REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE.
IT is only to be expected that a Church like ours, situated in the very centre of a large city, should suffer more and more each year, in numbers and in income, as suburban Churches are built. Hitherto we have been able to hold our own, gaining about as many Members as we have lost. This year our losses slightly exceed our gains, as far as members are concerned, 77 sittings having been given up and 51 taken. But the Seat Rents are almost the same as last year, amounting to £623, as against £624. Rents from Property are also nearly the same, being £165 8s 4d as against £167 1s 8d. The Committee hope to have better returns from Property in a year or two. The premises on the west side of the Church have now reverted to the Congregation. Those who were sub-tenants formerly are now our tenants, and the Committee are anxiously considering the best means to adopt to make the premises more productive.
The Ordinary and Quarterly Collection, taken together show a decrease, being £229 2s 8d against £260 2s 4d the previous year. The Ordinary Collections, however, are only less by £1 16s 9d, and the decrease is almost wholly in the Quarterly Collections. The Congregation are already aware of the reason of this. A Collection had been appointed for the first Sabbath of September, but the Church was not out of the hands of the painters, and we had to worship elsewhere on that day. When the time for the next Quarterly Collection came round it was found to be impossible to take it, owing to the large number of Special Collections about that time.
It is greatly to be desired that the Congregation by increased weekly offerings from Sabbath to Sabbath should make up the deficiency.
The Committee desire to offer their warmest acknowledgment of the great liberality of the Congregation in providing funds for the Painting and Renovating of the Church. The people seemed to take a thorough interest in the matter, and nearly every member of the Congregation sent a contribution. The amount asked was £125, and £119 were sent in. As many members did not give their names, it is impossible (without doing injustice to these anonymous donors) to publish a list of subscriptions; but the list may be seen at any time on application to the Secretary. The Painting of the interior of the Church has been carried out with great taste, and with the new upholstery work, and new blinds, the effect is very pleasing. Repairs to the roof and gas-fittings were carried out at the same time, the whole outlay amounting to £102 0s 5d., and we have on hands £16 19s 7d towards the painting of the exterior of the building to be done in the spring. Other necessary repairs, principally in the basement, were undertaken during the year, at a cost of £25 4s 60., and in addition to the ordinary charges there were some items of special outlay, the result being that while at the beginning of the year we were in debt to the Treasurer £24 11s 70., this amount at the closing of the Accounts has been increased to £58 8s 40.. Taking into account the unavoidable loss of the two Quarterly Collections, this cannot be considered unsatisfactory, and if the Congregation will bear this debt in mind during the year and by their increased offerings seek to reduce it, it will soon disappear.
With reference to other contributions for Congregational purposes, the amount of our moiety of the salary of the Congregational Missionary has been easily raised as usual. The Library has been fairly well supported, but as the Collections for it are taken at the Evening Service only, there are many members of the Church who have not an opportunity of contributing. Perhaps they might see right to send a special contribution from time to time for this object. The Library Committee, when making their selection of new books, have frequently to pass by the better class of works for want of funds.
The Collection for our Sabbath Schools was rather larger than the previous year, but still inadequate, and the two District Sabbath Schools are hampered from want of means to carryon their work satisfactorily.
The Collection for Local Charities realized £27 7s 6d., which appears small for so large a Congregation, but this is easily explained by the curcumstance of so many members being annual subscribers to the Funds of the Royal Hospital.
In the Collections for the Schemes of the General Assembly, the Congregation as usual maintained its high reputation for generous giving, there being a considerable increase in almost every case. The Collection for the Foreign Mission reached the large sum of £307 4s 1d. The total amount contributed during the year for Missions, Church Extension, Aged and Infirm Ministers' Fund, and General Purposes Fund was £564 6s 7d, against £373 15s 10d. the previous year, and this large amount does not include a special generous offering of £160 towards the debt on the Foreign Mission, given a few days after the close of our financial year.
To the Presbyterian Orphan Society the Congregation contributed £134 18s 6d., as against £140 7s 0d. last year.
In their last Report the Committee referred with some regret to the decreased contributions of this Congregation to the Sustentation Fund. They have great pleasure in reporting an improved condition of the Fund this year. While it has suffered slightly from losses caused by death, removals, and reduced subscriptions, it has on the other hand gained by several increased subscriptions, and by many new contributors. In the year ending 31st March, 1888, 176 subscribers contributed £328 10s 10d, while in the year ending 31st March, 1889, 216 subscribers gave £345 7s 9d, being a gain of 40 in the number of contributors, and of £16 16s lld in the amount.
On the whole there is much in the foregoing statement of the affairs of the Congregation to encourage the Committee. The attachment of the Congregation to our old Church and its minister continues unabated. The house is well filled by an earnest, devoted people. Their offerings for God's cause are large and generous. All our organizations are active and efficient. Like individuals, our Congregational life may have its lights and shadows, but if every member will strive to do his best to promote the welfare of the Sanctuary where he meets with God, blessing will come, and as a centre of light and life, Rosemary Street Church will continue to prosper.
