TRINITY METHODIST CHURCH

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13946, 4 July 1907, Page 5

TRINITY METHODIST CHURCH

ANNUAL SOIREE AND CONCERT. The soireo' and concert in connection with tho anniversary was held in the oliureh last evening, when there wa6 a largo attendanoe. As usual, the good ladies of the church provided an abundant supply of eatables for . the first function, which was as great a suocess' as heretofore. ' The concert held, subsequently was very enjoyable, and comprised selections from tho works of the great masters. During an interval tho Rev. W. Slaxle, president of tho Conference, delivered a short address, his subject being " A.D. 1907." Tho rev. speaker first expressed the pleasure ho felt at being present, -and congratulated 1 the congregation on the prosperous condition of its church affaire. He thought himself that occasions such as thess were most useful for bringing together the scattered or eaau&l attendance of" a congregation. His subjcct meant a standpoint from which to view the future of the cWoli as a fighting body with work to do, and ho would speak as to what lay before them now. His opinion was that tho most pressing problem facing them as a congregation was the problem of " home" work. Somo of his friends who had accompanied him during his visit' to Sydney had mado a point of visiting os many 'placcs of worship as possible, and it was said that thore were only three churches that could be oallcd really full. That fact would perhaps state his case. It was one which must appeal to them in this city—tho fact that thev did not got tho people inside the churches. How was this problem to be dealt with? He considered that the Methodist Churoh, of all churches,. must ficht. to the last., gasp against the orystallising process that went on somehow or other in all the churches. As time went on Methodism seemed to lose ite power'of "adaptability" and the congregation appeared to 6ettlo down into a crystallised ohurcli. Then they lost the evangelising powers they had so fully in their early days, and now others were trying to do tho work that the church of late had not been so successful in doing. This sottling down into a 'comfortable, easy-going church life, he contended, must ho strenuously fought against. Did the congregation not think that the Church should go back again and try some of its old methods of evangelisation?—street preaching, for instance, for Methodism had been born in the fields and beneath the'blue sky. ' It was, of course, nice to have comfortable churches, but there was tho man in the street whom they could not got inside, ami he should be shown an Jexamplo of their determination to catch him. This work had been given over to the Salvation Army. He honoured this body,, but ho did not think it was doing tho" work in the way it should be done. Tho Church itself should endeavour • to mako an impression on the outsiders, and this could not bo done without going outside, though he did not want them to abandon their churchcs. Another aspect: thore was no doubt that amongst- a certain section of the great army of toilers thero was a strong.hostility to religion and tho churches as allied with religion. He considered that tho work of evangelising the "submerged tenth" should be tackled seriously and on a more systematic scale than attempted £o far. Ho howd the congregation would work more as ho had indicated and that these outsiders would be won to God.

The programme was extremely well chosen and fully appelated by the large audience. Miss Francos Gmnt. was heard to great advantage in " With verdure clad" (Haydn) and "0 rest in the Lord" (Mendelssohn!, and Madame von Look contributed the mutative and air "Comfort ye" and "Every valley shall be exalted" (Handel). Mr T. Holgate was in excellent voire also, and sang " Lqrd

God of Abraham M (Mendelssohn) and "Tho pcoplo that walked in darkness" (Handel). Mies L. I-limmcl was deservedly encored for her playing ot one of Schubert's delightful violin sonatas. Tile ohoir also contributed a number of most enjoyable choruses and anthems, andor tho oonduotorship of Mr S. Lawn, these including tho ohcrus "To Thee, great Lord " (Mr ,T. 11. Fyfo taking ' tho solo) and Handel's " Hallelujah" chorus. Miss E. Hartley played the acoorapaniments most acceptably. About 300 participated in tho tea laid in the schoolroom, which was nicely decorated for the occasion. Tho following Indira, presided over the tables:—Mesdarnos Bull, Rosovear, lies, G«in, King, Cooper, Fereus, Gand'ner, Wells, Day, Soott, Lawn, Ackroyd, Misses Jarman, Roy, and Broad. Tho choir table was presided over )by Misca Kitto, Sparrow, Taylor, and Oalverloy. Prior to the chair singing the last, chorus tho Rev. Mr Laws cordially thanked all those who had contributed towards tho evening's entertainment. ,