CONGREGATIONAL UNION.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1048, 10 February 1911, Page 2

CONGREGATIONAL UNION.

-; ♦— —-. ANNUAL CONFERENCE. SOME INTERESTING STATISTICS. (By Telesraph-Press Association.) Dunedin, February 9. '"'The'annual'conference of th'o Congregational Unibil of New Zealand opened today in.Moray Place Church. The visiting delegates are as follow :-Rev. A. M. and Mrs. Aspland (Wellington), Mrs. Akhurst (Wellington), Rev. E. A. Bridger (Auckland), Rev. T. G. and: Mrs. Butler (Maungaturoto), ■ Mr. A. W. Beaven (Christchurch), Rev. H. Steel Craik (Auckland), Rev. W. J. L. Closs (Christchurch). Mr. and Mrs. H. Cullcn (Maungaturoto), Mr.- W.' Congrevo. (Christchurch), Rev. W. Day (Auckland), Mrs. Forbes (Wellington). Rev. S. and Mrs. Griffiths (Auckland), Rev.J. Reed Glasson (Wellington), Rov. A. and Mrs. Hunt (Timaru), Rev. A. and Mrs. Hcdso (Masterton), Rev. Bawden Harris (Wellington), Rev. D. BV (Palmcrston North), Rev! G. and Mrs. Harvey. (Gore), Miss Harband (Christ-' church), Mr. Henderson (Christchurch), Mr. and Mrs. West Knowles (Wellington), Mr. J. Kershaw (Wellington,) Mr. ,T: Laktng- (Waip'u), Mr. C. R. Lankshcar (Wellington), Rev. J. H. Mackenzie (Onehunga). Rev. R. Mitchell (Te Kuiti), Miss M'lnt\TO fTimaru), Mr. F. Meadowcroft (Wellington), Rev. R. M'Naughton (Napier), Mr. Merritt (Auckland), Mr. 1' Matthews (Auckland), Miss Rowlandson (Wellington), Rev. I. Sarsinson (Christohurch), Mr. E. Smith (Wellington), Rev. W. Tanner (Waipu), Rev. B. L. Thomas (Nelson), Miss Wood (Auckland), Mr. ami Mrs. W T . Wilkinson (Christchurch). Mrs. H. 'Welch./ Wellington). Mr. and Mrs. Whitehead (Palmerston North), and ReH.' Young (Auckland).'- The Rev. A. E. Hunt presided. The proceedings opened with n meeting of the committee, after which a devotional meeting was held.' Iriithe pft-. noon the. first business meeting w : as held, and in the evenine the annual sermon was preached by the Rev. H. Steele Craik, this being followed bv Holy Communion. The Revs. W. Tanner and A. E.Bridscr. both of Auckland, and recent arrivals from' England, wero elected to the union. The annual report stated that during the year there had been no break in th' pastorates in the Dominion. Work had gone on smoothly and earnestly,- and what had been accomplished should add very considerably to tho power and stability of 'the' churches. Application for, funds .had been mnd« to the Colonial Missionary Society,- and if granted it was hoped a young minister would be c'pnointed io work under tho sunervision of thn Rev. W. ,T. -L. Closs, Christchurch. Further development in. connection with'the, new work in the Auckland district was reported.. Arrangements hadi been made whereby" the "Australian Christian World" was recognised as a denominational paper; but tho remits had been far from satisfactory, and the nnesti«n of a denominational paper had yet to be solved. -.-.." Reports were received from each. <1" trict committee, detailing the work done in each lccalitv. 1 The .report of the registrar, Mr. Gregory. sfat«d that the-'number of new members in 1910 was greater than thoso for either of the two preoedins years, but the. losses by revision of rolls, etc., also had been greater.' The figures were as follow:—At the -be-nnninT of tho year, 2572; if the close, SCSI-net rain, 111; Al' the districts had contributed to the increase.. The Sunday School figure* showed ,'a.marked •imbrnvement.- 'At the com-mencement''of'-the' year -there were, 2SOO pupils; nt. th*.'-close,' iricrea?e of .nyacHc.-illy.-12J, per cent: The Auckland district snowrd. -an inereaso -of M-per cehtj in pnd 20 tier 'frit.;- in. teachers. • Wellington. Canterbury' and Otaso districts also 'shnrtd in the increase. Church property .had increased hv jwni", ; n T.ilue; and-was now worthJ134.31R. -Tl.» -ilebt "VprorerK- -hadfiiii' ereaswl b.v'J!lino.-and now stood'at .C".""". (if. The injr»a.'e in debti was due to cxtonsion-in tho Auckland district. '.•' .A recommendation was received frow the-Auckland..District Committee ■ tWi denominational work should be under-taken-m. tho Mancawai-- district. The proposal-was:endowed,.-iand referred tn : the Finance Committee.- . ~...'• was from thr AUcotown Church for affiliation with the Tr ,rn> /Cr ( ' h " r ' , ''• Wellington. The Rev. Mr.^ Closs spoke in.reference to tho ndvantases of communitr of effort. .Th» general trend of the discussion was that despite. obvious > diiKeult'es the nrincio' . '.sf. amnlc»rrtation.. was destined to. come in- sc-'ne iforui. One-speaker ref»rr»4 i-, the "wrrtch'd «f indivi'dnali«Ti." and predicted that "one citv.■ <■ chnrrh," th« best means of sal. ration. Various motions were proposed, but at 5 n.rn; the discussion was .adjeurned till te-morrew. -■. — 'a .; .