PRESBYTERIAN SUNDAY SCHOOL ANNIVERSARY.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 4, Issue 1086, 30 May 1882, Page 2

PRESBYTERIAN SUNDAY SCHOOL ANNIVERSARY.

The anniversary of the Masterton Presbyterian Sunday School was celebrated yesterday afternoon by a tea meeting held in the church,, which, as usual, was thronged by adult and juvenile visitors,

'ln the evening the church was filled with an attentive audience,.which assembled, to listen to the Rev. Mr Ogg's lecture-,

The Rev, J, McKee presided, and in opening the meeting said it must be gratifying to the teachers of the school to see so'hrge a meeting. To alarge extent the ranks of the Church were recruited from the Sunday School, and any Church whioh had not in connection with it a good school was not in a healthy position. A Sunday School to prosper required the united help of the pulpit, the press, and the congregation, A friendly press, and. such .'a one.was usually found in New Zealand, was of great assistance in giving publicity to their proceedings, and also the diffusion of religious knowledge through printed literature was a valuable help. Several years ago the Masterton School had no library, now it had 700 volumes, whioh might be further increased by the proceeds arising from the present meetins. He dwelt on the importance of teachers attending regularly to their duties and preoaring themselves for their work. Parents, too, could make the work of the touchers lighter by taking an interest in the school.

The choir then aang the anthem, "Bless th»Lord," , . '[l y ', ,

Mr D.. McGregor,- in this absence of the secretary, then read the following report and balance sheet.

In presenting the annual report of our sohool we note with much pleasure the con- -| siderable increase during- the year in the number attending; the interest and attention shown are, also very encouraging. ' Atthe distribution of prizes in January the winner of the firstprize—a girl—had an attendance of 104 not missing or being late, at one meeting of the sohool through the whole year; four others also had an. attendance of over 100. This is a marked improvement on past years, and shows more than passing interest is taken in the school. The numbers on the roll are- teachers, 17 J scholars, 153; and the average attendance for the past year has been, morning—teachers, 10; soholars, 68; and afternoonteachers, 9; scholars, 56.' Our Library is in very good order, books are taken out regularly by most of the elder scholars, and well kept. On reference to the balance sheet it will he noticed that we have a balance in hand of £6 (is lid, against this we owe about £5 for magazines, thus leaving a very small amount to our credit, but we feel well assured that the amount required for the comiug year will be readily and willingly funMed. Cr, £ s d By balance 1880-81 .. .. 33 3 Anniversary Servioes24th May, 1881 .. .. 12 8 5 Monthly collections .. .. 615 11 Mr Alexander .. .. ... 15 0 Mr Lang 0 5 0 Cash sales Bibles, Hymu Books &o 0 14 11 Balance Picnic Ist Jan. 1882. 713 O £32 0 6 Dr. • To Printing Hymns .. .. 15 0 Carriage periodicals 0 9 6 Periodical's and magazines for 1880 10 0 2. Periodicals and magazines, for 1881 . . .. 410 2 Cards, Hymn Books and Bibles 2 G 9 Prizes .. ... .. .. 72 0 Balance.. B 611 £:)2 0 6 The Taratahi Sabbath School has on the roll 35 scholars with an average of 25. The teachers, who come from a considerable distance, continue to take a deep interest in it. The scholars, though not numerous, indicale their appreciation of the teaching by punctuality in their attendance, by travelling long distances over inferior roads, and by commendable attention to the lessons taught. The funds necessary for carrying on the school have been voluntarily supplied by the parents and friends in the locality. We take this as a strong indication of their sympathy with the work. In moving its adoption he said that they had every reason to be satisfied with the oreditable results which lnd been obtained. He could from his personal observation testify to the fact that the chil dren felt a pleasure in going to the school, and this he regarded a? a good sign in both the Sunday School, and the public day school. He could remember the time when children had to be sent to school with the Hawse,' and lie could not help thinking that schools now were more attractive and healthy than in olden limes.

Mr Holdaway in seconding the resolution, pointed out the practical difficulties in obtaining a good average attendance of teachers, He spoke in the highest terras of the Superintendent of the school who fulfilled his onerous duties in the moßt faithful' manner, and to whom much of the success of the school was due.

The report having. been carried by acclimation, the Choir rendered tho anthem "Eternal mansions,

The Rev, Mr Ogg then gave a learned and scholarly lecture on Egypt, tracing the history of that great country for some three thousand years, , and dmibin;; in graphic- terms the building of iis pyramids and tho social and political history of iis ■peoples. Ho also delineated the Sheinitic invasion of the country, iindindicatod the extent to which' the' monuments of the land confirmed scripture narrative. The address occupied nearly two lioura, and was'abridged to meet the exigencies of time and place. After the lecture the Choir sa'ug very beautifully the anthem "My God look upon inc." Mr McGregor in movin; a voto nf thanks to the lecturer, said tho tendency of the age was to be too fond of that which was popu'ar, and he regarded the address which they had just listened to as a splendid counteraction to the craving for sensationalism. He spoke •in high terms of the information it conveyed, and of the thoughts it suggested. Mr Webster seconded tho vote of thanks which was carried by acclamation, The liev Mr Isitt then delivered an interesting add animated address on Sunday school work, which waß very well received by the meeting, The Choir sang another anthem " I will lift up mine eyes," and.a hearty vote of thanks was passed to it for the assistance it had rendered, on the motion of Mr Easthope, ' The meeting was then closed with the benediction.