ST. ANDREW'S CHURCH, CAMBRIDGE.

Waikato Times, Volume XIV, Issue 1183, 27 January 1880, Page 2

ST. ANDREW'S CHURCH, CAMBRIDGE.

The Annual Meeting of the Parishioners was held in the Ulnirch on Friday evening last. Key. W. N. De L. Willis in the chair. The meeting was opened with prayer. The minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed. The chairman then called on Col. Lyon to read the report of the vestry of St. Andrew 131 3 Church, Cambridge, for the past year, read at the annual meeting of parishioners, held January 23rd, 1880 : " Church life and work during the past year the vestry feel they can say with thankfulnes^s, has shown every sign of good growth. Services at St. Andrew's have beeen held regularly with the help of lay readers (chiefly that of Col. Lyon), morning and evening on the Sundays throughout the year, and on three of the chief holy days of the Church; also on the Wednesday evenings throughout Lent. The^holy communion has been administered on thirteen occasions. Tbe occasional services throughout the year were twentynine baptisms, one confirmation, two marriages and six burials. The attendance at the Sunday services shows an increase of more than twenty per cent, on 1878, and the increase has been steady and gradual. In the first half of the present year, the average attendance was morning 107, evening 57 ; in the second half it was morning 1 US, evening 64. On eight Sunday i» orningH of the last half year the congregation exceeded 150, and on four Sunday evenings of the last quarter it exceeded 100. The greatest number present at any time Avas 180 on Easter Sunday. The church, however, may be said to be overcrowded when 100 persons are present. The attendance at holy communion exceeded that of last year, but was very small. Col. Lyon and Mr. John Hunt continue to act as lay readers. During the Bishop's visit in April last,on requisition of the congregation he issued his formal license to them to act in that oapacity. The choir has been better attended and the singing much improved during the year. The vestry are glad to have been able to offei a small sum as organist's salary this year. Mrs. Chitty has held that office since March Ist, and fills it very efficiently. The thanks of the parishioners are due to the members of the choir. Thanks are also due to the email but faithful band of teachers who continue to help in the Church Sunday School The work of this institution might be doubled if the parishioners generally would give it more personal support. The number of scholars on the roll on 31st December was 105. The average attendance during the year was morning about 34, afternoon about 50, the average attendance per day about 77. The office of Superintendent, is at present shared by Mr. Lambert with two other teachers. Mrs. Ashwell continues to give modt valuable help, and Mr. Johnson plays and conducts the singing. The Library has through funds collected for purpose, &the proceeds of a lecture by Mr. E Hammond in May last, been considerably increased. The annual treat was given in February, and a number of handsome book prizes for efficiency were awarded to tbe children at the end of each half year. The ordinary revenue of the past year shows a marked improvement on that of 1878, both in receipts by offertories <!c especially by subscriptions. Of the £163 1 0 set down as subscriptions paid during 1879 the sum of £34 5 0 should be credited to the vestry of 1878, being handed in at the last annual meeting. It should be remarked that this £103 1 0 was contributed by 76 subscribers only, while on the list of church members there are 126 counting one to a family. It will thus be seen that there arc <3G of the number (most of them heads of families), who bubscribed nothing to this fund. The vestry bring this fact to the notice of the church members generally, and would urge nil to solicit the lukewarm ones to contribute something 1 , find bo equalize the burden, or at least lighten that of those on whom at present, rather too much falls. Besidos pecuniary help, the vestry beg to acknowledge the following gifts. A refiector made by Mr. Harrison, several loads of gravel from Messrs Thompson and Graham. Some carpenters' work from Mr T. N. Peek, and some holland coverings for the holy table, the lectern, and the surplices provided by Mesdames Young, Lambert, and Willis. The gross revenue for the year has boen £337 0s lOd, tho gross expenditure (including £85 of an ears from 1878), £346 13k, leaving a debit balance on 31st December, of £0 12s 2d. The parishioners will be pleased to hear that in this expenditure is included the balaii< c of the old Church loan of 1872 amounting to £31 6s Bd. The Church and parsonage properties are thus now free from all debt. In April la&t, at the Bishop's request, the parishioner;* instructed the Vestry to make a special effort to relieve the Standing Committee of tho burden of the minister's stipend — the £85 in arrears. The amount was shortly after paid ofi', and the minister has since then regularly received his stipend monthly direct from the Vestry ; all being paid to the 31st ult. In August last tho Vestry were called upon to return the service in u^e in the | Church (the property of the Key. Y. Lush), to the owner as soon as possible. Tbe Church funds not being iv a state to bear tho cost of buying a new set of vessels, the Vestry gladly accepted the j offer of Mr Thomas Wells of sending for one to England, and taking charge of a subscription list to defray the cost. The service and case are now before the meeting, and have been obtained at a total cost of £29 13s 6d. Mr Wells has subscriptions promised to the amount of £18 12s, and the Vestry would invite those able to help to assist him in making up the balance of .£ll Is 6d. In accordance with the resolution passed at the special meeting of parishioners on August 24 th last, the Vestry have organised and partly carried out the first portion of the new building scheme. The town and country have been canvassed for weekly subscribers. The country people, as a body, have not as yet taken the matter up warmly. Of the 50 members enrolled who could probably contribute, only 13 have up to the present promised to do so, whilst of 65 in the town, 33 are contributors. Besides these subscriptions other subscriptions have been promised as donations, at present amounting to £279. Of this sum £250 has been promised, subject to some conditions, by tbe following four gentlemen : — Messrs Fergusson, Douglas, Wells, and Major Wilson. At the suggestion of various friends letters, covering photos and a copy of the Waikato Times containing a report of tho special mooting

held 24th August, 1879, have been sent by J the clergyman to the fallowing large property-holders, and thei* aid solicited, viz. : Sir James Fergusson, Messrs Thos. Russell, Thos. Grice, JRichard Parker, and D. B. Thornton 1 , and from the expressed opinion of their friends here, the Vestry quite expect substantial aid from these gentlemen. Photos of the plan have been procured, and are on said at Mr T. Wells' store, at wholesale contract price. Mrs Lambert, Miss Gerrans, and Miss Edith Ewen have undertaken the onerous duties of collectors, and have collected the sum of £32 12s Gd, for which the Vestry tender their hearty tlianks. The Vestry would ask the parishioners to make a fresh and united effort to add to the Hat of weekly subscribers ; some new Church members have lately come to the district^ and many old ones have not yet contritributed. In the parsonage grounds some little improvements have been effected during" the past year in making, planting, and fencing a yard and garden. Before winter the buildings themselves should be painted, and the kitchen should be lined. Ohaupo and Jdatamata are the sub-divi-sion proper of the Cambridge district, and contribute respectively £30 and £10 to the stipend of the clergyman. Service is held at the Ohaupo schoolhouse every fortnight by the clergyman ; but the contract is now let for a church which will, it is expected, be opened some time in the autumn. There is now a monthly service at Matamata, one of the lay-readers (Mr John Hunt) supplementing the clergyman's quarterly visits by other nine services in the year. A harmonium has been provided, and the singing is very good. Besides these two places, service ig still held in the Hautapu schoolroom every four weeks ; the congregation and offertories are discouragingly small. In conclusion, the Vestry would ask the parishioners to join them in heartily thanking Mr James Stewart for his services as secretary and treasurer rendered gratuitously during the past year. The work has been well kept up though exceptionally heavy. (Signed,) Wm. N. De*L. Willis, Incumbent and Chairman of Vpstry." Mr Willis then read the balance sheet as follows :— Receipts : To balance in hand 31st December, 1878, £19 18s ll^d; subscriptions to stipend 1878, £66 3s; ditto 1879, £96 18s ; Offertories, general, £121 19 8d ; ditto special, Melanesian missions, £2 9s 3d ; Home ditto, £5 19s Id; Pension fund, £2 Is 9d; Sunday school, 6s lid ; Donations parsonage improvements, £14 os 8d; Nett proceeds Mr, Mitchells concert, 15s 3d ; Alms and offerings, £3 19s 6d ; Sundries, hd ; Balance at debit, £9 12s 2d; Total £346 13s. Expenditure : Clergyman's stipend to December 1878, £83 ; Ditto November 1879, £ldo 16s 8d; Organist, £11 os: Verger, £8 ; Parish contributions Melanesian mission, £2 Us 3d ; Home mission £2 17 6d ; Pension fund, £2 Is 9d: Sunday school, 6s lid; Property improvements, parsonage, £14 8d ; Church furniture, &c, £13 2s 2d ; Standing committees balance of sinking fund and interest on Church loan, £31 6s 8d ; Sundries as per list, £16 6s lid; Alms and offerings, £3 19s6d; Total, £346 13s. Supplementary balance sheet from 31st Docember, 1879, to 23rd January, 1880 : lieceipta: Subscriptions to stipend, £6 10s; General offertories, £8 11s <3d: Concert, £11 5s 3d ; Debt balance, £12 13s Id Expenditure : Balance at debit December 31st 1879,£9 12s 2d; Clergyman's stipend to December 31bt, t!l4 3s 4d; Verger (Christmas), 10s; Parish contributions, (Home Missions), £3 Is 7d ; Concert expenses, £5 2s <sd ; Clergyman's expenses to Synod, £3 ; Sundries, £2 14s lOd ; Interest on over draft Bank New Zealand to 19th January, 1880, 15s od; Total £38 19s 9d. Mr. William Reynolds proposed and Mr. Johnson seconded, that the report and balance sheet be received and adopted -r-carried unanimously Mr Lambert proposed that the contributions from Cambridge to the Clergyman's stipend be £190 for the year 1880. Col. Lyons seconded — carried. Rev. W. N. DeL. VVillis then nominated Mr. T. W. Hicks as minister's warden. Mr. Thomas Wells was elected people's warden, and Col. Lyon, Majer Wilson, Messrs. Heany, Lambert, and Stuart were elected vestrymen Messrs. Walter Scott, and J. H. Johnson, were appointed auditors. Votes of thanks were passed to the lady collectors for the new church, for the choir aud organist, and lay readers and Mmday school teachers, and the outgoing vestry. The chairman pronounced the benediction and the meeting ended. The handsome comrauui n service just purchased for the church "was examined by the parishioners, an 3 much admired. It is of sterling silver, and cost nearly £30 It was sent for to England on August 11th, and arrived here on January Bth.