AUCKLAND SUNDAY-SCHOOL UNION.

Auckland Star, Volume II, Issue 353, 25 February 1871, Page 2

AUCKLAND SUNDAY-SCHOOL UNION.

The annual soiree and meeting of the members, friends, and supporters of this association, -was held last evening, in the rooms of the Young Men's Christian Association, —the Key. Mi*. Bree in the chair. The attendance, though numerous, was by no means so large as last year, when it was honored by the presence of the Hon. Mr. Fox, who then presided. There was an excellent tea served, after which the rev. chairman opened the meeting with an address, which was attentively listened to and frequently applauded. He said the movement, whose annual gathering they were assembled to celebrate, was assuming daily more extensive dimensions and importance. He believed that what was called "'traditional religion" was fading away, and religious opinion itself had become greatly modified by the intellectual tendencies of the age. It was in the Sunday-school that the seeds of religion and the Gospel were to be sown 5 it was there, through the young men and women, who devoted their time to thw noble work, that they were to be encouraged, strengthened, and. gathered together. —Mr. Battley read the report, from which it appeared that there are 1866 children in attendance in the schools of the Union. The average attendance in the morning was 632, and in the afternoon 1354. There are 99 young men and 122 young women engaged in the work. The average attendance of teachers was 108 in the morning and 174 in the afternoon. There a:*o 3522 volumes in the library. The issue of books (publications) fvom the depot has been during the past year 15,144, as compared with 7727 duv'iug the previous twelve mouths. A teachers' librry has been commenced. The committee have sent to England for one of the "panoramas so popular" for Sundayschool entertainments in England. —Resolutions were passed (1) —moved by the Rev. J. Otway—recommending more prayerful »nd united action on the 'part of the Sundayschools and the Church; (2) —moved the Rev. J. Lewis —acknowledging the usefulness of the Sunday-school agencies, and expressing renewed hopefulness in their extended operation. —Mr. G-lauville gave a history of the operations for the year. The most recent accession to the Union was a school, of which tho scholars were all Maori children. Mr. Wood gave an account of the effects of the Sundayschool teaching observed in different parts of the province.—A vote of thanks wai passed to the Chapman and friends of the Union.— The proceedings concluded with the Doxology, aver which the meeting separated.