S. ANDREW'S, CAMBRIDGE.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2275, 8 February 1887, Page 3

S. ANDREW'S, CAMBRIDGE.

A conversazione was held at, S. Andrew's school-room on Friday evening for the purpose of welcoming tho Bishop and Mrs Cowie. There was' a largo, attendance, the Archdeacon and Mrs Willis receiving the visitors and doing the necdlul introductions. Anions the number we noticed the following :-- Mcdames Mullholland, Williams, Chambers. Wilson, _ Mackny, Macrae, Sanders, Young, .Richardson, Forrest, Webber. Webb, Green, ho we, Garland, Hill, Hunter, Lewis, llughes, Trafford, Chittv, Wolls, Pates and Stewart, Misses Alackiiy, Young, Hwmi, Mills, Robertson, Steele, Forrest, Layton, Selhy, Wilson, Hill, Bright, Wngsr, Lewis, W«bber. Chambers, Paul and Gwynneth. Messrs Hi.witt, Garland, \«-uug, Robertson, Selby, Hunter, Chambers, Lewis, Hnflios, Chitty, Carpenter, Forrest, Paltiidge, Souter, Wells, Armershaw, Stewart, Gaudin, Richardson and Price. Purine , the evening thn following programme was gone through :--.Pianoforte solo, Miss Webber. ; song, -Mrs Macrae ; son" , . Miss Lewis: quartette, Mesdames Mackay and Chambers, Messrs O. Garland and Chambers ; song, Miss Selby ; duet, Messrs O. and 15. Garland : pianoforte solo, Mrs Cowie ; song. Mrs Chitty ; duet, Mrs Chambers iukl Mr O. Garland. During an interval in tho programme the Archdeacon said lie was pleased to see so many present. It win only about, six weeks since they held a similar meeting, and many would, perhaps, think it was rather soon to have another, but Mrs Willis and he thought it would not only ho a good opportunity of showing the bishop and Mrs Cowie how heartily welcome they wereto Cambridge, bnt also of having a little social intercourse with them. It had been years since they had had the pleasure of having Mrs Cowie among them. Tho Bishop, he was pleased to say, had visted them more frequently, and 'he was afraid had given them more than their fair share of attention. The Bishop was the link connecting the diocese, and, 'although they were often asked to contribute to many and various institutions, they did not contribute anything to his otHce. He then asked them to accord a hearty welcome to the Bishop and Mrs Cowie.

A prolonged round of applause followed. The Bishop, after thanking them for the welcome accorded to Mrs Cowie and himself, said : The duties in this diocese have increased so enormously tliat it renders it impossible for me to visit each district inure than once a year. lam happy to say lam now generally accompanied bv Mrs Cowie, who takes great interest in the work, and proves a very able and willing assistant. Last week we rode 00 miles to visit a congregation up North. The greater part of the distance there was no mad, merely a track, and the heat was intense. Ihe people there labour under j;reat difficulties, and yet they have a nice little church, and have paid off the debt. This ought to encourage people in other parts who are more favonred. The church stands upon the top of a hill, and the nean-st dwelling is a mile away. For six years the. services have been conducted by a faithful l:.v render (clergymen's visits being very fev), who lives four miles from the church, nr.d the track is so bad as to be sometimes iluiost impassable. Last Sunday I was at that church, and I must say I think the service would have done credit to any church in Auckland. We had morning prayer, with continuation and baptism ; rode on 12 miles and had evening prayer, inducted a lay readerjand explained his duties, baptism, Confirmation, and communion. The congregation was a large one, most of whom had come a considerable distance. We generally expect to have a baptism in those districts, as it is seldom they have the opportunity of getting their little ones christened. I tell you this to show that even a Bishop's work is not always the flowery path that some people imagine. 1 purpose (if possible) going to England next year, and when there I shall be asked to say something about this diocese. Wall, I shall be able to tell them of your town that it has the prettiest and best church of and country district in the diocese. You have a small debt upon it, which I learn you are making great efforts to reduce, and 1 sincerely trust you may be successful. 1 often think of my first visit to the Waikato. I arrived in New Zealand 17 years ago, yesterday. My first day's work in this district was, Alexandra, in the morning; Te Avvatnntu, in the afternoon; and Cambridge, in the evening , . I ventured to remark to Archdeacon Pritt that it seemed a good day's work. He replied : "I heard you were young and active," and intimated it was none too much. When I arrived at Alexandra, 1 found the Armed Constabulary camped in the church. Perhaps some of you were there? [Mr Chitty : I was present. 1 Wβ had morning prayer, and I then went to Te Awamutu. It was » pouring wet day, and when I reached the church there was not anyone there. I rang the bell for about ten minutes, and after waiting half an hour and finding no one came, I closed the door and left. I went to Archdeacon Pritt, who said it would not matter about going to Cambridge. As it was wet, they would not expect me ; adding it was a place of no importance ; so I missed Cambridge that journey. The first time I came here, the service was held in the old Wesleyan Church, which was kindly placed at our disposal. Some member.* of the congregation talked of building a church, others said there was plentv of room in the Wesleyan, why build another. I was told there was an acre next to the allotment set apart by the Government for church purposes, that could be purchased for £10. The matter was discussed and it was thought we ought to have it, but where was the money to come from ? After considerable talk, I headed a subscription list with £1, and the whole of the money was subscribed in the room. Now you have a beautiful church, schoolroom, and parsonage, and with a little persever- | ance, you will soon be free of dent. Some of you may have noticed in the Herald, a report of a meeting held in Auckland on Wednesday evening about the Sailor's Rest. The origin oi it was one in Calcutta, that had proved of very great advantage to the poor sailors visiting that port. I thought, why not haw one in Auckland ? I applied to the merchants, who put me off. The Harbour Board granted a site in Fort street, and I then applied to Sir George Cirey Government for a grant of £500. They offered to give E for £ raised by subscription. It was no good; we could not get the merchants to subscribe, so we could not have the Sailors Rest. About this time I received a letter from a friend in Liverpool, saying a Mr Fell, who had been doing good work among the sailors there, and whose health was broken down, was coining to Auckland, and wished to be employed among the sailors. Mr Pell came out, and a few fiiends banded together and took a room near the wharf. It was hard upon a few, and soma said I could not expect them to subscribe when the big merchants did not. I felt the justice, of the remark, but felt reluctant to let the movement go back. A friend suggusted putting an advertisement in the paper. I put a small statement in the Herald, and the next morning received £5 from the Governor. That same evening Mr Oostley was taken ill, and sent for Mr Jackson, the solicitor, to make his will, leaving his money to seven .institutions. Mr Jackson did not know what to call the Bailor's Rest, so he put " Bishop Cowie's Bailors Home." That brought me £13,000. I soon had plenty of friends. It is astonishing how the friends of a cause roll up when there is-plenty of money to be spent. The money v/as well invested, and we have been well afloat since. The next thing we wanted was a better site, nearer the wharf than Fort-street. We had to get a special Act of Parliament to get that exchanged;.; but we have done that, and 'low we have a beautiful one next to the Harbour Board Offices. There is a 'moral to be taken from this, arid it is. If you have a work that ought to be done, set to work like reasonable peeple, and if it is good work, all the help will come. Another work I mean to try, is to get a home from the stray larrikin bojM in Auckland, and I shall not rest until it is accomplished. Another work that I shall tell you more about on a future occasion jg Mrs Cowie's Women's Home. It is now freehold. During the first year f>o members of the weaker sex passed through it, who would otherwise probably have been friendless. Some are married and many are earning an honest livelihood as domestic servants."

Archdeacon Willis said he thought they should feel encouraged after hearing the ups and downs of tie Sailors' Resc. If they took " a long pull, a stnmg pull, and a pull altogether" the debit balance would soon become 21 credit one. He trusted the Garden Futo to be held in March, would be the means of giving them a good start. Refreshments having been handed round, the conipany separated about 10. p.m, having spent a very pleasant evening.