WESLEYAN CHURCH, ADELAIDEROAD.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 4811, 23 August 1876, Page 2

WESLEYAN CHURCH, ADELAIDEROAD.

The fourth anniversary of the above church was held last evening, and passed off satisfactorily. Tea was on the table at six o’clock, and after justice had been done to the good things provided and the tables cleared, the public meeting commenced. .There was. a very large attendance, Mr. Moxham being in the chair. After prayer had been offered and a hymn sung, • The Chairman said he was pleased to see the alterations which had taken place in the Church during the past few years. They had increased congregations and Sunday-schools. The prosperity from the influx of population had been great, but he was sorry to say-that the work of the Church as regards spiritual prosperity had not been as good as he would have wished. Thepeople of the Church depended too much upon their ministers ; they expected them to do everything. He would like to see tract distribution and cottage prayer carried out.

Mr. Dixon, the secretary, then read the annual report, which, after reviewing the Church work of the year, went on to say that since the last annual meeting a subscription list for a school had been started, and so liberally was the call responded to that a school had been erected at a cost of £176 55., the whole of which had been paid with the exception of £6. Seeing that the population in this district is so rapidly increasing, thereby causing a great advance in the price of land, and knowing thatatno very distant date a minister’s residence would be required, thetrustees considered it wise to secure a lot of land adjoining the present site—thirty feet frontage, at £4 per foot, amounting to £l2O, and interest at the rate of 9 per cent, would have to be paid until they were favored with means to pay the principal. It appeared from the treasurer’s statement that the receipts had been £2l 10s., and the expenditure £2o'4s. ■ lid. In conclusion the trustees thanked those gentlemen who had so kindly helped them on the building committee. The Rev. Mr. Mom addressed the meetingin an able manner, exhorting them to pray and work together. The Rev. Mr. Thomas urgedupon the meeting the necessity of holding social gatherings. He believed such gatherings would be a great cheek upon the youth of the Church in preventing them visiting questionable places of amusement for lack of better employment, Christian fellowship he would like to see more largely cultivated amongst the members of the Church.

The Rev. Mr. Reid next addressed the meeting, and in the course of an excellent speech said that he was pleased to see, according to statistics published, that the Methodist Church in England had during the past year made wonderful progress, the increase of members during that time being 15,000. People had a notion that the Church in New Zealand was comparatively behind that of England, hut he wished to state that the Methodists here had shown many a lesson to those at Home which the latter were sadly in want off. He also called attention to the fact that there was a great demand amongst some congregations for sensational preaching, as against plain practical teaching. He deprecated such an idea, and said in his opinion that if they attempted to build up a Church upon, those spasmodic efforts it was sure to fail. A collection was then made amongst those present, and the sum of £4 9s. was subscribed. The proceeds derived from the tea meeting amounted to £6 75., thus making a total of £lO 16s.

During the meeting the proceedings were enlivened by some hymns rendered in excellent style by the Manners-street church choir, who had kindly lent their services for the occasion. Votes of thanks and the blessing having been pronounced brought the meeting te_ C. close.