TRINITY CHURCH.

Timaru Herald, Volume CVI, Issue 16308, 9 August 1917, Page 11

TRINITY CHURCH.

ANNUAL MEETING

The annual meeting of the congregation of Trinity Church was held in Trinity Hall last night, and as usual it was characterised by earnestness and enthusiasm. The Rev. T. Stinson, 8.A., presided, and there was a good attendance, including the Rev. J". N. Cuttle, of St. Andrews. Mr Stinson, in opening the meeting, | made a k-ngthy statement on the vari- ( ous activities of the church, and said it was gratifying to be able to record that they had had another eminently successful year. He thanked the members of the congregation for the loyal and enthusiastic way in which they worked, and said that while they had done well in tlie past their aim must be to ever strive to do„still better in the cause of the Master. It was pleasing to him to be able to say that every single eligible young man in the church had responded to his country's call. Thev missed these young men very much, but they would not have it otherwise. "Here am I; send me. they had said when tho Empire called, and some of them he regretted to say j had made the supreme sacrifice. If there were shirkers, they were not in the churchps. (Hear, hear) And while the young men had gone to fight, these remaining at home had stood and ■n-oi:ld continue to stand lov.'.lly behind them in the matter of subscriptions to patriotic funds, and goods required for their comfort. Dirring trie year members of tlie rongrecatibn had given £'26o to patriotic funds as well as -EJoO to missions. The income of the church for the year amounted to £ISOO, and of this sum they had given away half; and they had derived more satisfaction from this half <han from I the half which they had of necessity to j keep. He specially directed attention j to the necessity for intercession on behalf of the brave men who were fighting and said that just as the armies were, mobilised so the Church should mobilise for spiritual purposes. It should be recognised that the war was a spiritual contest, and they «hould remember that more was wrought by prayer than the world dreamed of. This being so they ought all to attend the week night prayer meeting and intercede on behalf of those who were so valiantly daring and risking all for those they had left behind. Mr Stinson I referred to the great loss sustained by the removal from Timaru of Mr Patch- | ings Grant and Mr J. M. Miller, two invaluable church workers, and said it was to be much regretted that Mr A. L. Gourlay, another equally good church worker, would shortly be leaving Tiir.aru. Ho hoped that this would bo taken as a call to other men in the congregation to step into tho breach. He could not too highly praise the splendid spirit of loyalty and co-opera-tion that" had 'oeen manifested in al ; . brandies of the work of the church. If workers were wanted for anything, the fact had only to be stated, and they wore promptly forthcoming. One of the most gratifying features of their work was that devoted to missions to which nearly £SO more liad been given this year as compared with last year when one man alone had given £~>o. The display of work on the tables in the room that night gave some indications of the practical Christianity of the ladies of the congregation, one lot being for the New Hebrides mission, another being the work of the Busy Bees, while another represented the work done by the young ladies who met fortnightlv to make garments. This work took in the poor of Timaru, the soldiers at the Front, and the New Hebrides mission, and it all did infinite credit to the ladies. (Applause.)

SESSION" REPORT. The Session report stated: — The Session has met 15 times with an average attendance of about 7 members. Vi'e regret that two members of Session, Messrs Grant and Miller, had to resign office owing to their having left the district. In their place, Messrs C. J. Lennon and W. W. Smith havo been elected. The Communion has been dispensed 4 times, with an averago attendance of 189. The additions to the roll have been by examination 8, and by certificate 14. The removals have been by disjunction certificate 9, by dea'th 3. The roll number now stands at 312. The attendance at public worship has been well maintained, as also at the prayer meeting. The interest shown in all congregational, mission, and temperance work has been very encouraging. We are sure the congregation are with us in expressing our hearty appreciation of Mr and Mrs Stinson's work. The pulpit and pastoral services of the former and the keen I and kindly interest shown, in a very practical way, by both, in everything pertaining to the best interests of thy congregatin, have bound us all to thorn by ties that would be hard to break. Our anniversary services this year, were conducted by the Rev. S. F. Hunter, of St. Paul's, Oamnru. They were well attended and much enjoyed by all. During the year one of our ro'rired elders, Mr Robart Donn, passed away at a ripe old age. He was one of the pioneer Presbyterians in South Canterbury, and took a deep and abiding interest in all the work of the Church. Before the date of our annual meeting the third anniversary of the great war will have pnssed. and the end is still out of sight. All the young men in our congregation continue, as they reach military age, to offer their services to the country, and many of our organisations have suffered in consequence. The war has brought much sorrow and anxiety to all our homes, and we tender our heartfelt, sympathy to those who are sorrowing for friends who have fallen in the field. Already seven connected with our congregation have made the great sacrifice. As the several organisations have their own reports, we need not go into details, but we wish very heartily to thank one and all of our manv hands of willing workers—the ladies' of the P.W.M.T.7., the "Red Cross, and kindred etlorts, nob forgetting the Busy Bees. To the leaders nnd teachers in Sunday school, and Bible Class, to Mr "Webb and his choir, Innd to each one who renders some willing, ihoush perhaps hv us unnoticed service. With gratitude for the past, tvc enter nrrai another year of congregational work.

DEACONS' COURT. The Court drew attention to the following.—Compared with last Tear the amount, subscribed for mission work from nil sourros .shows a decrease of £\ 15s '3d, the figures being £4S7 16s 10rJ, as against £489 12s 4d for the year ending 191.6. The comparative iigiires in the cash statement show the detailed position for both years. The receipts for general purposes show a deficit of £l3 "17s, accounted for by decreased hall rents and dividends on Building Society shares: while payments show an increase of £B3 13s Id, caused partly by the unavoidable expenditure for renovations and repairs at the Church, Cullmnnntown, and the Manse, and the erection at the Manse of a now fence (which had been long delayech. and a war bonus to Mr Stinson. Taking everything into consider: 1 .- | tion the i-i'-nlt for the year, although I showing a debit. is sntisfnetory, and L with non-re':urring expenditure the do-

licit ought to disappear this coming yeir. In addition to the amount raised for the Trentuam Institute—£loo 8s 6d —there has been subscribed £133 6s Id 'iior Red Cross and Y.M.C.A. Funds. Heating fund. —The amount subscribed by the congregation amounted to £2j Is. Tho Court, after many inquiries, installed, as far as the funds would permit, a gas heating system, ■which taking the cost into consideration, —although it is not -what was aim- | ocl at, —is tho best obtainable at the I present time. For the same reasons mentioned in List year's report, it has 1 not been possible to arrange for the carrying out of renovations to tho or- ! pan. The Court again thanks the coni grogation and friends for their encouragement and support. LADIES' RED CROSS GUILD. The meetings of Trinity Ladies' Red Cross Guild have been held, regularly on Fridays during the past, except for two weeks in December 1916, and during January 1917. These meetings have been very well attended, and the ladies of the Guild are as enthusiastic and as earnest as ever over their work, which, they intend to carry on with unabated zeal as long as this needy work for our soldiers is required. We carried forward to our credit account the sum of £212 17s 4d, which with this year's receipts £4O 0s 7d, makes it £252 17s lid. AYe carried forward to our debit account the sum of £195 10s 4d to which is added £3B 8s 4d our expenditure for the year, making it £233 i 18s Bd, and leaving a credit balance of £lB 19s 3d. Tho articles made "by our Guild during the past year were:—3oo pairs socks, 7 pairs bed socks, 48 pairs mittens, 42 pairs slippers, 6 balaclavas, 50 singlets, 45 day shirts, 30 night 1 shirts, °33 dressing gowns, 170 pyjama, 1 suits, 1 scarf, 6 bed jackets, 10 sheets, ( 1 3 dysentery pads, 13 face cloths, 30 . ! draw sheets. 40 soldiers' bags (sten- ■ ! cilled). On May 18th, 1917, tho ladios . * of tho Guild decided to work on one ( L i Friday each month for the Timaru ' " Ladies' Patriotic Committee, to pro- ; vide articles for soldiers in the trench--5 os. Mesdames Stinson, Oddie, and I Lowrv, were appointed as a. committee to attend to this work. 23 sanitary 5 shirts have been sent for this purpose. " Six pounds -were handed in to the Red 7 Cross Society, the proceeds of two autoj graph quifes which were made up by Mrs McKay, and to whom the ladies of " the Guild 'tender thanks for so doing. ~ Thanks from the ladies of the Guild are due to their President, Mrs Stinson, for !l liar untiring energy in directing tho ?_ very important work for -which the 0 Guild exists. ,] Tho reports of the various institur r tions associated with the church are all 'a of a very satisfactory nature.

THE DISCUSSION. Mr J. E. Hutchinson-, church treasurer, moved, the adoption of the report of the Deacons' Court and in so doing explained the accounts in detail. Mr AV. Kanisay seconded the motion, which was carried.

Mr G. T. Palmer proposed the adoption of all the other reports, and in so doing he voiced a sentiment which elicited iraanimous and very hearty endorsement when he praised the work of Mr and Mrs Stinson, and attributed to them chief credit for the marked success and over-expanding usefulness of the church. Especially* did he praise Mr Stinson for his championship of the prohibition cause, and said that probably no other man in Timaru could do this so effectively as their esteemed pastor. (Hear, hear.) Mrs Stinson was also a tower of strength and never ceased her labours on behalf of some good cause. (Applause.) Mr Palmer suggested that a paper should be published monthly or quarterly in which could be published all mrtters of interest to the congregation.

Mi- "W. W. Smith seconded the motion for the adoption of the reports, and made a number of helpful suggestions for future consideration. The motion was carried, Mr Stinson taking opportunity to emphasise the value of the splendid work done by the Sunday school teachers. Mrs McCahon complimented the choir on the way in which they added to the attractiveness of the services by their singing, as well as on the regularity with which they attended, and proposed that a hearty vote of thanks be given them. 1 Mr Palmer seconded, and the motifon was carried heartily. J Mrs McCahon also had something to , say concerning the work of the ladies I on behalf of the Red Cross, and the i Lady Liverpool Fund, and appealed for more helpers as well as cask contributions to enable them to do still j more for these organisations, and also the- very deserving Y.M.C.A. I Mr Stinson invited the men to pay ; a visit to Trinity Hail on Friday afternoons when the ladies were at work there, and promised them that if they did they would see an inspiring sight. Ho also praised very warmly the work (of the Busy Bees. (Applause.) On the motion <j: Mr Palmer, seconded by Mr J. McCahon, a recommendation was made to the DeaWs Court to establish a monthly or quarterly church paper. Mi- Stinson said lie had no doubt the 1 recommendation would be given effect to if the money were forthcoming to defray the cost of the paper. Mrs McCahon said that Mrs T. D. [ Young deserved a special vote of I thanks for having already raised £lO5 I for the church from the sale of ner ' cookery book. (Applause.) j Mr Stmson spoke in terms of high appreciation of the services or Mr I Hutchinson, who though a' busy man j outside the church never tired in his I very valued work on behalf of the ! church.

A suggestion was made that the hyimuuy at present in use be replaced by the new Church Praise, but this was negatived on the ground that the cost of the change was at present prohibitive. On the suggestion of Mr Naylor it was decided that n suggestion box be placed in the vestibule of the church. Hearty votes of thanks were passed to all the church workers, with a special one to Mr and Mrs Stmson. Tn acknowledging the latter Mr Stinson said that Mrs Stinson and he found it a pleasure to work with such an earnest, enthusiastic, and loyal

congregation as they had at Trinity Church. Working for such a congre-

nation lightened the burden very nurteriallv! He mentioned incidentally that Mrs" Stinson seldom ceased making garments either for the poor or for _oui soldiers, or for the mission earlier than 2 Sck m the morning, which was her usual hour for retiring, except on Sunday night. (Applause.) This concluded the business, but before dispersing the ladies handed round supper.