PRIMITIVE METHODIST SABBATH SCHOOL, GERALDINE.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1560, 24 March 1887, Page 3

PRIMITIVE METHODIST SABBATH SCHOOL, GERALDINE.

The usual soiree and public meeting in connection with the above Sunday school anniversary took place at the Primitive JU -'hodist Church on Toes* day even. » last. The gathering took the ' vofold form of being the anniversary gathering and also for the purpose of welcoming- the Rev. W. j. Dean, the newly-appoiotod pastor to the circuit. The church was prettily decorated with ferns, an arch of ferns emending over the front of the pulpit, and tb& word “Welcome” being written against the wall. The tables were loaded with all that was calculated to tempt the appetite. The fol'owing ladies presided Mesdames Kennington and Fronting, and the Misses Maslin, Rusbatch, and Andrews, teachers of the school, assisted by other ladies, The attendance was fair. At the public meeting held afterwards the chair was occupied by the Superintendent of the School, Mr W, S. Maslin, and on the platform were the Rev. W. J. Dean, Mr A. Sherratt, and Mr J. S. Waite, Superintendent of the Geraldine Band of Hope. The Chairman stated the obiect for which they had met that evening. With regard to the Sunday-School they had had a prosperous year notwithstanding the depression that had existed. The Jear had been started with a balance in and of Us 9d. . Tha income had. been £3l 8a 3sd, making a total of £22 3s OJd. ■ The expenditure had been £l9 11s 6|d, leaving a balance in hand of £2 11s 6d, , The number of children bad not increased to a very large extent, as several of the scholars had left the district. The past year began with 82 names upon the roll, at the close there wore 86, showing an increase of four notwithstanding that ten had left. The number of teachers at the commencement of the year was 12, there ware now 13. He was much pleased with the general tone of the school, and with the hearty manner in which the teachers had entered into their work. It was intended to start a training class for the elder scholars in order to train them as teachers, •o that in the event of the occasional ah eence of a teacher the vacancy could b - filled op. Pe urged upon both parents end scholars to co-operate with the teachers in the work of the school. (ApF. Howard, “The Water Song ” ; recitation, Ellen Bowkett; recitation, Edmond King, “ Robert and Anne ”} hymn by the choir, “My Saviour Stands Waiting.” Mr A. Sherratt, who came next, said be had not prepared a speech for that evening. He was, however, very glad to hear from the report read that the school was making such progress. As regards his own class he could not speak of them as favorably a,a he w ould like to do, but still, taking them on the whole, they had got on fairly well. He was glad to see that they bad got two or three more scholars at the end of the year than at the beginning. With regard to the class it was proposed to establish as a sort of training class for teachers, so as to have teadhers m reserve, be thought it a very good .and advisable thing. They had a similar class connected with the school soma years ago, presided over by his brother, and he believed that many of those connected with X<the church had received good and useful . 'Umformation in that class. While ho was ' thankful for the progress they , bad made during the past year he could not but refiect that they bad not made the progtess they should have done. He often * thought that if the teachers were ■thoroughly devoted to their work ; if they prepared their lessons before they came • to the class; if they came prepared to carry out discipline and to try and instil into the young minds those truths that would help them to live pious and God-fearing lives, no matter what their ■ calling might be, he often thought the school would make greater progress than t jt had done. If they were to be success- * ful as teachers they must prayerfully and earnestly devote themselves to the wo*k, ' and then they could go to God and plead the promise that He had given them that they should not labor in vain nor spend their strength for nought. Then they might expect success and expect that r every department of the Church would . make progress. ‘ He was glad to know that the meeting was partly for the purpose of welcoming Mir Dean. When he (the speaker) was their representative at the District Meeting he had tried his best to get a single man for Geraldine, but the fact of the matter was the single men had nearly all got married, and he found it impossible to do so. He felt, however, that the hand of Providence had been working in sending Mr Dean to Geraldine. He was very glad indeed to so# • him among them, and could give him a most hearty welcome. Their new pastor had told them last Sunday morning that they could not expect him to do everything. They could not expect to make progress on that station unless they helped him. He (Mr Sherratt) felt that it applied to personally, and he had resolved to do his best. He bad no 'doubt that if they all tried to do so God wou'd bless » their efforts and next year they would be able to report an increase of a great many . members in the Church. Ho urged upon his bearers to do their utmost to raise the Geraldine station. If they did that they would bo able to go to the District Meeting and ask for the very best minister on the'Hat, and"get him. (Applause.) Recitation, Harry Howard, “Grandmother Georgia Sherratt, a mite of about five years old recited “lam a litt'e soldier,” capitally. Recitation, Emma King ; Choir, hymn No. 157. Mr J. S. Waite, who was referred to by the Chairman in flattering terms as ib* Superintendent of the Band of Hope,

expressed the great pleasure he felt at being present that evening, and to hear of the progress being made by the Sabbath School. It must be very gratifying to *ha teachers and others connected with the school to find that their labors had not been in vain. It was very pleasing to find that the school was increasing and not decreasing. It was wonderful to see the progress made by Pond-y Schools since their foundation by Kobe.c Raikes. Now there were Sunday Schools ia every part of the British dominion. Ho trusted that those who took an interest in the school whose anniversary they were now celebrating would, after hearing the report, feel a deeper interest in, and a stronger determination to press on in, the work in which they were engaged. He hoped the parents of the children would help the teachers by endeavoring to carry out the suggestion that they should see to it that the children had their lessons learnt, iud were in their plncos on the Sunday ifternoon. He thought nothing was more pleasant to a teacher than to find t hat a scholar took an interest in his class ■pd came prepared with bis lesson. He (Mr Waite) was very glad indeed to meet Mr Dean there as pastor of the church. He thought the circuit had made a very aise choice. From what he know of Mr Dean's labors in the fast, be was quite sure that God had sent him there to stir iip>the work, and that his labors would be owned and blessed by God. They had I men so owned and blessed wherever Mr Dean had been, and he was quite sure they would be io Geraldine, He trusted that under God's blessing Mr Dean might linng them all to know Christ, Whom to know was life eternal. He hoped the school would continue to grow vigorously, and that the class they proposed to establish would prove' of great and lasting benefit, productive of much good. In conclusion, Mr Waite urged upon the children to love and honor their teachers nud their parents. (Applause). Recitation, Walter Maslin; recitation, Fanny Gibson, “The Little Girl’s Lamenthymn, by the choir, “ Looking only to Jesus; recitation, Emily Maslin, “ The Boya.” The Rev. J. W. Dean, who next addressed those present, said he was hardly prepared to take part in a meeting that partook of the dual character of an anni* verssry tea meeting and also one to welcome himself. He thought be was pretty well known in Geraldine, as he had often been there and addressed them before.

Ho felt very grateful to the friends who Jmd preceded him that evening, and had spoken bo kindly concerning himself. He remarked that Mr Sberratt had told them that he had tried bard to get a single man. He supposed Mr Sherratt wanted to shift the blame of his presence among them on to somebody elae’a shoulders, so that when they got tired of him (Mr Dean) they would know who to grumble at. (Laughter). He had come to Geraldine to do what he could for the place, and he did not believe an archangel could do more than that. .As be bad teld them on Sunday morning, ho must have theif cooperation, or he would be able to do nothing. There must be co-operation on the part of the people and pestor if the work of God was to bo a success. He asked them for that co-operation, and he was certain that if it wore granted God would recognise their efforts, and he should be instrumental in God's hands in accomplishing much good. He had come there as the pas cor of the Primitive Methodist Church, not to shut himself up within his own church, but he looked upon himself as a citizen of the city of Geraldine. He had once been introduced to a meeting as Mr Dean who belonged to nobody,” the explanation being that he did not confine himself exclusively to hie own church, but belonged to everybody. (Applause). He looked upon that introduction as a compliment. He detested anything like sectarianism in the work of (jod, and especially Christian ministers shotting themselves up in their own denomination, and refusing to recognise any good other brethren who are engaged in the same work and have the same object in vie w, may do. He should feel it his duty to endeavor to advance the community, whether that advancement be political, social, or moral. He felt it his duty to take part in anything that was for the benefit of the towns, people, and, although he might sometimes appear to go out of bounds, that was a matter between his conscience and bis God. His aim bad ever been to do some good in the world while connected with it. Ho just made these remarks in order to place himself upon a proper footing with the members of the church and with the community at large. With regard to the Sabbath School, he recognised the magnitude and all-importance of the work. He thought if there was one thing that should claim their greatest interest and carefulness it was in connection with the Sabbath School. (Applause), They all knew that in the past this institution had not occupied the position it should have done in the Christian church. There had been a tendency to isolate the school from the church. It had been looked upon as something very good, but not a part and. parcel of the church organisation, He was very glad that a change bad taken place. He did not think, there was any work of such magnitude and importance as the grand and glorious work of the Sabbath School, teacher. It was not merely a moral and intellectual work, bul a work that had to do with the soul. Some time ago the work was not so easy as it wag now. Formerly the School lessons was about the only iustruc tion a great many got, and the teaohen had to be both religious and seculai instructors, Now-a-days the iostructiot given them was confined more to th< welfare of the sonl. The beauty of th work was that it was undertaken a precisely the right time. When the heart was tender and moat likely to receive imi pressions the Sabbath School teacher stepped in and endeavored to implant those impressiens which ape right ftnd pure and good, Mr Dean pointed oqt at ponsider* able length the importance and responeibility attached to the work* and then went on to mention some of the qualifications necessary in the tpagher. jn the first place there must be the fire of geal. He believed in convicted teachers. Another great requisite was patience. Punctuality was another important point, „nd perseverance was absolutely necessary. They must not be discouraged because they did not see the result of their labors at once. He bade them to remem* ber how long the Divine Master toiled and labored j bow He preached end how

fr, q lent y Ho prajed, and how few the'e were ■■•• b > seemed to be benefited by flis ministry ; and if it was so in His case, should ihey be disconrhged and give up in despair because thuy saw not tbs results ihey expected and desired 1 He could assure the teachers that if they labored earnestly, prayerfully, and with a single eye to God’s glory in the work He had given them to do, they would in the end have to thank Him for having givsn them the blessing of having been enabled to work in the Sabbath School. They ell knew how larrikinism was spreading in the colonies. He believed the antidote for this evil was to set before the young people the way they should go, to endeavor to plant Gospel principles in their hearts, and to train them up in the fear of God. We should then have a better slate of things in the colonies than at the present time, when the enemies of truth were trying to lead the youth of the colony astray. He called upon his hearers to endeavor to prenent Our youths from falling into the traps set for them. It was honorable, profitable, and joyous to work for God, and he prayed God that Ho would bless not only that, but every other school in Geraldine. (Mr Dean was listened to attentively, and sat down amidst applause.) Hymn, by the choir, “ Eden above j’ recitation, Either Piseey, “The fishes recitation, Willie Maslin, “The free seat.” Mr Maslin moved a hearty vote of thanke to the ladies, whose efforts had made the meeting such a success. He also moved a vote of thanke to Miss Andrews for the excellent manner in which she had presided at the harmonium. Mr Dean moved a vote of thanks to the Chairman. The vote* were carried by acclamation. Hymn, by the choir, “ Oh, what has Jeeui done for me f” The Chairman stated that it was intended to hold a gift anotion ehortly. There woe a debt of £B6 still owing on the church, which they intended to make vigorous efforts to wipe off. They would be very glad to receive gifts of eattle, itoek, eto., which they could turn into cash. The Benediction, pronounced ly the Bev. Mr Dean, terminated a most enjoyable evening.