ST. MATTHEW'S CHURCH.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VIII, Issue 2352, 21 July 1886, Page 2

ST. MATTHEW'S CHURCH.

ANNUAL MEETING.

The annual meeting of the parishioners of the above church w&g held in St Mat-, thaw's jchosl'room last evening, the Rev W. E. Paige in the chair. The minutes of the last annual meeting were read and confirmed.

li> reviewing the work of the past year tho ohairman draw attention to the want of iutereot displayed in pariah matters by tho merabijva of tlio church, and thought that if the meetings wero better attended there would be a- general improvement in matters connected with the church,, Duiv iug the past year there had been five mar' rages-two oach in Masterton and ffnui,' and one at Eketahuna, The falling off in church marriages, he said, could be taken as a sign of the times, and the growing disposition of the people to make the ceremony a civil .instead'of a aolomn one. Baptisms had increased from foriy-nine of the previous year to seventy last year. Burials during the year, eight, three adults, three children, and two atrangors. Communicants for the year, two hundred and fifty.fcwo, which was about tho same i 6 the year previous. Thirteen services had been held at the Taueru, twelve at Tinui and Wharouuia, nine at Opaki, and two. for' the Maoris. Special thanks were due to Messrs Moure and Grundy,- lay-readers, for undertaking the services during the absence of -the Minister at these places, thus saving the Parish the expense of paying for the services-of a visiting minister. The Sunday Sohool had grown.''.too- big for the building, and, to accomodate the increased number of children, a shed had to be built so that some of the furniture could be removed from the schoolroom to make room for the scholars. Tho mimbto" 011 the books were about two hundred,' with an average of one hundred and eighty, fur these there were fourteen teachers. An assistant auparintendani was required so that in the absence of Mr Parsons the Superintendent the elder scholars would have someone to keep 1 them iii order. They were not at all unruly, but the lady teachers found a difficulty in dealing with the elder boys, whereas a male teacher would have no trouble in keeping order and regularity aiming them, He hoped .that someone, would coma forward and join Mr Parsons, who by his kind assistance duriug the past year, deserved tho thanks of the parishioners. Some of the elder scholars, both girls and boys, kept the books of the»library_ and shewed great interest in tho school work generally. I This year a printed statement had been | prepared, so that every parishionor might

'tknow the position of affairs in the parish. J, ! The'offertories of the year 'wert small, lyhich Was no doubt- in measure, due to the depression. Referring to tie mode of giving, he said that members; should look upon the offertories as an'act. 1 .of worship and if prevented-frWattend-': ing a service, were bound to give double the next time they attended. If the: amount was put away it would not seem:, to be a drag upon the purge. They could all give what they liked, it -was really a . question of convenience.; Tho entertaininputs and Christmas tree had enabled them to pay off debts which thoy otherwise would (lave been ua&blo to do. On the whole the parish was to be congratu"lated on its progress, as a portion' of the debt had been paid off during the year. He had to thauk the churohwardens and vestrymen for thdir kind assistance dur-. in? their term, and concluded by saying that throughout the length and breadth of New Zealand a more harmonious body of men could not have been got together,, iind such pleasant meetings held as they had had.

The balance-sheet \w then read. Mr F. G, Moore, in criticising the balance sheet, said the parish' had not' made headway during the year, but hai in, fact gone back, The Church had absorbed thte sum of SOS 6s from the entertainment fund, which,,-if eliminated ■from tho balance sheet, would, show the overdraft more than last year. : He must say that the previous views lie held that the parish was rated too high by-the Synod ha.d been confirmed, not because' they could not raise 1 the amount, but because they would not. i The Chairman could' not agree with Mr Moore that thoy had gone : back during the ypar. becauße.the' - overdraft, Ijad -been reduced considerably, and a 'special fericin? account of £25 4s had been paid.- - ■ Mr W- H. Beetham strongly urged the necessity of greater exertions by the parishioners. He felt there was no great difficulty before them, and if a committee would undertake to canvass, for extra subascriptions, he was sure'they would be well supported. People would not come purfce in hand, no matter how good the cause.

Mr Grundy said Mr Moore deserved their thanks for his criticism of the balance sheet, as ifc was time for them to realise that the paiieh matters were in a bad .state/' They should take matters in hand and try and arrive at some solution nf tho difficulty, for no doubt the condition of -their, affairs required prompt attention.

The balance sheet was then adopted! A statement of the Sunday School accounts showed that a debt of £2l2s had been paid off during tho year, and a credit' balanw of £2l7swasinhand,ind that the school,had been able .to pay its-way. without the annual 'grant of £5 'from the Veßtry.' The Choir fund showed a credit, balance of about £3O, A vote of thanks waaaocorded to the out-going Church•wardens and Vestrymen, • Thfc'following were.then elected for the ensuingyear: —incumbent's Churchwarden—Mr J. Nicol ; Parishionor's" Churchwarden —Mr W. T... Grundy ; Vestrymen—MesßrsE. B. flare, H. B. 'Smith, P. Diokson. L. J. Hooper, and W. H Bfietham. Votes of thanks, were accorded to Mrs Paige for kindly officiating as organist during the. year, to the Sunday bcliool teachers, and to the auditor. A resolution was passed, That it is desirable that gas be introduced into the church, and that the vestry bo requested to,take the matter into consideration. The meeting then adjourned.