PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2935, 22 November 1916, Page 4

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

GENERAL ASSEMBLY

. ' The' General Assembly of tho Prcsby« terian Church of New Zealand was opened in Wellington last evening. Tho retiring Moderator (tho Kev. W. Scorgio) conducted tho proceedings, and tho Moderator-elect (the Rev. It. M. Kyburn) delivered his inaugural address, which is reported in another portion of this issue. A report on tho Laymen's Missionary Movement, to bo presented during the Assembly, runs:—"The continued illness of Mr. James Mitchell, of Christchurch, with whom originated the idea of a laymen's campaign in the interests of homo missions, has delayed the initiation of the much-needed work. Mr. Mitchell is still far from well, and the committee ask the Assembly to tender him their heartfelt sympathy, and the assurance of their prayers for his speedy recovery. At last Assembly tho headquarters of the movement wero transferred to Wellington, but it was still honed that Mr. Mitchell would recover sufficiently to enable him to launch the scheme. This has unhappily proved impossible, and the Wellington Executive propose that the Hon. J. G. W. ' Ait-ken shall be the next president. Mr. Aitken has consented to accept this office with a view to the vitalising of the effort to raise a sum of at least £10.000 for home missions. The money is badly needed, and the Assembly will not hare forgotten that the right to tho Chfistchurch legacy of £8000 is conditioned by our raisins; at least an equal sum during a period not exceeding five years from tlio date at which tho bequest becomes available. It is not proposed in tho present circumstances of the country to institute a collecting crusade, but a beginning will be made; and here sand now we apnfal to tho more prosperous members of our church to come forward with gonorous donations. Tho appeals for money are indeed incessant in these days, but the war has shown what tho people can 710 when their sympathies are deeply enlisted in a great cause. Groat and glorious is the cause of Britain, but greater and more glorious by far is the cause of Christ Jesus our Lord; nay, Britain's glory is only real in so far as it reflects the- spirit of Christ's Kingdom. Wo are confident that the earnest and large-hearted people of our church, who have ample means at. their disposal, will rise. to ■tlio'. occasion and furnish' ns with the sum required to place the home mission funds and the home mission work of the church in a permanently satisfactory condition. The need' is truly pressing. Tlio married home mission-] ary. with wife and family, with bouse * rent and horse feed to provido out of a stipend of filfiO, is almost a scandal to the church. We plead for a swift and general response." ' Businoss will ho resumed at 11 o'clock this morning.