METHODISTS MEET

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 52, Issue 3269, 28 May 1943, Page 5

METHODISTS MEET

CHURCH WORK REVIEWED THREE-DAY CONFERENCE DISTRICT SYNOD AT PAEROA When the May ministerial Synod of the North Auckland district of the Methodist Church met at Paeroa on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday of this week there were present approximately 25 ministers and home missionaries, including one Maori clerical representative. The meetings were presided over by the Rev. C. H. Olds, Hamilton (Chairman of the District, and President of the Dominion Conference of the Church), with who was the Synod secretary, the Rev. J. L. Mitchell, Morrinsville.

The morning session on Tuesday was occupied with a devotional period and general business, including a discussion of the united churches’ campaign for Christian Order. In the afternoon discussion centred in a number of Conference resolutions concerning baptism as related to church. membership, introduced by Rev. L. G. Brooks,’ Te Aroha. Church and Rehabilitation The evening session took the form of a public meeting, at which the Rev. C. H. Olds presided and also spoke on the subject of “Rehabilitation As It Affects the Church.” He emphasised the need for a helpful attitude on the part of the church to men who, on returning from the war, would find it difficult to resume the routine and habit of their pre-war life, including their former religious associations and church attachments. While economic rehabilitation would be largely the responsibility of the .State, there was also a rehabilitation of a spiritual character in which, he urged, the home and the church must play a foremost and vital part by providing an atmosphere in which the inevitably unsettling effects of war upon temperament and outlook could be overcome. To this end these two important spheres must be purged of the spirit of pettiness, selfishness, strife and hypocrisy, and the spirit of kindliness, understanding, patience, affection, genuineness, fellowship and co-operation must be cultivated more fully. In particular there must be no place in the church for snobbishness and cliquism, and the church must show that it meant business by seeking to eradicate the root causes of war, and thus prevent a recurrence of its devilishness, and to foster not only unity and spiritual fervour in religion, but humane and just conditions in social, commercial and industrial life, and relationships.

A musical and elocutionary programme was provided by Miss G. Hill, Mesdames R- Catton and H. E. Whitton and the Rev. W. E. Moore (Otorohanga) and Mr R. Jutson. Mrs J. R. Nelson and Rev. W. E. Moore played the organ accompaniments. A welcome to Synod members was extended by the Rev. J. R. Nelson (the local minister), and Mr G. H. Hill (circuit steward), and this was responded to by Rev. J. S. Waite, of Cambridge. Topics and Discussions During the sessions of Wednesday and Thursday the subjects dealt with were as follows: —Rev. J. L. Mitchell, review of the book “The Faith That Must Offend” (author, Rev. J. McCulloch); Rev. J. B. Dawson, Rotorua, “The Church and the. Outsider”; Rev. A. A. Bensley, Tauranga, “Christian Perfection”; Mr A. E. Bate, Auckland (youth director), “Youth Work Proposals.” There was general discussion of these themes and also of the chairman’s address on “Rehabilitation.” The thanks of the Synod were tendered to the church trustees, hosts and hostesses, speakers, officials and performers at the Synod public function.