Page:History of Knox Church Dunedin.djvu/184

148 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,