WESLETAN CHURCH ANNIVERSARY.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XV, Issue 148, 22 June 1880, Page 2

WESLETAN CHURCH ANNIVERSARY.

The anniversary sermons were preached on Sunday, by the Rev: \y. Kirk, who was at one lime the dilnister in ITelSotij tfhere be >Vss always highly and deservedly respected, and last night the usual tea and public meetings were held, both being numerously attended. The chair was taken by the Key. R. B^vin, and the meeting having been opened by praj'er and singing, Mr Bethwaite, the Secretary and Treasurer to the trustees, read the report and balance : sheet, frotn the former of which, the following is an extract : — "The spiritual pi-ogress of the Church furnishes great cause for thankfulness. Others beside our own niambers'huve testified to the good th?y have received while worsbippinis? with us. The Choir, under the leadership of Mr Ogilvie, are making very satisfactory , advancement, and, are doing much good, fdr which they are justly entitled to the thanks of the congregation. Both numerically and financially the Church accounts show marked improvement. Owing to the voluntary exertions of the Ladies' Sewing ;Meeting, and to the Exhibition and ; Sale of Work Committees, the actual income - ( baa beeh far above the expenditure, thus cou"siderably reducing the overdraft. The ■ Trustees specially acknowledge the kindness of Mrs Traak for her present of a handsome cushion and otber fittings for the rostrum. The appended balance-sheet shows a larga increase in all the departments. That a sum of over £800 should have been raised during the year by thia one congregation, is highly encouraging. There, is yet room* however, for improvement in the arSioiint ef the average weekly collections, which are small compared with the large attendance. Applications for sittings are in excess of the Church's capacity. During the lnst two years the seatholders have largely incresed, while we have many applicants in waiting. As the next New Zealand Conference is to be held in Nelson, it is the intention of the Trus-. tee 9 to re-paint aud thoroughly reuovate tho Church. Special funds will be needed for this desirable object. In conclusion, the Trustees express their earnest desire to btirt a sinkiug fund for the purpose of paying off the present debt, aud providing a nucleus for a new Church at some not far distaut day." The Chairman, haviug expressed his great pleasure and gratification at seeing so many present, congratulated them on the favorable state of the fluances, and upon the fact that so lurge a number of young men were qualifying themselves for useful work in the Church. He very much regretted the absence through ill-health of Mr 11. Iladfield aud Mr G. Blick, both of whom were valuable aud hard-vvorkiug members of the Church. The liev Mr Hamilton spoke on modern unbelief, and impressed upon his hearers the necessity of living up to their profession as Christians, as much good could bo done by their example, while as much harm might be effected by any inconsistency in their lives. _ The Eev J. Beckenham took " Christian liberality "as his subject, aud urged upon them the necessity of giviug regularly to the support of the Church, not in the spasmodic mauner in which water was obtained from a pump hut as it flowed from a spring. The Rev Mr Kirk expressed the very great pleasure he experienced at finding himself once more amongst his Nelson friends after an absence of. thirteen years. He had never forgotten his first arrival in Nelson, and (lie great kindness that was always displayed to him by the people here. He spoke at some length on the religious revivals of later years, and the large amount of good of which they had been productive wherever they had occurred. He sincerely hoped that the present anniversary celebration would be the means of bringing about a revival in Nelson. The Eev J. Leighton spoke of the great value of the Wssleyan class meetings, and said that their Church owed much of its great success, freshness, and perpetuity to the "institution of her class meetings, where the Christian fellowship, by which they were all so much strengthened, could be enjoyed. The Rev Mr Rowse spoke of the large amount of good that had been done both iv town and country by their Chairman, the I'ev Mr Bavin, who. by the deep interest he took in Church matters, led others to follow in his footsteps. Mr Green spoke with thankfulness of the great blessings that were enjoyed by residents ia this country, and moved rotes of thauks to the members of the choir who had afforded them so much pleasure duriug the evening, to the young men who had decorated the school-room, and to the chairman. These were seconded by Mr J. H. Cock, and carried uDauimously. The Chairman announced that the total proceeds ot the anniversary had been £38, of which £10 3s lid had been collected that evening. They had commenced the year with a debt of £150, the whole of which had been paid off, and for this and their general success he would give all the glory to God. The doxology was then sung, and the meeting brought to a close with the benediction. The choir, which gave proof of excellent training and careful practice, sang several anthems during the evening, with very pleasing effect.