CAVERSHAM PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 5347, 9 April 1879, Page 6

CAVERSHAM PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.

The aunuil congregational soiree of the Pieibytei-ian Churcli at Cuvrahain was h?ld ornhe2.ul. The church building, which had been very neat y dscora'-ud with ferns acd flowers for the occasion by Miss Blacks, was filled to the doer. The Rev. J. N. Kuasell, pjstor of the congregation, occupied the chair. Proceedings opened with the usual tei, which ha-.l beea supplied by th.) ladies of the congragation. This over, the Chvrrnau gave an opening addivsi, aua thm culled upon the secretary »nd treasurer to lay their reports before the moetfng. J[r Reid (secretary) read the followiDg report of Kirk Session :— ANNUAL REPORT OF SESSION. " The Session have t > r -port that they have held their reguUr meHi-.i^s at each Communion season, and at oth-r times thr.ai-jhout the year as occasion arose. Their uitniber, they are happy to state, his b>n augintnted during the year by an addition t-.t three older . Sinca list annual meeting 20 h ivo been a Uled to th; roll of membeMhip, an t 'Z2 have been removed. Of this unusual number of removal*, two have died, two have gone to the H'>ni i Country, two to Canterbury, aev. v to town, atid the rosb to various parts of the Province. Tha Sihbath services have generally been very well attende 1. " The prayer-meeting has been maintained throughout th- year as u»UriL Th-3 attendance has varied—sometimes cxc -lie it, at other time* snail. The Session would liiadly urje the '.■laian of this meeting upon the C"n,r.'gatioD. Th-y are aware that aoiue—thro-gh domestic causes and otherwise—are unable to attend the ray er-nveting ; but they btlefo thatif pro er arrangements werj mule, more might find themselves abla 11 att <ud. They ask the mem beri eerijut-ly to cousi !er thi< matter, and to make it a point of duty to atttnd whenever it is possible.

" The Sabbath-school has atprfsant a staff of 15 eacher', witlianaverageat'eidaneeof scholars bordering upon 100. The library in connection n-ith the echo >1 wt s supplemented during the year by the additi v of several pounds' wcth of books. Throughout the lalt r h 1' of 1878 the minister gave monthly catechetical aidressjs to the children. They were fairly attended, both by young and adnl s, and, it is hoped, were productive of gool. It is desirible that parents

see that their children go regularly tD scaoo3£ and also that they take somo oversight at homoof the If ssons to be learned. In this way the-Saob&th-schoolinstruction would be mods moreuseful to the children.

t " The Bible ciasj was conducted as usual duringacon«derab)e portion of the year. It, ivasheld daring latt session on Sabbath evenings, after Divine service, with tbe encouraging result o£ an average attendance of betwtca 17 and 18. i he subjects of study were Genesis and the Acts of the Apstles. Tnis class is oi>en to »)1 young men and young women, whether belonging to the congregation or not, and the Session would strongly recommend all sach to join the classso soon es it is resumed. They believe that at the pre3entday it is more than ever necessary that the youfi and hope of our churches should be well grounded in the knowledge of the Scnpture3.

In closing their brief report, tha Sspsion would express their sincere gratitude to God. for His goodness through the year. They desiro, indeed, to see the cause of Christ prospering in the congregation still more in the future than it has done in the past; but meanwhile, both in contemplating the past and in looking forward to the future, they feel that they havemuch reason to 'tbaak God and tike courage/" Mr Milne (treasurtr) read the balance sheet, as follows :— Abstract or iccotrara roa Year 1878. _ _ . £, a. d. To 8.1 nee .. .. .. 2 t s 11£, Subscriptions SustenUtijn Fund .. 133 ]8: 0 Sent rents .. .. .. 70 xs 0 Ordinary collections .. .. lOC 10 2 Special „ .. .. 410 0 Grant Irom Synod for manse .. 10D 0 0 Subscription!), &o. .. ..4126 Proceeds of annual soiree (ladi™1) .. 28 19 6 Contributions /or Mission Scholanhlp 819 0 £179 8 7fr By Contribution to «ustentotton Fund .. 203 0 6 Suppltment to minister .. .. S3 0 0 Church officer .. .. .. 13 0 0 Cleanin g church .. .. .. 414 0 Repairs to church andmanse (including T deed) .. .. .. X 5 3 Insurance „ „ .. 0 15 6 Jfayment on account mortgage on mi'nso .. .. .. 100 0 0 Int rest, on mortgage on ininse .. 45 0 O Municipal rates-manse .. .. 4 1 S Special collection!! .. .. 410 O Synod and Presbyter)- expenses and Pr. Scholarship .. ..000 Mission Scholarship .. .. 319 6 Misaionary Record .. .. 117 6 Snndrica—Communion elements, &C. .. 10 16 8 Balance .. .. _ 10 9 11J ; Audited and found correct. W. Carmicuael. Addresses were in turn delivered by the Rev. M. Watt, Green Island; W. Will, East Taieri; Dr Stuart, Knox Churcli; H. Cowie, Lawrence; and F. Dolamoi-e, C'aversham. Tbe choir of tbe church, under the leadership of Mr Carmichael, contributed a number of anthems at intervals in a veiy pleasing manner.