TEMUKA WESLEYAN CHURCH.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1866, 16 March 1889, Page 2

TEMUKA WESLEYAN CHURCH.

Last Thursday evening a tea meeting, followed by a cantata, was given in the new Wealeyan Church afc Temuka, which had been neatly decorated with a few evergreens. The building is not yet finished, the plaster on the walls, etc., being still in the rough, but a few weeks should see it out of the contractors' hands. The Tea. was provided by Mr T. Barr, it being his gift towards the building of the Church, A better bas never been placed on the tables at a public meeting in Temuka, and though fully 350 persons partook of it and were filled, Mr Barr had heaps of good things lafb over. The tables on which the provisions were set out, six large ones, were most ably presided over by Mesdarnes Bunn, Miles, Barr, aud Tombs, and the Misses Barrett, Young, HopkinsoD, Brown (2), Ifferson, and Lewis (2). Thess-f----ladies were kept very busily engaged from ■ about ft to 8 p.m. attending to the wants of visitors. The manner in which tfeey carried out their Jutie3 enhanced in ao> small degree the pleasure of those fortunate enough to obtain a seat at the> tables. Shortly before 8 o'clock the tables were cleared away and preparations made' for theproduction of Bradbury's celebrated.

CANTATA, "Esther, the Beautiful Queen," which was given by. the members of the Timara Weslejan Ohuich Choir, under the conductorship of Mr VV. G. Burd, the Choirmaster. The choir had given the cantafa in Timaru some months previously with. great success, so a musical treat was anticipated, and this expectation was realised. The building wascrammed, between 400an<i 450 persons being present. The attendance was only limited by the size of the church. Before the commencement of the cantata the Bev. W. Marten engaged in prayer, the hymn ' Come let us join,' was sung, and the Rev. Mr Buna made a few remarks, some of which were very humorous, and evoked much laughter, indicating I the programme of the evening. He said; he had been aßked by the Building Committee " to take the chair," but this meant that for want of room he should just have to take " a stand." He congratulated the Building Committee on the church being: so near to completion. Many had enquired how such a building had been erected by the Methodists. Well, they had made each member of the church an official, and they had requested each j official to do his duty. Therefore each had something to do, and worked hard and unitedly. This most important fact was that they had been united from the

first. He mentioned that a few speeches would be inflicted on those present, but only m the way of votes of thanks. He concluded by stating he would not detain them further, aB doubtless they would rather listen to miisic than to speeches. He would turn everything over to Mr Burd —the" B's" forever, the " Burds and Bunns." (Great laughter). The cantata was then giver, the characters being taken as follows : Esther, the Queen, Miss Warrington ; Ahßsuerus, the King, Mr Atkinson ; Haman, overseer of the realm, Mr J. W. Holdgate ; Zeresh, Haman's wife, Miss L. Silverton; Mordecai, Mr Langdon; Maids of Honour and Prophetess, Mlfe Holdgato and Mjsr Vogelcr. Miss Smart presided at the piano, and Mr R. Holdgate at the harmonium. Part I: Introduction, Orchestra ; Chorus," Haman, Hainan, Long Live Haman"; solo and chorus, Hainan; recit., "There ia a Certain People," Haman ; duet and chorus,

Kine and Haman ; air, "Lo o'er the Wicked," Prophetess ; solo and chorus, " Israel, 0 Israel," Mordecai and Esther ; dnet and chorus, Mordecai and Esther ; solo and chorus, Mordecai; chorus, "He that Goeth Forth and Wespeth " ; dust, " What is it, Queen Esther," King and Esther ; duet, " Long Live our Beauteous Queen," King and Haman ; solo ard chorus, "Haste to tha Banquet Hall"; solo and chorus, "Why Should this Hebrew ?" Zeresh. Part II: Solo and chorus, "God is the Eefuge," First Maid of j Honor; recitation and chorus, " What Honor and Dignfty ?" King ; chorus, "Aha! Aha! Proud Hamen"; chorus, " The King Hath Given Commandment"; chorus, "Open ye the Gates"; chorus, "Trust in the Lord for Ever"; solo, "Thou wilt Keep Him," First Maid of Honour; chorus, " Trust in the Lord"; solo and chorus, "Thou wilt .JCeep Him," Ilegai ; recitatioa and chorus, "Haman Proclaiming Mordecai"; sir, "Thy Galling Defeat," Zeresh ; duet and chorus, "Long Live our Beauteous Queen," King and Haman; chorus," Lon« Live our Noble Queen " ; banqu»t music, Orchestra; recitation, " What is Thy Petition" KiDg and Esther; quartette, "Do 1 Wake, or am I Dreaming"; chorus, " When the Lord Turned Again the Captivity"; chorus, "Our Soul is Escaped"; choral and chorus, "Praise Ye tha Lord." The various solos and duets were given in a most finished and creditable manner, and evoked hearty applause, but the choruses were tbe chief feature, and encores were several times demanded, though Dot responded to. Among the best were the solos " Lo, o'er the Wicked,' " Why should thia Hebrew," and "Thou will Keep Him " ; the duets " What is it, Queen Esther," and " Long Live eur Beauteous Queen.' A solo by the gentleman taking th« part of Haman, and a quartette, " Do I Wake," were exceptionally good. Of the choruses, "Haman, Hainan, Long Live Hainan," " Haste to tha Banquet Hall," and " Praise ye the Lord," the final, were perhaps the best. The lady and gentleman who pre' sided at the piano and harmonium made ike most of their instruments, and deserve every praise.

Yotks of Thanks. During the interval between the first and second parts of the caDtata a number .of votes of tbaDka were proposed and duly .■juried by acclamation, JThe Rev. Mr Marten (of Timaru) eaid he was glad to be present to take part in the ceremony of that evening. He regretted that he was unable to ba present at the laying of the foundaiiou stone, but, though not at the christening of this church, he had something to do with the other as a minister of the Church. He had much pleasure in proposing—" That the best thanks of this meeting are presented to Mr Barr for the sumptuous tea be had provided that night, and to Mr Henry Miles for his indefatigable efforts to make the gathering a success." He supposed they knew ihe tea they had partaken ef was the gift of one gentlemanMr Barr ; it was his gift to the church. Mr Miles had worked very hard in arranging for the tea, and in other ways. Mr Buxton, M.H.R., seco»ded the motion. He said their chairman had spoken of him as "the man from the heights." Well, when asked where he lived he usually replied "Twelve miles the other side of Pleasant Point," and as Pleasant Point was pretty high that must be "high." Be had great pleasure in seconding the vote of thanks to Mr Barr, who hid so liberally provided the tea. It had often been said that many could help one when one could not help many. Cne had helped many that evening. They were told they should be thankful for email mercies, and, if so, they ought to be more so for great blessings, and he considered this one. He trusted that the people of Temuka would remember Mr Barr a. action. Mr Miles deserved their J thanks, for he had done everything for the Church that laid in his power, especially in arranging for this meeting. The chairman briefly spoke to the emphasizing the fact that the 7 gilt of the tea was a free one (probably resulting in a return of £32), and bearing testimony to Mr Miles' services. Mr J. Brown moved—" That a hearty vote of thanks be given to the Timaru Wesleyan Choir for .their services this evening.' He had groat pleasure in moving the resolution. When the choir was asked ' f Will you come and help us at our opening lea?" they at onco said "Yes." They also had come without any expense to tho Temuka Church, and thus freely gave their services and their expenses. He also believed that the choir would come again, if they received an invitation, when the church was finiehed. He was pleased to see so many present, and believed that the lurgo audience proved that God's blessing rested «pon the work, and felt that it augured well for the future success of the Wesleyan

Church in Temuka, In the course of hia remarks Mr Brown said he thought the | name of Mrs Barr ahou'd have beeo coupled with her husband's in the previous resolution. ' Mr J. W. Miles said he had great pleasure in seconding the vote of thankß. Mr Butler (of PleasaDt Point) proposed a cote of lhaoks to the hdies who had presided at the tables, and likewise to those who had kindly lent the seats and forms for the convenience of those nreseot. The ladies hud performed their duties most willingly and in a most praiseworthy manner, and deserved their ,keartie3t lhauks, X Mr Maslin seconded the vote of thanks wiih much pleasure. He knew the ladiea had performed their duties well. Mi Butler should a'so havo moved a vote of thanks to tip chairman, and, as he had

not 3one eo, he should move and second it himself. The Chairman said he know the lutter would bo carried unanimously. (Great lit ughler). Mr Dawson, of Christchurch, made a few remarks, in which ho contrasted the town 20 years Bgo with what it ia now. Ho was greatly pleased with the progress of (ho town, nmi especially with the church. He had no doubt I hat Wesley an Methodism would now take a fresh start in the town, and come more to the front ihtin it had hitherto done.

The Chairman briefly referred to the forthcoming gift auction in aid of the church, aCer which " f *od Savo the Queen" was suntr, and tha proceedings terminated. A more successful meeting of the kind has never been held in Teinuk?.