PRIMITIVE METHODIST CHURCH, TEMUKA.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2468, 23 February 1893, Page 4

PRIMITIVE METHODIST CHURCH, TEMUKA.

The public meeting held in the above Church on Monday evening, after the tea meeting, was well, though not largely, attended. The chair was taken by Mr R. Metson, who, after a hymn had been sung by the choir, and prayer offered up by the Rev. W. C. Wood, gave a lengthy and earnest address on the subject of the Sunday School work of the year. He was gratified at presiding at their eleventh anniversary, and pleased to meet them in their large new building. Their labors in the Sunday School in the past, although a source of anxiety and occasional trouble, had not been altogether in vain. He felt that they had the help of God with them, and had sown good seed; seed that would by-and bye spring up and bring forth fruit to his honor and glory. During the past year several of their scholars had found salvation, notably during Mrs Wright’s mission. The work of Brother Epps had also brought forth fruit abundantly, and his labors had been infinitely blessed. He regretted that there still continued to be a difficulty in securing an efficient staff of teachers, so much so that it was at one time feared that the morning school would have to be abandoned. It was difficult to induce the older scholars to take up the work of teachers, and, like other denominations, they found it almost impossible to retain their hold on the children after they had passed through their senior class. He urged parents to keep their children regularly at school, and give the teachers a chance to train them to be pillars of God’s house and righteous men and women. The secretary, Mr J. B. Epps, then gave a brief, but interesting, address, endorsing the chairman’s remarks relative to the necessity of keeping up the staff of teachers from the ranks of the older scholars. He then read the annual report, which showed that there was a balance of receipts over expenditure of £ r 6 6s 9d. To this was to be added the proceeds of the tea, £2 18s. Against this they had a liability of £4 5s for prizes, and some other small charges. The officers of the school remained the same. There were 12 teachers on the roll (9 male and 3 female), and 86 scholars (47 boys and 39 girls). The average attendance in the morning was 46, and in the afternoon 52, an increase of 11 upon last year. The report was received with applause, A recitation by Annie Gregory followed, entitled “ A frog, he would a wooing go,” after which the choir sang “ Weighed in the balance,” Miss Goodey presiding at the harmonium. Other items given during the evening were a recitation “ The parish work girl,” by Miss Brogden; dialogue, “ White lies,” by three scholars ; recitation, “ The blind

boy," Lily Fletcher ; recitation, " Boys' rights," Basil Metson; "Sleeping on guard," the choir. Mr W. Smith, the next speaker, confined himself to advising fathers of families to take a share of the domestic work upon their shoulders on Sunday, so that the mothers' labor might be lightened and the children have an opportunity of attending Sabbath School. Of his own experience as teacher he had only grateful recollections. It was a source of pleasure to him to think that he had been admitted to a share of such noble work. The Rev. W. C. Wood, after a few congratulatory remarks to the congregation upon the result of their labors in the direction of building a new church, spoke at length on " The Church's relation to the young." While on all sides was heard the cry that the elder children drifted away none of the many schemes proposed to retain them appeared to him to be effectual. For his own part he thought those interested should bear in mind that young people's pleasure and interests were far apart from those of their elders. He had heard old men speak of the pleasure and profit they derived from attending class and fellowship meetings, but even jf you got young men to go they would only look upon them as a solemn farce and never attend again. It was arrant nonsense, and he said it advisedly, to expect to get young men and women to take an interest in such things. In connection with work among the young they had to remember their thoughts, aspirations, and pleasures, natural to youth, and if they attended to

these requirements they were a long way on the road to getting their first grip of them, and this was all that was wanted. Mr Wood then gave a graphic description of his work among the young people in his Wellington parish, the organisation of a football club for the boys (a club by the way that had not been beaten) and the Badminton class for girls, where parlour and social games .could be indulged in. When these young oeopie found their teachers entering sympathetically into their pursuits they felt bound to reciprocate by attending both church and school, and he olainied that these youths were more eager to do anything for their church and teachers. As matters progressed a Christian Endeavour Society could be formed, and step by step good and lasting work done. He did not want them to substitute football for the bible, but claimed that the services and association of the Church nnist be made cheerful if they wanted to retain their hold of the young members of the community, Mr Wood's remarks were well received. The Rev. Mr Woolias in a few felicitous preliminary remarks expressed his appreciation of the zeal displayed by those associated with the Sabbath school work ia his. Strict, and thanked those present for their at their anniversary celebrations, ijs £eli fljways assured of

their sympathy when ho ayq'm ot the interest taken in the training of the young, for when they recalled the no Wo work i done bf tjie Sabb;i*h schools in the past | they coiiiil out, but be filler! with faith for the future. The best men working among them had received their early j training in the Sunday schools, &n.d now I in the Primitive Methodist schools halt a ■■ mViWon of young people were being brought into direct sympathy with God's C imrch. A pUasiug feature of the reports they had heard that oyenjng was that a number of their scholars had &pgnjy enrolled themselves under Christ's st:w4ard and bade f;ur to become ornaments of the ' Church and lie community. They must remember that yoiuifc' people were very impressionable, and were W be moulded

as their elders willed. They couiu easil y be confirmed in their faith or driven away, and it followed that they must set them a good example. Again children were full of inquisitiveness, and a spirit of rightful enquiry should be encouraged. It behoved their teachers therefore to be able to answer fully and faithfully their question- ; ings. Of the work of their Church he might say gratefully that it was steadily going forn ard. In the Old Country they

rould hold their own with any denomin- , ation, and he was was assured this would soon be the case in New Zealand if those trained would only stand by their Church, and not be carried away by every wind that blew. If they had not done much in the past, let them not bo cast down but strive to do more in the future. Let them > train their boys to be men of priucise,

and their girls firm in faith, and both educated in holiness, pluck, and the courage of their convictions. In such a colony nobody could say what a boy's future might be, and some of those among them might become sharers in the governing power of the land. How necessary was it therefore that they should be instinct with truth and honesty, capable of filling their mission in life with strict integrity and anxious to act faithfully towards their fellow men. In conclusion he expressed a hope that though he was shortly to leave them for Invercargill both he and their former minister, Mr Wood, might have, upon a future occasion, the privilege of addressing them in that church, in obtaining which they had both taken a part. (Applause). Mr W. Fletcher moved a very hearty vote of thanks to the speakers and all who had assisted in making the anniversary services successful, and the meeting terminated with the Benediction.