PRIMITIVE METHODIST CHURCH, TEMUKA.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1652, 27 October 1887, Page 4

PRIMITIVE METHODIST CHURCH, TEMUKA.

The tea nnd public meeting in connection with the anuiversary of the Primitive Methodist Sunday School took place on Tuesday evening hat, tho Church being decorated for tho oocasioD. The attendanoo at tho tea was not as large as the exoellonoe of tho tea deserved, or tho fiuonoie of the evening would havo led on* to. expect, but all present seemed to heartily eDJoy themselves. Tho tea was provided by the ladies' of the congregation, and the tables were pre* side I over by the following : —Mesdatusa Woodley, Preddy, Rogers, Bryan, -pratlley, and Williams.

On the tables being oleared away tnt publio mooting oommenced, Mr Meteoh ocoiipying the chair. Proceedings oo c mencid with the singing of a hymn and prayer, after which the Chairman gave a short address, in the course of which ha expressed regret at the atteridaaoa being smaller than usual, but, if one could•'spbak for all, he believed all at the tea hud thoroughly enjoyed themselves, and ho hoped the meeting would be greatly blessed. They were celebrating the' fifth anniversary of their Sunday Sohool, and during the year just past they had done their best for its good. They had had disappointments, but nevertheless they had done fairly well, and they felt that God had greatly blessed thoir efforts, He trusted that Borne of the seed that had' been sown : had fallen on good ground, and in the future would bring forth good fruit. Being engaged-jn.-—-o-irw---bEOoi-wjrrgrti«««^-irorKythough it wag not always pleasant. He eonoluded by alluding to the stimulating effect a large congregation had on some preachers. Mr J. B. lipps, Secretary of the Sabbath School, read apologies for non attendance from the Rev. T. E. Jones (of i'imaiu), and Captain Ki&Bfill; (of the Salvation Avmy, Temuka). Both expressed sympathy wiih the object of the leathering. He then read the report, whioli showed .that the attendance at the aohool at" the commencement of the year was 48, which during the year had increased to 52. Fifteen scholars had left dusing tho year, ai;d 19 others joined, Those who-couduoted the .school wore a superintendent, vice-superintqhdenf, and four teaohers. They had lost : two of their most energetio teachers, and assistance in the aobool was much needed. The total income had been £8 2i 6£d, and the expenditure £B, leaving a balance of 2b 6|d. Mr Hall, after a few numorous remarks, said he. was glad to bo there. They had heard a good deal of late about bad times and rotrenchmeat, but, when he saw the tables laden with good things, and the number of persona partaking of them he began to think there wus not much of depression or retrenchment in Ttmuka. . Ho the a referred tothe excellence of the prizes presented .at the eohool on the previous bunday, and said ii was evident that much care had been cx> pended on the children. Many a race in life was lost through starting too late. la their early days boys and girh should acquire desires for everything that was good,'and right and juat. fle then spoke a few words of encouragement to the teachers, and concluded by wishing the Sabbath school {.very succees. Mr Hall illustrate i his remarks with one or two very appropriate end telling aneodotes, and was heertily applauded when he oonoluded. Mr Hilton (of Timarn) then gave a telling address, flu felt quite at home there as it wks in thfet pulpit he had .first spoken as a local preacher. He was glad to be present, bacttuse it was a Sunday School anriversary, And ho always sympathised with tbo boys and girlo. He liked to see ohildren inquisitive, especially in spirit ual things, for when ho saw them coma to the Sabbath Eohool and "auk their teachers tho meaning of Hub or that passage in the Bible he felt that good work was being donei He thon said teachoh generally were like farmers who sowed the eeed, which fell in different qualities of soil, and he illustrated the different kinds) of treatment neoeesary for tho production of good fruit. He thought parents could greatly assist the teaohers and do away with many of their difficulties. He begged fathers and mothers to train thoir children at home, and then the teaohers would bo better able to sow the seed and have good results. Of the seed that was sown in good ground they saw the fruit at various times, in young mon coming forward as preachers of'the gospel, and young girls coming out as Sunday Sohool teachers, Ho hoped the Temuka school would be thus blessed. The Rev. W. Gr. Thoraa3 thon delivered an addrees, bfteitjg his remarks for tho most part on tho lives of two vety noble men who wore spoken of in the dialogues that had boon delivered— D>niol and Julia Bunyau— &i illustrating true,' noble obaracttf. Ha thought one of tbo oharaoterslios cf the age was the ueod o£ bravo, (steady Christian oharooter. After Bpeakinjj of, the ousting of Daniel into the lion's den, bis courage, and his triumph over his enemies, hesaid that though we might not need tha courage to meet such greut trials, %;e wanted the oouraga to meet the little potty ■ troubles of everyday occurrence, Iu conclusion ho said, he hoped every one, youug and old, would bi good, ftiid noble, and true,- aud God would bless tboiii. ' : ;

The Rtv, Sir Saddler (Greraldine) snid In oonscqusuoo of the lateneaa of the hour ho would not detain tbom with a epocoh, but he would be glad to see them .in the Churoh on the following Sunday when he would ud« drees them.

The Ebt. Mr Dean said for many yeara he hixd been an advooato for early closing and ho did not see any reasons for not adhering to his principles then, Ha though'oil bad had enough, and more than.enough that evening of " tho feaut of reason and the fl jw of eouls." They had had more than tnoiigh at the ea, and ho thought tho mooting h*d lasted quite long enough. Be moved "That the beat thanks of this meeting be aeaorded to the lady friends, and all who bad taken part in getting up this very exoellsnt eoiree," Mr Amos Shorrath, of Grer<»ldino, after testifying, ta the abundance and txecllence cf the provisions and the good service* rendered by the ladies, eeoonded the proposal, whioh was carried by apolamatipa. During the evening several hymns were sung and the fillowing pieces were gnenin good style, each item being freely applauded : Recitation, "Tho wreok of tho Golden foe," Florence Brogden ; dialogue, " Daniel in the Lion's Djd," Mr Epp», and Rose Williams, Sarah Williams', and Minnie Metson; reoilalion, " Tho Dying Child," Alioe Woodloj j reoitalior, " Mothei's Stiry,'" Fauuy Baulter ; dialogue, *'lha Straight Gate," M.c Epps, Arthur Bryan, Jojipb. Preddy, Frank J?reddy, William Pfattley, J./hn Barrett, George MetsoD, and David FifitoWi; recitation, " I'he Gardener's Buy," M.ary Am Prattley ; n citation, "A Story of ' leaudKluna," Norah Brogden; dialogue, " On Giving," Mr JJppa, Norati Brogden, Florence Brogden, and Mary ADn Praidej ; reoit..tian, " do you live ?" Minnie Me'eon. A hymn was then sung, snd the meting closed at cbuut 10.30 o'clook by iha JLv. Sfr Dean pronouncing the Benediction.