Te Puke.

Waiapu Church Gazette, Volume II, Issue 9, 1 March 1912, Page 142

Te Puke.

Vicar: Rev. J. Hobbs, To tiie Parishioners— My Dear Friends, — Do we not feel clean and fresh ? And do you not feel grateful to those eight gentlemen and six ladies who spent the whole of one. day and a large part of a second m having a real good " Springeleaniag" of the Church? No scamping, but every part reached from the roof downwards — inside and out — all with water, kerosene, and soap. Shull we make this work an annual fixture ? We are making some slight alterations m the Sunday School arrangements. Following the Inter-Diocesan course used, we are confining ourselves on Sunday to the Bible History, arid taking the Lord's Prayer and Holy Communion at the Tuesday Catechism. This will give us more time to go through a syllabus whose chief, if not only, fault is that it is too full We have imported a set of Lesson Picture Cards to distribute among the scholars, we also are giving marks, ten a Sunday, and a prize for every 150 gained. In the Catechism we propose to try an opposite experiment of no prizes, but all giving, and see what our little ones can do for the Threefold Fund helping the Home, the Maori, and the Melanesian Missions. The children outside the limits of the township are greatly on my mind. Tell me, someone, What can I do for them ? After serving their probation of nearly four months, the first four members of our C.X.M.S. Branch were admitted during the

Morning Service last Sunday, two being unavoidably absent. Others are m reSdiness, but will have likewise to wait their three months. " Quit you like men, be strong." During the memorable Mission m many places Friday was made a day of Intercession, leaving a mark (at least where I was) of deep earnestness upon the remaining time. In imitation of this a paper will be pinned upon the Notice Board to receive the time (not necessarily the name) which each one will promise to spend, during any Friday m Lent, m prayer for the Church and Parish. Who will refuse a holy Ten Minutes of Prayer <; We want it badly enough. We are trying another Lenten experiment. Those of the congregation who were willing received on Sunday a list of fifteen subjects, from which to select, those considered most likely td» prove useful. The six pointed out by the highest number will form the basis of the Sunday Morning Sermons, and on the Wednesday following, instead, of an Address, will be submitted to discussion. Why should we not take counsel together upon these important matters ? And if we fail at least we shall have tried, and hope to try again, Do not forget that the offerings of Sunday, March 17th, are given to the Home Mission Fund. With it will be incorporated our Harvest Thanksgiving. May God bless our Lent, Very sincerely yours, J. HOBBS.