The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1897-01-15
ANNUAL MEETING HELD.
MEMBERS OF CENTRAL UNION
HEAR REPORTS READ.
First Year of Rev d. p. Birnie's Work
-Seventy-Tw New Members En-
rolled-Another Gift to the Chapel.

The past year has been one OF con-
siderable activity in the Central Union |
church. The record vi the work WAS
happily presented at the anndal meet
ing OF the society in the chulca par
lors last evening.
The meeting was informal and social
in character. The reports were list
ened to with the greatest interest by
good-sized audience. Between the
reading of the reports there were some
vocal and instrumental selections. MIS-.
EmilyIIaIstead sang 4 solo Very sweet
ly. Miss Kate McGrew played -he ac-
compartment. Miss Charlotte parme-
lee gave piano selection in fine style
When the business had been transact
ed, all partooll of light refreshments,
which were provided through the
thoughtfulness of the Ladies' Society
of the Church.
THE MINISTER'S REPORT.
The first of the reports to be given
was that of Rev Douglas Putnam Bir-
ME, the pastor 1t reads:
We gather tonight in annual meet.
year of our Lord 1896 will be present
| ed Something can be told in figures
and in words, but large part of the
finest service in the Kingdom of God
can not be expressed in numbers and
counted. Tonight is completed my
first full church year of service as
your Minister and it is with devout
thankfulness to our Heavenly Father
for his great mercy to us that | pre-
sent my report. The year has been
bright with blessing. The House of
God has been open every Sunday IN
the wear, both morning and evening,
FOR the won ship OF God and the study
on His Word. On every Wednesday the
people have gathered for prayer. Spc-
cial services were held unThanksgivinr
day and on Christmas. This year | am
making an effort to induce more OF
the members of the Sunday school to
attend Divine Worship, and IN this
ask your hearty cooperation. Last
June new work was begun in the
Palama district and the enterprise has
been successful beyond our hopes. The
future is bright with promise. I shall
not anticipate the reports to be pre-
sented tonight by the leaders of the
different departments of our work.
You will see that we are continually
in need of helpers. Let every Christ
ian in the congregation take some
post of service. The many religious
and philanthropic organizations in the
city depend largely upon us for aid,
and while we gladly give of that which
God has given unto us let us never
forget our first duty to the Church of
Christ. / have endeavored to earn the
respect and confidence of the COM
munity in which we live, so that those
in trouble, not only in the Congrega-
tion but out of it, will find their way
to me. Mrs. Birnie and | have also
with Christian hospitality and rejoice
that it has been our privilege to well
come so many of you. During the
year / have received in the Church 72
new members, solemnzed ten mar
riages, and officiated at fourteen fune-
rails and twenty-five baptisms. Per-
nit me to express to you my profound
appreciation of your thoughtful kind
sense of obligation for your cordial
cooperation in the work to which we
/ are pledged. May the Holy Spirit
/ guide us into more efficient and loving
service for Christ and His Church in
the year before us.
/ Mr.. w. w. Hall, clerk of the church,
stated in his report, that 722 persons
1 had been connected with the church
since its organization. On January 1,
| 1896 there were $50 members. During
the year forty-siX additions were made
by confession of faith and twenty-sev-
/ en- by letters from other churches.
The removals by dismission to other
CHURCHES numbered twenty-five, while
therewere eight caused by death. The
ne. gain in membership during the
past wear was forty-three. The church
now has a total membership of 523.
There are 345 families connected with
the church.
During the year just closed the pas
/ tor has united i'm marriage ten couples