CONGREGATIONALISTS

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3022, 8 March 1917, Page 3

CONGREGATIONALISTS

WELCOME SOCIAL TO DELEGATES,

At the Congregational Schoolroom, the Terrace, last evening, a welcome social was held, in honour or the delegates who have arrived in the City to at&nd~ the anniifli of the Loncregational Union of Now Zealand. Mr. i!\ Meadowcrofi, ciiairmaii of tlie local "executive, presided. . The proceedings were opened by the singing of three verses of the National AnthemMr. Meadowcrof t, who delivered a short address of welcome, said, in referring to the war, that beyond the cloud the sun was shining, and we, firmly trusting in the righteousness of our cause, knew that in duo time, when the Almighty saw fit, Britain and her Allies would be brought into that state of mind and feeling whereby His p,uriiose would bo accomplished, and His hand would be revealed, then victory would be ours. But before that time came there were lessons to be,learned which, as far as present indications went, had not been, learned as yet. He condemned tho present attitude of the people and their love of pleasure. The chastening rod had not been The manses, churches, and Sunday senools of the Union had suffered through the young men offering their services—tho. highest services they could offer in being willing to go and servo their God and country, and if need be lay down their lives for thatfor which we entered this war—the establishing of right before might, the relief of the smaller 'nations from the tyranny of the oppressor. He ..stated that the Congregational Church, though it had lost most of its young men_, had not made application for exemption Tor any belonging to the denomination. It was a rare thing to find any eligible man now in any of the church* gatherings. He contrasted the conditions prevailingin the war zones, and in England, with the conditions in New Zealand, and asked should it not lead us to consider very earnestly what lessons this great upheaval • had for us, and resolvo to seek more guidance that we might be led to do those things that will make for the furtherance of God's will, and be willing to lend our influence to the establishment of all that will tend to make our national life stronger, our civic life bettor, our church life more, intense, our family life sweeter and simpler, and, our.Christian life more in harmony with the example set us by the Divine Master. "If we learned these lessons, thon wo would say it was worth ;-,it, and that through five jDi l '' blood the nation had been burnished and cleansed, and though bereaved and sad hearts had been torn with tuggiish, yet life with the bloodshed had been sweetened and purified and the world found to be a better place' to live in than before. How" the nation acted now would deterraino largely the comfort and happiness of the children now growing up." Ho then formally welcomed the delegates to the conference.

The Rev. AV. 31. Grant, the chairman of tlio conference, briefly returned thanks:

A short programme of musical items followed, to which Miss Knijrht and Messrs. Cutforth. Mcatcs, and H. F. AVood contributed.

The conferenco will open at 10 o'clock this morning.