CHURCH OF CHRIST.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14457, 25 February 1909, Page 3

CHURCH OF CHRIST.

The annual meet in;; of members of the Oimrch of Christ was held in i-he Toiler micle, King .street. The report, as road by the secretary (Bro. J. \V. Stokes), stated, inter alia, that hist year was the jubilee year of the church, which was celebrated on July 4, Bros \V J. Hastin. K. T. Edmonds, a'ud T. Mathicson—now devoted to the ministry, awl who wers cotinoctoil in their younger days with the church and Bible school—taking part. The deaths of Bros A burn, sen., \V. Thomas, U. Ma'hicson, ami Caylor were referred to with .sincere regret, and the chitreh had sustained a great less by the removal of Bro. Seurr. sen., to dearth Dimedin. Mention was made of the valuable services of Sister Marie, who, in July, left for Drake University, lowa. (U.S.A.), to undergo a course of study to better lit hot for further goo<l service. The Sunday school pupils numbered 123, with an average attendance of 90. The teaching staff comprised five males ami eight females. The boys' Bible class, raider Bro. 0. F. M'Donald, numbered 13 scholars, and tho girls' Bible class, under Bro. Uastic, 21 pupils. __ Nino scholars had sat for the Otago Sun-Jay School Union examinations, and thr-ra for the essay. AH the contestants passed, Douglas "Wright, being highest with 83 per cent. Tne sale ot work held in tha Oddfellows' Hall, Stuart street, realised £100. Praise was extended to Miss Olive Morton (organist) for having kept the choir £0 .well together, and this

miilcr adverse eircumsfaiipp.?. T'ro. Trwitiep, who Ikkl lihmi roMoi-eil jom<".vli;it to lioallli, had again i»l;cn up t!io conduclorship of ilie singing. ITomp and foreign mis-ion work \va.« vnceivinsr a much I larger lueasurp of support, and ihp pros- : ppcis of the work in Hulavwiyo (S.A.) tiwlpr I IV,-o. HadhVld and Ills eo-iubonrrrs won* ] very cinpoiiraging. Tho lieroau class, under Jjro. Ila.'Sio. bavins run its llirco ynrt cotirsa, was now mpi'Mti iiinl.'r a young men's imprnvonionl. flaw led liv Brn. ('. V. .M'Donald. Tli? Pernor Endeavour led . liv liro. llnstip had innirtlaini'il a gcnl at- ',

tendance during Hie year, and the Junior ! society under iho jli.-F.os Sinclair ami Suiidstrum was doing well. The church membership—the roll of wliic-li was being revised—continued about the same. Fourteen had received letters to sister churches, four had fallen asle-a[i in Jesus, six had ,bosn immersed, and 13 secured in fellowship. The Dorcas Society had relieved a great many cases of absolute need in and aioitnd Dunediu. Its work had not been confined to the poor of ttioir own church, : the society's object being to assist wherever required regardless of creed or denomination. The mc-Jiibcrs had manually worked, both in the, church and at home, on'garments given to the poor. Grateful thanks were tendered to members of the church and others for a considerable quantity of left-ofi' clothing, which agisted the society to distribute altogether 142 garments'. The fniMicial yea.r of the society had commenced with a credit balance of £1 7s 3d, and the receipts had been £14 13* 3d. whilst the cxpeiditttrc totalled £15 ICs 6tl. The society anticipates havmg a considerable call upon its resources during llie coming winter, and will bo glad to receive donations of money or clothes (old or new) from (hose able and willing to assist in relieving the needy. In the evangelist's report mention was made that, more eistcrs of the church were wanted to visit the sick, and the need of a voting woman lo look after the. young women of the church, and every young man of the church should become interested in other voung men. Much was expected from 'the Women's Missionary Society-a. new force in the oliurch-m (be light of missionary affairs and in the deepening ol Iho spiritual life. The treasurer's report, road by Bio. A. Thompson, indicated lluit nearly £49 bad been contributed to the Foreign Mission Fund, £34 to the Home Mission Fund, £7 lo the Bunvccd Home, about £50 lo social and rescue work, ami M to the, Mknis and Prisoners' Aid society. Ml claims against the church had been liquidated a-n announcement which those present responded to by rising and eingmg

the doxoloß}'- . Oilier business transacted idurmg the "voaiiic wns tt-,o acceptance of the resignation with rcsrot of Bro. J. W. Clark m a deacon, ami the election, of Bros. Hostic, Wright, RoutloJgc, Stokes, Suncfelrum, M'Donakl, A. Thompson and Komnilz as (lelcuahs to the conference of the bout-u tsliuxl Churches of Christ, to he hold in Clamant during 1 Easter.