THE BAPTIST CHURCH.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1883, 17 October 1913, Page 8

THE BAPTIST CHURCH.

YEAR'S CONFERENCE. (By Tdctrraph—Press Association.) Wanganul, October 16. The third day of the annual Conference of the Baptist Union of. New Zealand was missionary day. Miss Gainsford, who has returned on furlough from the mission field, was welcomed. The Rev. T. K; Archer, of Invercargill (the missionary secretary), presented tile annual report. It stated that tho work in Eastern Bengal had 1 prospered in many directions, though the deep-rooted and ancient faiths in India still mado strong effort against Christianity. Evidence of the succcss of mission work lay in the fact that efforts wore now being mado to explain Indian faiths in the light of Christianity. ffine thousand out-patients had been treated by the medical missionaries, and 200 • patients had been received into the hospital. One lraudrcd and fifty-six operations had taken place under anaesthotics, whilst 198 visitsi to the patients had been paid. Twentyfive mission schools were open for men, women and children, and 10,000 Scripture portions woro disposed of. Dr. Pettitt, who is in charge of the hospital at Chandpur, testified to tho valuable nature of tho medical work achieved in India under tho auspices of the Baptist Church. Tho financial statement was presented bv Mr. A. Hoby, of Wellington, and indicated that tho income of the society was £2798 Bs. 3d. Towards this tho Auckland district had contributed £633 7s. 7d.; Wellington, £585 lis. lid.; Canterbury, £372 Bs. 3d.; and Otago £455 18s. sd. The contributions constituted a record.

A missionary "At Homo" was hold in tlio Trinity School Hall. An address was delivered by Miss Gainsford, and the Rev. F. Oldreive, of Mornington, who has had experience in missionary work in the Congo and ill India, also spoke. In tho Trinity Church this evening a missionary meeting was liold, at which Mr. A. F. Care.v, a descendant of the celebrated Dr. William Carey presided. Ho felicitated the Methodist Church on tho completion of a century of foreign missionary work. Tho Rev. J. K. Archer delivered an address oil "The Principles of Business Experience and Faith in Mission Work." Miss Gainsford also urged the claims of the children in India upon tho sympathy of Christian mon and women. Tho Rev. J. J. North was tlie jiext speaker and ho pictured the missionary movement as seen by an-ordinary Philistine of the present day, concluding with a rhetorical statement of tho Christian faith.