CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH SOIREE.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 170, 11 May 1871, Page 6

CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH SOIREE.

A soiree and public meeting on behalf , of the funds of the Congregational Church took place in the Athenaeum on Thursday evening last. The rain poured down in torrents all the morning, but cleared off late in the afternoon sufficiently to ensure a large attendance. This being the lirst aoiree in connection with this church jb.ere, the ministers and members of other churches turned out in good force to assist their friend and fellow labourer, the Rev. Mr. Menzies. The tables were liberally supplied with good things by the following ladies and friends of the Church, and by others who assisted in so good • a work : — Mesdames Armstrong, Anderson, Bums, Francis, Goldsmith, Riddle^ Taylor, and Menzies, Misses Chalmers, Stirling, M'Phail, &c. After justice had been done to the good things provided, a public meeting was held, At which the minister presided. The proceedings were commenced by the choir singing the Hundredth Psalm, after >rhich tlie Rev. Mr. Bull engaged in prayer. The- Chairman, in opening the proceedings, said that ha was very grateful to his ministerial brethren, and to the public generally for the manner in which they had turned out that evening, the weather being anything but propitious up to a late hour in the afternoon. His friend, Mr. M'Lelland, had often twitted him about being born under a watery planet, and he had certain misgivings ilns morning as to the truth of it. However, the weather liaviug just cleared off in %u\xQ to oblige us, we were thankful. The rev. gentleman took a review of the past year, and gave a, short account of tlv tenets of his church, and the go.od which Independency did in th^ old country when there were heavy penalties for bejng dissenters, so called. Now we could repose under "our own vine and fiu tree," and we had reason to bleBS God and take courage. Mr. Armstrong read the financial report, which is as follows :—: — RECEIPTS. Balance credit in Bank - £42 18 9 Total Subscriptions - - 174 9 0 Received on account of Mr. Menzies' residence - - - - 303 14 0 Loan 80 0 0 Total - - - £60G 2 3 EXPENDITURE. Paid on account of Mr. Menzies' residence and section - - - £388 14 0 Mr. Menzies . . . 185 0 0 Sundries . . . . 31 1 9 Cash in hand . . . 16 6 Total . . . £606 2 3 Mr. M'Lelland, being called upon, re- j marked on the weather in reference to his friend, Mr. Menzies, that unfortunately for that gentleman when it was his to officiate at the Spur, it was in ■variably wet ; hence his (the Chairman's) yemarkas to the watery influence. He (the speaker) said that it gave Mm great pleasure to be present to support, as fay as his influence went, his friend, Mr. Menzies. It was worthy that tha laity ghould stuid shoulder to shoulder in gyary good work, and give, n<>t only thf.ir fl»!»tgj;iai, but thejr moral support. Miuiaiers had a high mission committed to them, and he thought we could give them move encouragement in their work than the generality of our congregations accorded to thorn. Fur instance, the prayer meeting was the very pith and index of the piety of our churches, and alas ! how few members attended. Now, Jet us bear in miud that we cannot syrve God by proxy ; religion is a personal matter or it is nothing. They, as denominations, were well represented on this platform, yet there was much to be accomplished before the lion would fr.iterniae with the lamb ; and when we could see the Bishop-Elect of the Anglican Church here and Dr. Moran on the same platform with the so much dreaded Presbyterians, Methodists, and Independents, then we could assure ourselves |hat the millennium was at hand- .; Mr. Paiil Ah Chin, Missionary to the Chinese, was the next to address the meeting. When this gentleman becomes a. little more fluent in the English language, he will" be quite an accession, for he has ljoth Christianity and a fund pf humour to make him an able speaker. He said in a compliment which he paid $he ladies, that jthey were wise in their generation compared with Chinese ladies, fpr they made good things to be enjoyed, as at chis meeting ; but the Chinese ladies made such things for presentation to, their gods. ; The Rev. Mr. Bull said this was his fiist opportunity of being on a platform in this district. He had been asked to make a long speech, but he neither indulged in long speeches nor long sermons. He believed in brevity. Macauly has tpid that people underrate the past eyil and the present good. He (the speaker) believed in the all things working i"gether in harmony to bring about j;he 4 a y °f millt-nnial glory. Who, even among intelligent Catholics, would not admit that their church had been benefited by the Reformation, and the Protestant church lias not bee,n altogether free from a peiaecnting spirit. There is now a decided advance ; we appear now to be moving in the right direction. In the time of the Charleses King Charles was more frequently mentioned that King Jgsus. There was wont to be a great gulf between the Anglician church and Pissenttrs, but Dean Alford and others have dune muGh in bridging the chasm, and it is now admitted that there are pome Non-Conformists whom good and great churchmen may with all safety and ppofit admit to $heir friendship. The speaker paid a well merited compliment jn admiting that lay agency was a great and good part of the church machinery. He knew there was. a great feeling on the part of many that unless the preacher had a \yhite neck tie that they could not receive his testimony, and he related an anecdote to show that /.' muffs " cannot pta,nd in jbhe pulpit. Mr, M-* Alpine stated that he was connected with the Wesleyans before Mr. M'enzies pa«ne here, and also the how and jhe why he had become connected with the Cougregational ( hurch. He concluded jjy. reading a very nice piece .of poetry

The Rev. Dr. Copland being called upon said, that after the number and extent of the speeches which had been delivered it would hi bad policy in him keeping the meeting longer at that time of the evening, at all events hi wouid noc " bntton-hole" them as CoL-ridgo used to do. I have, he said, been thiu'dug of something to say, and I intend to say a few words on " benincence," not that which some appear to think when we talk of beniticence. It is thought thifc the word conveys a meaning of something great, I don't mean that, said the Doctor, and I mean to show tha*. we can and ought to be beneticient in small matters, snd in bestowing the highest good to the greatest number. This can be accomplished by being faith fnl in our daily vocations as servants, as artizans, as niech.mios, or indeed in any other branch of industry or pursuit, as much as the statesmau, the warrior, or the philanthropist. How many evils and discomforts can be avoided l by attending to 'small matters^ and how <-ften we hear people complaining that they have no time for this or that, when j th-i poorest of men have 24 ho us just [as well as any one else, by which, by a right rise and a proper division some profit may be done every day, both for ourselves and others The doctor here related an anecdote respecting a lady who had a great d< J sire to do something, but she had thought of some far off fkdd of usefulness. Asking her minister w^jat she should do, he politely hinted that she should begin at home ; and this was the principle of true beneiicnc" 1 , to beiin at homo. T.a-.t in the matter of giving to God's cause, w« shoulu not give by impulse, it was a rotten principle : a system should be adopted, and ths giving should be as God prospered us. Mr. Tolcher, being the last speaker, said that at this late hour he could not be expected to make a speech, but hoped to see all Christi-ins united, and each in their sphere of duty working for the general tjood. Selec'ions of sacred music, under the leadership of Mrs. Brim I on, wore sung at intervals during the evening. Votes of thanks were given to the ladies, the speaker?, and the choir. |We hear the proceeds of the soiree amounted to about L 25.