FREE CHURCH SEATS.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 144070, 15 April 1913, Page 7

FREE CHURCH SEATS.

ADOPTED AT ST. MARY’S. AN INTERESTING DISCUSSION. At the annual meeting of parishioners of St. Mary's Anglican Church on Monday evening tho subject of most neiicral interest was tho proposal to make the seats in the church free. Tho > icar (Rev. A. H. Colvilc) had recently spoken strongly in favour of the change, and in introducing tho subject at Monday’s meeting asked Sir. 11. E. I cokes to move a resolution to that effect. Mr. Fookes said that ho felt the church would never really become a church for tho people until all tile seats had become absolutely free, and Jo this end it was proposed to declare all seats free at tho evening services at any rate, and to reduce the present scale of pew rents to one-half as from October next. From his personal experience and from what ho had hoard, strangers had not had that welcome extended to them that they had a right to expect from sonic of the pewholoers. Hie revenue derived from pew rents was between £220 and £230 per annum, ana if the proposal was carried tho vestry would lose £llO per annum. It was hoped that an extension of the. envelope system of contributions would par.uy recoup the vestry for this loss of revenue. Continuing, the speaker said the principle of free seats must appeal to all tho congregation. Ho knew it would mean a certain amount of sacrifice to some of tho seathoiders, especially tho older ones, but they should he prepared to .rriako that sacrifice. Those working for tlie change did not feel able, in tljo state of the church's finances, entirely to wipe all the rent, although they would have bleed to do so. He then moved that’the seats in St. Mary’s Church be Free at tho Sunday evening services, and that the scale of pew rents he one-half as from October 1 next.

In seconding the motion, Air. John Patou said they knew that the vicar and the bishop were both in favour of the scheme. He instanced the Auckland Diocese, where in something like 100 churches only 14 lot sittings, aud in those cases the vestries were hard up and wanted some means of raising money. In view of the proposal to make this a bishopric, he said, most people looked Forward to making St. Mary’s the cathedral of the district, and then the scats would have to be made free.

, The Vicar supplemented the previous speakers' remarks, and strongly sup ported the motion as being a good beginning on the rigid, lines. The town, continued Sir. Colvilo. was fast becoming a great resort for visitors, and would continue to be more so in, the future. To find a free church of the size of St. Mary’s in a pretty town like this would bo a great attraction to a great many visitors. From every point of view ho commended the motion to the meeting. Mr. H. Bedford said he was heartily in accord with the idea, but not with the half measures proposed. He said the church should be all free, mornings and evenings. He did not think the revenue would suffer in the least when the people got used to the change. At the same time ho contended that all the liabilities should first bo wiped out.

( Alr. C. E. Baker supported Mr. Bedford. The average revenue from pew rente for tho past five years was £3lB, and that had to be made up somehow. Ho appealed to the chairman to allow the ladies present to have a vote on the question, and that tho vote be taken by ballot. Mr. Baker then moved as an amendment that, in the opinion of this meeting, tho seats at St. Alary’s be made all free as from October 1 next. Mr. Bedford seconded. The Chairman gave 1m ruling that ladies were not entitled to a vote, but that every man iu the building should have the right to vote on the question. On it being pointed out that the latter danse was contrary to the canons of tho church, which forbade a man to vote unless he had signed the ohuren wardens’ book, tho vicar altered his ruling accordingly. Air. H. E. Fookes, with Mr. Baton A permission, withdrew his motion in fav our of Air. Baker’s amendment, which then became the motion. Mr. G. F. Robinson opposed the mo tion on tho grounds that the financin' side of the question had been overlooked entirely. Reference to the balance sheet showed' a debt of £200; not on tho church alone, but on tho vicarage and organ also. Resides this, there was a contingent liability in , the shape of the unsafe condition of tho majority of ihe seats duo to the ravages of the borer Something would have to be done to put that right. There was also a still worse liability than that, as many of the joists and sleepers under tho aisle were badly affected by the borer. The floor of tho church at any time might have to be replaced- by concrete or some other permanent material. Ho maintained that while the church was in debt'and there were, these contingent liabilities hi sight, they had no right to dispose of some of their revenue. The envelope system was all rigjit for a month or so, but he doubted very much if it would continue 1 . He thought they would find, if the resolution was 'carried, that the revenue would suffer very considerably. The church should at least have a re serve fund of £2OO. He moved, as an amendment that from October 1 next the seats be declared free for the re mainder of the year, but that seatholders pay for their sittings as the - .’ do now.

Mr. S. W. Shaw seconded the amendment. Whilst entirely agreeing with the principle of free sittings, he agreed with Mr. Robinson in regard to the finances. The amendment was a very leasonable compromise, and would test if the people were really sincere and if they were prepared to make their seats free. Mr. T. C. List hoped the amendment would not be carried., It was entirely against the spirit of the church. He contrasted the position of St. Mary’s with a poor parish to which he belonged years ago. There they paid rents and had a debt of £2OOO, but they made their sittings free, and now they were almost if not wholly free from debt. He felt sure that the extension of the envelope system would undoubtedly make up the deficiency in the revenue and entirely supported Mr. Baker’s motion. On Mr. Robinson’s amendment being put to the meeting it was declared lost: and Mr. Baker’s resolution, making the seats wholly free as from October 1 next, was carried with hardly a dissentient voice,- amidst applause.