by Mr Reith for about four years with much abihty and with satisfactory results, and on his retirement in 1881 it was transferred to Mr Robert Chisholm, who had been for many years an earnest and successful teacher in the Sabbath School. This Bible Class has ever since been conducted by Mr Chisholm with the utmost enthusiasm and success, very much on the same lines as those of the Minister's Bible Class. It has been well attended and greatly prized from the outset, and there is good reason for believing that Mr Chisholm's devoted labours have been eminently blessed of God. For some years past the class has supported two native teachers in the mission field of the church. A large proportion of the members of the class, in common with those of the Minister's Bible Class, are led to join the fellowship of the church from time to time, and the teaching staff of the Sabbath School is largely recruited from the same sources.
In February 1878, shortly after the Colonial Education Act of 1877 came into operation, the Session made the following appeal to the congregation:—"The Session, in view of the exclusion of all religious instruction from the day schools, seek earnestly to impress upon the members of the congregation the increasing importance of this agency of the church [the Sabbath School], and while thanking the present teachers for the assistance they have already rendered, they would urge upon them the necessity of being regular and punctual in their attendance, and they would solicit the aid of others who are willing to take part in this good work. They are convinced that if more men and women of piety and intelligence, and who are at the same time gifted with the power of teaching, would come forward to assist in this work, they would greatly encourage those who are doing their best to impart religious instruction to the young of the congregation, while at the same time they would render great service in building up the Church in our land. The Session would call attention to the fact that there are yet two rooms in the new church which might be utilised for senior classes of the same nature as that conducted by Mr Reith. They are anxious to see this important part of the field occupied by earnest labourers."
In response to this appeal Mrs Burn, of the High School, conducted for a time an experimental Saturday morning class for Biblical instruction. The time of meeting was unfavourable, but the Session
