PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 8, Issue 456, 15 August 1919, Page 2

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.

Meeting of Parishioners. Tho annual general meeting ol parishioners of St. Jumc.V church, Pukekohe, was hold in the church on Thursday, August 7th, and notwithstanding the number of counter attractions, thero was a fairly good attendance of parishioners, including a largo Mini': r of lady niem'nrs "f the charge. Kev S. Nixon presided, and the meeting was opened, with the singing of the " Old Hundredth," follower! by a Scripture reading, after which the congregation engaged in prayer. THE SESSION' HFI'ORT.

Rev S. Nixon read the session re poi:, which gave an outline of the year's work, as follows :—'• Your session, in submitting its annual report, desires to acknowledge with deep thankfulness the providence of God in both spiritual and material things. For four years wo have met while the dark cloud of w.-ir hung over our Empire and over the world. Your session rejoices with all God's poople at the advent of peace, and heart'ly joins with the members of this congregation, and with all poople throughout the Empire, in the universal paan of thankfulness to God for the cessation of hostilities and the dawn of a new ora of peice and progress. And, in such a day, your session would not forget thoso 1 whose hearts are still sore becausoof ' the ravages of war, and prayerfully ' commend them to the loving symJ pathy of the strong Son of God ' During the closing months of the ' year 1918 our Dominion was visited - by tho terrible influenza scourge. 1 Disease, though invisible, is always ' a more insidious foe than tho enemy that can bo seen with tho eye. During that epidemic many tine promising and useful lives were 1 taken away from this earthly tutelage. As part of the chuich uni- • versal, your session recognises with 3 gratitude the heroism and endurauco ' and the solf-sacrifice of a gieat ' number of people of our country, who gave themselves over to nurse the sick, tend the children, aud comfort the dying. In our own congregation, we suffered con&id-'raidy, and your session commends ali who have suffered ltfreavemeat to Him a whose promise is that of pioximity f in time of sorrow and need. It is a with regret your session r cor is a j long list of names of our (Jhu>eh t people who have passed away during e the year. There have been nineteen funerals, most of which have been ol men .and wornon who had served , God and humanity beyond the 5 allotted span of life. Excepting the time of the epidemic, tho Sunday services were regularly carried out, and the attendance of worshippers } lu;s been good. Hearty thanks are duo to tlio.se who heipod in carrying j on these soivices, especially to Mr E. . Allan, who during anoiher year has , placed himself unreservedly at the disposal of your session. During the year live members wt-.ie disjoined by i certiticate, and rhrce by death. Four now rr embers have been added to the roll. The Sunday schools have ilourished during the year, and the attendance of scholars has improved. There are at present 182 sehohrs and 20 teachers in our schools. To all superintendents and teachers the session desires to expresi its (hep sense of gratitude for their noble and self-sacrificing work. Your sasI sion records its thanks to all org.in- , ists and choirs who have helped in ' carrying out this essential part of t the services. For a", those things i wo praise tho giver of all go id. Finally, your session is pleased to observe that there is, throughout the ( oharge, a spirit of harmony and r peace. In this new era of victory ( and peace, entering upon an age of re-construction, your se-sion exhorts , all members and adherents throughi out tho parish to lie constant in , prayer for oveiy branch of the ' Church's work, especially for those ministering in spiritual things, fhat they may bo strengthened of God and inspired by the floly Spirit " SK'.UET.UO '.« lIFI'OUT, In his report to the parishioners, tho Secretary (Mr G K. M M u rison) stated- " our last congregational me in , we are thank- : ful to Almightj, G d that peaco has 1 been restore(l o f he world. A' our meeting five you* ago ir was '.nnounced tha' Kii-Jtud had declared 1 war, and tl ■ w\i;.s following were full of anxiet\ ; hut we aie now ' happily vselr-ji'-iuir h >;■ o m>i:y >■! ' our gallant soldiers, with wL<i.mj ;.s=istance wo look forwari to great strength and vigour ; >."hurra 'ire in the years to come. 1,: i\' ,v mbar last the whole of the iMnmsm was

visitoil hy the soi!''U- cj''.l mic, which necessitated th mp. :. .ion ol' hervues for several As christian po-'ple, wo think it worthy to note wi li ' i-iO s[ hi: of lloljlfll'llOSH \\ llit'll IK:'.!! ''.l'd ;• ojili! of nil classes to work . i lighting the ma.'ady, and in ii-ji-ieiing asd>; n .. e to tho'.su uMlit-tod. 1'::- ,; the j.a,; year meetings of :lm „<in r,i » ommitti'o have hoeii hei 1 o. e j<j | ur ; . i. u with the loc il c iiumit i>, mi tin 1 hist of i-v.-ry m mil /I'.-t-so I meetings have In i;. f.uily w .si I attended, and Iho lm i ,--,■, j done in il Very Mili- i.-ote! ■, in uiii! i 1 Special services In Id 'ltii: > ■ lie- \' ;; j were- Chiliron'a Day, I Day, Clural service hy the i-lioir, a; il ! the Moderator'* \i-nt: fi'i those were

attended i>y 1 ige c ng'vg.uions j \V"o recorded ,: i our hut re t v'it iliat i tho sum of £7 • ( peeially < out; ihu' i lit our juhilee, i:. M:iy, !'■'! '< i-s ; hoen paid on t!..> mortgage on dm I manse prop-' 'y, oum>wisn our ii •- anees reniai.: .d.oiu the sain.' 1 "1 nthanks of (he e in ni'teo him du • io those ladies u';o eolleit'd fine's fur Cliureh pii'-p.. r-, and • > a'l lli s-> who otherwi i> ussi 'i>i| in ('linn h I work. (lur ili.-f- ie! is iiif.'iTili'iii' mi- ■ joying groat pi\.spoii;v, and n:irj population is iuciv im::,.', wlii.-h I should he hvfois in more generous giving, to s'.i'ii;::lii :i our linn.rial : position. It will lm your duty to- • nighi" to elect tho following ollii-ois for the coming year: (}enoitil Seerotary, (J. nei'.il Tiea-mer, and Auditor,"

Tho report way adopted, on tlw j motion of Mr J. Adam I ', seconded by Mr G Ingram, without ' '.i UK.\svnKi-*'s kF.rour The Treasurer' a <V[r A. Gr'gcr} report showed th it there \\ is a debit habitue of £' o. The year's debit was approximatoly £l:j, against which there had been an extra expenditure of £2O duung 'he year. t Mr E. Allan, in moving the adoption of the report, urged the parishioners, in the coming year, to take a greater interest in their Church, and do all in their power to put matters on a stronger financial basis. Mr G. Blake seconded the motion The Auditor (Mr W. E. Gundy) said the balance-sheet, as compared with last year's figures, showed that they were £ll to the bad on the past year's work. He thought an effort should be made to wipe of? tho deficit. The report was adopted. F.T.E' TIOX 01- OFFICERS. The following officers wero elected: —General Treasurer, Mr A. Grigor (re-elected) ; Secretary, Mr C. K Morrison (re-elected); Auditor, Mr W. E. Gundy (re-elected). The following gentlemen are to bo asked to allow themselves to be in ducted as Elders of the Church: Mossrs E. Allan, A. Grigor, G. Ingram, G. Morrison, J. Crosbie, D. Clarkson, and W. Robinson (Pukekohe East). They were declared elected by the Rev Nixon, subject to their consent bnng obtained. Mr James Roulston, in moving that Mr E. Allan's name be included in the lint of Elders, eulogised the excellent work accomplished by Mr Ulan during his long connexion with the Church. He referred morn particularly to the excellent service given by Mr Allan in assisting their Minister with the services in the Pnkekoho Church.

Mr Allan suid for thirteen years ho had objected to being elected an Elder, but on this occasion he had consented to be nominated for the position. Ho wanted the support and co-operation of the parishioners. Rev 8. Nixon, at the conclusion of the business briefly addressed those present, lie said that during the last two years, not a hingle penny had been devoted to inissi uary work. A church with no nvssionary spirit won d not !>rosper. They had reached the dawn of auew eia in the world's history, and it was for them to take up a different attitude in the future Ne referred to t!m vast changii made in the Arneiicau navy with regard to divine worship. Every one in the American navy was made to attend divine service. America has hor eyes open, he added He wanted the support of the congregation and without support tlif> church would go back. The parishioners would have t<> considor seriously the (juestiou of building a hall for .social purposes. The m mso reijuirod to be painted, as at present it was going to rack and ruin. They would also have to consider the question of ob(ambig a conveyance in order that he could get round the district. At present they paid him a salary and out of this ho had t > provide £2.5 to £3O towards the upkeep of a horse. It could not be done under the present high cost of living He hoped that those who hai been nominated as elders would accept the position and if one and all did their little bit, he trusted that at the next annual mooting lli y would r,oo a great change for the better.

The singing of the Doxology terminated the meeting after which a musical evening was indulged in. Vocil items were tendered bv Misses M. fiiird, N. Perkins, and Messrs ti. B. Wilson. W. T. Jones and V. Roberts, and were well received. Mis-t ''c-nuian presided at the organ. Supper was partaken of and a very pleasant evening teiminated.