CONGREGATIONAL MEETING AT KNOX CHURCH.

Otago Witness, Issue 559, 16 August 1862, Page 4

CONGREGATIONAL MEETING AT KNOX CHURCH.

The yearly congregational meeting at Knox Church ■was hell on Tuesday night. There was an excellent attendance. We noticed the following gentlemen on the platform : — J H. nan-is, E3q., Deputy Superintendent, Dr. l J "rdic, Messrs. Hood, Grant, Langlands, J. Hepburn, sen.. Smith, E. Gargiil, J. Car, gill, Lindsay, Street, Gilbert, Hi slop, Ross, Gillies. Power, and the Rev. Mr. Stuart. After tea the Rev. Mr. Stuart addressed a few remarks to the audiew e, in which he stated the object for which they were assembled. He could not say f !ip church wns in an unsatis|'acto"v state, neither could he sppak eulogistic;! Uy of it. Tiioush much had been left undone, still it was not from lack of zeal on their part Owing to Ihe increase of population the field of their labors had been much extend"d. Since uhey last met ten members of the church, one an elder, had been removed by death, and about 50 members had removed to other districts. The fcsibbath schools had been efficiently carried on during tho previous twelve uiontln, iip onr> immediately connected with tbaf church iiy Mr. Street and a band of teachers. The Noith-p.as.l Di-trict School, and two others, 11.3 could give equally noil accounts of. and those connected with them were all entitled fo the thanks of the congregation. With regard to the Bible Class, lie. the minister, led it, and he had much sal inaction in expressing \vi conviction that the meeting tog-ether of thai class was attended with the most beneficial results. He cnlli d upon Ul3 members of the congregation to lend their aid and support individually and collectively. There were foemen in the field in the shape of w.mtonnpss, intemperance, and all ungodliness, lie requested their prayers and active co-opera-tion, and h a tru-ted tint when the Lord of the vineyard called the present elders and deacons of the clnnvh away, the generation now Nprinoing up would bo found qualified to tnko their place, tie t!i,-n ci'l.'i upon the treasurer, Mr. FUivp', to "ivoa stat in • t of the pivvinns v '!•'. nc^ount.. Mr. Sivret hi fl r.i.i ov.t the pa=t year's acconnt«, and >r ♦'1 fiat the r cipts fur fie vi-ir ha I b"*n £!083 17.j. 2d. ; disbursements. CPH(K. Id. They were in debt at the commenceinentot the preceding yoar no 1«« a sum than £1472 10s. He was happy fo state that the debt at present amounted to £1150, showing a reduction during the year of £322 10a. The Treasurer having read the report, "it was proposed by Mr. Langlands, ;md seconded by Mr. Lindsay. "' That the meeting approve of the report, and direct an abstract thereof to bo printed for the use of the members of the eluv'h.''

The Choir then sang a Panetns very effectively. The Rev. Mr. Smith then addressed the meeting on tbe «übj^ct of missions. He had been engaged as a missionary for thirty years past ; although he bad only bren among them two yoars, still he could revert with much satisfaction to that period. Much had been done, but a great deal still remained for them to do. He would impress upon each of them the necessity of heartily co-operating in the good work ; they must not only pray but they must act. There were now great temptations, and it behoved them to be upon their guard, — vice paraded 7'tself most glaringly amongst them. Pie would mention, for instince, that, den of iniquity, the theatre. ITe remembered the anecdote of the little boy, wlio. passing by a theatre in company with hid mother, saw the " pi>" legibly piintsl on various parts of the house, — he thought it meant the " bottomless pit ;" and he quite coincided -with that little boy, it was the entrance through which, he fearrd, many passed, to the ruin of their souls. lie had. however! already transgressed the time allotted to each speaker, and would, therefore, at once move that "This meeting approves of the Home Missionary efforts of the congregation, and resolve to furnish the necessary funds to support them.'' Mr. Hepburn seconded the resolution.

An Anthem was then sung by the Choir. Mr. John Cargill then moved the following motion, which was seconded by Mr. Ross, that " This meeting regret to-find that there is still a heavy debt, on the churchy and instruct the Deacou's Court to make an early effort to liquidate it." "Mr. E. Cnrgill next moved that "That this meeting, recognizing the importance of having a regular settled ministry throughout tbe Province, it deems it expedient;, for tbe carrying out of that object, that a sustentntion fund bo granted.'' Mr. Gillies seconded the motion.

Mr. Hislop then addressed the meeting. The duty liad been assigned to him of bringing under the consideration of that meeting the obligations resting upon them as individual Christians, and more especially as members of a Christian church, to use their utmost endeavours to bring up the youthful members of their community in the nurture and admonition of the Lord ; in the knowledge of the living and true God. Their Divine Master, both by example and preceptjhadmo&templmticallyenjoinPd that duty upon his church and p°op'o. No trait in their Lord's char-, actor was more attractive than the interest winch he displayed in little children. Dm ing his ministry on earth, children weie his most welcome visitors; others thought their presence troublesome, — to him it was the highest gratification. These lambs of his flock lie literally gathered in his arms, and carried in his bosom, and blessed them 'and said, " Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not, for of such is the kinadom of heaven ;" and on leaving this earth, one of his last partinir requests to his church, his miuisters, and his people, through his Apostle Peter, was, that they should give evidence of. their love and devotion to him by feeding his lambs. When they bore in mind how frequent, and how emphatic were tho injunctions, of the Hoi) Scripture on that subject,— when they bore in miud what had been the experience of the church in all ages, that the Buccess8 uccess of the gospel among men. depended iv a great

measure on the care which the church extended them in early life,— when they bore in mind that those little interesting beings are springing? up m such numbers into life around them, notwithstanding all their attractiveness and loveliness, were the sinful offsprings of degenerate parents; and if aUowed so srrow up without moral and religious culture aud restraint, would wander far astray irom the path of duty and hiippiness, it was impossible to over-estimate the importance and the duty _of bringing the little ones under the formiug and saving influence of early religious instruction and training 1 . Most undoubtedly devolved the important and solemn duty upon the parents, in the first instance— a wise and faithful performance of which towards their off-spring would bring a rich and enduring recommence. On the other hand, indifference or neglect mi^ht embitter their declining years, and bring down theiu grey hairs with sorrow to the grave. "O, my son, Absalom, my Son, my son, Absalom ; would God I had died for thee : 0, Absalom, my son, my son !" had often been in spirit the exclamation of manya broken-hearted parent. It wasadmitted that the mother generally exerted a great influence in early childhood; no hand, no voice, no care, no love was so well fitted a3 that of a mother to the work of instruction. The mother was the model teacher of the child,— she inspired the spirit ; and when the child had gone far out of sight the mother, though perhaps descended to the coid, dark tomb.still exercissd that holy softening influence. The influence exerted on the minds of the young by the week-day school and the Sabbath school could not be overlooked. Few parents had the requisite leisure to do all that was required, nnd they were doubtless entitled to the aid of their spiritual pastor in the matter. The schools, however, did not usurp the functions of th* parent, but,he feared there were large numbers of children in this city and country whose religious culture was entirely nojjlected, Hene*\ it might be necessary not only to have a SabV.tli « '^o' meeting in thU place, hut also to carry t - • iustruiUrtntilit\ into other narts of tlis j 'that • 'purtun'ty, ia the 'iame '>f "all, h ••ice* i -wts of y'aiifc chore 1 t'>r the arr.i , « liad • dao v. d upon ; also, the Rev, Mr ?'>.■■. i .r the 'i Iv mugos wMc'i accrued t y them f:oJi h.s it iulirable Bible class Tlu- thanks of the congi egation were also due to the Sdbbith school teachers for their labors ot love. He concluded witli— Let eich remember these threa thinpes — the immortality of the children, the love of the Saviour, aud that each must render an account at the Day of Judgment! Mr. Hislop ttien moved the following resolution, whicii was seconded by Mr. Grant :— " This meeting, recognizing the obligation resting on the Church to bring up the young ii the knowledge of the true God, resolve to encourage the efforts of the Sabbath school teachers, and to thank them for their past services." It was moved by Dr. Purdie, and seconded by Mr. Gilbert, that "Beaeing in mind the injunctipn of our Lord — ' G } into all the world and preach tneGospel to every oreature,' 1 an opportunityshould be given to the congwgaKon to contribute towards sending missionaries to the heathen."

Anthem by the choir. Mr. Gilies luoved that " This meeting, considering the purposes ior which a Church is organised, and rejoicing in the riding's from other lands, of the outporing- of the Divine spirit in the conversion of sinners/resolve that it is the duty of every member of this church to carefully examine (in order to remove) those obstacles which obstruct their being partakers of the same blessing." Mr. Ban 1 seconded the motion. Mr. Foraaith moved — " That f\s God had, in other lands, signally blessed the efforts of young men in piomoting the Redeemer's kingdom, their agency should be" extensively employed among themselves." The motion was seconded by Mr. Sti'set. A vote of thanks to Mr. Street was unanimously carried, for his service* as treasurer to the Church. After singing the Evening Hymn, the company broke up at eleven o'clock. During the evening the proceedings were enlivened by the performance, by Mr. Brown on the harmonium, of several sacred and other pieces.