WESLEYAN SOIREE, CAMBRIDGE.

Waikato Times, Volume XXII, Issue 1821, 8 March 1884, Page 2

WESLEYAN SOIREE, CAMBRIDGE.

. _ As stated in our last issue the soiree in connection with the opening of S. Paul's Wesleyan Church took place in the Public Hall on Wednesday evening last, and in point of attendance and luarty, good feeling must be chronicled as o'ie of the most successful gatheimgo ever held in Cambridge. In our former notice the name of Miss Noriss was omitted m the list of donors of tables, and Miss, Jackson, whose elegant embroidery of the kneeling cushions was much admired, was ci edited with the gift of the mateiials as well as the w.nk. whereas in point of fact the materials were provided by the Wrsloyan ladies sewing bee, who contributed t l ie bum of £23 towards church furnitme. The platform was occupied by the Rev. H. R. Dewsbury (in the chair) and the Re>'s Messis Reid, Evans, Dukes :ind De in, and tli3 body of the hall was packed to the door with a thoroughly represontatu o audience, laige numbeis of all denominations being present. After the tables had been cleat ed away and the seats arranged, proceedings were commenced by a hymn being sung, folio .ved by piayei by the Rev. J. Duke--, after which the chairman addressed the me3ting. The speaker expressed his gratitude at the r having been psrmitted to consummate an event of so much interest as the opening of a new church. They had built a church which they believed would bo sufficiently commodiom for some time to come, and which, while c unplete in it-elf, could yet be added to without detriment to any of its aichiteetiual features. The/ had been influenced not merely by utilitarian piineiples, but had felt what Mr Ruskin calls " the lamp of sacrifice," the spirit which piompts us to offer our best to God. Many people regarded this principle as an ignorant and a dangerous one, holding that in building a chinch we should seek to roof m the largest possible area at the least cost. He gioatly disliked that cold calculating spnit. Men beautified their own dwellings, but thought a barn good enough for the House of ftod. He was of opini >n that God's House should be the in< st bea itiful of all, and tuistod that the .spi h of sacrifice m its tuiest form would de^cmd upon the members of the chinch. A-. a man's best is himself, \\q hhou'.d giveomsehes fully to God. Befoie les'iming his t.eat the speaker said he thought it only right that he should take this pablic opportunity to pay a well deserved tribute <>f thanks to the contractor, Mr Geoigj Sinerdon, who had performed his work in a way that leflected great ciedit o.i him, aid in a faithful and conscientious manner. In sevetal instanced both material and workmanship that he, acting as clerk of the woiks, would has c passed, had baeii condemned by Mr Smerdon and replaced. (Applause). The following programme was then gone tlnough in a highly Ci editable manner, the accompaniments to the songs being played by Mrs Chitty, Mrs C. Y. Smith and Miss Hunter. Song, " Coiisidei the lilies," Mr H. W. Mooie ; song, "E\e't> lamentation," Mi^s Caley ; addiess, very racy and full of pith, Mr Duke-.; soag, "He wipes the ton fioin o\eiy eye,'' Mi C. Hunter ; song, "Car. le^s woids," Miss Selby ; song, " Lhexm faces," Miss Hunter ; a huniouious and uiteiestin" address by the Rev \V. Evans ; son», " The old flag, ' Mr Himms ; song, " The lost choid," Mi H. W. Mooie ; song, " Vashti," Miss Huntei ; a telling addiess by the Rev O. Dean ; song, " The passing bell," Mi C. Hunter ; an impressive addiess by the Rev A. Reid. Votes of thanks were passed to the ladies, singers and speakei.s, paittculaily thot-e mombei.s of clions of othei chinches who had assisted at the opening mh vices. The proceedings terminated with the Doxology. The financial lesults of the sonee aie not as yet positively known, as the leturn ot tickets is incomplete, but the net pioceeds aie estimated.