PROGRESS OF THE CHURCHES.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 82, 31 December 1907, Page 7

PROGRESS OF THE CHURCHES.

■ •; SOME-pUTSTANDING 'FACTS/-, .. jhe; real; progress of the 'Churches,- is not be-to-estimated by figures,'but a 'few" out-, standing'-facts may,- help; to, indicate "the special-activities'• Of the year.'"-.-■'•'. .'.-'*.- As -.fati aa tho Church of. England is concerned,- the now .developments in tho Wellington diocese-::include-'.the establishment ■of a. now-mission hall in Taranaki Street, connected with St. Peter's, and the laying ofVthe foundation stone of the Bishop HatP field' Memorial .Hostel: for divinity students. Now /churches-havo been' built-- at (near--';\Vanganui), . Packakiribi, and ■ Piki-' orarigi'(riear Waikanae), .and the way is now! clear':.for building a' now'.-Native school at Otaki.' The/''Anglican' Church has also cooperated with tho Presbyterian in the establishment ■• of the; Victoria : Collego ■ Women Students' Hostel,-.-.which is now nearing completion, and.is expected to,be ready.for occupation'by the boginning of noxt term, in March. ' ■' •••■■'..---;',. .- \ .Tho hostel scheme has been, only one featnre";pf'Presbyterian enterprise:-• During tho year a great part of the building-fund of the Boys' institute was subscribed, -and the , salary of a secretary was mado securo-for . throe years in advance. The boys - have ' entered their new building, and tho member- ' ship 1 of tho : Institute has doubled. Five churches in .Wellington" city and suburbs .have'contributed, among them about £450 to-foreign missions. • A great deal of work has been done among the poor by tho ordin- " ary. congregational agencies; and in tho case of St. Jphn's the special services of a. dcaconoss havo been devoted to these labours. There has been a good-increase in tho membership - of the Churches in full communion, and a very considerable increaso in tho total revenue raised for all purposes. A,site;-for a church has been secured at Kolbiirhej "and a , building fund inaugurated, while- ; arrangements are being mado to start n.'causc-at Plimmerton. The districts of Kospneath, Miramar, and Sbatoun,have been' formed" intb' ; a' separata Church extension • charge, and; the congregation at Day's Bay has mado distinct progress. A new district is being opened up:at Masterton, and in the north of'tlio'province Church extension work , has ■ been actively prosecuted. Special attention has been given, to Sunday School and' Bible class work. As -regards ; local Methodism, tho chief oyent of-the-year'has been the long-defcrrwl occupation of Island Bay. Tho usual practice of sending a probationer has not been

■followed in this case, and the work of fonndjng a circuit was thought to require the services,.of an-.experienced minister. The building, of a: substantial church has already been pntered upon. Next in importance conies the proposal to ;break tho'.connection between Taranaki • .Street church and Molcsworth . Street: The latter church has beeii a dependont one for 'nearly forty years, and it ■is hoped that independence' and a pension, amounting t'b'-'over £900, from the parent Church will tend towards- development. Tho iNowtown . trustees have resolved to utilise frontage by building shops on jx part 1 of it, and fincliug a residence for tho pastor elsewhere.'. In all ,thb churches the usual departments of work and tho;usual institutipns. have been [ carried ;on with zeal and success. A considerable .number of 'members'hayo heq'n .added" ; to tho roll during the (year, 'indeed '.'a vcvj largo increaso; would .be registered were it not for tho heavy losses sustained by removals to suburbs.(and- to ■ towns. "' Tho advent of. tho electric cars has,' been . severely felt by ' central (churches, for (tho/cavs .havo; built tho suburbs. The : high rents are also felt,'as turning into /boarding houses,-' and ; tending to ,'reduce the atteudan'co at Sunday Schools. The Tory Street and Aro Street Missions, conducted by Sisters'lsabel and.Evolyn, ,hav.e. both;had prosperous years. The -Taranaki. Street Church has spent oypr £300 in improving, the' appearance of tho ■ property,. and (has (contracted tor an expenditure of-£250 on the organ. As an adjunct, to Sunday: Schools and to various assemblies' of young popple, the:piano is, being\moro and- moro valued. On the/Taranaki' Street 1 premises .there are now': thrqq ; of thpso ' instruments, while Thbrndon, Tory Street, and Aro Street also possess them. -The, Primitive Methodists have: orected a iioiy church building in Donald M'Lcan Street, and a' very successful' mission has beon conducted Ify the Rev. James Flanagan, of England. '■•The Baptists, of,'tho(Dominion havo experienced, one of-tho'best years for increase of membership' which they hayo known. Thoir contribution's ! to 'foreign missions'constituted a record,. the ■ Church 'having tributed on an.average- almost 10s.(a yoar per member ; towards work '. in India. The Wellington churches have been well attended during (the year,' a very largo proportion of men being (comprised . in the membership. Baptists throughout: tho : Dominion, -it is claimed, havo been very, closely idontified with'social'reform proposals - and: the (amelibratioh, of. labour. >/For tho coming year,, which-will b'etliojsilverjubilee of the Union, a very vigorous programmo has been adopted including tlie establishment of (an ; annuity, fund and planting of new causes. \: A,new Congregatiphal church building has bepn J erected at Newtovai, and nov/ churches openod/at', Aliccto.wn . and -To Kuiti.,, There' is also a demand for • a' Congregational church -.at'Mastertpn.', / \-:. /' . :. The Roman Catholic' Church . can show a good record for the year. : The Homo of Compassion, at-Island Bay. has: been opened,: now; churches have beeji opened (at.i.A'ramblio, Auroa ((near Hawora), -and Raetihi, and a/very ■fine, observatory has.been-.. erected at Meanee in (connection' with the college. Six'now branches of ,-thb St.' Vincent do Paul Society have,.been-.established in' the -arch--dioceso. ~The;fCathQdraluf'Ond:libJasvibeen-:::iii-: dreased, by, considerably; 'over.'£loooj: movo than.'£3ooo : i' hasi beon'-raised.'fdr, ; (.a'Miew i.Cat-:, hplie-.Hall'in'Wbllington,'aiid' a. good'.deal has/ been done towards freeing the arch-dio-cese of debt... A new school has'boon built ■at New Plymouth,, "and, one ■ commenced. at 'the Lower Hutt. 1 ' ':,('■':'''./ (' :," (j The, Church of Chrislj- has. erected' a' fine •new .'place of worship in Vivian., Street.'. ''