History of Knox Church Dunedin/Chapter 22
CHAPTER XXII.
A TEMPERANCE Society was organised among the young people of the congregation in the year 1880. At the outset it numbered 82 members, and met fortnightly in the class-room; in its second year the number enrolled was 140. The first office-bearers were:—Messrs Robert Chisholm (president), Manly (vice-president), A. Wright (secretary), Hendry (treasurer), and Aitken (guard). In 1882 the name of the society was changed to "The Welcome-All Total Abstinence Society," and in connection with it the "Welcome-All Band of Hope" was formed. The roll of the society now numbered 206 members, and that of the Band of Hope 204 members. At the request of these societies the minister preached a sermon on temperance, which was largely attended. The first of a series of open quarterly meetings was attended by upwards of 300 persons. The total membership of the two societies reached 778 in 1883. The success of these important agencies was largely due to the untiring zeal and energy of the young people connected with the Bible Classes. In 1884 the office-bearers made the following appeal:—"The temperance agencies of the congregation are entitled to the practical sympathy and encouragement of the membership, for the reformation they are organised to promote is of vital importance to industrial, social, and religious prosperity."
The connection of the Band of Hope with the Welcome-All Society was discontinued in 1885, and its management taken over by the Sabbath School committee. For a time the work in connection with this valuable organisation seems to have flagged to a considerable extent, but a revival of interest and effort has recently set in with every prospect of success. The following extract is taken from a recent Knox Church Quarterly Statement:—"In order to bring before the scholars of the Sabbath Schools the importance of the subject of Gospel temperance, and to instruct them in the evils of intemperance, the Band of Hope has been formed, and the numbers who attended the first meethig on 8th June, and filled the class-room, show that the interest awakened in the work is universal over the school. Dr Stuart occupied the chair, and spoke briefly on the object of the Band, while Mr W. H. Ash gave a short practical address on temperance, songs and music being contributed by various friends. The second meeting, which was held on 22nd June, for the enrolment of members, was also well attended, and a goodly number signed the pledge. Mr Todd, the enthusiastic superintendent of the Sabbath School, has undertaken the supervision of the Baud of Hope."
There seems also to have been a lull for some time in the operations of the Welcome-All Society, for the last notice respecting it is contained in the Annual Report for 1889, which is as follows:—"This society meets on the third Wednesday of every month, in the classroom of Old Knox Church. The main aim the society has in view is the propagation of temperance principles among the young people of the congregation; and as a proof of the success of its efforts we have only to look at the roll-book, which shows a total membership of 414. Much of this success is without doubt due to the unflagging interest which the president, Mr R. Chisholm, has taken in the society. The meetings during the last year have been on the whole fairly successful, having an average of 40. It is with feelings of deep sorrow that the society have to record the loss of one of their oldest members, the late Mr Alexander Rennie, who became a member in 1881, and until the time of his death always manifested the keenest interest in the society. The members of the society have placed on record their high appreciation of the many valuable services rendered to the cause of temperance by their late member, Mr Rennie."
In the year 1887 another department of Christian work was added to those already in operation. This was the "Knox Church Young Women's Society," whose formation was the outcome of conversations between Dr Stuart and Miss Isabella J. Hislop, afterwards Mrs Hare, who was called away from her work on earth in March in 1891.[1] Its chief objects were "To establish a more extended fellowship among the younger women of the congregation, and to find out in what way they could best make their lives useful to those about them, having special regard to children." To effect these objects the society arranged, in the first instance, to hold two meetings each month, one in the afternoon and the other in the evening. At these meetings Dorcas and other work was proposed to be done, and some plan of useful reading carried out in connection with them. The first office-bearers were—Mrs Thomas Moodie, president; Misses Glasgow and Wilson, vice-presidents; Miss Hislop, secretary and treasurer; Misses Main, Reith, Smith, Sparrow, Strachan, Sutherland, and M. Wilson, members of committee. Miss McQueen succeeded Miss Hislop as secretary and treasurer. Miss Glasgow is now general secretary. Miss Hutchison is Dorcas secretary, Miss Main acts as treasurer, and Miss Matheson as secretary and treasurer of the Boot Club.
The following extracts from the Annual Reports furnish interesting information respecting the useful work accomplished by the Young Women's Society.—1888: "Two meetings have been held each month—one in the afternoon, with an average attendance of 20, and one in the evening for those engaged during the day, with an average attendance of 18 members. The total membership is 50. Dorcas work, chiefly the making up of children's clothes, is the chief occupation of these meetings, which are enlivened by music and singing. The visiting of the children's ward in the Hospital has proved most interesting to those members who have taken up this good work. Last Christmas was made memorable to many a little one by a tea to which 82 poor children sat down in the class-room of the old church, followed by a distribution of gifts from a Christmas tree. This means of bringing the poorer children together has been beneficial in inducing some of them to attend the Sabbath Schools. The society provided a box for the New Hebrides Mission, funds for the purpose having been raised by a very successful social meeting and concert."—1889: "The clothes made are distributed by the members, while in some cases material is given out to those who have the time and ability to make it up for themselves. The children's ward in the Hospital has been visited twice every month. On Christmas Day one hundred poor children were entertained at tea, with a Christmas tree, in the class-room of the Old Church. This has been the means of inducing a number to join the Sunday School. A party of eight of the society's members visited the Hospital on Christmas Day and gave the patients a little musical treat."—1890: "Although from various causes the attendance at the meetings has often been small, yet a considerable amount of work has been done. During the year 90 garments of different kinds have been made and distributed by members, while 52 yards of material, principally flannel, have been given to mothers who could make it up at home for their children. Two large parcels of new clothing for children were gratefully received from the committee of the Sunday School Gift Festival, the contents of which have nearly all been distributed. Twelve flannel night-dresses were made for Mr Torrance, for the use of the children's ward in the Hospital. We have again to thank Mr Morrison (of the Mosgiel Woollen Factory Company) for a parcel of tweed pieces, which has been most acceptable. Such donations are a great help to the society. A new departure has been made in the formation of a fund for the purchase of boots, the persons receiving them paying one half of the price. This fund is available during the winter months, from the beginning of May until the end of October. Already a goodly number have been helped to get boots. The nucleus of this fund originated in Dr Stuart's famous lecture on his trip to the Home Country. Owing to the Exhibition being open, it was not considered advisable to have a Christmas tree last season, and the only children who received gifts were the little ones at the Hospital, who were delighted with a visit of Santa Claus on Christmas morning. Several members of the society who are visitors of the Hospital sang carols in the hall."
In 1887 another society of an important and useful character was formed in connection with Knox Church, and still continues in operation. This is the "Knox Church Young Men's Fellowship Union." Its object is "the creating and fostering of a warmer and more kindly feeling of Christian fellowship among the young men of the congregation, through devotional meetings, the study of Scripture, and the active prosecution of Christian work." The office-bearers of the congregation have made the following appeal on behalf of the Fellowship Union:—"The strength of a church lies greatly in her young men, and hence all your office-bearers would like to see a considerable accession to the ranks of the society. They will be heartily welcomed, and will find much to interest and encourage them in what is going on."
The ordinary meetings of the Union are held in one of the church vestries at ten o'clock every Sabbath morning, and are open to all young men. The attendance is fair, but not so large as it should be, considering the strength of the congregation. A devotional service is held in the class-room on the morning of each communion Sabbath, the members of the Bible Classes and others being invited; and the attendance at these quarterly meetings is steadily nicreasing. The members of the Union have taken in charge the conducting of the Sabbath services at the Mount Cargill and the Pine Hill preaching stations.
The following extract is taken from the Quarterly Statement, March 1891:—"It will interest the congregation to learn that a Wednesday evening class has been formed for teaching young girls to sew and patch and darn. It meets at 7 p.m. in the class-room, and separates at 8 p.m. The reward of diligence is that every pupil gets the article she begins and completes. Miss Jeannie Smith, King street, is the superintendent, and is assisted by a goodly band of helpers. Dr Stuart and Mr Chisholm helped to inaugurate the undertaking."
This class concluded its first session in September 1891, and an interesting report of the origin of the movement and of the work done was drawn up by Mr J. Thomson, Arthur street, on behalf of Miss Smith. From the report the following particulars are taken:—The number of learners at the first meeting was 22, and at the end of the session the number had increased to 87, with an average attendance of 60 throughout the course. The lowest age for admission has been fixed at eight years, and the average age of those in attendance has been eleven. The mothers of the girls have been invited to attend with a view to their obtaining information of a practical nature. There is every inducement for the children to attend, and their regular appearance from week to week shows that they value the instruction and appreciate the kindness extended to them. All that is required of the children is their regular attendance with clean faces and hands. They are supplied with needles, thimbles, thread, and all other necessary materials, and are shown how to make the various articles. If they have any old clothes that require mending, they are invited to bring these to the meeting, and they are shown how to set them right. The work that has been made from new stuff is kept at the classroom, and generally every two months there is a distribution, when each girl who has finished any work is finally presented with the article to take home. Donations in goods of various kinds (tweeds, flannels, &c.) have been made by various business firms and private families, and subscriptions in money have been received from a number of friends. The formation and carrying on of the class are really the work of Miss Smith, who has been well aided by Misses M. and J. Chisholm, McMillan. Turner, Anderson, Aitchison, Robertson, Ross, Hendry, Thomson, Hardie, and Davys.[2]
Another effort of an interesting and important nature has been made by the Session on the motion of Mr Dymock. It is the holding of an hour's religious service on Sabbath evenings, in the class room of Old Knox Church, for the benefit of families that from any cause may be unable or unwilling to attend ordinary public worship in the churches of the city. The first meeting was held on June 7th, 1891. Dr Dunlop has taken a large share of the work in connection with this service. The two ministers, Messrs Brown, Dymock, Fraser, Mackerras, E. Smith, and Todd (elders), and Messrs Malcolm and Reid (students for the ministry), have also assisted. The attendance is fairly satisfactory, and is increasing. Members of the Young Women's Society gave valuable assistance in the preliminary arrangements, and still continue their good services by inviting and encouraging families to attend. The committee have expressed regret that Miss McQueen's removal from Dunedin deprives them of a zealous helper. Mr John Carter and Messrs Arthur and Alex. Robertson conduct the service of song, assisted by a very efficient choir, and also perform other useful work in connection with the services.
Mrs Walter Hislop, on behalf of Knox Church choir, has just submitted to the office-bearers (May 1892) a proposal in the interest of the families in the neighbourhood that have been prevailed upon to attend the Sabbath evening services in the hall of the Old Church. The members of the choir offer to give a monthly musical entertainment, with readings and recitations, open to all the families resident in the district, as well as those above referred to. The office-bearers have cordially accepted the offer, and have appointed a committee of their number to co-operate with the representatives of the choir in making all needful preliminary arrangements; and there is every reason to expect that the proposed entertainments will be carried on with the same heartiness and success that have usually marked other efforts made by the workers of the congregation.
This History of Knox Church may be appropriately concluded by pressing upon the consideration of members and adherents the following words taken from a former year's report by the office-bearers:—"We desire to express our sense of the deep responsibility under which we lie, from the importance of the work to which we have put our hands, and from the place we occupy among the Christian congregations of the colony. May every individual and every family of the congregation realise in an ever-increasing degree their share of this responsibility, and strive to live from day to day under its power. We ever pray that the members and families of the congregation may exemplify at home and in their daily life the love, meekness, and holiness of Christ the Lord, 'Let the words of our mouths and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable in Thy sight, Lord, our Strength and our Redeemer.' 'Let Thy work appear unto Thy servants, and Thy glory unto their children. And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us; and establish Thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish Thou it.'"
- ↑ In the course of a conversation I had with Miss Hislop, she remarked on the many children in the neighbourhood of the church that were not connected with any Sabbath School, and on our obligation as a congregation to go in search of the straying lambs, adding that in her opinion the work must be undertaken by the young women of the church. Approving of the idea, I asked her to take counsel with her friends with a view to its accompllshment. Before many days she reported that a number of friends whom she had seen were ready to lend a helping hand, and asked me to suggest a name for the society. I mentioned several, but she thought they were too pretentious, and said she was inclined to call the organisation "Knox Church Young Women's Society." I expressed my hearty approval. The society was soon launched under the presidency of Mrs Thomas Moodie, and has done and is doing Christian work of a high order. Miss Hislop was not only one of its founders, but also one of its workers till her removal from Dunedin. As one who knew her from childhood, I can bear testimony to her intelligence and personal worth, and earnestness in social and religious work.—D.M.S.
- ↑ This excellent work has the entire sympathy of the office-bearers. It is another outcome of the good being done by Mr Chisholm's Bible Class. There is evidently room for the wide extension of such work in our community. This is shown by the statement in the report referred to, that "all the children—with one or two exceptions—come from the district which lies within a radius of a hundred yards from the schoolroom." And even from this small area the number wishing to join was so large that they could not be provided for, and consequently no pupils were enrolled after June, except where special arrangements were made with Miss Smith. Are there young women in the congregation who are doing no work for the church? Here is a field in which they would find ample scope.—Knox Church Quarterly Statement, September 1891.