Anniversary Soiree.

Thames Star, Volume XIV, Issue 4625, 31 October 1883, Page 2

Anniversary Soiree.

The soiree and public meeting in connection with the fourteenth anniversary of the Baptist Sunday. School was held last night. There was a good attendance at both tea and the meeting afterwards, when Mr J. Renshaw, School Superinten-. dent, occupied the chair.

;The meeting was opened with singing and prayer, the Chairman following with-a few remarks on the condition of the school at present, which was about the same as last year.., He called upon the Secretary to read the annual report, which.showed there were 243 scholars on the books, with an average attendance of 140 in the afternoon, and of 60 in the morning; the teachers 16. The balance sheet was also read by the Treasurer, and showed that the receipts for the year had bieji.£sl lls 6|d, including a balance in hapdia^ffieube-" ginning of the year of £3 ; l6si4# <The expenditure had been £5118st7idi; or 7s Id in excess of receipts. There was; however, some money due which, had it been collected, would have given them a small balance in hand.

The Eer. H. Bull spoke on " Moral and; social ■;. advancement,'' contending that, though some people were always crying out about the increase of wickedness, there was much to be thankful for on looking at the progress made, the spread of religion and the decrease of scepticism. He quoted statistics to show that crime was, diminishing, pauperism and atheism decreasing, that Christianity was spreading, and the world steadily improving. The Eev. W. E, Woolley was glad to hear Mr Bull's speech, and concurred in | hiis views, but hoped people ; would not think things were progressing so favorably that there was no need for them to work. This was not the case, for there was plenty for them to do. The world had just woke up to the necessity for the distribution of knowledge among the common classes, and in this respect he thought New Zealand was ahead of the Old Country, as here the education was more free. JEle was in favor of secular education, as he did not think it was right for those who were not Christians to try and teach the great truths of the Gosp 1, but he approved, of Bible reading in public schools, arid, hoped the people of New Zealand would exert themselves and get this done. In conclusion, he warned parents/to be very.careful as to what they did before their children, as example had much more effect than precept. : • i "_ After Mr Barley had spoken a few ijrords,in which he wished the school every success during the coming, year, the Key. Mr Cato, of Nelson, said he could not altogether agree with Mr Bull's speech, as' he thought statistics were best left alone. Those quoted by Mr Bull seemed very good and cheering, but though, as Mr Bull had said, one third of the' population of the earth was nominally Christian, they must remember that calculation included the vast number of Eoman Catholics, and also all professing Christians, while if they picked out only the real earnest followers of the Master, he was afraid the number would be small indeed compared with those not included. He then addressed himself to Sunday Schoolieachers, urging them, now they had put their shoulders to the wheel, to press onward, working in faith, and keeping th^ir ; lives in accordance ; with their precepts. He illustrated his speech with several amusing anecdotes. / After an address by the Eev. S. J. -Neill, on th necessity of Christians exer-. cising a more child-like faith and obedience to God, the meeting was closed with singing and the pronouncing of the Benediction. :