WESLEYAN SABBATH SCHOOL.

Colonist, Volume XX, Issue 3723, 22 March 1883, Page 1 (Supplement)

WESLEYAN SABBATH SCHOOL.

The anniversary sermons of the Wes'eyan Sabbath School were preaohed on March 4. by tho Rev. P. Bavin, the President of ihe New Zealand Wosleyan Conference, when the Church in Hardy street wa* filled, pnd in: Ihe evening,' the seating accotnnioda-' tion was not c .ffiaient for the large con»regati'jn that assembled. In (ho morning the ' ro<-. gentleman spoke from the words, >( What Manner of child, vha'l this be ?*' (Lukp, Ist chapter, 6dih verse), and in Mie evening from the last verse of the 20Lh chapter "of Deu'eronomy, Tho discourse* wrre earnest appeils, and vvero full of advice io both old and i young, children and parent?. All, were glad to welcome in iliei■* midst, • riso more the preaohor, in whom th 7. roctgnised, tot, only a fai tli'u! p;s!or who had in the pa;t I ministered amongst them for thteei-jiara, but one whom 'h-y had during that period learnel 'o love and < ft^em aj a personal friend. In ti:o afternoon Mr Baviu conducted a children's (■ervipe, ;whio"» wag also well at'ended. On each occasion the rhil.fr-n sang tho hvrjona chosen f*.r the <s uy, and their singing, as well as their behaviour, refleo'ed <r at • redit not oily on themselves, but their iis'ructora. The anniversary te 1 mooting v.f- t'se Ne'son Wesley an Sabbath School wm 1 :rgey attended on Mareh.s. as wa^ also the putnio me, ting which was held in the Chu-jh immediately ; after. The Rev W. Lbe (<'ie Pastor) after singing and prayer, stated thue it was the wish of those coiinecLi.d ■with the Sunday School,, that !Mr JTearnley ahjuld act as Obuiraian1 of fcSe : ineatirg. Mr KEABNtEy, on assuming that pbsiiion, said he considered they had eonforred'an honor upon him by asking: him 10 preside, lie had great sympathy;.with S.tndiy School work. Jtie haj in ihe past bre 1 for seventeen ! jears connected wib a Sunday Shoo', and soojd of his happiest hours had been spent therein. "It. Was in the Sundny School that : lu> breathed his first, nspiraiioiis after things Divine. It was folly to say that. S inday; Schools were unnecessary, a -d were payed out. If the Bible was read daily, and iho fuinily altar of prayer was ereefced in each household throughout, the- lanH, then I hero' might ba some talk of the woik of the Sabbath S»hool being, competed, and being'■ unnee-s-, gory. Many vvero unabio to ,Bxpl»in ihe Scri| lures to their children, and otl era were unwilling lo do co, consequently there was still a heed for Sunday Schools1 Tne naiioria',- > ) B?slem uf education being purely tocuhr: m'n<\a. it all the more impo taut ih.t ,they thoul. ha^e their Suud '.y S boo f. ihe moral truiuing ol the young' wua of ar more 'iinporUiice than the iVite lectua!.1 'I ho Bib[!e woU the beat* ! bock, in the world for aidi: g the moral; traini ing of, the children. '.Such men as lluiley had contributed, tlieir testimony regarding tbe, moral grandeur of the Ui-.le. If l.he . young i were not tra:n dto reverence God, Ilia Word, l! and the morality taught ti:ortin, he pitied th.; state oftny such community: fifty yetirs hertc. There vvero nc^ny evil inflmnces Jo hinder their-»^rk,.and to omie iJiscouraacment to I, Sunday School tea hers, but ail tne gOJJ resulting fiom the'.r labors would only ba revealed by ett-rnity i self. They desired ihe' leicbtrs to ti.il on. .Their calling wa-i a; highly imppilant and h morable uue. A ya-«.. \ amy of great an j g-od :uen had sprung from; : tho Sabbath Schools, and many such were to ■be' founii laboring at the pU'sent dBJ in *he 1 Sunday cVi'oo's In due season the, teachers • wouldV'ap their re«.id. j ;. :i ;! • The Secretary (Mr;G-. Haslem) read tbe I Eeport and', Balance sheet. , The former i showed 'that' there are 165 scholars and 22 i teachers* in the' Schobl? During 'the past i year there had been a>decrease of 35 Hcholars, and 3 teachers. A "Xoung. Women's Class I was conducted, by Mr Snpdgrass, and was ! regularly attended by twenty each' Sunday^ The Eeport regretted tli'a'Vai' sibilar class fo>; young men did.not exist otvitig >to a want of lan efficient; teacher., The ; officers e'ected fot ! the , ensuing j..year , v?ere—Superintenlent—■ ;Mr 'Boon, (re-elected); Secretary—Mr G, i Haslems ;(re'elected);' Librarian—Mrß. Snodi grass, "- jurir., ;' (re-elected). GoajpiiitGe— Messrs B. Snodgrass/s 0. Peartp and, Mun

caster.' ' Tbe . Balance sheet. (wHich was audited by Mr W. Haddow,) showed an : . income of £23 lCs lOd and expenditure of £ 18 17s 2d, with a credit balance of £4 lS'a Bd. The Rev. W. Lee (the Pastor) moved th. adoption 'of the. Report. He spoke at some, length on the importance of .Sunday behnoJ, teachers visiting "their scholars in their, homes, and showing all the interest possible in those under their charge. He deprecated teachers having too many engagements, buti considered that they should devote their time and energies solely to the duties they bad undertaken as Sabbath School teacheie. He regretted that the Report showed a decrease, and that an efficient teacher had not been procured for a Young Men's Class in connection with thei School. He spoke very highly of the Sabbath morning service for the young, which was conducted by Mr Rule, and the gooi accruing therefrom. Mr Bound? seconded, the adoption of the report and Balance-sheet. He was a man, of few words, and as the President of their Conference (Mr Bavin), and two ex-Presidents! (Messrs. Kirk and Lee) were present, the audience he was sure would rather listen to them. The resolution was then put, and carried; by acclamation. ° The Rev T. A. Cato (Baptist) spoke oil what are the best means to retain the senior scholars in -the Sunday Schools. He considered more attention Bhould be paid to' them, suitable class rooms should be provided for them, and suitable teachers procured. The most important of all was to try and get, the young people attached to Jesus Christ. He commended the teachers, for the patience, | love,' and zeal they' often displayed. He hoped the succeeding~ygar would be one of > great rejoiciog to that ' Church and 'Sabbath i School, •....,,■■ . •; •':• : The Rev B. Bavin (President of the New ,' Zealand Conference): expressed the great ; pleasure it had afforded him to meet with his |j old Nelson friends once move. The opening | address often marred or added to the j of a meeting. Their chairman had given the ; right tone to the meeting, and he had lis-1, tenedwith great' pleasure to Mr tfearnley's j! opening address, which he hoped would be remembered by all,,but .particularly; by the ■ young men. There was much food^ for serious thought and investigation in considering what became of those who bad passed through and had left their Sunday Schools. ; Since the Nelson Wesleyan Sunday School was first established, fully one thousand i scholars h>d thus left it. Where were these ' now? What Christian work were they engaged in. There was no reason why a single boy or girl should leave the Sunday School unconverted. If the children werewon for Jesus they would stick to the Sunday School, there would be no lack of efficient teacher, and their Church mem bers would; be largely increased by drafts of new members from the Schools; the Devil would be driven, out of the world ; and souls be won for Christ. He beseeched those who had talents, to use them, and engage in the Sabbath School work. Too often the Church looked upon the Sunday School as separate from it.. This should not be, Most pre-eminently the interests of the Sunday Schools were the interests' of the Church He trusted if no other good result accrued from that anniversary, that an efficient teacher would be procured for a Young Men's Class, anu that he would hear of the School prospering, and great good resulting from the labors- of the teachers. The Rev W. Kibk (Chairman of thfl Nelson district) spoke on the importance of juvenile conversion. If the children vcre Ird to give their hev.ts to Jesu?, the work of the Sunday Schools was sura to be successful. T 'chunked endeavors by God's help should bb to placa before the worM the moat perfeotepeoitnens of Chrisnanitv possible. The Chairman thought the Church made a mistake in not rrcJanisi g all their children as members of the Ch'irol>, unless',tltoy cot.milted any wrong to forfeit, such recognition. Ilt'ie young people knew thnfc tey were omaidered members, thfy would be less likely to slrnv away, and bp lost s'ght of. • Mr R. Snodgrass ; moved a vote of thanks to the ladies, Mrs Spooner (the organist) and the Choir for their valuable services. The vote was ; carried with acclamati >::. Mr Lee proposed a vote of thanks to the Chairman, which being heartily, received, Mr Feabnley, said it was hi 3 desire, as far as possibls, to aid the work of the Church by hi brains,-time, and,purse. The children sang a piece between each address and the proceedings ■ closed with MiBavin pronouncing the Benediction. ! [We believe the total amount of the collections was £17 odd.]