MORAY PLACE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.

Evening Star, Issue 3483, 22 April 1874, Page 3

MORAY PLACE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.

TOWN MISSION. The ninth annual meeting of the above Mission was held last evening m the Moray Place Congregational Church. Tea was provided in the hall, and the attendance was more numerous than could be comfortably accommodated. Tea being over, the meeting assembled in the church ; the Rev. Dr Roseby presiding.—The Secretary (Mr J. B Thomson) read the ninth annual report of the mission as follows :

The Committee of this Mission are glad to report that during the past year its work has been carried on with unremitting energy, and with results—as far as they can judge—fully equal to those of former years. That work may be briefly described as being—the visitation of the poor, the sick, the generally neglected members of the community, and especially such as attend no place of worship • the relief, as far as means allow, of actual want or distress ; the rendering of counsel, encouragement and help to those who stand in need of it.; and, in all this, the endeavor to sustain the declining, to restore the fallen, and to turn the sinner from the error of his ways. The temporal prosperity which the country at present enjoys has not altered the fact, “ the poor ye have always with you while it has perhaps produced in many even an increased indifference to matters of higher importance. To such the visit of the home missionary is especially useful. The work of our brother, how-

ever, does not terminate in mere religious exhortation. It is his highest aim indeed to present the saving truths of the Gospel in such a form as to appeal to the conscience of the hardened, to lay hold upon the intelligence of the uncultured, and to touch the least susceptible heart; but it is also his mission to give such advice in regard to temporal affairs as may promote thrift, sobriety, industry, forbearance, peace, and happiness in the homes to which he finds access. Your Committee has had the pleasure of hearing from month to month such a recital of facts in regard to this work as excites their profoundest gratitude that such an institution as the Town Mission exists. They trust that their brother may long be spared to devote his labor, and the unusual aptitude wherewith God has gifted him to the discharge of this noble, charitable, and Christian service. But it is time to let him speak for himself. From the report which he has furnished to the Coatee, the following passages are se-

“At the close of the ninth year of the Mission, I have to report regarding my work in much the same terms as in former years. My work is the same. Those with whom I come into contact are, generally speaking, of the same character. The character and circumstances of individuals will be different, but, taken as a whole, the work of one day, or of one month, or of one year, is much the same as that of another. One difference to my advantage is that I am now wefi knqwn, and wherever I go am always kindly received and frankly dealt with, This is the case especially wherever there i? trouble of any so.rt; thp arrangement of family differences, finding employment for those who require it, clothing for those who otherwise would not be very well clad, comforts to the sick and sometimes food to the hungry; all these things come to my hand, and I try to meet them as best I may. I know that my proper business is to dispense the 33r0ftd of Life, 5 und I endeavor not to lose sight of this; but when brought into contact with temporal sufferings and temporal wants, my mouth would be shut if I had not power in some little measure to offer help to those who require it. It is to me a matter of great thankfulness that God has put it in my power to do this to a considerable extent. This is the more gratifying, seeing that it has been done hitherto without solicitation on my part. More than one© I have referred to one source

from which X rocoiv© help liberally and regularly; this source, lam thankful to say, continues still open. Other friends have sent various sums to bo used as required. For all this I return my wannest thanks to the donors, and pray that the Lord may repay them in His own way. To our own Dorcas Society I feel underwent obligation for the many articles of clothing which they have placed at my disposal. To the ladies who compose that Society I beg to return my sincere thanks. In every case where this help was required, that help has been given promptly and cheerfully.” . In regard to his proper work as Town Missionaiy, Mr Macfie reports that during the past year he has paid fully two thousand three hundred visits, extending oyer a great part of the city. Among those with whom he came in contact fully two hundred were strangers to him before. Many of these he saw but seldom, but whenever the opportunity offers, he makes it his study to press on them the importance of th ® °°® thing needful.” At least forty-four deaths have occurred among those visited during the year. These cases, of course, take up very much of the missionary’s time. Some of them were visited for months. “In this °f wor k* n continues the missionary, 1 feel a great deal of interest, as I have not

only the sick to speak to, but usually there are numerous friends ga+hered about the sick bed and m the house of the mourning j and to these I can speak when their hearts are most likely to be impressed with tho importance of religion,” Assistance is rendered by the Missionary in conducting a week-day service every week at the female Eefuge ; while every Friday afternoon is devoted to the visitation of such patients as are known to him in the hospital. The Sabbath and week-evening services at the Mission-house have been sustained without interruption throughout the year. Increased accommodation at tho Missionhouse afforded to the Sunday School has been much appreciated by Its increasing numbers,

It is of course difficult to speak of results in regard to such a work as that of a town missionary. His labors are spread over a wide and are chiefly devoted to a somewhat shifting class of the community. But our brother is not without pleasing evidence that ms labor is not in vain in the Lord. The liberality of the Christian public in supporting the mission— a liberality unusually spontaneous is gratefully acknowledged by your Committee. To that liberality, to the prayors of Christian people, and to the blessing of Cod, your Committee again commend this useful and deserving institution.

The balance-sheet, also read by Mr Thomson, shows a balance to the credit of the Mission of L 24 17s 2d, exclusive of 1.4 received since the accounts were closed After the reading of the report, the Rev. Mr M‘bie gave a very interesting account of Lis work during the past year, detailing many striking incidents to_ be met with only in the life of a City Missionary. The report was unanimously adopted on the motion of Mr Tewsley, seconded by Mr J. W. Jago —The Rev. Mr Robertson, of Victoria, then proceeded to address the meeting, giving a number of useful bints as to the conducting of Town Mission work. While the rev. gentleman was giving some details of the farmingous ?, f America, as applied to orphan and State children, the fire-hell rang out its startling alarm, when nearly the entire audience rose and left the church, and the meeting was at once and abruptly terminated.