ST. STEPHEN’S CHURCH.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXIV, Issue 9425, 22 April 1909, Page 8

ST. STEPHEN’S CHURCH.

ANNUAL MEETING OF PARISHIONERS.

The annual meeting wap held at Martoa last evening, the Yen. Archdeacon Towgood being in the chair. THE VICAR’S ADDRESS.

Another Parochial year has come and ■ gone j and I am sensible during its progress of much kindly feeling and consideration at your hands. I wish to thank you one and all, more especially the Church Wardens, Vestry and all l other Church Workers, Some of our number have gone to their account. We may be called any day. May we make the most of what opportunities of service remain. A handsome gift of Christmas and Easter Altar Hangings, ahd’ijiiiVlms Box have, been given to i the God ; and the Vestry have undertaken, for which the Guild have been/working a long time, the purchase of" a new organ from Home, which I trust will be in position in June, and materially help our devotions. There has been an increasing attendance at the Early Celebration, which is a spiritual gain in many ways.. It is then that the heart and mind are best attuned to that special service which our Saviour instituted with so pathetic an appeal. We miss the Huntly boys ; from St. Stephen’s; their devotional behaviour alike in the aisle and the choir - ■ shows what religious training in the day 1 school means, in competent and reverent hands. I trust in the choir to see them replaced by our own boys; and I am glad to see lately in the choir father and . .son, both of whom are of St. Stephen’s School, The great event in the Diocese, and in some respects in New Zealand, has been the resignation of Mr Empson, and the appointment of Mr Dove to the Head Mastership of the Collegiate School, Wanganui. Mr Empson has achieved an unique work in transforming a flourishing academy into an English Public School; that is,'into a living entity going of itself. His influence is best seen in the fact that the Old Boys’ Association, which he started, has un- ■ • dertaken to raise £2OOO to build the ■ new Chapel, £IBOO of which has already been promised. It is an open secret, that tnis is in place of a gift of a more * personal nature, which they had reason to-believe would have been declined; but that the gift for the Chapel would be agreeable. Mr Dove is well-known ! to many of you. His voice has been heard in St. Stephen’s; and those of you who have read in the Chronicle of the 13th, his powerful and original address to |old Boys at Christ Church on Easter Sunday afternoon, will well understand how fortunate the Trustees have been in their choice of a successor to Mr Empson. There is a time to come and a time to go. It may be the time has come for me to resign. lam bound to the district by such long associations that it is difficult, for me to decide. Should some of you think so you might let me know in the course of a few weeks, and I would then put my resignation into the Bishop’s hands. One would give up the work of a life-time with regret, but the time must come shortly, and it is well not to overpass it. Mr Hedges’ departure has been a great loss to us. He gave up so large a portion of his time to the service of the Church. I need not say how much we all are indebted to the services of Mr Drinkwater, myself most of all. Messrs E. J. Wilde and A. J. Alloway, Churchwardens, presented the balance sheet, which was adopted with the report. The receipts show an increase on last year. Total offertories were £196 6s 5d against £172 15s lid, and special offertories £4l 4s 5d against £36 16s 9d. Seat rents and subscriptions show an increase of £1 16s 3d. The full amount of assessment for stipend has been paid, and it is hoped that this will not again get into arrears. It would be of great assistance if Parishioners will send in promptly their subscriptions, etc., when due. During the year the Vestry authorised the glazing of the Sanctuary windows. It is regretted that the work has not yet been completed, some panes which cracked having to be replaced. The pipe organ has been ordered, and is probably now in transit. £2OO of the purchase money has been paid, and a contract let for building an organ chamber. The Bulb Show conducted by the Ladies’ Guild was most successful, the net procee'ds amounting to £9O, and were devoted to the Organ Fund. . TJ:e election of officers resulted : Minister's Churchwarden, Mr A. J. Alloway; People’s Churchwarden, Mr E. J. Wilde; Vestrymen, Messrs P. P, White, A. W; Fullefton-Smith, R, Young, G. Barnett, E. Awdry, W. J. Birch and T. Funston. Mr A, J. Sicely was re-elected auditor, and appreciation of his work recorded. * The Vicar spoke in warm appreciation of the great assistance given by Mr A. L Alloway and felt glad that he had again consented to fill the office as his Churchwarden. Appreciation of the work done by Mr Wilde,, who had taken up Mr Hedges’ duties, as People’s Churchwarden, was recorded. Mr Wilde was unanimously elected to this position. On the proposition of Mr F. O. Wilscn, hearty Votes of thanks were - passed to the Vestry and to Messrs Wilde and Alloway for their satisfactory statement of accounts. A vote of thanks was passed to Mr F, O. Wilson for his successful work as Secretary of the Bulb Show. Mr Alloway drew attention to the state of footpaths leading to the Church. The roots from the plantation were damaging the asphalt and the Major had told him that the work of repair could not be gone on with unless something was done. — Referred to the Vestry. • ’ In reply to Mr Funston, the Vicar said the Sunday School was now in a more flourishing condition. A vote of thanks was pessed to the organists—Mrs Fuliertop-Smith and Miss Kennedy, With regard to the paragraph in the Vioat’s.report dealing with the possibility of his resignation, Mr Wilson suggested - that the matter might be left to the Vestry to discuss. The Archdeacon considered this would be the proper course to adopt. He would ask Mr Alloway to summon a Vestry meeting and would act on their advice.