ST. PAUL’S CHURCH.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 1896, 22 March 1880, Page 3

ST. PAUL’S CHURCH.

The annual meeting of the congregation of St. Paul’s Church was held in the church on Wednesday last. There was a good attendance, the Rev. John Elmslio, pastor of the church, occupying the chair. After prayers and the singing of a hymn, The Chairman made a few introductory remarks, during which he congratulated the congregation on the amount of prosperity enjoyed throughout the past year. The report was read by the session clerk, Mr Gibb, as follows : In presenting this report the session has much cause to congratulate the congregation, and offer thanks to God, for the peace and prosperity which have attended the labors of both pastor and people during the past year. The attendance upon the means of grace has been larger than on any previous year, though we cannot speak of so many additions to the membership of the Church as we did iu our last report. During the past year seventy-three names have been added to the communion roll, and fourteen removed. The majority of the latter were names of members who joined the newly-formed congregation at Sydenham. A similar disjunction may be looked for in connection with the other congregation now being formed in the northwestern part of the city. Put these secessions, resulting as they do from the real extension of the Church, are matters of satisfaction, and not of regret. During the past year it should also be noted, four members, including the oldest in the congregation, have been removed by death ; and respecting all these, we have a well-founded hope that they have entered into the rest that remaineth for the people of God. We think it well to remind the congregation that we have not yet realised that amount of prosperity at which we have been aiming, and which has sometimes been realised in other congregations of the Church. There has been much increase of visibility with us, much attentive listening to the Word, much energy, enterprise, and liberality on the part of many ; but there does not yet seem to have been that increase of spiritual life which is the sure result of a rich baptism of the Holy Spirit. And We call the attention of th j people to this, that they may unitedly and earnestly continue in prayer until He with whom the residue of the Spirit remains make the Church in this place to “ grow as the lily and cast forth her roots as Lebanon.’ The Session expresses its satisfaction at the existence of the Ladies’ Association, and of the important service it renders the minister in aid of his pastoral work, and earnestly hopes that the people will show themselves ready at all times to further the efforts of the Association, and do all in their power to make the work of the ladies both easy and pleasant. Tha session is also gratified to find that a Young Men’s Society has been formed in connection with St. Paul’s, and ventures to express a hone that it may come to be a rallying point for the young men of the congregation, in the matter of moral and intellectual culture, as well as in literary and scientific pursuits. The service of praise, the session is humbly of opinion, still admits of great improvement, and whilst expressing its indebtedness to the leader and members of the choir for their unwearied services, it ventures to hope that a larger number of voices may yet be f ornished from amongst the people for this important work, and that through the training of the young and increase of practice on the part of all, our beautiful songs of praise may be rendered much more effectively in the service of God. Other matters well deserving the attention of the Church will bo submitted in the other reports. The session wishes only further to hope that the people will continue to welcome strangers on the Lord’s day as kindly and cordially ns they have hitherto been wont, and also that every means will be used to lead the many families of the congregation to know each other, that under the Divine blessing a happy feeling cf friendship and love may more and more pervade the Church, so that as one great family we may have interests and aspirations, hopes and fears, joys and sorrows, all in common.

The above report was adopted, as was also that of the finance committee, which showed : Receipts, £1723 7s 6d, an increase over the preceeding year of £lO6 0s 2d. The committee recommended in their report that special steps should be taken to reduce the amount of floating debt upon the church.

Mr John Milne moved—“ That this meeting is of opinion that the finance committee should devise some means to appoint collectors to visit personally the members and adherents of the congregation, to solicit subscriptions for the reduction of the debt on the church, as the best means for raising funds for that purpose.” Seconded by Mr John Oonke and carried. Votes of thanks were passed to the office bearers and other workers of the church during the past year. After praise had been engaged in by the congregation, the chairman pronounced the Benediction and the meeting adjourned.