KNOX CHURCH.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9560, 5 August 1909, Page 5

KNOX CHURCH.

ANNUAL MEETING. The annual meeting of Knox Church was held in Knox Hall last evening. Rev. A. T. Thompson, 8.A., 8.D., occupied the chair, and there was a large attendance. The forty-second annual report of the Kirkf session states, inter alia: The pastoral care of the charge has been in the hands of our minister, the Rev. A. T. Thompson, 8.A., 8.D., who now completes the third year of his pastoral office in our midst, and of the assistant, Mr C. J. Tocker, who, jointly with the much appreciated help of our lay workers, have maintained all the services, both at Knox Church and in the outfields.

The Session, which now numbers twelve, has experienced some changes in the personnel of its members. During the year Messrs P. Gordon, senr., (Session clerk), and J., B. Smith resigned office. Their places were takenjby Messrs J. Wingate and G. Falla, Mr Edwin Feist appointed Sessiin clerk. Members of the Session have visited "their respective districts prior _ to Communion, and have duly arranged for the dispensation of the Lord's Supper quarterly. Communion services were held in August, Novemoer, February, and May, the attendance of communicants in each case, in' order, being 140, 108, 147, and 180, the last being our so far in the history of our Church. Classes for the preparation of communicants Have been held during the year by the Minister. The aJdiiions to the 101 l of membership for the year number 47—namely, 19 by certificate and 28 by examinat ions; the removals by death and otherwise total 16, leavingj,a net gain of 31 members. The roll, which was purged it the last meeting of sessicti in the year, now stands at 265.

Baptisms to the number ot 56 have been celebrated by our minister. Thirty-two marriages were solemnised, and 14 funerals conducted, and the visiting of the congregation has been carried out as time and opportunity would permit. The session views with gratitude and pleasure the faithful work carried on by a large body of willing and devoted workers amongst the young people of the congregation, both in Masterton and the outfields. In addition to the schools. conducted' in Masterton, Dreyertun , Wangaehu, Bideford, Miki Miki, and again at Kaituna, a new school, of grefct promise, has been opened at Lansdowne, arid ij under the capable superinlendentship of Mr Falla. There ore now six Bible Classes at the Masterton end, and two in the outfields, a very creditable record.

In addition to the installation of our hanisome new pipe organ, an ornament to the Church and an undoubted aid to worship, Mr Purcell Webb, who comes to us highly recommended, was appointed organist and choirmaster, a joint position, held formerly separately by Miss J. Hogg and Mr R. J. Young, two faithful servants of the Church, who fully earned, by their fidelity in their respective offices, the esteem and regard of the congregation..

The Session reports with pleasure the successful carrying out of the new building scheme inaugurated last year. - The financial affairs of the congregation have, as usual, been under the control of a board of managers, thirteen in number. They report that an increase is to be noted over last year's record report both in the ordinary revenue account and. in the Home and Foreign Missions account particularly. The building fund account reports a sum of £BBS 13s 2d for the year. The Board of Managers have met monthly as far as possible to admin ister the financial affairs of the congregation. Durinz the year Messrs P. Gordon junr., and A. D. Low resigned office, thsir places being filled by Messrs J. Smith and . H. H. Sutton. m 1. Sabbath Offerings —The total Sabbath offerings show a slight increase over last year, the L amcunt being £474 18s 4d. ; 2. Pew. Rents.—An increase of £l7

10* over last ye&r b recorded. ... 3. Build Vii Fund Account.- The sum of £B-$5 13s 2d has been subscribed. We commenced the year with a debit of £243 Si 8d at the

bank, and during the year involves a further indebtedness of £2,312 12s 6d on additions and alterations to the building and appointments, making a total indebtedness for the ysar of £2,556 Os 2d. Our net debit balance, therefore, at the end o'f June was £1,720 7s, to meet which we rely on promised subscriptions not yet due, and special efforts by the congregation.

4, Home and Foreign Missions Account.—The amount collected was £lO4 15s 3d, as against £6l 18s 6d

last year. 5. Total Revenue.—lt will be seen from the above report and appended balance sheets that the revenue of the congregation from all sources stands at £1,660 0s 4d, for the year* a very creditable record indeed.

On the motion of Mr E. Feist, seconded by Mr H. T. Wood, the reports of the Kirk Session and Board of Management were adopted unanimously.

Addresses eulogistic of the year's work and progress were made by Rev L. Thompson, M.A., Carterton, Rev. A. Hodge, and Rev A. T. Thompson,. 8.A.8.D.

evening songs were, rendered by Rev. L. Thompson,Mr R. Young, and Mrs Falla; a recitation by Mr E. R. Wilson, and a pianoforte solo by Miss Hodge. Hearty votes of thanks were accorded to the ladies of the congregation, the speakers and the musi-

cians for the evening. A special vote of thanks was passed to Mr H. T. Wood, the Treasurer of the congregation. After supper had been handed round the meeting clcsed with the Benediction.