S. ANDREWS CHURCH, CAMBRIDGE

Waikato Times, Volume XXII, Issue 1797, 12 January 1884, Page 2

S. AND REWS CHURCH, CAMBRIDGE

The annual meeting of the parishioners was held on Monday evening, the Yen. Archdeacon Willis in the chair.

ANNUAL KEPCmr. Report of the Vestry of S. Andrew's Church, Cambridge, for the year ending 31st December, 1883:— By the grace of Almighty God, our Heavenly Father, at the beginning of another year the Vestry present their report to the parishioners, and ask them to unite in rejoicing and offering humble but hearty thanks and gratitude to " the Giver of every good and perfect and gift" for the many manifestations of His fatherly care, more especially to this portion of His church diving the past year. In regard to the general parochial work of the district, the incumbent remarks with regret that it continues to suffer, particularly in the matter of pastoral visiting, through his inability to undertake the everincreasing duties which have so long pointed to the need of an assistant minister. This requirement the parishioners have shown that they realise equally with the incumbent. At the parish meeting, held in last April, it was resolved to ask the Bishop to make at least a temporary appointment, but though the request has his Lordship's sympathy and support, no suitable man is as yet available. The Incumbent has, however, good hopes that a satisfactory appointment will be made about the middle of the year. In the meantime he would appeal to the church officers and all others who are zealous in the cause of the church to give him all the assistance they can in awakening to a sense of their privileges or responsibilities the more indifferent of our people ; more especially in urging them to attend regularly the church services, and help where they can in the Sunday School and the Choir. Early in the month of May a week of mission services was held in the parish by the Rev. Joseph S. Hill. The attendance at the services was good, and many of the parishioners were much helped by the mi.ssioner's stirring appeals, and will long remember with gratitude the privileges which they enjoyed during his sojourn amongst us. During December the Incumbent accompanied the Yen. Archdeacon Clarke in a round of visits to the Maori settlements of the district, an«J was much gratified at the reception accorded them, and at the earnest desire expressed for the regular visits of ministers, and for resuming the services of church, which have been neglected for nearly 20 years. Mr Chas. Chitty, the licensed lay-reader, continues to give his services in his earnest though quiet and unobtrusive manner ; and with that appreciation, alike by the minister and congregation, which for years past it has been our privilege to chronicle. Up to July last Mr R. W. Dyer assisted in the services with zeal and efficiency. The Sundayschool is now under the superintendence of Mr Sanders, who uses the abilities with which he is blessed in a manner worthy of all commendation : but from a variety of causes, amongst which may be named lack of sympathy and inteiest of parents and want of assistants, the school ia very far short of what it ought to be, both in point of numbers and efficiency. The incumbent joins with Mr Sanders in appealing to every parishioner for such assistance as is in his or her power to give, with a view of putting the school on a better footing. Mr Dyer, the former superintendent; left the district in July last, to the manifest loss of the whole parish, but more particularly the Sunday-school. The library has received an addition of 110 books at a cost of £10, half of which was provided through the lecture and entertainment given in November by the Rev. J. S. Hill, the other half being a contribution from the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge. Too much cannot be said of the hearty and whole-souled manner in which Mrs Chitty, as organist, and Mr Moore, as choirmaster, discharge their duties ; and it is much to be wished that their exemplary attendance would inspiro many others who have the ability, with a^ desire to exercise their_ talents in leading the congregation to sing the praises and glory of God. The Tamahere portion of the Cambridge district assumed a new position in the parochial organisation on the occasion of the opening of the beautiful little church in May last ; and $he way in which the whole work in connection with the church has been carried out reflects the highest credit on all who J)*ve taken part in it. The names of the Mesap and Mesd^tiieSjjGrahjvp" should be gpfw^{QulaMy* g pfw^{QuIaMy* mentißned. -^rjice, is, n&Tjr held on .tbjpe Sundays Jri'tha'nwitib^ tho

helping the incumbent, as a temporary arrangement, in this work. Mrs R. H. Barugh discharges the duties of organist in a most exemplary manner. A Sunday school has also been begun with marked earnestness on the part of a few teachers, and the attendance is already numerous. The Sunday school aud monthly services at Cambridge West continue to be carried on successfully, owing ni linly to the untiring zeal and devotion of Mr H. R. Hyatt. At Ohaupo Mr H. Kusabs continues to persevere in good works in the cause of the church and Sunday school, as he has done for ao many years. He is one of the not few steady and continuous helpois for whose services throughout the district the incumbent is most grateful to Almighty God. Mr Wood and Mrs Hunter have divided the labors of organist during most of the year, and latterly Miss Prince has again cheerfully undertaken a poition of the woik, which she only vacated when she left the district for a prolonged absence. Mr J. 0. Firth has liberally promised to largely increase his contributions from the Matamata district, when a clergyman of our church can hold services monthly instead of quarterly. At Richmond a quarterly Sunday service has been commenced, to take the place of week-day service, which was not so convenient. In conjunction with the latter two places the incumbent has begun a quarterly service also at Morrin^ville, which nas been without pastri'al visitation since the removal of the Rev H. S. Davies to Te Aroha. The incumbent visited Lichfield e.irly in December. He was most gratified with the reverent, orderly, and hearty service which was held at Mr Halcombe's house, due largely to the fact that the services of the church are regularly held,"notwithstanding that a clergyman is so seldom available. Mr Halcombe has liberally promised to contribute £5 quarterly towards the cost of supplying services from Cambridge until some better arrangement can be made. The help of the bishop and some of the Auckland clergy, and the funds of the Home Mission, is gratefully acknowledged by the incumbent, for without the aid given he would not have been able do what he has done I in these distant parts of the district. It will be within the recollection of the parishioners that at the pai ish meeting held in April last it was decided to accept the makers' offer to take back the peal of bells, and to ask them, in sending others, to make the new ones about 2,0001b5. heavier. This was done, and a few days since the peal arrived per British King, and are now on their way here from Auckand. Their estimated extra cost is £175, and the vestry invite the parishioners to devise some special means of raising this sum forthwith. Mr Webber continues to conduct the ringing, and the remarks above made in regard to the choir officers will apply likewise to him. The attendance at the Sunday services and at holy communion is very much the same as it was last year. The number of baptisms during the year was 36; of marriages, G ; and of burials, 9. The church is, of course, in good repair, but should be painted during the ensuing year. This applies also specially to the gates and the fencing. In Febuary last the vestry let the use of the school-room on cei tain evenings to the Cambridge Masonic Lodge at a rental of £20 per annum. This sum, with an additional £3, has been spent in lining and other improvements to the building, making it now much move comfoitable and convenient. The painting was deferred, but should now be done without delay. At the parsonage improvements have been effected to the amount of £38. A back kitchen has been added, and the verandah repaired, and the who has been painted. The stable and out-offices have been removed to a greater distance from the dwelling-houae, aud convenient additions made to them. In may last the goods left over fiom the bazaar, supplemented by contributions from a few church-workers, were disposed of a fancy fair. The sale was most efficiently conducted by the ladywoikeis. are resulted in providing £81 (over and above the expenses) towards the reduction of the church debt. The most successful social gatheiing ever held in the parish, both in point of numbers and financial results, was got together in August last, mainly thiough the indefatigable etfoits of one of the churchwardens, Mr Hewitt. The net proceeds will amount to £GO. At the beginning of last year the debt on the chinch stood at £700, but^ from the above and other sources the interest (£55) has been paid, and £100, the fiist instalment of the principal, returned. The offertoiies for the year show a slight increase over those of 1882, but have not realised the anticipations which were held at the last annual meeting. The subcriptions, however, were larger and more numerous than in any. previous yeai, almost all of them being collected by the personal canvas of the people's churchwarden. The time for which the contributois to the new church building fund were alloted fiee seats expired in August last, and, \mless the meeting should order otherwise, all seat-holders will henceforth be charged at the cun ent i ate. It should be remembei ed that these rents will in future be required to pay the interest on the church debt, leaving the otfei tories and subscriptions free to meet the ordinary expenses. The Vestry desire to place on record the obligation of the parish to the church's dear friend, the late Mrs John Wilson, who thoughtfully and geneiously, duiing the last days of her illness, requested her husband to pay to the church out of her own private estate £10 annually during his life. This request was communicated to the Vestry by Maior Wilson in March last, who expressed his desh eto give effect to it. The memory of the late Mr Richard Parker has been connected with the Parker Memorial Font by the erection of a handsome brassengraved tablet, which was obtained f i om England some time since, and is placed in the East wall, near where the Font stands. The Vestry beg to submit the estimate of probable receipts and expenditure for the current year, and invite the meeting to consider the best mode of raising the balance required over offertories and seatrents. The estimated expenditure is as follows : — Liabilities to December, 31 £79 2s 4d, Less cash in hand and bank £30 11s 7d, total, £48 10s 9d ; clergyman, £230 ; organist, £25 ; verger, 25 ; gardener, £5 ; insurance, £15 ; lighting, £10 ; sundiies, £40 ; interests on Sinking fund, £100 ; painting church and school, £(50 ; Extra cost of bells, £175; total, £085. Estimated receipts to meet this are as follows : — General offertories, £200 ; seat rents, £100 ; Leaving the sum to be raised in direct subscription or otherwise, £433 10s 9d. The thanks of the parishioners are due to the Lay-reader, the Choir, the Sunday School teachers, the bell-ringers, and to Mr Sanders, the efficient hon. sec, and treasurer. Signed, on behalf of the Vestry. W. N. Dk L. Willis, Incumbent. ThoiMAS Wells, Churchwarden. The usual votes of thanks were passed, and it was agreed that the rate of sittings be 20s per annum, and 10s for each additional seat taken by one family, payable in advance. On the motion of Mr Hewitt, the minister's stipend was increased £10 per annum. ELECTION OP OFFICERS. Mr E. Hewitt was nominated as minister's warden, and Mr T. Wells was elected parishioner's warden, The following were elected as vestrymen ; — Messrs F. G. Sanders, J. S. Buckland, T. Hicks, J. P. Sharp, C. E. E. Smith, H. W. Moore and J. S. Masters. Messrs Hawley and W. Scott were elected auditors. The thanks of the parishioners were tendered to Mr Buckland for the use of his grounds for the Sunday-school picnic, and for the manner in which he had entertained the visitors. The meeting was closed with the benediction. At a meeting of the vestry held subsequently, Mr Sanders was re-elected secretary and treasurer.

Tenders are required for the erection of a manse at Te Awamutu. THe attention of holders of slaughter-house licenses in Piako County is directed to an advertisement in another column. The usual religious services for to-morrow, with subjects of sermons, are advertised elsewhere in this issue. Owners of dogs in Piako County should consult an advertisement in this issue. Mr J. S. Ruckland will hold an important sale of horses, harness, implements, Sec, the property of Mr H. Clements (who is giving up contracting), at Camp's Taraahere Hotel on Friday next, at 2 p.m. A full list of the lots to be offered will be found in the advertisement. < ' You will do well to furnish your house from Garlick and C ran well's. They have now the most complete Furnishing Warehouse in Auckland, furniture to suit all classes, good strcag, *nd cheap. They have Tapestry Carpets ;rom '2s 3d pei yard, Brussels from 3s lid per yard. Linoleum from 3s Od to ss, Oil Cloths from Is 6d to 4s Sd per yard, good 12 feet wide Oil Cloths at 3s 6d per yard. Immense assortment of Iron Bedsteads from Infants' Cots to 5 feet wide half-tester Bedsteads. iron Bedrtcads from 255. 480 Bedsteads in stock to select from. Beddings of all kinds and' sizes kept in readiness. Dining, Sitting, Drawing-room Furniture, and and si large assortment of Manchester vand' Furnishing Goods, including a -lot ofBbok 1 Catalogues lent free' lo { mC tending purcteners. Garlick aid* Cranwftlh' City mi Arctf* QwA'itmt , / ':