FIRST CHURCH SOCIAL REUNION.

Otago Witness, Issue 1957, 23 May 1889, Page 17

FIRST CHURCH SOCIAL REUNION.

The historical tea meeting with its attendant dreary addresses by some half dozen ministers and "selections by the choir," has long been' associated with Presbyterianism in Duriedin., Years have rolled by since the tea meeting was inaugurated, but the latter day' Christian is still found patronising it. As in religion, however, so there has been in connection with te\ meetings, a gradual evolution going oq ; and, what' an Anglican clergyman of local repute once characterised as "greasy demonstrations of Christianity," are now being relegated into the limbo of obscurity to.give place to more rational forms of entertainmept. If a Presbyterian of the Jast century could , have been privileged to stroll into the Garrison Hall on Wednesday eveniug he would no doubt have been surprised, and ' perhaps shocked, at modern , Presbyterianism: The large hall, nicely decorated with bunting, and a wealth of greenery, among which pretty little fairy lamps glistened, was gay with' a festive ! throng of some 800 people, who strolled about the ball, chatting merrily, or sat them down to' look at the engravings and curios on the side tables, while they listened to modern secular songs or the sweet' musio of valse, gavotte, and fantasia, discoursed by the baDd. There were refreshments too— -dispensed from a stall at the end of , the building— besides an' " art gallery," and other attractions, and as the people met and mingled and talked one with the other, good fellowship reigned supreme, and' little differences of opinion about organs, " human hymns,"] and confessions of faith were for the nonce forgotten. There could be no doubt whatever that the members of the First Church had acted wisely in meeting together as, , they did on this occasion. ' ■ , During the course of the evening the Rev. James Gibb (pastor of the congregation) delivered an address,' which occupied only about three or four minute?, explaining the ' object of the reunion. , Vocal ' selections were contributed by the First Church Choir, Miss Mollisou, Mrs Steveu son, and Mr J. J. Littlejohn ; Mr Timson acted as conductor and accompanist. The orchestra, under the leadership of Mr A. F. Robertshaw, also contributed a number of selections in very creditable style. Altogether the gathering was a most successful one.