EPISCOPALIAN CHURCH.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume II, Issue 100, 23 March 1863, Page 2

EPISCOPALIAN CHURCH.

PRELIMINARY REPORT. This being tbe time for the occupany of sittings for another year, the Vestry think a short Report of the present position of the Church, in anticipation of that to be presented for the half year ending in July, would be acceptable to the congregation, many of wnoui niay nave paid little attention to the proceedings incident to the formation of the Parish., In compliance with an application made by a Petition to the Diocesan Synod, signed by a large number of the members of tbe congregation, the District of Napier was declared a Parish according to the Synodical Statute regulating the formation of Parishes. The petitioners engage themselves for three years, from March, 1863, to supply the amount required to make up the proceeds of the weekly offertories, pew rents, military chaplaincy, and allowance from Endowment Fund, the deficiency arising from these sources on defraying the payment of the minister’s salary, annual interest on debt, repairs of Church, and expenses attending the celebration of Divine worship.

Previous to the formation of the Parish affairs stood somewhat thus :—A committee of gentlemen who have taken an active interest from the first in obtaining the means for building the Church, and conducting Divine Service, had given their personal guarantee for the payment of <£oso, the amount of purchase of the Church land and Parsonage, hearing interest at ten per cent., within a period ending about beginning of 1807. A guaranteed list of subscribers from the members of the Church generally supplied the means of paying the minister’s stipend and providing for the performance of Divine service. This guarantee expired at the end of February—the amounts guaranteed having been met, on the whole, with' great regularity. Some few amounts remain to be collected, which will doubtless be forthcoming, though, at the end of last quarter, the Yestry thought it right to supply the deficiency. The Bishop ot the Diocese, in his Pastoral letter of March 31, 1862, acknowledging the efforts that had been made to provide the ministration of religion, expresses his desire to help the Church members to extinguish the debt and purchase the property for the Church, and, as a means to this end, he very liberally offers a loan of <£3oo, extinguishable in ten years, by payment of £3O per annum, on condition of a Petition being presented by the members of the Church, with the requisite guarantee, to have the District constituted a Parish, and the Church property made over to the Trustees appointed by the Synod. The Rev. S. Williams offered to lend £250 from the Church Endowment Fund at ten per cent. ; and £IOO was to be made up by the Church people from some source or other.

The result of this offer being accepted has been very much more favorable thou was anticipated by the Bishop, for the Church Committee, previous to handing over the management to the Vestry, had, from the proceeds of a Fancy Bazaar and other sources, paid a sum of .£3lO, which, with £4O advanced by Rev. S. Williams, supplied the amount to complete the purchase money. This balance of £4O has since been paid off by the Vestry from the funds in their hands. The liability of the Parish, therefore, consequent upon this settlement of the debt of £650, reduces itself to a payment of £3O per annum for ten years to the Bishop. The Vestry venture to think that the Parishioners will acknowledge that the liberality which has produced this result is a subject for congratulation to all well-wishers to the Church. The probable financial position for three years from February, 1803, will be somewhat as follows : Dr. £ s d Cr. £ s d Clergyman's Salary 250 0 O Pew Rents 100 O 0 Maintenance of Di- Offertories 60 O 0 vine Service 15 0 0 Military ChaplaiuInatalment to Bi- cy 50 O 0 shop 80 0 O Church endowment fu id 30 O 0 Amount to be supplied by guarantors 85 O 0 £325 0 0 £323 O 0 Those members of the Church who had not the opportunity of inscribing their names on the guarantee list at the time the Petition was in course of signature, are invited to add their names now. A copy of the Petition and list of subscriptions already promised may he seen at the Churchwarden’s (Mr. Bridge) who, as well as the Vestrymen, will be happy at any time to afford any information on parochial matters. A declaration for the signature of the members of the Church of England to enable them to exercise their vote in accordance with Statute 1, General Synod, Section 5, is also in the hands of Mr. Bridge. The Vestry regret the impossibility to furnish any account in detail of the working of Church matters previous to the formation of the Parish, as the necessary materials have not been handed to them. The Rev. H. W. St, Hill’s appointment ceases on the Ist June, from which date the Bishop has consented to officiate for three months. He will not for this service receive himself the quarterly minister’s allowance, hut will apply it towards the expenses of bringing out a clergyman from England in compliance with the decision of the nominators appointed to secure a minister subject to the approval of the Bishop. The amount thus obtained will not quite cover these expenses, but to avoid the trouble of canvassing all the Church members to guarantee the remainder, should the Vestry not be in funds, a few of their number gave the Bishop their personal guarantee for the amount.

It will shortly become necessary to call a meeting for the election of a vestryman in place of Colonel Russell, who is leaving for England. The Vestry would recommend that at least two additional vestrymen should be added to their number in order to ensure a quorum at all meetings. The thanks of the Vestry have been con-

veyed to Mrs. Abrahams, on behalf of the congregation, for her liberal gift of the handsome reading desk now in use in the Church. They have to acknowledge also the gifts of the altar cloth from friends of Mrs. Bt. Hill in England, and the two chandeliers from Messrs. Mogridge and Heydn. The members of the Vestry appeal with confidence to the good feeling of the members of the Church to assist them as opportunity may offer in furthering its interests, as it is only by cordial co-operation that they can hope to render efficient service.