ST. MATTHEW'S ANNUAL GATHERING.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 3, Issue 880, 22 September 1881, Page 2

ST. MATTHEW'S ANNUAL GATHERING.

The Annual Gathering of churchworkers and member? of the congregation was held yesterday, and poinmenced with a short service i|) BT, Matthew's church. Though the hour of 5 p.m. was not a very convenient one, there was a fair congregation. The clergymen who took part in the service wero the Rev Mr Paige, the Rev Mr Harvey, and the Rev Mr White. We noticed among others who attended the service were the Rev Mr McKeo and th« Rev Mr Dukes. An able sermon on church work was preached by the Rev H. Vere White. He held that the obligation on chinch people to help in church work was absolute. Where ao much remained to be done no one must be idle. The trial time for church workers was when the novelty of their task wore away, and the enthusiasiam engendered by itwaagone. It was then that the real self sacrifice cominenped. It waa easy to begin new work, but when that work became a dull duty, it was then that genuine courage in persisting in it was displayed. The half sincere at this stage would not want excnaes for abandoning it, finding tho steady, plodding work of the Oburoh—without hun»r and without reward—no attraction. It was easy to give money for Church purposes, hut church people could not be exempted from the more difficult offering of personal service. The question of what practical good there was in tt'.e Church work need not trouble them. Tho work—sUch as it was—was the beat given them to do, and thoy must be content to do it and leave results to God, who needed themaelver rather than their work, TEA MEETING. At a little after six o'clock a large number of adults and children sat down \ti a substantial tea at the Town Hall. The tahlss, ladjn with, good ..filings,, were laid nut with great taste, and looked, moit attractive, They were provided and presided over by Mesdames Banriii; ter, Bennett, Boddington, Bremner,' Collins, Corbett, Fannin, Hacker, Hosking, Meredith, Paige, Skipper, J. V.

Smith, Wilson, Misses Best and Yallance; bachelor's table by Mrs Arnot and Miss Miles. After several relays of riaitora had partaken of tea, the hall was cleared for . THBCONOEBT.iV By eight o'clock every available seat was filled, man; ladies being compelled to witness the proceeding* from the gallery. The,stage, with a atriking/iiaokground.,' two' pianos and hirmonlpms, and tip group of ladies, who .opened the proceedings, formed qajte a pretty, scene.:..A long programme had'been prepared, which was commenced by a quintette ''played m| per* feet time arid with coniidorable skill by Mrs Paige,-Misses -Nicolj and Corbatt (piano), and Miss' Movfjg (harmonium); " Atigelus," by the Cffl| and thesonga "My Queen" by son,'and "Esmeralda"by Mrs'Frazi(lH latter being very'well sung), then! followed, and were favorably recejved. Messrs Bish, Moore, and Stevenson [sang the trio, "Breathe Soft, ye Wind|" in very good style, and seoured thelfirat encore, which) they responded to,. Miss Wyett sang Kate;,O'Shane veryswejetly,' and Mr Moore followed with "VierjiLa inia Vendetta" (by request), with which he secured an encore, responding with another good song, ''The Fog Bell," which was loudly applauded. 'A cUver piano duet by MrßPaige andMitj Bait was followed by Mr StevoHson with " I Love My Love," for which he had to respond to an encore, giving " Alice, Where Aft Thou"' with equal success.;;: Miss Beaufort, who is always a ;great favorite, received a hearty. encore for her rendering of " Autumn Fruitß" (in character), and she was compelled by an enthusiastic encore to again; favor the company. Another nice trjo-r" Y§ Shepherds tell me"—was tip lang by Messrs Stevenson, Bish, and Mppre, anj their efforts were acknowledged-by a hearty round of applause. A '( Marohe Militaire," played as a quintette by Missel Morison, McKay, Anderson, E. Sjmith, and E, Meredith, on harmonium 'and pianos, displayed gonsiderable musical talent in the performers, anej;:'fii thoroughly'appreciated by their, hnrerj, Mr Smart met with a good reception in his song " White Blossoms,"and Miss Rockel received a hearty acknowledgment for hit rendering of "Never More," The duet " King of Spain," sang by request by Messrs Moore and Stevenson, appeared to please the audience more than anything that had gone before. It was loudly and persiitently redeinanded, but the demand was not complied'with, Mrs tyige and Mr Bish giving another musical treat on thf piane and clarionette, tho piece ehoaen being "Der Freischulz." The imtrumenti blended perfectly, and at the conclusion of the se)e;t|on tl|e audiqnpe would not be satisfied without hearing more of them, and another selection was played in an equally skilful manner. Mr Girdlestone, who was received with a round of applause, sang with considerable skill and power " The Ferryman,"' and was encored, responding with "Tom, the Sailor." yhjph was liked oven better, Mr Gattschel in the character of a Dyrolese, sang a patriotic song mid was. encorei!', giving a song which me}' with 10 much success on a former oooasion, Misi Peaks gave a very clever piano solo, which was much admired, and Mr Olayson followed with a comic medly. He did a little acting and a little singing, keeping the audience laughjng the_ whole jime. Qf an more ps insisted upon and h||fl " Sammy Stammers," ajohg which jtgH draw a smile to the face of the most gravs Mr Paige here addressed the and thanked them for the manner jq which they had attended the entertainments during the season. He also heartily thanked thoae ladieß who had provided tables fur the tea that evening, and stated that he had found the ladies of Masterton ever ready to promote social matters of the kind, He expressed his gratitude to all who had in any wayassisted in carrying out the series of entertainments now successfully brought to a close, and did not think it invidious to single out Mr Bish for special mention, as that gentleman had demoted a very large amount of his time to the work oj organising them. He concluded with the hope that the p/eaent would be the oom ; mencement of very many annual parish gatherings. The choir then concluded the programme with a glee, and God save the Queen brought the first pariah gathering to a close, Mrs Paige ootjtrjbufed as usual very materially to the suecms of the singing by'her ikilfuj 'paying of most of the accompaniments ' ■• ''• 1