KNOX CHURCH.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10310, 10 August 1911, Page 7

KNOX CHURCH.

ANNUAL REPORT. The following is the 44th annual -eport of Knox Church to be presented to the annual meeting of the. congregation to-night:— In again submitting our report to the congregation of Knox Churci upon the work of the year, we have to record with feeling of devout gratitude to God our acknowledgement of His goodness by the way. We are encouraged by all the experience of our efforts to advance the Kingdom of God to go forward with increased energy to establish the cause of Righteousness and Truth in that sphere of labour in which we are called upon to engage. In our report wo referred to the absence of our esteemed minister, the Rev. A. T. Thompson, 8.A., 8.D., who had gone on holiday leave to the Old Country. We are delighted to know that the season of rest enjoyed. , and the experience gained at the large- i and important gatherings of ibo j World's Missionary Conference, ? e l Y.M.C.A. and other meetings, have proved invaluable to Mr Thompson m f his work, and have been the means it real inspiration and help to those who have been privileged to near of the spiritual atmosphere in which he moved. In the important work of a arce district it is incumbent upon the K Session and members of the congrega- A ;ion to devise any means which may >ttend to assist the minister in his abours, and as much a* possible help :<> economise his time. In response to he expressed wish of the Wellington 'resbytery the Session decided that iu;imation should be given from the point, that certain days in each month « T ov.ld lie set apart for tho purpose if nublic baptism in the Church. A lotice card will he placed in the v>roh at the entrance of the building riving the days and time of such bnolism. Forty-six baptisms and twenty ' veddings have been celebrated dur- I ng the year. The services in the out- J ields, are still carried on with the asdstanoe of the lay helpers, who have j - n a commendable spirit of self-sacri-ice met cheerfully the needs of the | listricts wherein they have minister- j id. Our supply of lay preachers is j ■.omewhat weakened through removels md the engagement of suitable per- g sons in other branches of Christian ,vork, but as a congregation we ought -easonably to expect some of the * younger members to offer for service n this work.. We regret to record that VJr D. :8.. : Thpjnpson,-one of <iur. regular young rpreachers,, "has? been laid aside for some time, and pray that all that is done for his recovery may be blessed of God. We have .sustained a sore loss in the removal by death of one of our managers, the late Mr R. G. Johnstone, junr. Mr Johnstone had e] been intimately associated with us in g the Sunday School, as a manager, and generally assisting the wor.k of the congregation. We desire also to refer to the decease of a very old and strong supporter of our congragation, a person of outstanding and saintly character, Mrs James Russell, who c was called away since our last report p was published. Her memory will always be fresh in the minds of those who for so long a time knew of her eiarnest Christian worth. We may say concerning those two lamented deaths: "The memory of the.just is blessed."—Proy. 10. 7 , The elders t have visited their respective districts prior to Communion, and duly arranged for the quarterly dispensation of . the''Lord's Supper. The attendance at the Communion services in August, November, February and May were 180, 167. 156 and 203 respectively. The additions to the roll of membership for the year number? 44, being , 14 by certificate and 30 by examina- I tion. The Communion roll having been J recently purged by the Session, it was decided to remove the names t f some persons who had .to some extent been members, but had allowed their connection with us to lapse, so that whilst in our last report the roll stood at 300. the roll at present stands, after allowing for removals by death, by lines of.disjunction and otherwise, at 293.' Attendance, at the .ordinary lias been very satisfactory, and ,we are pleased to note the improvement iii attendances at the evening, Sabbath services at Masterton. t ;With ~a v - view, to, gaining the interest of strangers who may have come t>> the congregations, cards have beer. prieted>.an,di are t>y the of-fice-bearers, asking; any person:, who, may wish to have- tfa# visit,: -: : ' them toi sehd ; addresses l tcj him, ; mission Were recently held at Eketahuna by the Rev. A. T. Thompson and other who reported that the rervices vr»ro encouraging and successful..The work j carried on in connection with the congregation by the deaconess, Sister Isa- | i bel, who is under engagement to the j Session, is worthy of great praise, and I | the Session would take this opportunity of commending to the prayerful sympathy of the congregation the earnest manner in which this lady carries on her work. It affords the Session great pleasure to note the continued Keal and interest manifested by Mr Purcell Webb in the work of the choir. The new departune in the desire to augment the choir by the addition of boys to assist, having proved a success, .and the .way in ; which the choir acquitted themselves 'at the Musical Competitions held in Masterton has called forth great praise. The financial affairs of the congregation have, as usual, been under the control of a Board of Managers, fourteeh in number, and-they etate that the position of the Church financially at the end of the year is quite satisfactory. The overdraft on June 30th, 1910, being £l2lß lis Bd, has now been reduced to "£905 10s 3d. The various schemes of the Church, Home and Foreign, have been well supported, the revenue from all sources being £1261 8s lOd. The work of the Sabbath School and Bible Classes connected with the congregation is being carried on vigorously by a devoted band of superintendents and teachers, reports of which are also being presented at this time.—-On behalf of the Session. A. T. THOMPSON, Moderator. EDWIN FEIST, Session Clerk.