ST. ANDREWS CHURCH.

Otago Witness, Issue 2840, 19 August 1908, Page 18

ST. ANDREWS CHURCH.

ANNUAL MEETING.

The annual business and social meeting in connection -with St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church was held in the Church Hall on the 12th inst., and was very largely attended.

Mr Hazlett, to whose charge the meeting was handed by Dr Waddell, in briefly commenting on the annual reports, said the printed reports set out very fully the work of the various organisations connected with the congregation, and he trusted they would study them carefully. The large amount of money raised during the year showed that the St. Andrew's congregation was a very generous one. Then the very large number of organisations carrying on practical Christian work indicated tha,t the entire congregation was"one v JjiYe of busy workers. The third thing thaf VouW strike them— and. it would account for all the rest— wa§

the paragraph in the §e©sion report referring to the ever-increasing appreciation/ with which Dr Waddell's ministrations we're: received. It was a very unusual and satisfactory state of things when, after nearly, 30 years of constant preaching by one {nan to the came congregation, such statements as those in the report could be made. Referring to Miss Anderson, the missionary, supported in China by the congregation, Mr Hazlett complimented) them on tho clock-like regularity with which the promised subscriptions had come in. Th^term of three years for which the promjseg had been made was now almosfc up, a&cß some fresh arrangement would shortly haveto be entered into.

Mr John Reid, joint superintendent of St\ Andrew's Sunday School, made a stirring appfal on behalf of the new Sunday Bohoof building scheme. He was inclined to agree/ with the Bishop of Auckland that wo are a nation of white heathen. He had often' been astounded at the ignorance of boys 'of 16 or 18 years of age .regarding the "facts connected with the life a,nd death of the Author and Founder of our religion^ 16 was no use evangelising the heathen if our. own young people wero to be Godless and! Bible-less. In- face of the fact that the Bible was out of the -schools and being;, driven out of the homes, and' in face ofi«r tho power of secularism at the present time; lie said the inadequacy of their Sunday* /-> school teaching and buildings and methods was appalling. They intended to adopt \J new plans with tho new school, to provide '<•" every child with suitably-oracled literature/^' about- tho lessons, and h& was sure friend* , would rally round and help them to meet the heavy additional^expense. : Mr J. G. Patterson.^ in moving the adoption of the annual report and balance sheet, pc-infed out that the revenue received during the year (£2704- 10s 9d) easily established a record in the history of the congiegahou. This was another testimony — if any were n^etlcd — fo the influence Dr Waddell exerted over the whole congregation.

Mr W. Eudey, in seconding tho motion, took the opportunity of emphasising some of Mr Reid's remarks, and ea\<\ that a teacher could not go through his day's work without finding that children were growing up absolutely destitute of Biblical; knowledge. It was to the children they had fo look for their future congregation, and he hoped the parents would insist on their going to Sunday school. The motion was carried by acclamation.

Dr Waddell. v»-ho was received with lou<s applause, paid that n«xfc April he w-6uld have been minister of thaf <■ ongregatioii for 110 less a period than 30 years, and he mentioned that now to point out thaf. it wo\iki be a sort of crowning act if they could have the new Sunday school erected by next April. He would also like to sco the church reconetr noted by that time — (laughter), — for he wished to preach in it once or twico before he retired. The Doctor went on to refer to the work of Miss Anderson, their missionary in China and the necessity for making fresh arrangements in regard to her support. He then introduced Miss M. Reid, who is at present on furlousth after 11 years of missionary work in China.

During the evening solos, which were greatly enjoyed, were contributed by Misses R. Park and Davidson and Mr" R. F. Foster. and the choir rendered two anthems.

Through choking, while eating his dinner at a hotel in Waipawa, a few days ago, al Maori named Billy nearly lost his life;' in fact, it was only saved by the prompt' action of a doctor, who was summoned^, in cutting the throat, in order to remove the obstruction. The Native is satisfactorily recovering.

The West Coaster is hardy and humorous. The Coast papers are telling of a miner down about Reef ton who recently, fell a distance of 40ft through timbering, and was picked up for dead, and mournfully carried towards the station, and on the way got up, remarking, " I'm full of this,' 1 " and walked off to his home.