Baptist Soiree.

Thames Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2892, 23 May 1878, Page 4

Baptist Soiree.

The ninth-anniversary of the Thames Baptist Church was celebrated by a soiree and public, meeting at the church, Willoughby street, on Tuesday. About 200 persons sat down to tea, and after the tables were cleared away, the Rev. J. T. Hinton took the chair. On the platform were —The Revs. R. Laishley, J. Nixon, and R. S. Bunn.

An efficient choir having rendered the hymn " Before Jehovah's awful throne." Bey. E. S. Bunn engaged in prayer.

The choir sang the hymn " Crown Him Lord of all."

The itev. Chairman then addressed the audience. He said that he had lived on the Thames 2| years—no inconsiderable and unimportant period of any man's, life. There had been time for work which he hoped would not be like water spilt on the ground. There had also been time for mistakes which could not be undone. He had different thoughts regarding the people of the Thames now, and he was fain to admit that the people of the Thames were not better than other people; at first he had almost believed they were somewhat Dear the angelic nature. Such he had expressed-in one of his letters to Mr Cornford. He had found they were marvellously like other people; yet he was prepared to say that his life on the Thames had been a happy- one. There had-been joys worth everything to have, and also sorrows. It was a saying in Australia that "it was a pity that fine weather did. any harm." It was like this in a human life. If it were not for sorrows life would be a desert. However, they were there that night not to pull long faces and condole each other. He only hoped-that each successive anniver- > sary would show them more to be thankful for. After a few explanatory remarks ■on the report he called on Mr M. Whitehead, secretary, to read the annual report, ■which he did as follows :—•

In presenting this report to you to-night we feel grateful to God that we are spared again to greet one another on this the ninth year of our history as a Church. That the Divine Head has watched over us through Bcaßons of tritls which we may trust that he •whose we are and whom we serve never suffers %o happen but for our good. On the other hand we rejoice that a good work has I>een, and,el ill is, going on in our midst, specially amongst the yoang. The visit of Dr Somervilie to the Thnmeß has been to God's people a eenscn of'refreshing, not only have they been Ftieugtbened in their own boul, but have rejoiced in seeing an earnest desire after taivutiori inanifestejUur .old and young. We hope during year to welcome in i.rnoi^gst who have found J"e?us ns th^H^^^^^^Jne past year in point of additions tow(|||HpFbufc iew, wo thank Gbd foa-answe'ra foon^prayers. Be it ours to work in the Master's service, in faith, with earnest prayer, and our Heavenly Father will add to His Church suoh ns shall -be eternally gavqd, There are at present on the Church Register 96 members, 75 who are ia communion with us, while .there are 21 whose Barnes are still; on our roll who reside at n distance. Joined the Church during past year by baptism, 5 ; as a baptised believer 1; on the other hand two have been dismissed to the Church at Auckland ; two have had their membership cancelled, and one has been re

moved by death. We refer to our beloved

departed sister Mrs Davis, widow of our late deceased pastor. She was indeed a mother in Israel, and her words of council and sweet trust in God, which she manifested to all who knew her, will not soon be forgotten. "She is not. lost to us, but gone before." A fortnightly week night service was conducted by the pastor at Grahamstown for several months

in a room kindly lent by Mr Fletcher, of " Brown street, but, owing to various circumstances, that effort was not so successful as we

had hoped. The distribution of tracts is still

carried on, from 150 to 200 being circulated every Sunday; a new supply will soon be re-

quired. An adult Bible reading class has been

commenced, and it will prove a useful institution in connection with the Church. Our Sunday School is doiDg a good work, and numbers about 220 scholars. A special effort is now being made to raise a sum of money to paint and otherwise improve the Church property and Minister's Residence, the result of which we hope will be satisfactory. In conclusion, we thank God and take courage, feeling that it is His work, and He will carry it on to the bringing in of many who are now outside, and the building up of His Church and people. We 88k your earnest prayers in this behalf.—M. Whitehead, Secretary.

The hon. Treasurer of the Church then read the financial report for the past 17 months. He explained that in the month of May was the proper anniversary of Church, but some years ago some friends deemed it would be advisable to have it in the summer. It was now deemed advisable to.revert to the proper time of the 'year. The report was as follows :—

" Baptist Church, Thames.—-Treasurer's Report for period from December let, 1876, to April 30th, 1878—17 months.—Dr.: Re-

ceipts, &c—To cash in hand, 6s; collections, 71 Sundays, averaging £4 3s 2Jd, £295 7s 6d ; Subscriptions residence, £13 2s 6dj rent, £10 11b sd; bazaar, £140 8s 6d; Hospital Sundays, £13 3s 2d; mission, £4 16s 6d;

private contributions, £4 10a j proceeds anniversary tea, £11 17s lid ; Sunday-school anniversary collection, £10%6a 4d ; totpl raised, £504 9s lOd. Expenditure, &c—By psstov'e stipend (17 months), £287; gas, £12 16s 6d; cleaning chapel, £13 10b j interest £14 16s 4dj nrssion fund, £41656 d; hos> pital, £13 3s 2dj insurance, £7 12s 6d; travelling expenses, £2 2s; sundries —wire, printing, repairs, &c, £9 14s 7d; diminution of debt, £128 lls lid; total, £494 3s 6d. Amount of debt Ist December, 3876, £185 16s Id; reduced during 17 rpontbs, £128 lls lid; present debt, £57 4j 2s. Audited and found correct—Hebbebt Mason, Waitkb H r Cbojpp/ Auditors,

Choir: "I will guide thee with mine eyes." 'J>be Chairman said that having got through the routine business he had great pleasure in calling on the Bey. Mr Eixon to give them an address.

The Eev. Mr Nixon expressed his pleasure at being present, and also his pleasure at hearing the frank speech of their Chairman. He was sure he wished

them every success, and his prayer had " often been that they would be blessed abundantly. He would speak well of the people of the Thames wherever he went. They were a warm;hearted, kind people. He had been pleased with the report. He asserted, in answer to the theory that Christianity had failed, that the world was belter now tbafc it was IC9O years ago. It was the tendency of much modern thought to go downward. It was earthy. Some of the recent works were, as if from under the, shadow of death. They swept away the Christian's hope, and left Hie as dry as summer's dust, and

left nothing to satisfy the yearning of the soul. Religion gave them a firm faith in God, and enabled them to practice self-

tlenial. It had been said that ministers for the remuneration. That was wrong, as the ministers could get double their stipend in any commercial establishment. It was religion that enabled them to go into desolate homes and cheer

broken hearts. He adjured them to cling to religion, and corabatted to some length the arguments, of materialists and scientists. Systems would never save souls. They might have every earthly prosperity, but nothing but God's holy spirit could give them true prosperity. He prayed God would give them every blessing. Choir: " Behold how Glorious is your Sky." - ■'■'

The Rev. E. Laishley said -that he quite agreed with the sentiments on Christianity expressed by Mr Nixon. The world now was as different to what it was at the coming of Christ as the, morning was from the twilight, or even the darkness of night. Let them compare the bright prospect of the Christian with that, for instance, of that brilliant genius, the poet Keats, whose epitaph, written by himself, said.that be had vno hope. The speaker, in support of his argument, pointed to the gladiatorial shows of ancient Rome, and the suttee of modern India, which were abolished through the influence of the Gospel. He then referred to the depressed state of the Thames, and related several interesting experiences of his own in the New Forest, .England, showing how out of apparent evil cameforth good. The Rev. J. T. Hinton, with reference to one of the Rev. Mr Laishley's anecdotes concerning the intolerance and bigotry in England extending even to the matters of burials, said that be admired the system on the Thames when all were buried in the same cemetery. Choir—" Come with me."" : The Rev. R. S. Bunn next addressed the audience, and congratulated them en the satisfactory nature of the report. After humorously referring to the irnpecuniosity of the Thames, he drew a hopeful picture of its future, when they should have brick and stone churches, and bran new generations. He congratulated them on the financial state of the Church, and created considerable amusement by comparing it with that of the Wesleyan Churches. Choir: "Lord dismiss us with Thy blessing." ' The - Rev. Chairman pronounced the benediction, and the meeting broke up.