ST. MATTHEW'S CHURCH.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 2, Issue 280, 3 October 1879, Page 2

ST. MATTHEW'S CHURCH.

To the Editor of the Wairaeapa Daily. Sir—lt is satisfactory to find, for the first timej I believe, so clear and lucid an account of the financial position of St, Matthew's Church being placed before the parishioners. On the 3rd of July, 1878, a new order of things were initiated. Pew rents were abolished, and in the language of the resolution, " St, Matthew's Church be free and open." The promoters of this state of things no doubt entertained strong hopes that church-goers would be liberal, and that the offertories of the parishioners would relieve our indebtedness and make our church self-supporting, By the statement of accounts just alluded to, I find the offertories to 30th of June last—the end of the financial yearamount to £1219s 2d ; and the annual subscriptions to £lßlss Bd, total £30214s lOd, On reference to the previous year's statement of accounts, I find the offertories were £134155, and the annual subscriptions and pew rents £270 12s 7d, total L 405 7s 7d, showing a deficiency of L10212s 9d under the new state of things. And therefore, under this sfate of things, no part of the old debt on the church could be paid off, Mr Tealde's friends in England, however, have been very liberal, and owing to their liberality, one of the church debentures has'been cancelled, It is to be hoped that some reaction whT rake place in church matters during the current year, otherwise it will be the duty of those who lake an interest in St. Matthew's Church, seriously to consider the necessity of restoring in part, the pew rents, in order that the liabilities of the church might be discharged. I observe in the list of subscribers, that several prominent members have withdrawn their subscriptions. I.have, &c, ' 'CfITJECHJIAN.