The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1898-01-14
A CHURCH YEAR
Annual Meeting Held by Central
Union.
MANY REPORTS MADE
The Pastor Leads Off-A Complete
The Pastor Leads Off-A Complete
ReView-Clerk Membership-In
Various Departments.

There was quite a large turn out of
the members of Central Union Church
the reports of work in connection with
the church. After the singing of 'Blest
be the tie that binds" and a prayer
by Rev. d. P. Birnie, the reading of
reports began, that of the pastor being
the first on the list.
Another year is past and It's record
is completed. Tonight with profound
thankfu.ness to our Lord we gather
to hear the story told. The leaders in
the different departments of the ac-
tivities of the church will tell what has
been done, and declare their plans and
hopes for the months to come. The
House of God has been open every
Sunday in the year, both morning and
evening, for public worship and the
study of the Bible. On every Wednes-
day the people have assembled for
prayer. Special services were held dur
ing the week of prayer, the week be-
fore Easter, and on Thanksgiving Day.
AS Christmas fell on Saturday this
year our usual service was omitted.
The record of attendance at public
worship is about the same as for 1896.
The figures show that at the evening
service the men largely out-member
the women. Five young people have
kept the record books which | gave a
year ago, and have been present at the
morning service every Sunday in the
year. One has missed but one Sunday
and that was due to sickness In nearly
every case the record of the text was
kept. | would commend to every one
to the old as we'll as the young the
value of the habit of regular attend
ance upon the public worship of God.
[ shall not anticipate the reports to be
presented Let me say this word
There is need today of every willing
worker, there is a place of service
waiting for every Christian. This year
we shall make an effort to increase
our benevolent offerings, to induce
each individual to give weekly a def
mite sum. 1t has been a source of
great pleasure to Mrs. Birnie and my
self to meet so many of you in our
hOme-will you aid us in making it
clear to all, and especially to the
strangers, that our doors open wide
with sincere welcome
This is a Union Church. In our fell
lowship there is wide variation in
opinion, deep difference in race and in
training, but we are one in the love
of God and in devotion to his service
Here is our unity. During the year
forty new members have been received
into the church have officiated at
sixteen baptisms, fourteen marriages.
nineteen funerals. It is significant of
the wide reach of the work of your
minister in this community that of
the nineteen funerals only four were
of members of this church.
There are 42S families connected
with this congregation. These 428
homes, at which | have called at least
once in the year, are scattered all the
way from Kalihi valley to Diamond
Head. | do not include in this list any
Portuguese, unless members of the
church, nor any of the many young
men, whose friendship | value, who
live at boarding houses or hote,s In
the months past there has been times
of perpleXity, days of difficulty and
encouragement, yet everywhere and
always has our Father guided his
church, and we are profoundly thank
full to Him. Permit me to express to
you my deep sense OF obligation for
your patience, for your quick, efficient
and steadfast cooperation in the work
which our Lord has committed to us,
and to which we stand mutually pledg-
ed May the Holy Spirit guide each
one of us into holier living. and into
finer, fairer service for Christ and his
church.
DOUGLAS PUTNAM BRINE.
The report of the church clerk was
as follows:
There have been connected with
Central Union Church since it's organ
ization 74S persons.
Membership January 1, 1897, males
PIP: females 312; total 524.
Additions in 1897, on confession o1
faith, 10: additions to PaIama branch
on confession of faith, 13; additions
1897 by letters from other churches
16; total additions: males 16: females
| %; total 80.
Removals by disunion to other
churches, IA; removals by disunior
| from Palama branch, /; removals BY
death, 5; total removals, 20.
Net gain in membership in 1897, 19
Membership January l, 1898: Males
219; females 1924; total SAB; a gain dur.
ing the year of males and II females
Members residing in Honolulu and