Anniversary Tea Meeting.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 6594, 11 January 1900, Page 2

Anniversary Tea Meeting

The anniversary services in connection with the Broad-street Wesleyan Sunday School-were brought to a close last night by a tea and concert. The schoolroom was tastefully arranged with tables presided over by Misses Sinclair, Kingsbeer, Shortt (2), Miller, Spinks (2), Chandler, Evans, Beck (2), and Mesdames Beck and Gittings. The tea was well patronised, a large number sitting down to. the excellent fare provided. After the tables had been cleared away, those present adjourned to the Church, where a public meeting was hold, at which a long and varied programme of music was rendered by the choir and f orchestra, interspersed with speeches.

The Rev. W. H. Beck, who acted as chairman, •in a few well chosen words introduced the various speakers.

The' Rev. Abernethy, of Sandon, said he was. very pleased to be at another anniversary of the Sunday School, because he always thought that the school was an institution for the children. The reverend gentleman pointed out that home and school train- , ing ought to go hand in hand. Teachers * ought to feel when teaching the children to know the Lord Jesus Christ that they were doing the work of angels; and they should always impress upon them to look to God as their teacher and their guide. In conclusion, he said, he hoped God would prosper this school. The Rev. Mr Vealie, of Feilding, spoke on the subjects he thought ought to be introduced into the school work. The first was the Bible. He said that as they had closed the Bible and done away with religious training in the dayschool, they had increased the responsibility of the Sunday School, and therefore he thought the Bible should be more used than it is. In the second place, they ought to teach the chddren more of the doctrine of the church to which they belonged and encourage them to show a true spirit of loyalty. This was the secret of success of the American churches, and none are more true and loyal to the Church than the Americans. He was proud of the Christian Endeavour movement, as it was a link from the school to the church. He also expressed a wish that the school should become more prosperous.

Mr Macintosh, of Wellington, who received an enthusiastic reception, also spoke on school work, and gave a few hints as to how the school might become a greater success. At the conclusion of his speech he recited a piece to illustrate what he had said, for which he was greatly applauded. *•,. isi-

Mr G. H. Bennett, .as superintendent of. the school, explained thatthe reason the anniversary -was not so great a success as usual was because it had been postponed for various reasons,;and therefore it fell on a date when so .many families were away on holidays; the weather had also been against them. He then, on behalf of the teachers thanked f, especially the young ladies the Bible Class who had taken the whole of the responsibility of the tea and which was thought on all sides to have been excellent, also Mr Wingate, who had so ably filled Mr Chisholm's place as conductor. He also thanked the musicians, the speakers, and all those who had in any way helped to make the anniversary a success.

The programme of music rendered during the evening was as follows:— Choruses, choir, " Immortal King," and " Our Hymn of Praise,"; solo, Mr Young; solo and chorus, " Long, long ago," Miss M. Shortt; organ solo, Mr P. Tombs ; orchestral solo, " La Diadem " ; chorus, choir, '• Joyful Tidings" ; violin solo, Mr G. Bell; quartette, Miss Burr, (piano), Messrs Kitchen and Miller (violins), and Tombs (trombone); chorus, choir, " Come To-day."