METHODIST SUNDAY SCHOOL.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8280, 6 November 1906, Page 5

METHODIST SUNDAY SCHOOL.

The celebrations in connection with the fiftieth anniversary of the Master ton Methodist Sunday School were continued laafc evening, in the Church. Mr 0. E. Daniell, Superintendent of the Sunday Sohool, occupied the chair, and the Church was filled. The annual report stated that it was worthy of note that it was now fifty years sinoe the late Mr Henry Jnnes conducted the first Sunday Sohool in Masterton. Mr Jones came to the district iu 1855, aud in 1856 he commenced a Sunday School in his own house, and eventually in, a room erected near the present Public Library, where ho oontinued to act as a teacher till provision was made for a building on the present site. There are at present 292 pupils on the roll, with an average attendance of 171. The highest attendance ud any one Sunday was 284, an«l the lowest 124. This result compared favourably with the previous year, but it was not su high as it was thought it should be. The teachingstaff consisted of fourteen teachersand four ofHoeis, with an average attendance of seventeen, but more teachers were needed. The membership of the infant class had grown considerably during, the past year, so much so that it would be necessary during the coming year to seriously consider the .question of building a separate room for the Infants. This class had-a membership of 105, with an average attendance of 57, the highest attendance for any one Sunday being 78 and the lowest 21. The Young Ladies' and Men's Bible Glasses continued to make satisfactory progress, and now had a membership of 33 and 22, respectively. The library, which bad lately been revised and brought up-to-date, contained 595 volumes. During the year 100 new books bad been added, at a cost of £lO. Eighty soholarß subscribed t,o the Library, and an average of 38 hooka had been changed each Sunday. N ferenoe was made to the death of Miss Vibert, who for four years acted as a teacher in the sohool. "Although we mourn her loss," says tbe report, "we feel that her faithful servioes. have not been in vain. 'Tuey loved her most who knew her best,' and we pay a tribute to her memoij with thankfulness tc God for the intluenae her young life exerted for good amongst tbe scholars in the school. We tender our deepest sympathy to her sorrowing family." The thanks of the Sunday Sohool were tondered to Mr S. H. Relpb, instructor, Mr H. lpns, organist, the Orchestra and Bible' Classes, and all those who in any way assisted in the Sunday Sohool work. Tbe report was adopted. f The Treasurer (Mr J. Heyhoe) ro-i ported that the receipts for the year had been £45 4s lOd, and the expenditure £57 14s Id, leaving a debit balance at the present date of £l2 9s 3d. The balance sheet was adopted. Short addresses were given by the Rev. J. N. gßuttle, and Meesrs A. Donald and C. E. Daniell, who referred in eulogistic terms to the good work the Sunday School was doing, and the satisfactory manner in which it was managed. During the evening the children, under Mr S. H. Ralph, rendered several anthems. Several of the children also songs and gave recitations.