MATAWHERO PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume VII, Issue 1197, 15 December 1880, Page 2

MATAWHERO PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.

The annual Soiree in connection with the above was held last evening in the Makaraka Hall, which for the Occasion was tastefully decorated and festooned with foliage and flowers. There was a large assembly present — about 200 having sat down to the tea provided, and the sight then present was quite refreshing, a perfect picture of enjoyment and contentment. The majority of the company, of course, consisted of the country residents, but there were also a good sprinkling of townspeople, who were conveyed thither at a moderate charge in the busses of- JVIr. S. IVL Wilson and Sam Stevenson. The viands were excellent, so much so indeed, that we must confess to our decided partiality to a country tea party in preference to one in town. This also was the general opinion of the visitors. The trays were provided for far so we can ascertain by the following ladies : — Mesdames Ball, Scrimegeour, Harris, Bond, McKay, Vonpine, Parker, and Cameron, assisted by Mesdames Allan, Coleman, Young, Dunne, Breingan, Steggall, Beatty, and Fergusson. After the tea a very entertaining and instructive programme was submitted. The chair was occupied by the Rev. J. McAra. On the platform there were the Rev. J. Dellow, and the members of the. St. Andrews Presbyterian Choir. The Chairman after a few brief congratulatory remarks, read, the following report of the office-bearers : — Report of the Committee of the Matcnuhero Presbyterian Churdi for the Year 1880. Your Committee,' in presenting its report, I has to express his thankfulness to Almighty God for the measure of success which has attended the several departments of the Church's work during the past year. The Committee has met quarterly, and at these meetings has received and allocated the moneys contributed by the members and adherents during the year, and as you will learn from the Financial .Statement, to be read by the General Treasurer, the contributions from all sources have been very liberal, and it is a matter of much satisfaction and thankfulness that in times so depressed as we have had for twelve months past, the congregation should have been enabled to contribute so liberally to Divine Ordinances. Since our last. Soiree, the Church has been painted at a cost of over seven pounds, aud your Committe has just finished additional improvements in the form of securing something like 20 more sittings and in bracing up the Church fabric itself. At the beginning of the year your Committee received .a c6inriiunieation from' Mr. Agnew Brown offering to fence anew the Church ground and hang a neat gate. Thiß offer having been thankfully accepted by your Committee, Mr. Brown _ gave orders to cany out his object. This has now beeu done, and. your Committee take this opportunity of tendering to Mr. Brown the heartiest thanks of all connncted with the congregation for his very liberal contribution in this matter. The ten-acre paddock belonging to the Church is now free of debt, and has been lease J by the Trustees to a : go6d tenant at a yearly rental of £20. The Trustees are now taking steps to get a proper deed for the glebe prepared according to the regulations of our Church. The attendance upon Divine Ordinances has been very good, and service has been held, with one exception, every Sabbath afternoon during the year; The Sacrament of the Lords Supper was dispensed for the first time on the first Sabbath of October last, when thirteen availed themselves of the opportunity of commemorating the Saviours dying love! " • The Sabbath School has been efficiently, conducted by Mr.vand Mrs-. -Agnew Brown" and Mr. Parker, the attendance averages 20 and pastor and people are very thankful that the young ones are being so carefully trained, and this more when in these days instruction in v the Holy Scriptures is left very much to the Sunday Schools, and the parentage. Your Committee is thankful to Mr. Parker for leading the service'of praise on the Sabbatb, but it is felt that steps should be taken to improve this part of our public worship. There is no lack of voices, only training and practice is necessary, and with, perhaps, the assistance of a small harmonium, this part of the service might be made far more effective. This matter will not be lost sight of by your Committee. In drawing this short report to a close, your Committee express the hope that the congregation at Matawhero may close the year 1881 in a condition even more prosper--ous, both spiritually and temporally, than it closes 1880, and may it be the prayer of all that the congregation may enjoy rich blessings from the Great Head of the Church from whom cometh down every gnod and perfect eift. — Lmjrence Dunne, W. ~81. Bail, Eaven Camerok, Duncan McKay. Mr. "Warren, Treasurer, read the financial report, which was admittedly a very satisfactory one arid showed that progress of a very marked kind had been i made durine the last 12 months. | The musical and recitative part of the . programme was excellent and met with the approval and applause of the audience. ' The following were the glees and songs given. Glee, " Hark, the Lark," Choir ; song. ""Wan one," Miss Wiltshire ; glee, " We'll Follow," by the pupils of Mr. Botton of the Matawhern School, who also sanff " Look and Live," in a very creditable manner ; St. Michaels Tower." by the Choir, and "Ye Sher-herds," were effectively rendered,, though in the latter the solo parts were not adhered to. The, song " Take me Home, &c," by Miss Teat, was rendered with expression and a distinct ; intoTMtianV " j Mr. _ Rajcliftk, ~ whose popularity as a vocalist is unabated, sane; "Roses underneath the Snow." Miss Morgan presided at the instrument, and rendered effective service to the Choir by her correct accompaniments, notwithstanding the faulty" nature of the pianoforte. The recitation of "The Natural Bridge of Virsina," by Mr. Phillips, Was given with scholarly elocution. The reading of Mr. F. J. Piessfl, from Sketches , by Boz of " The Four Daughters,'.', .paused great merriments the redder eviabritly entering fully into the hrnnor of the author. The Rev. J. Dell f>w and Mr. D. McKay briefly addressed the meeting. The glee, " Since first I saw your face." by the Choir brought theentertainment to a close. Votes of thanks were then passed by acclamation to the ladieß to the Choir, the speakers, Mr. Bolton, the Macfarlane family, and to Mr. Catilton, who had generously placed at the Hall at the disposal of the Committee gratitutously.

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