Feilding Presbyterian Church.

Feilding Star, Volume XVII, Issue 224, 25 March 1896, Page 2

Feilding Presbyterian Church.

The annual meeting of members of the Presbyterian Church, Feilding. was held in the church last evening when there was only a small attendance. The Rev H. M. Murray preside and the meeting was opened in the usual manner. The chairman having mad© a few opening remarks called on the secretary . Mr T. Watson, to read the balance-sheet and report for the year ended 31st December, 1895, which were as follows :— Receipts — Balance in hand, January Ist, 1895, £5 5s 8d ; Sabbath collections, £71 10s 9d ; Sabbath collections. Taoi nui, £10 los 9d ; subscriptions, £47 4s ; Church extension, £25. Total, £159 15s 9d. Expenditure — Stipend, £125 ; organ chair, 14s 6d ; Insurance and rates, £6 6s 8d ; cleaning and lighting, £J 18s ; church extension, £1 ; Assembly expenses, 10s ; Foreign missions, £1 ; printing, advertising and sundry, £1 16s; stationery, stamps, etc., 14s 3d; cutting trees and gravel, 15s ; aged and infirm Ministers fund, £2 10s ; Sunday school fund, £2 Os 4d . Building fond, £4 ls (id ; Balance, £5 9s 6d. Total, £159 15s 9d. Building Fund .—Receipts — Balance on hand, £1 Os 9d ; proceeds tea meeting, £8 17s 63 ; general fund, £4 ls 6d ; total. £15i1959d. Expenditure— Repairs to Manse, £8 14s 9d ; trap shed, £5 ds ; total. £13. 19s 9d. Dr to general fund, £4 ls 6d. Report of committee of management for year ended December 31st, 1895 ; — " The committee have pleasure in presenting the statement of accounts for the year ended December 31st. Though .he total receipts are about on a level with 1893, there is a slight falling off as compared with 1894. The Sabbath collections are less by £7 13s lOd though Taonui shows an increase of £1 7s lid. The Sustentation Fund subscriptions are £4 7s 6d less than the previous year, but the difference is represented by arrears that will prsbably fall in during the current quarter. There is still a balance to credit of £5 9s 6d, and this would have been larger but for the temporary payment on tbe building fund account for the erection of a trap shed at the Manse, of £9 ls 6d. The expenditure on building fnud account comprises two items — renovation of Manse £8 14s dd and trap shed £5 us, of which latter amount £4 Is 9d was borrowed from the general funds. A new system was inaugurated during the year. With regard to the church extension collection it was decided to appoint lady canvassers, and Mesdames Lethbridge aud Sorley kindly undertook tbe work with the very gratifying result that £5 lis Id was collected. As the collection for the year had already beeu made and forwarded the above sum will appear in the current year's accounts, as the contribution for the purpose specified. The committee have to express heartfelt sorrow at the loss of one who was a faithful co-worker, the late Mr James Munro. He was a faithful servant and the void ! he has left will not be easily filled. Two . vacancies occur on the committee." The report and balance-sheet were adopted. The Chairman announced that the gentlemen elected to fill the vacancies on tbe committee were Messrs Reader and J. Bartholomew. Mr G. Bartholomew, superintendent, reported the Sunday School to be in a flourishing condition. The Rev. J. Doull then referred to the ' fact of the Rev. Mr Murray having tendered his resignation as minister to the Feilding Church, owing to ill-health, after seventeen years' service in this Chnrch. He referred to the income received by Mr Murray as being very small, and suggested it was advisable for the congregation to take one of two , steps, and either raise a substantial ; testimonial with a free gift, or under- [ take to give him an annuity from year • to year, but he did not favor the latter course. Mr Murray would receive • something from the Aged and Infirm i Minister's Fund, which allowed £40 a i year. The Presbytery would be faciliI tated in their consideration of the resignation the next day (this, Wednesday morning) if some promise was given as to what the Church people would do in the matter of raising a subscription. The Rev. Mr Patterson, of WeUington, also referred to Mr Murray's resignation which required to ba accepted. It was usual in a case like this for tbe congregation to make some substantial allow* ance or an annuity. He favored the former. A substantial amount could easily be raised, as Mr Murray had tha confidence and esteem of the con* gregation. Mr J. H. Stevens, after expressing the goodwill of the people towards Mr Murray, and regret at his having to retire through ill-health, asked the clergy present if they thought the Presbyterian Ministers throughout the colony would assist them by subscribing to a fnnd. He was surprised and disappointed that . the Presbyterian Church could only afford to pay from their Aged and Infirm Ministers' Fund £40 a year, and thought it should be improved. He asked if it was likely the ministry would supple* ment the £40. The Rev. Mr Patterson said this was not a matter of charity, but of justice and right on the part of the congregation to their minister, wbo had given the best part of his life to them. It was a matter of arrangement between the congregation and Presbytery. Ministers were not flush with money, and he disapproved of the proposal for ministers to contribute, characterising it as extraordinary. Tne ministers contributed £2 10s a year to the Aged and Infirm Ministers' Fund, which now amounted to between £3000 and £4000, the interest only being used. Mr T. Watson was sure tho congregation would rise to the occasion, and a satisfactoay result be attained. The congregation would do their duty. He hoped the General Assembly would take the matter of 4ged and Infirm Ministers* Fund in hand and put it iv a more satis* actory state. Mr Patterson replied the matter was receiving attention Irom the Assembly. The Rev.. J. Ross said the Presbytery would do the best that could be done, and probably grant Mr Murray Jk6o a year. Mr G. Bartholomew expressed regret at losing Mr Murray, and was sure the congregation were alsc sorry. He thought they could raise a sum which would purchase a bouse for Mr Murray. Mr Stevens was disappointed at tha brotherhood and with the craftship, at the result of the appeal made to them. He had never met with such a rebuff from any craft, when an appeal was made for assistance to a craftsman. It was resolved, That Dr Sorley, Messrs T. Watson, J. H. Stevens, and 6. Bartholomew, be a deputation to confer with the Presbytery on the matter of Afc Murray's resignation. ' " ' The meeting fermiuated with tho Benediction.