KNOX CHURCH.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19551, 6 August 1925, Page 13

KNOX CHURCH.

ANNUAL MEETING - A RECORD OF PROGRESS. The annual congregational meeting of Knox Church was held in the _ Sunday School Hall of the church Inst evening. The hall was very prett-ly decorated with leaves, rnd the meeting was largely attended. The Rev. Tulloch Yuille presided, and the meeting opened with praise and prayer. Mr Yuille referred to the fact that the congregation had 6£B scholars in its two Sunday schools, and 205 young people in its Bible classes. Ho emphasised the great extent and significance of the Youth Work of the congregation. A large representation of the Bible classes filed on to the platform to music, and joined in the chorus of “I Would Be Like Jesus.” sung by one of their number. Mr Yuille apologised for the absence of Mrs Yuille, temporarily laid aside with influenza, and conveyed her thanks for a very gracious gift from the ladies of the congregation, which was to have been given to her publicly that evening. The following clauses are extracted from the session report:— And Mr Yuille does not content himself with preaching alone. The active and successful part he has taken in all the activities of a large church, as seen, in its different organisations, and especially in those dealing with the training of the youngj means an enormous strain on the energy of one man, however willing he may be. Under his care our have increased and extended. Material evidence of this can bo seen in the additions and alterations now being made to the buildings in Frederick street, and that this edvance_ is not material only, but spiritual as well, is seen by the number of young people who are coming forward to join our church. We cannot pass from this appreciation of our minister and his work without expressing our sincere thanks to Mrs Yuille for the part she is taking in the life and work of the church. Since last report there have joined the church 87 by profession of faith, and 116 by certotal of 203. The disjunctions numbered 62 by certificate and 10 by death —a total of 72. This would seem to give us a net increase for the year of 131; but a careful study ot the communion roll seems to indicate that about 4-1 communicants, chiefly students and nurses, have left the city, and may in the future apply for certificates. Deducting that number would leavo us with a real increase cf 00 members, giving us a total communicant membership of 1300 (as compared with 1210 last year). Hie attendances at communion during the year were —September 845, December 710, March 838, June -839, giving an average for the year of 808. The time draws near when Dr Adam Harvie will be setting out for his work at Jagadhri, India, as our own missionary. During the past 12 months he has been doing hospital work in Auckland, and the experience gained there will stand him in good stead when he arrives on the mission field. One of' the outstanding features of the year was the church rally held in the month of May. All the homos in our neighbourhood and in the whole city area were visited by diligent workers from all the congregations around us. Details were noted of the church habits of each family; each minister sent to his brother minister a not© of the names of families his workers hadl discovered who claimed allegUmce to a certain congregation or denomination. Large congregations gathered in Knox Church, and as a result of the general stirring, we received at the June communion 63 new communicants, 43 by certificate, and 20 by profession of faith. It would be profitable for all the churches of Dunedin to join together in this matter and make such a united campaign annually. The Deacons’ Court report contains the following clauses: —As the accommodation at the Albany Street School has proved inadequate and unsuitable, the Orange Hall in Leith street has been engaged for the Sunday evening services, the Deacons’ Court having guaranteed the necessary funds for the present. After prolonged consideration as to the best and most economical scheme for providing the additional accommodation necessary for Sunday school and Bible class, work, it was decided to proceed with the' erection of a new junior room, seven Bible class rooms above the present building on the King street frontage, a partition round the interior of the main hall, and new conveniences. The cost of these works, which are now more than half completed, will be about £SOOO. In view of its commitments in connection with the alterations to the Sunday school, the court, very regretfully, has been obliged to defer action in connection with the new organ scheme. An organ fund has been opened, and the court will be prepared to take some definite steps in the matter when £ISOO in cash and promisee is in sight. _ Ordinary revenue for “Ourselves” is within £2 7s 9d of last year’s total, which is satisfactory when it is recalled that last year the main sources of revenue showed an increase of £224 12s over the previous year. Expenditure chargeable to ordinary revenue shows a, decrease of £ll2 Is lid. The total revenue for “Ourselves” amounted to £2931 12s 7d, and the expenditure to £2626 13a 4d, leaving a credit balance of £504 19s 3d. Contributions to “Others” totalled £1944 Is 10d, which is £52 6s more than last year. Bible class contributions are not included in these figures. The amount received to date totals £IBO7 16s Id (Sunday school building„£ls22 10s 7d, church officer’s house £285 5s 6di, while there' is approximately £l6O still to come in on account of promises. The total amount contributed by means of the envelope system wee £2945 6s 9d, which is £35 9s 9d. less than last year. There is actually an increase in the number of envelope subscribers, and the decrease on the year’s figures is brought about, by tltere being a larger amount outstanding at June 50. The tabulated statement shows that contributions for “Ourselves” amounted to £1476 (decrease £43), and for “Others” and “Own Missionary” £1469 (increase £8). In the absence of Dr Riley, who was to have moved the adoption of the annual report, it was moved by the Session Clerk, v, i' rt. Islip. He likened the work of Knox Church to the town clock, and said that its mainspring was their devoted pastor. The keynote of all his work was the winning of souls to Christ. Mr Yuille was doing his work; and the question was were they doing theirs. A minister needed encouragement and sympathy. They must not expect too much of him. He had undertaken beyond what the speaker considered he ought to do in undertaking a large part of the supervision of the work of the S«nday school. It was impossible for him to do more pastoral work than he was now doing. The numbers that had been joining throughout the year had been most encouraging. He welcomed Sister Mary as their new deaconess, and specially referred to her work during Church Rally Month. Mr Lawrence Rogers was making his influence felt and doing excellent work. He was pleased to note' that they had a sum ot £9OO in hand for the salary of Dr Harvie, their foreign missionary, but ho was sorry that the annual contributions to that fund were only about £260. He paid a tribute to the workers in file Sunday school and Bible classes. He referred to the new departure in the appointment of two lady deacons, and said they would be a great help in the Deacons’ Court. As a result of a sermon by Mr Yuille, the sum of £425 a year for three years had been given by generous friends of the congregation to secure the appointment of a director of youth work. What the nature of the work of that director would be was a matter still requiring very careful consideration. Mr C. C. Rawlinson, envelope secretary, seconded the. motion. He said he thought everyone would agree that the envelope system was a good one. Half the money they received through the envelopes went to objects outside the ordinary church work. Speaking of the Sunday school alterations and additions, he. said that the new methods in education required new equipment. Mr G. W. Carrington, general treasurer, referred to the success of the congregation during the past live years. The figures of revenue showed wonderful progress. For missions in Mr Tulloch’s first year the sum of £450 was raised, and last year the sum was £IOB7. The average attendance at communion in his first year was 70S, and last year it was 808. No less than 912 people had joined the congregation during Mr Ynille's ministry. Prosperity was liable to make people feel slack, and they ought all to remember their share of responsibility for the work of the congregation. They must allow their minister ample time for pulpit preparation. Ho urged them to say something good about their church and minister whenever they had opportunity. He explained the issue of debentures in connection with the Sunday school ‘building scheme. The report was unanimously adopted. Mr J. Rennie said he had been made convener of the flower stall at (he coming bazaar, and he appealed for their help. Miss Hodges contributed a solo that was much appreciated. Mr Yuille returned thanks for the kindly remarks of the speakers and expressed his gratitude to the many workers who supported him. There was not a home in the congregation that did not give him a hearty welcome. He found it took him three years to get round the congregation. He had round him a stall that .was second