SOUTH DUNEDIN PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14926, 31 August 1910, Page 9

SOUTH DUNEDIN PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.

TJio annual report of the office-bearers of South Dunedin Presbyterian Church,is profaced by a foreword b.v tlio minister, tlio Rev. B. Fairmaid, in which iio expresses his gratitude for the progress made during tho .year. Tho.Kirk. Session's report states that .tho minister during t'ha past year has attended to '47 baptisms, 44 marriages, and 38 funerals. His pastoral, visits are numberless. Mrs Fairmaid, tco, has rendered faithful service, and has not ; spared lioreclf.' Mr G. P. Mollison resigned at tho beginning of this year, owing to his removal "from Dunedin. Besides being an- elder, he was superintendent of the Sabbath School and chairman of tlio Works Committee. During the year 70 names wore added to tho communion r011—27 by examination and 43 by certificate.' There woio 18 disjunctions. The roll now stands at 350. llio attendances at communions were:—September, 156j Dumber, 175; March, 136; June, 158. Compared with last year these figures show an_ average increase-of 21. Five members died during tlio Mrs M'Kay, Mrs Cowan, Mrs M'Arthur, Mrs M'Mastcr, and-Mr B. J. Paterson; also Master William Ritchie, a Sabbath fchool scholar. During the month of April Messrs Horcus and Madill. student evangelists, conducted a mission in this church. Tho meetings, which covered a .fortnight, wore well attended. M> Herons proved to be an earnest and effective speaker, wlile Mr Madill's singing was greatly enjoyed'. As a result of their labours many young people were brought to a fuller of Jesus Christ, and stimulus was imparted to church' members and workers. The thanks of tho session are duo to the Revs. J. W. Shaw and B. A. Axclsen, 'Messrs Robert Wilson, \V. L. Logte, and John Reid for gracious services in supplying tho pulpit during Mr Fairmaid's annual holiday. After being without n deaconess for some months tho generosity of Mr Georgo Reid enabled the session to engago another Sister. This is a matter for congratulation. . Most of (lib church organisations are in a. sound condition. Throughout tho year the meetings of tho session and Committee of Management have boon conducted with tho greatest harmony, and the business attended to with interest and despatch. The report of tho Committeo of Management states that there have been many change. l : in dts personnel. Messrs Loraine, John Maodonald, Walker, Bowman, and Hunt resigned. Mr Lorainc huld his soat for many years, and was an attontivo and painstaking member. Mr John.Tough was elected during the year, and ho also has resigned to go to South America. The new members weto Messrs Ka.ye, M'Callum, Carnegie, F. Thomson, F. Lowry, Dick, Summorcll, Clarke, and P. G. Stewart (a former mombcr). Mr R. Graham, choirmaster and organist, continues to lead the sorvuec of praise. Mr D. Caddie, chureh officer, cannot bo too warmly commended for. his willing spirit and attention to duty. .Receipts (ihclud£3B lis 10d surplus from last year) exceed expenditure by £10 16s Bd. Compared with the previous year, however, £54 0s 2d extra was paid in salaries, wbilo tho surplus from last year was more than spent, in renovations. It should be stated fliat m former years renovations were defrayed from the proceeds of'tlio sales of work held by the Ladies Guild. For two years past the Committee of Management has been deprived of this revenue, tho new S.S. scheme benoliting. It is ovidant that whon largo sums are required for renovations recourse must bo had to some special fund, as in tlio past. Seat rente increased by £5 15s 6d, collections by £3 Is, sustcntation fund by a small amount, and special collections bv the generous sum of £37 1&j 9d. Working expenses (outsido.of.salaries) wore £22 2s 2d less than the previous -year. Tte "property account" shows a credit balance of £13 Is Jd. A further sum of £200 has recently been paid off the amount owing on this property, leaving £100 still duo. Rent from the cottage exceeds tho .interest payable, and tho surplus will be nlaoed to new Sunday Sohool Hall Fund. Considerable prowess has been made during tho year with the Sunday school building scheme. Encouraged by tho magnificent bequest of £1100 made to tho fund by Mr Georgo Reid, the Committee of Management and tin Ladies' Guild decided to put forth renowed offorts to raise the extra money necessary for the proposed building. The result exceeded all expectations, a sum of £148 10s .being cleared. This raoaev was devoted to tho Sunday School Building .Fund, and (as stated above) tjio managers decided to pay off £200 of the mortgago owing upon the section next tho church, rhe treasurer of the Sunday sohool building scheme (Mr D. Kaye) has in hind a orodit balance, of £36 0s 6d. Tho bequest of £1100 referred to above is not in the meantimo available. The work of collecting tho smaller- amounts is proeeedinnsystematically. Tho work of the church organisations is passed under review. These are uho Sunday school, the Biblo classes, the Cliristian Endeavour Societies ' the Ladies' Guild, tho P.W.M.I 1 ., the. weekly prayer meeting, and the choii.