THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2936, 23 November 1916, Page 3

THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

GENERAL ASSEMBLY IN SESSION

YESTERDAY'S PROCEEDINGS

After a Communion service in St. John's Church, which was largely attended, the business of the General Assembly ,of the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand was resumed at 11.25 a.m. yesterday. The first business taken was tho Assembly treasurer's (Rev. W. J. Cemrie's) report, which occupied some twenty-five pages of the "white hook." In introducing his accounts, the treasnrer said that the year had been a particularly strenuous one. It was a matter for thankfulness, ho said, that in a year of -unparalleled stress and distraction, "God has given our people both tho means and tho will to givo lor tho support and extension of the church's work. Notwithstanding a few debit balances, the finaE"' cial position as a whole is sound, ,au<T none of the accounts call for special remark. In face of the abovo statement it may seem that last year's note of caution was groundless, 'and that its repetition would ho wrong. Yet wo venture to repeat it. One of the chief temptations to the people of this land at the present time is that : of extravagance." "Tho following congregations have not. paid tho assessment for the Aged and Infirm Ministers' Fund on September 1, 1915Avondale, Edendale North, Ma■ngere,' Mount Albert, Pukekohe, Tuakau, Waipu, Waiuku, Te Aroha, Matamata, AYairoa, Woodville, Opunake, Fordcll, St. David's (Christchurch), Kaiapoi, ieeston, Wakanui, Waihao Valley, Ravensbourne, Brighton, Mataura, Cromwell, Wanaka, Patearoa. The following congregtions havo not paid , tho assessment for Assembly expenses, due on Juno 1, 1916 :— Avondale, angere, Morningside, Frankton Junction, Taradale, Waverlcy, Fordell, St. Peter's (Christchurch), Leeston, Wakanui, Ravensbourne, Brighton, Patearoa, > Hunua, Richmond, Takapuna, Huntly, Mamaiu, Kikikihi, Otorohanga, Okato, Owhango, Eketahuna, Rona Bay, Wadestown, Renwick, Motueka, Brunnerton, Hanmer, Athol, Waiawa. One hundred and twenty-six ministers and home missionaries are insured against sickness and accident, and paid premiums amounting to Is. 6d. Compensation amounting to £50 has been paid for sickness and accident for four ministers and, home missionaries. The usual tables are appended showing the statement of tho various funds, and the congregational contributions. In the sun'dry column are included contributions for the British and Foreign Bible Society, the Orphanages, Training Institute, Scholarships, War and Relief lunds. The summarised balance of the luuas of the Church are as folloivOn the debit side: Investments and deposits, .£154,283 14s. 10d.; freehold properties, .£1676; jubilee fund loan, -£53 12s. 4d.; now century fund loans, £7044 18s.; Bank of New Zealand, .£625 2s. 10d.;. National Bank, J244 18s. 3d.; cash in hand, 17s. 6d.; sundry balances, .£ll2 10s. Id.; ministers' arrears, JJI9OO 7s. Credit: Beneficiary fund, .£88,438 13s. lOd.j jubilee memorial fund, J59850 10s.; new century fund. .-87562 10s. 5d.; scholarship funds, b,.,£13,879 176. -Id;; Knox College funds, i82853"183?i lid:;! foreign mission 1 funds, .£15,473 2s. 9(1.; Maori mission funds, ,£1059• 17s. 3d.; suatentation and home mission funds, ,£3982 14s. lid.; congregation and presbyteries, ,£17,602 03. 10d.; Assembly expenses, £1618 13s. 7d.; fire insurance fund, £1803 125.; cash ac•count, Church property trustees, £1205 12s. 4d.; sundry balances, £1171 16s. Bd. ; total, £166,803 Os. lOd. The report was adopted without discussion; . Mr. Comrie then made a personal reference to his duties, the embarrassments of his office, and his incapacity to increase the paco at which he worked. After a discussion it was decided to refer; the matter to tho Finance Committee,, with the recommendation that an assistant bo appointed to help the treasurer. A Statis'tical -Report, ' - Tho Rev. Donald M'lvor presented his report on church statistics. Respecting Presbyterian population, the / report stated:— . ■ "After an interval of four years a return of persons under pastoral care was asked for in view of the Dominion census this year. When, tho schedules first came in, a great many wero blank under this head; while in others the figures set down were obviously a very rough'estimate. One can easily understand that ministers and missionaries recently settled find it impossible to supply an. accurate return; but if it were an established practico to have a permanent record of all the families associated in any way with tho Church this difficulty would soon disappear. There certainly should be no trouble at all when a man has been in charge of a parish for a year or two, and it is hoped that next year the returns nnder this division will be'much more reliable. The figures as they stand (136,214) show an .advance of only 2484 in four years. Excluding the figures for Wangariui, which are only an estimate, there would have been a heavy decrease in the number of Presbyterians accounted for. were , it not for the Presbytery of Auckland, in the North Maud, and the Presbyteries of Ashburton, Timaru, Clutha, and Southland in tho South Island. This is incomprehensible in the face of the steady migration of the people northward in recent y^ars. "The increase of 909 in 1915 has almost disappeared, the figures for this year showing a drop of 789. It is really surprising that tho decrease lis not larger, as thousands of our young men have gone aVay with the Expeditionary Forces during the past 12 months. There is, therefore, no cause for undue anxiety in connection with the church attendance figures. As a matter of fact, Waikato, Wellington, Nelson, Christchurch, Ashburton, Dunstan, and Clutha Presby teries all show more or less of an increase. "The departure of so many of our young men may also help to explain tho continued shrinkage of the number joining the Church by profession of -faith. Quite obviously, however, this cannot account for it altogether. It is almost universally true that the great majority of those who join the Church do so. under the age for military service abroad. There is undoubtedly cause for disexuietudo and heart-searching in tho fact that in a Church of 246 charges, 9-1 home mission stations, and over 40,000 members the increase by examination for a wholo year is less than 2000. The membership figures (42,007) are slowly but surely mounting up, although the increase for 1916 is only 205. Tho virtual stoppage of immigration in war time has largely cut oil' the usual accessions by certificate, and it seems as if thoso added by examination do little more than balance the removals by death and other causes. The speaker then moved: "(1) That the schedules be returned to presbyteries not later than August 14. (2) That each Presbytery appoint one of its members to collect and compile its own statistics and forward tho schedules, together with a certified statement in tabular form to the Assembly's convener not later than September 7. (3) That thoso concerned be enjoined to observe accuracy, completeness, and punctuality in preparing and sending in thoir returns! (4)' That tho committee bo empowered to issuo a Statistical Handbook in 1917." Tho Rov. J. R. Shore seconded the motion, which was carried.

Training Institute. The convenor of the Training Instituto Committee (Rev, W. Hewitson) stated in his report that Mrs. Blackie (supermendent) had always the committee nnder a deep obligation by tho disinterestedness and efficiency of her services, and that obligation had never been so great as during these war years. During the convenor's visit to China ho saw six of the_ past students of the instituto at work in Canton, ono at Amoy and one in Poking, ill'wore doing good work for the Church. The treasurer of the instituto reported :—"Our total indebtedness at the end of February was £400, for which wo-pay 5» per cent, per annum for interest. The present value of the property is about £2000, and thore is furniture, etc., to tho valuo of £400. Since tho end of our wo have reduced the amount on mortgage to £300, and have

at the present time sufficient in hand to meet tho present requirements." The superintendent reported that four students lind been in residence during tho IJIG session. They ' had again had as boarders several students attending the University and Training College, who had paid the regular boarding fee of 18s. per week. Several inquiries had been received from thoso desirous of entering next year. The report was adopted. Foreign Missions. The committee on Foreign Missions reported a considerable increase of revenue, considerable reduction of the debt, and a contribution of £1750 to tlie special appeals for Jagadhri and Yan Woli. The report was adopted. The Rev. Win. Mawson, St.A., workor in and treasurer of the Canton Mission's Council, who is in New Zealand on his second furlough in twelve years, testified to tho growth of tho Presbyterian Church of China. But for tho revolution, he said, tho first Assembly would have been held in May last, hnt it had to bo postponed owing to tho national unrest. On tlio joiion of Professor Hewitson, tho Assembly affirmed tho desirableness of sending a deputation to visit tho mission fields every five years.