Patea Church Meeting.

Patea Mail, 7 July 1882, Page 2

Patea Church Meeting.

PROPOSED NEW CHURCH. The annual meeting of parishoners connected with St George’s Church was held on Wednesday evening, in the Harmonic Hall.. The attendance was moderately numerous, the weather being inclement ; and a noticeable innovation was the presence .of many of the ladies of the congregation. Probably 70 to 80 personswere present. The new and energetic curate, Rev Lloyd Keating, who has accepted the vacant curacy for a short time, presided at the meeting. ■ Business was opened with a hymn and prayer. Finances and Arrears. The Treasurer, Mr Gervase D. Hatnerton, read the annual report and statement of accounts. The vestry regretted that so small an advance had been made towards paying off old liabilities. They, had however paid L2O 6s 10 for repairs to parsonage house, L 6 10s for chandeliers to church, and L 5 Is lid interest on overdraft, besides L2 12s Id sent away as special offertories, making, a total of L 47 os4d. All arrears on the side of last year’s statement had been struck off, the collector being unable to*get them in. The late curate’s removal to Karori had left this curacy vacant from January till June ; but the Bishop had provided an occasional minister. The Rev Mr Keating had now taken the curac} r for three months, until a permanent curate can be obtained. The congregation were congratulated on signs of renewed vitality in church matters here ; and it was hoped they would heartily support the proposal for building a new church. A bell being much needed, it was suggested that one should be procured for the present church, to be used afterwards fdr the' new structure.

“In tins connection the vestry, would say |hat they have now received definite authority to raise on loan of the parsonage property a sum of £4OO, to bo applied in and towards church building, such sum to be supplemented from the parish by such balance, as may be required. You are, therefore, asked to come forward to inaugurate the good work speedily, and remove the reproach of having so unworthy a place of worship in our town. “In conclusion, your vestry have to call particular attention to the serious laxity which has for the past sis months existed in payment of the general church fund subscriptions and the pew renls, whereof no less than L 77 16s 8d was overdue on Friday last. The vestry, however, feel bound to remark that the laxity has greatly increased since the resident minister left the district ; and furthermore, while on the subject, the vestry have to inform you that having incurred a personal liability of Ll3O, and therewith paid the late curate the whole of his arrears, and the general church fund having been established to meet stipends, in poor districts, and this district having been without a minister since January, and hence no charge on the general church fund,' they have—and they submit justly so —by resolution decided to apply in repayment of overdraft for stipend all subscriptions and pew rents which have accrued due from the time of Mr Dasent leaving here until the arrival of Mr Keating, and they have therefore to request that all persons who have promised subscriptions to the fund will kindly call on the collector and leave the amount with him.” The balance sheet showed L 4 9s 8d due to the Treasurer. The other old liabilies had been covered by overdraft on a promissory note guaranteed by the vestry ; and it is to liquidate this that they purpose applying the revenue accruing since Mr Dasent removed.

The Curate expressed to the officers the thanks of the meeting, and of himself, for their sevices in the past ,-year. He especially thanked Mr Horner as Curate’s warden for his active and zealous aid in church matters.

. M r 0. F. Barker asked a question aa to the debt incurred in paying the retiring Curate’s salary, and objected to the vestry’s arrangement for liquidating that debt. He said they had practically mortgaged the offertories for an indefinite time to pay a debt which might have been Wiped off if an appeal had been made to church members at the time. Mr Hamerton : We had tried that so often during the last year, and with such poor results, that we thought it better to raise the money on our own names. Mr Barker : My impression is that, as the clergyman was leaving, you would have got the money by a special appeal

.instead of having this debt hanging over you. Curate : That is like crying over spilt milk. Mr Tennent moved the adoption of report and balance sheet, and paid ; It would have been disgraceful on our part to let our late Curate, go away without paying off this arrear. Several subscription lists were going round about that time, and.we did not think another appeal would meet with much success. We who signed the bill are the only persons likely to suffer. Mr W. Cowern seconded the motion, and said ; The debt had been owing some time, and I-think the vestry had a perfect right to take measures for pajdng it off. Mr Horner: I feel ashamed that we had these arrears. There was an old debt hanging over the organ fund at that time, and it was liquidated in the same manner. If the money could have been got then by subscription, it is still open for persons to subscribe now, and any gentleman interested may go round now with a subscription list and liquidate that debt, (Laughter.) The report and balance sheet adopted. Election of Officers. Mr Horner was reappointed Curate 1 warden, The Curate said that before re-electing the former vestrymen, who were entitled to the hearty thanks of the congregation ' for their zealous labors, it would be desirable to increase the number, and he suggested several suitable names. Mr G. ■D, Hamerton . was re-elected Treasurer. Five names were then proposed for the vestry, but some declined, namely Mr Tennent (who thought others should take a turn at the work), Mr W. Cowern, Mr J, Richards, and Mr Christie. The Curate regretted to see such disinclination to take an active share in managing church affairs. Mr Cowern ; Is there any. objection to ladies being members of the vestry? (Laughter.) Eventually it was agreed to elect only three vestrymen, namely Mr Taplin, Mr Barton, and Dr Keating. - Mr John Marchant, of Wellington, was re-elected as delegate to the Synod. PROPOSED NEW CHURCH. Curate: That being the end of the ordinary business, I have now to ask you to take into consideration the present state of our church, which is.simply disgraceful. . It has come to my ears during my short stay among you that I speak too plainly. I don’t speak plainly enough. Some people here expect a clergyman to come and preach about nothing whatever. As long as I am in Patea, I shall endeavor to speak as plainly as I can. Ido think our present building is a disgrace to the Church of England. Tills community is the largest, I believe, and undoubtedly the wealthiest in the district. One cause of the slackness, here is. that the holy communion has been so seldom celebrated, and the neglect of it leads to this, that the people esteem Christ’s religion Jess than they should. How are funds to be provided for the erection of a church ? The best and the right way is to come directly and give in such a way that they will feel they have given Something, and denied themselves something. If every one gave according to his ability, there would be no difficulty in erecting a handsome structure, and one worthy of Patea and of the Church-people" in this place. As there are many of our Churchpeople who do not believe in the truths of Christianity in their integrity, I am afraid we cannot expect to raise all we require by this direct taxation of ourselves; There will be no difficulty in arranging a series of concerts and entertainments. There might be a possibility of bazaar. I dislike bazaars, but we have a new church somehow, and cannot get it in one way, we must get it another, by honest means. It is my present intention to deliver a lecture for the same object, making a small charge for admission, the proceeds to be devoted to the church building fund. It will be on. Bob Ingersoll as an irreligious leader; and I should specially give my attention to his book “ The mistakes of Moses.” Mark Twain said he would not give ten cents to hear Ingersoll lecture on the mistakes of Moses, but he would give a thousand dollars to hear Moses on the mistakes of Ingersoll. (Laughter.) Ido think my lecture on Ingersoll will be better worth hearing than his lecture on Moses.

Mr Tennent moved “ That in view of the increase in the population of. Patea

and its neighborhood, and of the fact that applications for sittings in the church are far in excess of its accommodation that the present building is inadequate for the requirements of Patea, and in (he opinion of this meeting it is desirable that a new church sonld be erected to increase the financial strength and usefulness of the Anglican communion of this town.” He stated the steps already taken in the matter, and said : It was suggested to the Bishop that there is a valuable endowment in this town almost lying idle, namely the present parsonage grounds, about-5 acres. That property hip? a mortgage of £2OO on it ; and the vestry proposed that a new mortgage of £6OO should be raised on the property, and after paying off the present mortgage there would be a balance of £4OO towards the building of a new church, if the people could be induced to supplement it with about the same amount, It is not necessary that such a large paddock should be kept for the use of a clergyman. About three acres could be taken off and sold in building sites on leases of 21 years. Those sites ought to bring in £8 to £lO a year; and that would pay interest on the whole of the mortgage. That would be a good beginning, and would also increase the value of the church propertyThe Bishop and the trustees of the property have agreed to our proposal ; and the least we can do is tc supplement this Xi4oo. There are 60 sittings let, and the remainder are kept as free seats. A great number of church-people reside in this neighbourhood ; and about 250 to 300 sittings in the new church would accommodate the present opnlation. The rents from these sittings would help largely towards the support of a'clergyman. If 100 sittings were let, the present rents would be increased ; with a larger congregations there wouldbe larger offertories. It is about ten years since a church was built in this place, and the community have been free from calls for money, except small ones. We can now afford to put our hands in our pockets, and erect a church that will be a credit and an ornament to this town. Mr Hamerton seconded the motion, and suggested that the sittings should be charged at a lower rate wnen more accommodation is provided in the new church. He thought 10s a year sufficient, together with offertories and other claims. Mr Barker ; What amount do the vestry propose to spend on a new church ? Mr Hamerton : About £BOO. Curate : A church similar to the plans hers shown was erected in Feildirig for about £650, and adding the increased cost for timber at this place, it is reckoned that a church similar to this could be built here for about £BOO. Curate : When the new church is built, the present structure can be used as a Sunday school, and for entertainments. On the motion of Mr Barker, it was resolved that the present building be used for a Sunday school and similar objects, as soon as the new church is built, It being undesirable to again use a church as a Sunday school. Mr Horner moved, apd Mr Taplin seconded, “That the heed of a new church being evident, a subscription list should be opened at- once, and contributions solicited for this desirable object, and that the curate and Mr Horner be especially authorised to collect moneys for.this purpose, assisted by a ommittee of ladies.” Considerable discussion ensued as to whether a list should be opened in the room, or whether canvassers should go round. The motion was carried. A committee of ladies to assist in collecting subscriptions was appointed as follows : —Mrs Christie, Mrs Barker, Mrs Keating, Miss Turner, M Tennant, and Mrs Dale. The question was raised as to changing the site. Mr Cowern suggested an application to Government for an exchange of land. Curate would like to see the church erected on the best and most expensive section in the town. This question was eventually left over. . A subscription list was then taken about the room ; but when several members suggested that their names should not be put down at present, as they would consider and contribute later, The Curate returned to the table and expressed strong dissapointment at so many refusals. Although here only for a short time, he had offered to give £5, and he thought local churchmen should do something worthy of their own professions.

The list was again taken round, and about £l4O was promised, in sums of £2 up to £2O. A hymn closed the meeting.