KNOX CHURCH.

Otago Witness, Issue 2894, 25 August 1909, Page 12

KNOX CHURCH.

ANNUAL REPORT. The annual meeting of the office-bearers of Knox Church for the year ended June 30 contains the following: — It was with feelings somew&at akin to dismay that the congregation learned in .- November last that the General Assembly of the Church had selected our minister for the mastership of the new Knox Col-lege-^-one of the most important appojntmente in its giit. The Rev. Mr tlcwiison's nomination to the position was made by the Assembly with such unanimity, and was received by the press and the public _ with approval so decided and cordial as to render •inevitable our pastor'-s acceptance of the new office. The Assembly's call was duly considered at a meetipg of *he congregation held on November 16, when «. resolution was unanimously adopted concurring in the Assembly's estimate of our revered pastor's suitability for the position, and agreeing, though with\ sincere regret,, to his translation to the mastership of the college and a professorehip in Ac Theological HalL Mr Hewiteon s resignation of the pastorate of the church took effect at 31st December, 1908, and he occupied the pulpit as minister for the last time on Sunday, December 13. One of the most signal "proofs of the congregation's trust and esteem for its pastor ib afforded by the office-bearers' intimation to the Dunedin Presbytery of their desire that, if possible, Mr Hewitson should be appointed Moderator during the vacancy. The request was agreed to. and 'Mr Hewit•on assumed the moderatorahip as soon as he was legally qualified so to do, the Rev. Andrew Cameron acting as interim Moderator. May the Great Shepherd bestow upon us His holy and blessed Spirit that . as a congregation we may, in this critical and testing time, exhibit cohesion, loyalty and 6pirituaJ interest; and may He send us- in His own good time a worthy successor to. the gifted and gracious men who mi past yearrf have broken unto us tho Bread' of LJfe — one who will impress deeply the churoh and the community with the fear and tho love of God. The additions to the membership of the congregation have been 61— viz., 28 by profffaion and 33 by certificate from other churches. The disjunctions were 95— viz , 21 by death and 75 by certificate. The disjunctions by certificate iaeiude a number who left Dunedin a eonskferaWe time eince, but owing to special circumstances -bare been retained on the communion roll ""f ll ]as* y««£- The total membership is bow. 1029. The attendances at ihe cW manione were: September, 675; December, 770; March, 732; June, 622. During tiU ye»r 26 marriages and 28' baptisms were celebrated and 39 funeraJs attended. The Church of the future to a very great extent depends on the Sabbath eohool of fo^lay A strong Sunday school and a loeen hvmg interest on the part of Churoh members m its work are the surest guarantee of a strong Church now' and in the days ,to come. Attendances have been good throughout the year, and the discipline maintained has been excellent. Mr Todd &as thrown himself into his work with an earnestness and enthusiasm that have* comjnttnioated themselves to all the members of the staff. Knox Sunday School heads all other Presbyterian .schools in tho JJommion in numbers. It is difficult to estimate just now the value of the work !2 6: £"* We oan cay t^ a * *^ c Y ea ' r iust ended ; has been successful' in every: wav — the inter**?* of the scholars and the devotign of ihe teachers have been most oomMiendabie. ' The sdhool has. added to the ohuroh membership during the year a number of its senior scholars, most of whom have gone «ght through the sc&ool. Statistics are as follow: —

.The total amount subscribed by Enos Church to the Sustentafton Fund for the year ending 31st March last' was ' £406, an increase of £6 as compared wrtfti the previous year. This is co far satisfactory, but the General Assembly's regulations require £22 more from us. That is, we should' have assisted other congregations to the extent of £222, but only did so to the extent of £200. The necessary increase 13 not large for a ohuroh like our©, and as the very existence of many of our churches in Otago and Southland is dependent on this fund being properly supported, it is earnestly hoped that our people, both niem-

bers and adherents, will remember this in arranging their religious givings. The Debt Extinotion Fund Committee has pkasuxe in stating that the total collected to date amounts to £1000, and this has enabled it to purchase and oanceJ debentures of the church to a like amount. The debenture debt is thus reduced to £2500. In addition to fche sum collected, further promises are held to the extent of £700. The statement of receipts and expenditure now presented shovre that for the year ending 30th June our ordinary revenue has exceeded expenditure by £192 16s lid, the figures being:— Receipt^ £1918 15s 4d; expenditure, £1725 18s sd. In addition to these sums we hava collected and paid over for special objects .the sum of £1528 16s .6d, making tho total amount raised during fche _ year -£34-47 lls IQd, as against £3318 2s for the previous year. This, considering that for six ninths we were without a minister, may be considered highly satisfactory. The net indebtedness of the congregation at tha clcse of the year was £2886, as shown in fche statement, being £1192 16s lid less then on 30th- June, 1808

tain School 'elichet Bay reith Valley •in« Rill Scholar* Arerage on 8011. AttendBoys. Girls. Total, anee. '..; 286 396 682 552 jff „> 14- - 41 28 J9J 9 ' 24 33-19 15 14 2» > 9$