CATHEDRAL GUILD.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1454, 14 October 1878, Page 2

CATHEDRAL GUILD.

The anuual general meeting of the members of the Christchurch Cathedral Guild took place on Thursday evening, in the College Library, at eight o'clock. Dean Jacobs (president of the Guild) occupied the chair. There was an influential attendance of the clergy and members of the Guild, and a considerable number of ladies. The first hymn having been sung by the Guild choir, under the direction of Mr J. S. Jameson, and prayer offered up, the president said it gave him great pleasure to see so many present at the annual met ting. Progress hud been made in the gradual erection of the cathedral, which was advancing with gratifying rapidity, giving the lie to the sarcasms of Mr Anthony Trollope and the popular saying of the "interesting " ruin in Cathedral square. Part of the business of the meeting would bo the election of the following officers :—Two vice-presidents, a treasurer, and ten members of committee. He might say that signs of increasing interest had been manifested to building the cathedral, and also in the special work of the Guild. He believed that the Guild might do a great deal in the future, even if the subscriptions should fall off or cease. Later in the evening Mr "Worthy would develop a plan which ha had suggested for augmenting their funds, and which was likely

to be attended with very great benefits to the success of the Guild. Contributions had been given towards one of the columns in the Cathedral by the family of a lately deceased gentleman, who did not wish their name to bo known. A very liberal subscription had been received from Archdeacon Wiilock towards the Pilgrim's column, which would cost ,£7OO, half of which was already contributed. The_ corresponding column, in commemoration of Bishop Selwyn, had also been contributed to by another family who had generously come forward, but who were also desirous of having their namo concealed. Other columns would probably be contributed to by families, who might feel disposed to erect them as memorials to deceased friends. The choir then sang an anthem, after which the president culled the attention of those present, in the most flattering terms, to the departure of Mr Eobert Parker, who had acted as their precentor, and whose absence for the future would be as keenly felt by them as by the parish of St. Michael's, with whose services and interests ho had been so intimately connected. He trusted before the meeting terminated that a cordial vote of thanks would be passed to Mr Parker in recognition of his past services. He was afraid Mr Parker would not feel himself so much at home in his new sphere at Wellington as ho had been in Christchurch. He was glad to say that Mr J. S. Jameson had in the kindest manner undertaken to fill Mr Parker's place. _ The treasurer then submitted his financial statement, from which it appeared that the receipts were as follows :—Subscriptions collected, £7Glls6d; cash deposited at interest, =8100; interest on same, £3 13s 9d : balance in hand, .£ll ISs lOd—total, £192 0s lid. Expenditure —Paid Cathedral Commission, £l7O ; sundry accounts, £ls 13s 10s : balance in hand, £6 7s Id-total, £ 192 0s lid. A conversational discussion took place regarding the best methods of > aising funds for the erection of the Cathedral, and the president said that the return of the Bishop was looked forward to with great interest, and much benefit was anticipated from his Lordship's exertions in the matter of subscriptions. It was impossible to say -whether he would have any large contribution from English subscribers, but the time would have arrived when, iu all probability, the Cathedral Commission would again have to appeal to the public for further contributions. The last draft was nearly exhausted, and energetic measures in various directions would have to be made to raise the required funds for the erection of the cathedral. The following officers were then reelected:— Vice-presidents, the Dean of Christchurch and the Hon. H. B. Gresson ; hon. treasnrer, Mr A. Thompson; hon. secretary, Mr Dunkley; committee, the Eevs. J. Stack, Flavell, Penny, Bourn, Canon Cotterell, Messrs. Evans, Worthy, Stedman, Symes, and Jameson. The Chairman, referring to a highly successful service which had been given some years ago, when his Lordship the Bishop had been presented with a erozier and pastoral staff, and on which occasion a sum of £IOO had been collected, thought a similar commemoration service might bo given to welcome the Bishop on his return from England. He might be expected some time between the 12th and 19th of December, probably about the 16th, and the commemorative service would be a fitting welcome to him. It was resolved on the motion of Canon Cotterill, seconded by the Bev. C. Bowen—- " That the committee consider the advisableness of holding a special service on the anniversary within the walls of the Cathedral to celebrate the return of the Bishop, or at some later date to be fixed." The Dean of Christchurch then read an interesting paper by Mr W. B. Mountfort, entitled, " Some old precedents for modern Church building." On the motion of Eev. C. Bowen, seconded by Canon Cotterill, a cordial vote of thanks was passed to Mr Mountfort for his very interesting paper. Canon Cotterill suggested that with Mr Mountfort's permission the paper should be published in the "Church Ncw3," as it was a pity it should be confined to so circumscribed a circiG In returning thanks, Mr Mountfort said he should be most happy to place his paper at the service of the Guild for the purpose of publicaThe President now called on Mr Worthy to propound his promised scheme to the meeting. Mr Worthy made a very humourous speech, the text of which was " Zeal." He urged that zeal in paying subscriptions, zeal in collecting contributions, zeal in making new members, and zeal in attending their monthly meetings could not be unattended with the most beneficial results. He looked upon himself in the capacity of Collector-General as a species of buffer between the Treasurer and the Sub-collectors. The Treasurer looked sharply after him to see that he made satisfactory financial returns, and he intended to look sharply after the collectors to see that they did not suffer their energies to flag in obtaining subscriptions. There were about 200 ipmbers on the roll of the Guild, and five or six Js** jctors, the most indefatigable one being Mr W. tij u "horn he mustsay was a most incomparaable dun, «*.,, i ie vrislaed all the other collectors would emulate v; a zea \ 4 There should h». u ? thought, one eol.ector to aoout iJU members, and he (Mr _ Worthy) intended to hold personal communication with each member on the collectors' lists, and they would make their returns to him every two months at his house, when he would endeavour to make amusement a feature on each occasion. A vote of thanks was then proposed to Mr E. Parker, and carried with acclamation. Votes of thanks having been passed to the ladies and gentleman of the Guild choir, the meeting terminated in the usual manner.