Anniversary Soiree.

Thames Star, Volume XV, Issue 4967, 10 December 1884, Page 2

Anniversary Soiree.

The soiree and public meeting in connection with the celebration of the sixteenth anniversary of the Shortland Wesleyan Sunday School was held last night, and proved very successful. Considerably over 2CO persons sat down to tea, which was laid out in the schoolroom, the public meeting afterwards being held in the church adjoining. The' chair was occupied by the Her. H. Bull, and after the meeting had been opened by singing and prayer, Mr Miller was called upon to read the annual report, which stated that the number of scho ars and teachers on the books was about the same as last year, being 220 and 22 respectively. Several teachers had removed, their places being filled by others; the young women's class was fairly attended, but owing to the want of a suitable teacher, the young men's class had not been kept together. £14 Is lOd bad been raised "for the Home Mission Fund during the year by the children's boxes. Thanks were returned to God for the success in spiritual affairs, 45 scholars professing to have been converted. The office-bearers for the coming year are :— Mr William Ashby, Superintendent; Mr J. A. Miller, Secretary; Mr H. R. Lawry, Treasurer ; Mr J. L. Walton, Librarian ; Messrs S. Coad and J. Stone, Assistant Librarians; Jas. Cocks, Visitor. The balance-sheet showed the receipts to have been £44 14^ 3d, and the expenditure £37 12s lOd, leaving a balance of £7 Is 5d in the Bank. Mr Miller moved the adoption of the report and Mr Renshaw seconded the motion, congratulating the school upon the large measure of success which had been vouchsafed to them during the year. Passing on to spe:k of the success of Christian work generally, he contended that infidelity was not nearly so prevalent as was generally stated, and that sceptics were really but few in number, though by making a great noise they endeavored to get people to believe their opinions were spreading. He went on to atate that it was to Christians the credit for the grand benevolent institutions of the world belonged, and indeed, he might include nearly all good works in this category; and also that it was generally the spirit of emulation which prompted freethinkers to lead moral lives There were nearly 14 million Sunday scholars in the world, and he believed that if the Christian energy which was put forth in the direct tion of instructing these children wa3 withdrawn good works would in great measure collapse.

Mr Ashby and the Rev. H. Bull then spoke a few words in relation to the report, which was adopted. The Rev. W. R. Woolley, after offering his congratulations on the success of 1 the past year, expressed his admiration of the system of secular education in the colonies, and dwelt on the need for those who undertook Sunday School work to put forth their best energies. The Rev. W. E. Rice, in an engaging manner, spoke to the children (of whom there were a large number present) for a few minutes. The Rev. C. E. Barley urged upon parents the necessity, whether it was in, Sunday or day school work, of their exercising some supervision over the children's lessons, and considered that when this oversight was neglected, without a fair excuse, it amounted to an absolute sin on the part of parents against their offspring. A hearty vote of thanks, moved by Mr Vivian and seconded by Mr Lawry, was passed to all who had helped to make the gathering a success, and the meeting was brought to a close. A pleasant feature of the evening was the singing, led by several instrumentalists and a strong choir.