PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

Hokitika Guardian, 5 June 1931, Page 5

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

GENERAL ASSEMBLY IN SESd'iuN. FINANCIAL STATEMENT. WELLINGTON, June 3. At the Presbyterian , . General . Assembly M>-d|av a grant of £2oQ,,towards tne relief and construction pf trio earthquake area was r e ceiyed from the Presbyterian Church of ’ Ireland.- A message of sympathy with the losses sustained in the earthquake accompanied tile grant. A motion was unanimously carried commending the League of Nations Union to the support of the people and urging wholehearted . prayer and service on behalf of world peace ami disarmament. The motion also called attention to the critical nature of the present crisis-in view of the forthcoming Disarmament- Conference, upon the success of which the future of -the world depended. A iepoit in regard to gambling said; —“The Assembly notes with deep concern the continuous issue of licenses for the holding of art unions by authority of the Minister for Internal Affairs, and strongly reaffirms its opposition to all such enterprises. as being debasing to the moral and economic interests of the community.” RELIEF OF CHURCHES IN - HAAVKK3 BAY, Dealing with relief granted' to churches as a result of the earthquake, the gen e ral treasurer, Mr V. G. Chapman, reported that the sum of £4581 had been received from ' congregations for the purposes of relief and construction, and £22oo'had been advanced to the congregation of St-. Paul's, Napier, for the erection of a temporary building for church purposes. It was unanimously agreed that out of. the accumulated funds of the fire insurance account £2OOO be paid into the fund, opened for • the relief of churches in Hawkes Bay.. /(y----.The Rev.,. J.- A- Asher■ .Moderator of the Hawkes Bay Presbytery, and minister of •St.'. Paul’s, expressed., his'own deep • gratitude,?,at' -the: .consideration and sympathy , extended' to him , personally and the Presbyteria'n. P oo P’ e during the 'generous .response to’-'-the Moderator’s appeal.' It- would all be needed as lie expected Very little help would be -available from the Rehabilitation Commission. ’ FINANCIAL POSITION. V The treasurer "(Mr Chapman) in presenting the annual financial statement, deprecated anything in the nature of panic with regard . to : church funds. Such investments as the trustees -had made were vqry sound. There was a decline in congregational giving to. Ihe general ■ qs'chefiies'" of w the" dfi'Urch, but ho was doubtful whether ili© economic position was wholly responsible Legacies had been largely responsible for the meeting of current expenses. “Let us hold ,to the work.that \v« are doing,” said Mr Chapman. “AVe have been richly bl©ssed in the past. Are we to grow weary in well do-

ing?” , . * The Rev. George Budd, chairman ot the Advisory (Board* imported that £12,000 had improved- the position, especially in the'" foreign mission account, to which fund .this sum had been bequeathed. It was .agreed to transfer £7500 "to meet the deficit in the foreign mission account, £4600 towards the deficit in the home mission account, and £IOO to the youth of the church accounts.