ARATAPU SUNDAY SCHOOL

Wairoa Bell, Volume V, Issue 214, 8 September 1893, Page 2

ARATAPU SUNDAY SCHOOL

The Anniversary services in connection with this school passed off very successfully. At each of the three Sunday services the attendance was very good and the collections also very satisfactory, The children of the school were present at each service, and were arranged around the preacher, with the organ in their midst. (Special hymns had been prepared by the scholars under the tuition of Mr Ax. Campbell and these wore well sung, Master T. Campbell presiding at the organ and Mr A. Hammond at the violin. In the morning' Lev. Joseph Blight preached more especially to the children, and in the evening he spoke to parents and other, basing’ his remarks on the pi'overb Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart therefrom,” He urged parents not to neglect the proper training' of their children and encouraged them to duty by emphasising- the decided statement of his text that a trained child

would not depart from the way when he grew older. The afternoon service was taken by Mr E. Matthews, who was quite at home amongst the children, and was listened to very attentively. His remarks had reference chiefly to “ the right hand of God” which was strong to provide, to protect, to deliver and to redeem. His text was “ Neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.” The teachers and scholars may well feel gratified at the success of their Sunday meetings. On Wednesday evening the teachers and scholars sat down to a tea provided bv the liberality of the many friends who so freely contributed in either goods or cash for the purpose. About one hundred and fifty children sat down to tea and all seemed thoroughly at home, the babies cveu helping themselves and calling for another cup of tea like elderly matrons. due supply of food of various kinds was ample for twice the number and several large cakes were sold for the benefit of the school after the entertainment. The teachers and cither friends who kindly lent their assistance locked well after the wants of tnc children who after all their need were adjourned to the body of the hail 1 “ "'fore the meeting. The stave for a romp ot. 1 p had been decorated, <incl so that the children could sit in tie-id one above the other, and when they had, taken their places

ready for singing- the stage presented a verypretty sight. The audience came in very good numbers and shortly after half past seven 4- 'in aiT was taken by ehe Superintendent ot tie school and the following' programme was gone through :—Opening hymn” ‘ Welcome to our Union meeting ’ Prayer by R <7.- Joseph Blight; Chairman’s address, calling the attention of parents more especially to the necessity of something more being- done to secure the attendance of their boys at the Sabbath School; Hymn, ‘A Ciowd fills the Court of the Temple ’; Keci—ta,lions by John and George Wordsworth bldhe and Annie Stevens; Trio Misses and Kate Phelan; Annual Eeport by the Secretary ; Duet, Misses J. Woollam and F. Phelan ; Hymn, ‘ O Touch Those Chords’; Address, Kev. J. Blight, congratulating the school on its improved appearance since last anniversary and urging parents to assist the teachers’ work by their influence ; Becitation, Mr Stevens ‘No Sect , u Heaven ’; Duet, Misses E. Wilson and M - Stallworthy; Address, Mr Price, on evangelistic work in Sydney and what might be done in Aratapu. A collection was taken up while the children sanoGleaming in the Sunshine ’; reading ]y; r Braith waite, ‘ The Bashful Man ’; recitation, Bov J. Blight, ‘Prayer and Potatoes’; tf lsses Anderson and Phelan ;reeitation Mr Elliott ‘ Story of Helen De Vere ’; hymn ‘ Guide Us Saviour.’ Mr W. T. Stevens rel turned thanks on behalf of the teachers and scaolars for the liberal donations and services ot toe friends who had assisted in making the Anniversary so successful, the contribu- '! 1 7 hi cash and kind had been more than sufficient and some remained for sale. He specially thanked Mr A. Campbell for trainmg the children in the hymns, and Master 1. Campbell for his regular, efficient, and long continued services at the organ. The thanks were supported by aeclammation and the hall was then cleared to enable the children to have a few games. These were started, as soon as the surplus food had been

sold, and carried on vigorously till half-past eleven when the gathering broke up. The collection produced £1 3s 3d and the sale ot food 13s. The Annual Beport was as follows Dear Friends,— It is with joy and thankfulness that we raeet you today, for we feel that we have had God s blessing with us during the past yearana m meeting you this evening «e are able to report that our school has been regularly held and is in good working order at the present time and has made material progress since our last Anniversary. This is not to say that everything has gone on as well as we could wish, for although many prayers have been offered from time to time, for our success, we are not yet able to report any positive signs of decided spiritual life among our scholars. We are striving and. praying for the manifestation of the Holy spirit m our school, and we feel sure that our work will bear fruit m God’s own time, and even now we have good grounds for saying that the time seems to be coming upon us. The number of scholars on the Roll is now 1«1 and ot this number there are 65 girls and 40 boys besides 16 young people in the Senior Class'" xhe average attendance has been 25 in the morning and 55 in the afternaon. We feel that there is room for great improvement in the attendance and we ask the assistance of parents towards swelling our numbers in both the mornmg and afternoon schools, An average attendance of only 55 of all the boys and girls, youn°- , about Araiapu is only about half of what it should be. The boys especially are verv poorly j epresented on Sunday afternoons for we have only fifteen on the roll outside of the infant class ; we regret this very much and earnestly ask parents to do something to bring their vounosons under the influence of the Sabbath school” and save them irom becoming careless of the manner m which they spend the day which .God has commanded shall be kept holy. . Shortly after our last Anniversary it was deemed to form a Senior class for any (old or young) who could be induced to spend an hour with the Sunday School, and we are happy to be able to report that the effort has been successful and encouraging. The average attendance was first eight, then it rose to 11, and now the Senior class has a roll number of 19 with an average attendance of 16, We rejoice especially m this feature of our progress and trust that real and lasting good may grow from the effort • and we shall he glad to welcome as many more as may like to spend an hour on Sunday afternoons with us in the study of the Bible. ~We have seven teachers on our roll, some of whom are necessarily uncertain in their attendance, and we could with advantage find room for two or three more in this work. V e desire to record our hearty appreciation of the regular and efficient services of our organist Master Thomas Campbell, who is always in his place ready and willing to assist. In conclusion we beg to assure you of our willingness to continue our work, prayerfully i and earnestly, for the spiritual training of the young and we ask parents for all the assistance they can render as. Our Financial position is not had as may be seen by the subjoined Balance Sheet ; we have a small liability but we look to the friends present to wipe it off by a liberal response when the collection is announced. , Balance fiheet Receipts : Aug. Ist, 1892, Gash m hand 19/6 ; Aug. sth, Anniversary coll lection ~1 14s 3d . Sale of Surplus Food 5s : School pence for year £3 Is. lid; Sept. 3/93, bimdiiy afternoon collection 15s 8d ; total £6 16s 4d. Expenditure : Sunday School Union for tmkets mag-azmes etc., £4 14s 6d ; Sundries Js cd; total £4 los Bd. Cash balance £2 0a 8d Accounts owing £3 pa.