WESLEYAN HOME MISSION.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 4, Issue 1212, 24 October 1882, Page 2

WESLEYAN HOME MISSION.

A public gathering was hold in the WesleyanChuroh,,Masterton, last evening in oonnection with Home Missions, Mr E. Feist presided, and was supported on the platform by the Rev Mr Bavin, the Eev Mr Isitt,and the Rev Mr Baird. The proceedings having been opened with prayerj the Chajrman expressed the pleasure with' whjch invitation to be present on that occasion. The Rev Mr Isitt briefly referred to the financial position of the.Mftsterton congregation with respect to the Home Mission Fund. Last year their Sunday oollcclioo for it amounted to-£3'93 od|, this year it reached £5 (Applause), tast year a sum of J9 hadbeen collected by children'scards.? This year they had not given the children cards, and .trusted to the liberality of the congregation to make up the amount whiohiwould have been obtained by th'e egenpy.; the: Bame time he explained I that with the Farsonaoe and Sunday-schoeliprojeota on hand the financial position ; of the congregation was somewhat 'straightened,' Still, jn spite of wet Sundays,' their inoonie for the past quarter had balanced their expenditure (Applause), ■,-,'■•,.. , . .. , ,;; Mr Bauruber follpwei .with an earnest and vigorous, address ,on the; ineceasity ■ of cnltivating :a ; missionary -.•spirit'.! The EevMr Bavin then brought before the meeting his appeal on behalf of the Home, Mission Iqijdi' Its income he said duringthe pastyeaVaraouniec| to s,W and' as they adherents in New.Zealahdphislraigliti seem but a very small Bam, Still it was satisfactory fromjanothef'point'Of ; view, viz-i the amount had increased by £7OO within the last two years.-;' their Fund;••on' thb following 1 objects:—First there was the;'MaWi : ';Missioniwhich cost £9so,;and iyas'eqnsidered'a first charge on tbe.fund. They.sfrp'pQrtfld and two, BijrOpeatJ mihialefß f oj tijiß'work and they numbered nearly 8,000 Maori II Ir"" .)' >."r ' r. < V

adherents, Next came their Scandinavian mission managed by throe paid ae;enta at Mauricevillej Palmerston North, whioh was almost self-supporting. : fle bore testimony to the healtHy state of thelMisSipn at Mauneeville, and'thegood ; Voile done |- by Pastor lOhristopherspn. Again in the sparsely populated districts of the colony oiitsido their church eirouits iboymaintained tenHomeMiaßionagents .'at an annual cost of £260, and they also had fifteen dependant circuits as yet unable to stand alone, vhioh absorbed last year £726, Another object .of the Fund was to assist circuits in building parsonages and providing furniture; for them. - Masterton had now reached that stage - when it was called upon to lake this.stop, and it would have a : claim on the fundfor ±'so towards its parsonage, and a similar amount for furniture,' He concluded by pointing out in forcible terms an obligation which rested on Masterton to support the fund, and sat down amid applause. ] . The Rey Mr, Dawsbury who was next called upon, gave an eloquent and earnest address on mission work, which was very, well receired hy the meeting. The Rev Mr Baird followed in a similar strait), giving a thoughtful and practical speech on the subject under consideration. Votes ot tlunks to the Chairman, to the choir, who sang at intervals in a very pleasing manner, and to the Rev Mr Baird, concluded the business of the meeting.