MANNERS-STREET WESLEYAN CHURCH.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5685, 19 June 1879, Page 3

MANNERS-STREET WESLEYAN CHURCH.

A public, meeting of the members of the Manners-street Wesleyan Cbureh was held in the Arcade yesterday evening, the Rev. W. Kirk presiding. There was a very good attendance. . .

The meeting having been opened by singing the 224th hymn, the Rev, Mr. Williams offered prayer. The Chairman said he was glad to see that so many of the congregation had assembled. The object of the meeting was a purely practical one, namely, to take some steps for the erection of another church. The congregation had met with many expressions of sympathy from the public, and four ministers had offered them the use of their churches for woishipping in. For these kindnesses ho was sure they all felt very grateful. At the meeting held a few nhdits ago they had not come to any practical conclusion, but of one thing there was no doubt, funds were required to be raised at once. Ho explained that there was a mortgage on the recent building to the amount of £1350, and the new organ would cost £6OO. There had been about £350 collected for the latter object, so it would bo seen that the congregation had no funds in hand to begin the new, erection with. The school was not the property of the Wesleyan body, but of the Educational Committee, so they wanted a new school as well as church. Telegrams had been received from the President of the Wesleyan OonferenceTecornmcnding subscriptions being, made throughput the colony—(applause)—but before this were done they must do something themselves. Ho hoped they would be 'prepared .to make a sacrifice, and give largely, for they must begin here. He instanced a subscription that had been made for a similar object years ago; when £6OO were subscribed. Wellington was now four times the size it was then, and^ be thought there would be no difficulty in raising a similar sum again. Ho suggested that twelve mouths should be given in which to pay the amounts .promised. For his part he would promise twenty-five guineas. (Applause.) Mr. Clabk regretted that the necessity for raising money arose so soon after the commercial depression that had been experienced. For his part, he would do his utmost, although he was not then prepared to say what amount he would give. He believed that many of their friends had some spare cash, and had not been subjected to losses, and he hoped they would do as the chairman had done, and say what they would give, as they must see the necessity for this. Mr. Moxham advocated something practical being done, and he hoped they would all feel it their privilege to do all they could in the matter. They had much to be thankful for in the past. - A suggestion had been made by a friend that those in receipt of weekly pay should subscribe weekly amounts, and those paid quarterly should give quarterly, &e. He said that the Manners-street congregation had been the source whence the Thorndon and Adelaida-road churches had drawn their chjef support. The Manners-street people while maintaining their'own church, had being doing their utmost to extend their organisation, and this was the reason why they had not a penny to-day, -He hoped people would contribute largely, and ho spoke of the spirit which was manifested when the Tabernacle was being erected, people who had no money then contributing articles of personal adornment, to such an extent that there was soon more than enough. He hoped the congregation would not occupy their minds with the question as to where the ; church was to be, but confine themselves'at present to raising money. The Chaibman said if those who promised subscriptions would say whether they wished to pay weekly or quarterly, ladies would go round and ! wait npou them at the desiredintervals. He then read a number of promises for various amounts which had been handed in, each announcement being received with applause. '■ Mr. Glabk, referring to a promise made by Mr. Helyer to give £SO conditionally upon the same site being built upon, said they were very thankful to him, but a conditional promise was hardly a satisfactory one, as there was no knowing what would have to be done. ‘ Mr. Alcobn thought the proceeds of the present site would be ample to build another church.

Mr. Gell Bal'd the' trustees ought to put something definite before the meeting as to the probable cost of the new building, its size, &c. The subscriptions would then come ,in better. :

Mr. Stone advised erecting a good substantial building as near the present site as possible until they could get the new; church up, and this < would afterwards serve for a schoolhouse.

The Chairman said the trustees were in a difficulty. A building on the same site must be of brick or con Crete,and this would cost £IO,OOO or £12,900. (No, no.) Then, again, some of the leading members of the congregation said'if the church were built of brick they would never enter it, and they could not afford to lose these people. He remembered when the brick church was thrown down by an earthquake in 1848, for he was shipwrecked at the time; and had suffered all the horrors of earthquakes at sea. The trustees could not say whether the present site would be used or not, unless 1 the Council relaxed the stringency of the building regulations. Mr. Wilkinson said it would have been better if the trustees had decided what they were going to do. He thought a good many people were not aware that they had had a brick church thrown down, and this was the reason why a brick church was so strongly objected to. He would only give his donation conditionally upon the ffhv building not being a brick one, for he would not feel secure in such a building. It was all very well for people, who were comparatively new-comers to sneer at the idea of earthquakes ; but he knew what they were, and he considered it was nonsense to suppose that there would not be any more earthquakes here. Mr. Tustin said the trustees could not decide what to do then, but they : best to make an effort to get some money in, because there was a large amount of sympathy felt for the congregation outside, and yet they could not go to the outside public for subscriptions before they had themselves shown what they intended to give. Mr. Helibb spoke strongly in faVOr of the old site, and said if it were decided to have the church there he might double his promised subscription if things went well with him. He ridiculed the idea of a brick church being dangerous. : He,said there were brick buildings all over Wellington Occupied for six days of the week by people working for the thread that perisheth, ! ’ and yet people ‘thought it would be unsafe to go into’ the houseof- God for-- a few - hours a week for the purpose of -worship. He had conversed with practical men, and from what he - had heard he believed a brick church could be had for. the same money as a-wooden one would cost/ He said the old church had been rotten in places. Any style of church would suit him, but let them keep to-the same site. Mr. Godbard . thought it unwise for the meeting to discuss whether the church should be of wood or brick. The trustees were as much in favor of that site as other people, but -by the regulations a church - there must be of brick; and therefore -whether that site were used or not would- depend upon what money came in. ■■ • ■' ■

■ Mr. Bennett advocated the trustees saying what they meant to do. He said a brick church would cost considerably more than a wooden one, and he thought a new site should be advertised for. - - Mr. Clark said the-trustees were not in a position to give tho desired information. They did not’know yet what steps to take, but they would do nothing without mature consideration. ■ He counselled patience. • -. > Mr. Moxham followed in the same strain. At various intervals during the eyening’s proceedings, the Chairman , announced the promised subscriptions, which rapidly came in. The Kev. Mr. Williams said ,he,:had predicted that morning that they would have the best love-feast , that evening they had ever experienced,, and it had certainly been a very practical one. ’ Ho was glad to find, that his reputation as a prophet had not been damaged, for, including the conditional amounts, £B4O 12s. had been promised. (Applause.) He thought . now they might fairly go to the public and ask for help in this time of need, and he felt sure there was such a’feeling of sympathy abroad that they would not ask in vain. . He 1 said the usual Sunday services would be held in that building morning and evening, and Sunday school in the.afternoon. He looked upon the success of their meeting as a pledge of good things to come;

The Chairman thanked the choir—who had performed several selections during the evening—for the - Very efficient services they had rendered for many years past in the old church. (Applause.) He hoped the members would still adhere to them. He was glad to find that the choir attended,.the Wednesday evening services, after which they had practice. The Arcade was hired for Wednesday evening services, and he hoped the choir would attend them as usual.

The proceedings were then brought to a close by the Doxology, the chairman havi ,g previously announced a meeting at Mr. Tustin's shop this evening.