KNOX CHURCH

Otago Witness, Issue 3205, 18 August 1915, Page 3

KNOX CHURCH

ANNUAL MEETING. Tho annual meeting of the congregation of Knox Church was held in the Sunday School Hall on the 11th. There was a fairly numerous attendance of members and adherents, and the Rev. R. E. Davies (pastor of tho church) presided- The doxology having been sung, Mr D. Wright engaged in prayer. Mr Paget Gale and Mr Slartin played a pianoforte duet, • Miss Cowie and Miss M‘Don aid contributed vocal solos, and Messrs Gale and Martin finally gave a second pianoforte duet. Mr John Roberts moved the adoption of the annual report, and expressed the congregation’s deep thankfulness for tho safe return of their pastor from his trip Home. During the last 10 or 15 years there had been a period of active industrial life and great material advancement, but the higher things had been lost sight of. He thought that there had been a spirit of materialism about of late years, which was to be deplored. It was ,perhaps iwell that they should pause and ask themselves whether the war had not been sent for some great end. He was sure that the end of it would be in the direction of raising a higher spiritual and religious life. There was a long list of those gone from the congregation to the front. He found that 110 of their young people had" gone—some as nurses,—and up to the present there had been four casualties, and their sympathies went out to those bereaved. They had to look forward to losses still to come which might bo much greater, but they all hoped the casualties would not be more than they could bear. Their pastor’s services lately had been very much to tho liking of the congregation, and the sermons delivered from time to time on the war had been excellent. Their minister was a thorough Imperialist, and a man of deep sympathy, and had come to the conclusion that sacrifices must be made to attain tho end. Tho speaker went on to refer to the services rendered by the Rev. Mr Jamieson and others, and said that the ladies had been called upon to render more work than usual. They had worked for a variety of objects, and had furnished 10 beds at Trentham. It was gratifying to think that the income had kept up so well There had been many excuses, if they had been wanted, for a falling away, but liberality had been shown. There was a very small deficit, but that was owing to expenditure that would not occur again, and ho hoped that they would have a surplus at the end of the current year. Ho counselled them not to forget the needs of the church for tho needs outside it. Some of those things outside the church ho had no sympathy with, and ho thought many were of tho same way of thinking as himself. Let them attend to tho church first, and on no account pinch it. He trusted in the coming year that they would see an end to this terrible war, but it was difficult to say whether that hope would be realised. The Rev. Mr Axelsen, in seconding tho motion, mentioned that there had never been a time when they had had so many applications to assist destitute and orphan children. The Rev. Mr Davies said that under unusual difficulties they had come out right on tho financial side. It was to bo regretted that there had not been that recognition of the need of prayer at this time of national crisis. At Homo there had been a growing tendency to turn to God in this time of trouble, but he regretted to find that there had been a decline in that direction. That came to him as a groat surprise and a bitter disappointment. He was afraid the cause of this was indifference, but prayer destroyed indifference, while indifference killed prayer. He felt proud of tho roll of honour to which other names had to bo added, bringing the total up to 117. There were matters of extension and expansion one would have hoped to bring before the congregation, but those must stand over for tho present. _ They must, however, sec that the institutions of their church both at home and abroad were supported to tho utmost of their power. Their home and foreign missions needed all the assistance they could give them. Professor Dickie congratulated tho congregation upon its year’s work. Air 11. Islip referred to the part which Professor Dickie had taken as moderator of the Session and Deacons’ Court during the absence of tho Rev. Mr Davies, and said that they were grateful to him for carrying

out the work entrusted to his care as ho had done. The report was then adopted. On the motion of Mr S. M. Park, seconded by the Rev. Mr Jamieson, it was resolved to express appreciation of the devotion of those who had volunteered for active service, and to extend sympathy to parents and relatives. Mr Park mentioned that the roll of honour would bo installed in the church.