Religious.

Otago Witness, Issue 1474, 14 February 1880, Page 12

Religious.

The Presbyterian Church of Mosgiel held its annual social meeting on Wednesday, the 4th. There was a large attendance. Tea and cake were dispensed in the Drillshed. The congregational meeting was held in the church, under the presidency of the Eev. J. M. Sutherland, M.A., the minister. Mr Stevenson, of the Bauk of New Zealand, the treasurer, announced tbat the debt on the church was now wholly paid. Brief but appropriate addresses were delivered by the Revs. Messrs Kirkland, Will, Stuart, and Mr K. Gillies. The music was exceedingly tasteful. A reference having been made to the spiritual necessities of the regions beyond, the rev. chairman stated his williogness to visit them monthly if the congregation would agres to take such supply as the Church Extension Committee might be able to give.

The first meeting of the St. Paul's Young Men's Association for the session 1880 was held in the schoolroom on the 6th. There was a. large attendance of members, the Vice-presi-dent in the chair. The business oi the meeting was the election of office-bearers, which had the following result :— Tho Yen. Archdeacon Edwards was elected president; Mr S. E. M'Carthy, vice-president; Mr W. N. Basatian, secretary ; Mr H. W. Wilson, assistant-secre-tary and treasurer ; committee — Meesrs L. O. Beal, jun., C. W. George, and J. Davie. It was decided to continue the Quarterly Magazine, and Mr F. M'Carthy was elected editor, Mr C. W. George sub-editor, and Mr E. A. De Carle referee. A vote of thanks was recorded to Mr A. Naieh (retiring vic9-presi-dent), who is about to proceed to Eagland. The Presbyterian congregation of Warepa, Clutha, have given a call to the Eev. John Ferguson.

The Eev. C. J. Byng gave his ÜBual quarterly address to the Sunday-school scholars in St. Matthew's Church on Sunday. There was a very large attendance both of scholars and parents. The rev. gentleman addrei-sed the children from the text, " Children, obey your parents." In the course of his remarks Mr Byng stated that he had been in many countries, but be had never been in any where disobedience was carried to tbe extent it was in New Zealand, and he would urge for the good of both parents and children that the matter should receive their Berious consideration,

The Rev. W. N. de L. Willis, Anglican clergyman at Waikato, having been invited to attend a meeting called to take steps towards a suitable reception of Pastor Chiniquy, replied as follows :—" I beg to acknowledge receipt of your circular inviting me to attend a meeting to-day to appoint a committee to receive Pastor Chiniquy on his visit to Cambridge. I feel that it has yet to be proved that tbe pastor's mission has been productive of good where he has gone, and I fear that it has been the cause of much unchristian feeling being manifested between religious bodies, I must decline to take any active part in his reception."