CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10093, 15 September 1910, Page 7

CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.

ANNIVEKSARY MEETING.

The second annual tea and public meeting of the Congregational Church was held on Tuesday evening. The tea at 6.30 p.m. was largely attended, and had been wnolly supplied by the ladies. The tables were prettily decorated with spring flowers, and were well supplied w'th tempting viands. The evening meeting, which was welJ att-oded, was presided over by the Rev. A. Hodge. The chairman stated that be was quite; satisfied with the regularity and consistent attention of the members during the year. They were honoured, by one of their number being asked to contribute some hymns for the new Congregational hymnal that was being compiled in London. The church was also honoured by the fact-.that.Mr.Frank de Lisle, one of its members, had been accepted by the governurs of the Adelaide Congregational College to be trained for the ministry. The speaker looked forward with a good deal of pleasure to the work during the year on which the church was; entering. Owing to the absence, through illness, of the secretary, Mr A» Hendry, tae annual report was retd* by Mr F. T. Redman Mr J, Hunter, treasurer, read the balance sheet, which disclosed a satisfactory state of finances. The ] total receipta for the year were j £442 53 Hd, and expenditure £347 ; 13s:4d, leaving a credit of £95 Is J 4d ' ' •"■' '■■•• ".. '■' '■''''■ ( The report and balance sheet were adopted wijh <hearty applause. Mr C. J. Chilton, on behalf of the Sunday v School, addressed the meeting; and urged the parentsf to<support the teachers in their selfdenying work. Mr Frank de Lisle delivered a trial address on the "The need ; of a spiritual revival." Mr de Lisle'a speech: metaw ith an enthusiaetic aud sympathetic reception. x TneJtev. J. Reed GJassony .of tha., Terfaca Cdngtegational Church, ■WelhiigtonV 'Church and the minister upon their successful year, stated that he felt he ought to say a few words to make some slight contribution to the extension of ,the work being carried on by the Church. The work of the Church was not merely to save inr dividual souls, but it waa the extension of the Kingdom of God in this world. The speaker agreed that evangelists did a good work in many ways, but of one thing he was certain, and that was, that the Church must be evangelistic. The world was not going to be converted by mis sibnarieal—-but there was lu doubt that the world was going to be converted. When the churches were united to God 'and united to one another, the Kingdom of God would rapidly extend. The first step in the direction of a spiritual revival was ;that members should take their (Christianity seriously. There was a great number of' people who did not take their religion seriously. They did 1 riot realise what they owed to fcnrisi. :.■ ■>';. ,';■■■■' j : : - Mr Lankshear,*; of the Terrace Congregational Church, also delivered a congratulatory address, in which he stated that Congregationalißts could afford to be proud. A,perusal i of the books bo the early history of \ the Congregational church would show that they had a glorious heritage, of which they had every right to v be j proud. ■'■ . .'.";••'■.' ■ ; The Rev. Bain Macdonald, M.A., 8.D., of the Masterton Presbyterian Church, in a short speech stated that he hoped the Church would prosper in the coming year as it had in that which was past.. ; Daring the evening the <h3ir rendered the anthem "I Will Lift Up Mine Eyes," and a solo and quartette was sung by Mr C; F. Redman and Messrs - Ji,>; Watson and F. T. Redman and Mrs Redman, and Miss H. Hodge sane Jude's "Better ■ Land." :"■ , ■-■';/ V , Mr F. T, Redman proposed votes of thanks to the preachers at last Sunday's services,'the speakers during ,the evening, the ladies, the minister and his family, the choir, and the friends from Wellington. / MrG. L. Joy seconded the motioni and it was carried by acclama-, '■'.tibni-'v' ' ' ' ■ ■ | The Doxology was sung, and the j meeting closed with tbo rtsjiedictioo, 1 pronounced by the Rev. Mr Gl as son.