CONGREGATIONAL UNION.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16154, 7 March 1918, Page 3

CONGREGATIONAL UNION.

ANNUAL CONFERENCE \

The annual meetings of the delegate? to the Congregational Union of New Zealand Conference commenced in the Trinity Church last evening. : .nd will continue until "Wednesday next. Last night's meeting of welcome was presided over by the Rev. H. A. Job. chairman of tho local executive, and there was a good attendance of clergy and lavineii.

Alter the singing of a hymn and a prayer by the Rev. \\ . . Grant. Mr Job extended a hearty greeting to tlic visiting delegates, and expressed the hope that ilie meetings would prove successful in every way. Mr Job referred to the great loss the church in Christehurch had sustained bv the departure of the Rev. Harry Johnson, and went 011 to speak of the gieat dutv of the Church at the present tune when the safety of the Empire and the souls of its people needed such attention. While, however, they were endeavouring to exorcise the spirit of Prussianism in other parts of the world, they must all take' great care that 110 sucl) spirit entered their own souls.

Tho Rev. George lieighwav, of Dialed in, responded to the. welcome on behalf of the churches the South Island, and the Rev. A. K. Hunt, of Auckland, on behalf of those of the North Island. The United choir gave the antliem, "Send Out Thy Light.'' after which two addresses 011 ••Congregationalism in National Life :! were delivered. .

The first was given by the Rev. .7. J?. Glasson, -who dealt with bis subject as in "the history of the past." .Mr Glasson commenced when Congregationalism first to be a power in the lli'o of the Empire. The first Congregational Church in England, he said, made its appearance towards ilie end of Mary's reign in 1567. Although this little church disappeared, its principles were adopted in many parts of England, especially in the eastern and sou th-easteri: counties, and many who embraced those principles suffered martyrdom for their cause. The speaks.' traced the history of the church through the reigns ' of the Stuarts, paying particular attention to Cromwell, a man to whom his religion meant everything, and to whom Enghind owed n tremendous debt. The speaker also paid a tribute to Cromwell's great secretary, John Milton, whose name, he said, would always stand in the forefront of the roll ot honour of Congregationalism. The men of the Congregational way, fie concluded, had always been in the vanguard of bailie, both for civil and religious freedom. The Hon. George Fowlds, after the singing of ilie anthem/ "Oh Taste and See," .spoke on Congregationalism -n national life as far as problems of the future \vci'« concerned. Everybody agreed lie s;:id. that, there wollld be great problems seeking solut:oi) alter the war was over. Mainly they wouid be not new. but age-old f' p'olilems, brought up again by conditions arising from the war. and Lheir essence would be the reinstating ol' liberty and freedom. Our forefathers had f'ougnt, suffered, and died for the same principles as those for which our boys had died 011 the fields of Callipoli, France, and Flanders, namely, the princip.es ol' democracy. Mr Fowlds briefly traced the career of democracy siiu'e the beginning of history, and went. <:n to say that Britain had always been strong for democracy. Jll the full sense of the term, however, we cou'd say that absolute democracy had not yet. arrived. Tito fundamental aims of democracy must not b>\ lost sight of when military matters were attracting so much of our attention, tor that would lie, almost- as bad as Prussianism This danger was by no means hypothetical. The temptation to minimise the danger was considerably heightened by the exigencies of war. but it most- decidedly existed. 'I ho goaf of democracy was ireei';o:n and justice rather than high efficiency and commercial expansion, and it aimed at showing that individuals could cooperate for their common good without losing their individuality; Democracy would come when there were enough democrats in the world. It was only in freedom that a man could recognise his own personality and could host serve his God. The Church colli'! render most valuable aid in solving tile problems when the war ended. The Congregationalists had original!- been kuown as "independents''—they were both. independents and Congregationalists. Their great duty was to appreciate to the utmost the religions and political liberty they had received from their fathers and to fight for economic liberty for their children. Organisation was largely the antithesis of freedom, and if they could not obtain national organisation without less of liberty, the speaker was afraid thev coidd not—then let them he content -with a minimum of national organisation. The individual, nevertheless. to gain full development must mix with others. He owed a duty and a service to society as well as to himself. All the churches, and all Christians in fact. Mr Fowlds coneluded, must in the future take more interest in social problems than they had done in the past. The meetings will'be continued u>-

day. The Union Committee will meet at 'J. 30 a.m., and at 11 a.m. there will be a Devotional meeting. Council business will be taken at 11.30. conference will meet at 3 p.m., and at 7.45 the chairman's address will be delivered by tile Bev: A. Hodge.