ST MICHAEL AND ALL ANGELS.

Globe, Volume VI, Issue 660, 1 August 1876, Page 3

ST MICHAEL AND ALL ANGELS.

A largely attended meeting of parishioners was held last evening at St Michael's schoolroom, for the election of a parishioners' churchwardea and vestrymen, occasioned by the resignation of Mr R. J. S. Harman, as churchwarden, and the vestry elected at the last annual parish meeting. Mr J, P. Restell, incumbent's churchwarden, who occupied the chair, said the meeting had been called according to notice given in chuTch the previous day, and which had been posted on the doors of the church for the three preceding days. [Notice read] lie had to request the parishioners to bear in mind that the meeting had been called for a special purpose, and he ventured to hope that the past differences which had unhappily existed would not prevent them from assisting each other to work solely for the benefit of the parish. [Hear, hear.] It was stated, in reply to a gentleman, that there was no necessity for the minutes of the previous meeting being read as this was a special meeting. Mr W. H. Smith asked if the retiring churchwarden and vestry had signified their intention of serving if again re-elected. The chairman said he did not know, nor was he aware whether the question had been asked.

Captain Wilson would ask Mr Harman, in the name of himself and vestry, whether they would be willing to continue in office if re-elected.

Mr Harman—l think so. [Applause.] Captain Wilson would then briefly move—- " That the retiring churchwarden and vestry be re-elected." Dr Coward seconded the motion.

The chairman said before he put the motion he would def-ire to be excused if he explained the views of those who had calculated that it would be more conducive to the interests of the church if other gentlemen

I were joined with those who had formed the late vestry. He had been told that it would not be correct if the vestry were proposed en masse. He had, however, referred to the church regulations, and had seen nothing in them contrary to its being done. The motion was then put, and declared to be carried unanimously amid applause. Mr H. J. Hall, though not a parishioner, had been a seat-holder in the church for the last fourteen or fifteen years, and in that position would desire to make a few remarks. He had no wish to refer to the past, but ho saw the arduous task that devolved on those gentlemen whose duty it was to nominate a clergyman for the parish, as there were so few clergymen from among whom they could select. If they selected a who indulged in those extreme ritualistic practices and theological antics [laughter] which had been causing so much controversy, both in Australia and elsewhere, they would certainly disturb the harmony of the parish, andbringthechurchintodisreputeLapplause]. Many persons no doubt thought some of these practices harmless, but if any man were to walk down the street with his hat cocked on one side in a peculiar manner, there might be no harm in it, and yet the action would be a most ridiculous one, and much he had seen had been nothing short of such ridiculousness. It would, in his opinion, be better for them to keep the church without a minister for a little while than to introduce a man who would be guilty of what he had referred to. TApplause.] Mr Harman, as one of the nominators, said they, with him, were exactly of Mr Hall's opinion, and felt it would be better to keep the incumbency vacant than introduce a person who would bring the parish into disrepute. [Hear, hear.J Mr Hawkes would not refer to the past, and was glad to see the re-election of the churchwarden and vestry. The vestry had entered into a contract to raise £3OO. To raise Buch an amount would be very uphill work, and he wished to impress strongly on the minds of all in the parish that their first duty should be to come forward and raise the sum, so that the debit balance at the bank might be wiped off. |He would ask all in the parish to come forward and subscribe liberally, to enable the vestry to pay off what they had instructed them to do at the last parish meeting. Mr Malet handed the liEt of promised subscriptions to the chairman, and trusted he would set the example that evening by putting his name down for a liberal sum. [Applause.] The chairman said that this business was foreign to the purpose for which the meeting had been called. He thanked the meeting for the unanimity which had prevailed throughout. If they would allow him to vacate the chair they might then sign the subscription list, but they could hardly expect him to occupy so painful a position as to receive subscriptions for a purpose which had not his concurrence, and to which his opinions were totally opposed, Mr Restell then vacated the chair.

By the desire of the meeting Mr Harman took the chair amid applause. The chairman read a list of subscriptions promised, after which a number of gentlemen came forward and added their names to it.

In reply to a parishioner, the chairman said that the total subscriptions on the list amounted to about £l3O. He (the chairman) was going to say that the Church officers would be much obliged to any gentleman who would interest himself in collecting subscriptions. There was a considerable overdraft at the bank, and no calls had been made on the parish for some time back. He hoped the parishioners would respond liberally to the call now being made upon them.

Mr Malet moved a vote of thanks to Mr Harman and the vestry. Dr Nedwill seconded the motion, which was carried unanimously.