HEATHCOTE PARISH MEETING.

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 877, 17 April 1877, Page 3

HEATHCOTE PARISH MEETING.

The annual meeting of parishioners was held in 81. John's Church, Ferry road, on Wednesday evening las! ; (lie Rev. C. J. Morton occupied the chair. Mr J. W. Davis, churchwarden, read the annual report, in which the Vestry congratulated the parishioners on the very satisfactory and hoalthv position of affairs in the parish, and referred to the erection of the new church at Sumner, the assistance given to the parish by the Very Rev. Dean Jacobs, Mr E. Fynes-Clinton, and other clergymen and gentlemen ; the nomination and induction of the Rev. C. J. Merton as incumbent; the financial separation of Sumner ; the satisfactory state of the parish accounts ; and the advisability of erecting a new parsonage at once. A statement of accounts was read by Mr J. W. Davis, showing—Receipts, £319 ids Id ; expenditure, £3lO 7s 2d ; credit balance, £9 Os lid ; pew rents, &c, due, about £lO ; and liabilities, abouf. £5. The Rev. C. J. Merton addressed the meeting, and said that he felt that some few words were due from him on this occasion, though with regard to the state of the parish the exhaustive report brought up by the churchwardens left him very little to say. When they met together on a similar occasion last year they were comparatively unknown to each other, but they had now had time to know that as minister and people they could work well together qn the tempera} affairs of the parish, and he trusted also in those things which are most important. He felt that in the most sacred and ofttimc difficult portions of his work he could rely on their sympathy and support. [Hear, hear.] With regard to the vestry of the last year, he might say that he had had great pleasure in \yqrking with them ; difficulties bad arisen in the management of the parish during the year, and bo had found them always ready to listen tq any suggestions, and to consider' them, and also extremely careful in the carrying out of their duties. He thought the churchwardens were to be com gratulated on the result of then' labors for the year ; they had it was trup strictly economised, but the parish is free from debt, and the new vestry could begin with a clear balance-sheet, The churchwardens had stated that two sorvices are regularly conducted at St. John's exevy Sunday by means of the help of a lay reader. He purposed, as circumstances would admit of it., to institute the same thing at St. Mary's, though, as far as he could see, not at present. It had boon found to work well at St. John's, and when the time came there was no reason why it should not at St. Mary's. Classes for the study of Holy Scriptures had been held weekly during a portion of the year, in each part of the parish, and with good success. The Sunday schools, too, were progressing, and great interest was taken in them by the teachers. He trusted, however, that they would not be lost sight of by the parish. More money would be wanted to carry them on successfully than had hitherto been asked for, and considering the importance of the re}igious education of the young, the laying a good foundation upon which they may build for the future, lie most earnestly commended this matter to their consideration, and appealed to them for help. A confirmation had been held by the Bishop, for which the candidates were in preparation for from two to three months, There had been an increase in the number of attendants at holy communion, as also in the congregation, but there were still very many more who ought to be added to the regular communicants, and also to the number of the congregation. He was happy to add that his health, which was very indifferent when he came into the parish, had certainly improved, and that he trusted that by God's blessing he might be able to repay the amount of work which had hitherto been done, and, it possible, to increase if. He thanked them all for their support during the past year, and tell confident that he might rely on it for that upon which they were then entering. The report and statement of accounts were received and adopted. The chairman nominated Mr J. W. Davis

ns his churchwarden, and announced that Mr Henry Augustus Bamford had been elected Synodsman for the parish. Messrs W. Dale, E. Garland, S. Stuckcy, Richard Davis, G. Bonnington, IT. A. Bamford, W. Hawker, J. Turner, Cr. Wilson, and Flavcl were elected as vestrymen. After votes of thanks had been passed, the meeting ended.