PRESBYTERIAN SUNDAY SCHOOL ANNIVERSARY.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VII, Issue 1995, 20 May 1885, Page 2

PRESBYTERIAN SUNDAY SCHOOL ANNIVERSARY.

Tho annual meeting of tho above was held ilt the Presbyterian Church Masterton last night, and was preceded by a plentiful tea, to which scholars, parents, teachers, and friends, did full justice. The chair was occupied by the Rev. D. Fulton, and lie was supported on his right and left by quite an array of Divines, comprising tho Revs Paterson, Ogg, Rogers, Thompson, Buttle, and Woods. Tho Secretary, Mr Archibald Thompson, read the annual report and balance- sheet as follows

Mr Chairman,—ln presenting my report of our Sunday School to those assembled here to-night, I do so with a far greater amount of pleasure than I did last year, for this reason: Last year, you will remember, we had a debit balance of one pound and elevenpence, this year, thanks to the energy of the teachers, we have, without touching any of the funds of our present gathering, five pounds sixteen shillings and elevenpence, and I think you will agree with me when I say we are in a sound financial position. As regards school work we find that by holding school once a day, we get a far larger attendance of children, and a more regular attendance of teachers. During the last few months we have had a very large increase of scholars, Mr McGregor the Superintendant often being at a. loss to know where he would seat them all. During the year we held a service in con-

nection with our school entitled Jessica's firat prayer, from which we got a credit balance of nine pounds, but this we reduced by giving five pounds five to the Church, and two pounds for new libraries. Instead of holding our annual picnic on New Year's Day, as we usually do, we had to postpone it till the Monday following on account of tne bad weather. Notwithstanding this, we managed to clear all expenses, and have a credit balance of £lßs 3d. In connection with this I must mention that instead of asking the female teachers to attend to the eatables, as we have done on previous years, we engaged two females to do it for them, thus allowing them a little time to enjoy themselves. Mr McGregor still continues to take that never failing interest in tiie school that lie has always done, and deserves great credit, both from teachers and parents, for the splendid manner in which he conducts the school; always trying to the best of his ability to forward the welfare of the school. The Wellington schools held a Sunday School Exhibition in Wellington, and invited our school to compete with them. live of our scholars cameforward as competitors, three taking prizes. Our register shows 12 teachers and 80 scholars, with an average of 67. This average we believe to be greatly below the real attendance, as many of the teachers mark the register at the beginning of the school, so that those coming late do not get marked. The balance sheet showed receipts from all sources to be £63 16s 9d, and expenditure, £69 Os lOd. The report of the Taratahi school was read as follows This school continues to maintain the position it held last year. The number of children on the roll is 30, and teachers, three. Both teachers and children attend regular, and manifest a deep interest in the school. The parents also have expressed in a very practical way their appreciation of the work done, by subscribing without solicitation, all the funds necessary to carry it on successfully. Although tlie school is neither large nor pretentious, yet there is reason to believe that good work is being done.

The secretary tnoved the adoption of the report, and referred with great pleasure to the fact that Mr Scott had kindly come forward to take charge of an advanced class of Sabbath scholars. Mr D. McGregor in seconding the report said there was one thing he had not noticed in the report, and that was the necessity of increased accommodation in the School, which they would have to face very shortly. The seats in the church wero not suitable for arranging in classes, and when alterations wore made in the church building, lie trusted the requirements of the Sabbath school would bo attended to.

i The Chairman said the report showed a considerable amount of vitality. The i amount of money raised showed the parents and mombers that they were in a ; healthy and progressive condition. He confirmed the remarks of the last speaker ill reference to the necessity of increasing ■ the school accommodation, and the motion was put and carried by acclamation, The Choir having sung one of Sankey's hymns, the Chairman introduced the Rev. Mr Ogg, of Wellington, who was cheered oil rising. He said they had the whole , Presbytery of Wellington before them that_ evening, in addition to the other i Ministers, and their presence in such . numbers showed the growing respect they had for them as a congregation, They were fortunate in bavin? such a Minister as the Rev. Mr Fulton, who re--1 fleeted as much, or more, credit on them as they did on him (laughter and cheers.) He referred to the: Sunday School in connection with the Church as a means of imparting • religion to the young, which was a very great factor in promoting the well-being of the human race. They heard a great deal about education, and spent a great deal on large buildings, and they borrowed large sums of money to do so. He had no doubt if they had to pay direct they would not spend so much on large buildings, but it was good to be over zealous, If their education was to advance them as a nation, and enable them to take a foremost part in the Australasian colo--1 nies, whichnatureandtheclimateintended them to hold, unless they had a religious training they would not secure the end in view. He referred to exceedingly clever men who, for want of training in moral principle, when trials and dangers had to be faced, were comparatively useless. He considered a sound moral training could not be had without religion. He knew there was a school of philosophy who would entirely separate a religious from a Secular training. He congratulated them upon the position of their school. They had a growing city and a popular minister, and lie hoped they would continue to grow and prosper (chejrs). The Rev, Mr Thompson, of Waihenga, who has recently arrived from the Patea district, was next introduced to the audience, and said that after listening to the very able address of Mr Ogg on the objects for which sabbath schools exist, and the benefit to children and parents, it would be out of placo on his part to follow in the one line, but lie would like to point out to parents that to mako the school as successful as in the past they must assist the teachers by home instruction in yeligion. He had often heard it Baid that children of this generation were not so obedient or reverential as children of tho last. Ho was afraid that a great deal of what was termed disrespect aroso from want of religious teaching, If they trained their children to honor and reverenco God, they might expect tho respect due to them as parents. To the children he would say that there was nothing so encouraging to the heart of the teacher as an intelligent scholar, ono listening to every thing lie. said. This encouraged the teacher to prepare beforo-hand. what he was going to teach, and made his instruction as enjoyablo as anything one could go to listen to on a Sabbath afternoon. Harmony and love would also exist, and success would follow (applause), The Chairman introduced the Rev. Mr Buttle, the Wesleyan Minister of this town. After referring to the "new land of Scotchmen" which he had just left, and to Presbyterianism, Mr Buttle said some people objected to tea meetings. He did not, however, and thought the anniversary gathering would be poor indeed without it, With all his heart he would say keep it up, It was one of the best things to bring the people together in love, good-fellowship, and hand-shaking. There was already too much formality and want of heart. He illustrated his remarks by a story of a couplo of strangers in search of a church to attend, showing in a very lively manner, the benefit of extending the right hand of fellowship to the stranger and each other. He would strongly recommend them to encourage hand-shaking, That was why lie was there to shake hands with them that night,— (Cheers.)—He had met with grumblers and growlers (not Masterton people, of course)—(laughter)—and he found one grumblor could do more harm than two earnest men could dogood, He noticed in that city of hills, Dunedin, the difficult matter was to get up the hills with a load. He had seen a couple of staunch horses that struggled on with their load first to the left and then to the right, and he hud thought, why, half a donkey would have less trouble in hauling that load down (laughter). Now, that was the way with the growlers, he said, arid recommended Hie safest and best course-was to put them Out of doors, and keep them out until they learned to do better. He next referred to the high privilege "the teachers in the Sabbath school had in training the minds

of tho young, and the great responsibility ontrusted to thorn in guiding tho youthful minds and hearts aright. Ho trusted they would remember that eveiy good impression made was for oternity. He was glad to hear tho appeal made to parents for sympathy in the important work. The|t little knew the power and influence the)! had. He prized what his parents had given above all earthly riches, Ho concluded by an earnest appeal to paresji to educate their children in religion at li&me. .The Rev Mr Paterson, of Wellington, ' was the next to address the meeting. Ho said he had listened with interest to tho : speeches made, and especially to the lastspeaker. He looked upon the Sabbath., schools as the nurseries of tho churches. These were the children who were growing up to take their places in the' church as woll as in society, and would carry on the work of the church, therefore it was • of the greatest importance that their lives should be controlled and that they should bo_ brought up under the influence of religion. He was glad they had taken into consideration the enlargement of the building. With 80 children and 12 teachers the closeness and discomfort must be very unpleasant and detract from the result. They required a comfortable room ' in which to teach as well as in which to preach. He referred in humourous terms to the soporific influence of church build* ings in old Scotland. He did not agr4H with all the Rev Mr Ogg had said. ; He did not consider too much had been done or spent on education (hear, hear). Let them look at their own large school—-he did not mean the - building alone—it was one of the best they had on the Board, they had a good teaching staff, an eneigetic commjttee, and could they have a plainer building, combined with taste, than they had, in which to teach between 800 and 600 children ? If they expended a deal of money on education, they spent it on a permanent good (Cheers.) They were by its means laying the foundation of the national life, and if anything would make them great and noble it was education (hear, hear). They talked of the money spent on school buildings; but let them look at publichouses, banks, bridges, and railways, and was not education infinitely more important ? But he agreed with Mr Ogg on the religious question. Mr Ogg had said they were so divided with "isms" that it was practically impossible to introduce a uniform system; but )R (the spe.aker) did not think so. If they took the judgment of the people of the country belonging to the various churches they could got a poll of the majority in favor of a common stand on a broad platform. He advocated leaving the question of religious instruction in the hands of the committees or people. It was the fads and secularists who prevented a clause being passed in the Act to open school with prayer and readiug a portion of the Bible.—Mr Ogg was groaning; ho believed he had hit him. (Laughter).— ; Well, if they could not have it in tho Public School they could have it in the Sunday School and Home School. He would say a few words to the teachers ,v let them qualify themselves the same as the preachers did, and study the subjects they were going to teach, and they would find themseh es well repaid by theincreased. interest and attention of the scholars.

The choir then sang a Jiymn and the Rev. Mr Wood in respons» to the Chairman's invitation rose and said he rather thought it was out of respect to Mr Buttle 1 ., he had been called upon, He agreed < with both Mr' Ogg and Mr Paterson. • If Mr Ogg did groan he was not so long ; ovor his speech as Mr Paterson, or ho would have explained what he meant, whichhe;,(the speaker) understood to be' that Education without religion was onljw more power for mischief. Mr Wood- rdQ forred to the Sunday School and the home influence upon them, He illustrated this by the example of the crab, He said they they might have noticed the ' uncanny way a crab had of walking—a sort of a sideling, crawling gait—Now some people had got it into their heads that they would alter this, and make the „ crabs walk tho right way. Well, they got together a school of young crabs, and instructed them, and succeeded very well. Tho young crabs went and told their parents with great glee of their new acquirements, but it was a week beforoij they came back to school, and then they walked like their parents again ; and was . it not the same thing with scholars and 1 ' parents now? ■ The Rev. Mr Rogers followed briefly,, the audience having had . the pleasure of listening to him on the previous Sunday. During the evening the choiM'endered some" very nice selections from Sankey's hymns. The usual ... votes of thanks concluded the meeting,