pioneer forefathers had sown, they are now reaping in abundance. ' The session, managerial,- Sabbathschool, the Ladies' Guild reports, showin'g a great advance in all departments of church work, were read and unanimously adopted. The aiithen "Onward" ' "was then crisp]} given by the choir. ' The Rev. Mr Paterson expressed his most sincere congratulations on the past year's work, especially as the success seemed to be the result of the united work of all. The work was the greatest work in the world —the establishment of God's kingdom on earth. lie; then spoke on ''What good wc can do and how we can do good." He urged them i o try to influence public opinion for good ; for public opinion influenced all and they did not like to fight against it. A good public opinion would mean a good I democracy, and when this was brought about "vox populi" would then be "vox dei." We must see that our opinions are right opinions and that men who seek by righteousness to help their 'fellowmen are placed in positions oi authority and trust. Much good may be done by the Church. From it, spiritual food is received and we should regard it as the greatest blessing to distribute this food. It was next to impossible to realise" the wdrld 'without the Church. They could do good by being good and by being fellow-workers with God. Anthem, "As pauteth the heart," by choir.

/..Rev. Mr Nicliol was pleased. ib add li is congratulations, to the congregation on tile success attending the .'year's work:/ He. had been at their meetings for the last 22 years, and so like an old friend he was glad to be with them and show ri deep, interest in the congregation. He wished' them all well and earnest prosperity in the work. gratulated the members oh;thejr,go6d. influence in the district and desired it to go on deepening; strengthening, and -'extending'. -Heurged parents to realise their ' individual responsibility in .the culture of the young.. '.The winning of the 'children to ; Christ should' be. done "chiefly by the parents themselves..' and not delegated altogether, to the Sundayschool, teachers, whose - self-denying labors' were 'worthy of all praise.' ". : *;The anthem "Come, O Come, Eternal Spirit''', was! ,; tlien sung, after,', .'which ;.vpteS ; .bf thanks to .tlieT,speakers,, the da'dieis,- and the '. choir'were ~carried by acclamation. '.. _'■':'■''[>, ■' ■X- ■■

The singing of the Doxolog\ and the ■pronouncing of the .Benediction biought ■i \ei \ piogiessf"e deal's woik to a close. '