COUNCIL OF CHRISTIAN CONGREGATIONS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19472, 6 May 1925, Page 5

COUNCIL OF CHRISTIAN CONGREGATIONS.

SILVER JUBILEE. APPROPRIATE CELEBRATIONS. The Council of Christian Congregations has now completed 25 years of useful service in the community, and in order to celebrate the jubilee a tea and public meeting were held in the Stuart Hall last evening. The Rev. Tullocb Yuiile (president of the council) occupied the chair, and about 40 representatives of various sections of church activities were present. In opening the proceedings after tea, Mr Yuiile extended a hearty welcome to those present, including one who was not a member of the Council of Christian Congregations—the Mayor. He wished on behalf of the council to extend hearty congratulations to Mr Tapley on his unopposed re-election* as Mayor of the city. Ihe Mayor had always been a very good friend of tho council and of every movement working for the good of the cityi i Tho Rev. W. Saunders said he felt, that tho important part of the meeting was not the past, but the present, and perhaps still more the future. At the same time it might interest them to look at the pit out qf which they were dug. The Council of Christian Congregations was really a- continuation of an earlier body which wont back to an association formed here for the oversight of the morals of the city. Tho Rev. Dr Gibb, the late Mr Alfred North, and tho speaker had been greatly impressed with the need of social reform, and the three of them co-operated with the object of taking stops to bring about that reform. Tho most important step taken was to employ a retired detective whoso duty it: was to look in throe directions. The first was in connection with what was known as sexual immorality,' the second was gambling, and the third was drinking. The reports which they obtained with reference to these matters were pretty thorough. After these reports had boon obtained and information had been gathered from other sources Mr North Withdrew from any further public service, and Dr Gibb and the speaker published the results of their investigations. The excitement created in consequence was pretty big, possibly because it was well known that they had in their possession tho names of all the owners of houses of ill-fame. It- could be quite understood that some of these people held fairly respectable positions, and possibly they did not know* that they held such properly. They were exposed to a great deal of enmity and misrepresentation. Tho newspapers were not too sympathetic, and one, which had since gone out of existence was absolutely hostile. Even tho churches were not too friendlv. The outcome was the formation of tho Social Reform Association, which existed particularly for putting down houses of illfame, the sunpreasion of organised gambling, especially in the workshops, and the diminution of drunkenness, largely through co-operation with the temperance societies. They had a lot of important men on the committee of the society in those days, and they received a lot of help, legal and otherwise. He thought that for some years th'ey did very groat work in freeing the city from some of its prominent defects. Eventually tho old association became tho Council of Christian Churches, which look o'er the committee of the Social Reform Association and did good work in three directions to which he had referred and in addition took up evangelical work. The Council of Christian Churches eventually became the Council of Christian Congregations. The programme was much the same, and the spirit was the same, hut the representation now was the representation of the congregations rather than of tho churches. The organisation had absolutely justified its existence, and had done a lot of good. It had certainly chocked evils, and had acted as a kind of watchman in tho city If an evil became prominent or a questionable proposal was advanced their organisation took up tho cudgels against it. Ho had found joy in co-operating with so many good workers. Me trusted that the cooperation would continue for some lime yet and that the work of tho council was only just beginning. It was for them to advance the Kingdom of God mightily ip their midst. Tho Rev. Mr Yuiile said he had to speak on the present. To-day tho Council ot Christian Congregations stood for unity of action on the part of all (ho Christian churches in the city, but there could be no unity of action unless there was unity of spirit, and there could bo n 6 unity of spirit unless it was cultivated by stern discipline. Ho thought the call to-day was that, everyone in the churches should by prayer cultivate unity of spirit. Ho thought the world to-day was clamouring for unity of action on the part of the Christian church. The world outside was not keen on denominationnli.sm. The man in the street, had no interest, in denomiiiutionalism, and was looking for unified action by the church. Ho thought the man in the street had too much deference paid to him today, arid perhaps controlled far too many things in proportion (o his real ability and strength, hut still it was the Spirit of God moving in tho hearts of the whole world that was dominating community of action. Ever since the war there had been a demand on tho part of tho common believer that the churches should work lagel her. and that was why he counted it a very high honour to ho president of r.he Council of Christian Congregations. lie believed they could do something that no separate denomination could over do, and while he. had strength to .-pend he honed to spend it iu a unified effort on behalf of his brothers in Christ and working for the kingdom of their great Lord. He thought, that community of action mqst express hself in positive wavs. Thcre\vas a great danger of a council such as this becoming simply a- protesting body, doing negative work. The most difficult work was negative work. It was possible to agree on positive work, but when they started negative work they disagreed. Tt >oemcd to him that, the council was called 11)1011 to do Ihe .great big positive work of evangelisation. As he read the story of tho church to-dav in every land he saw the very best minds of the church devoting themselves to evangelisation. To do evangelistic work in this city there must be united effort. If they stood together they would find how great wore the things - that united and how small were the things that divided. As he progressed through life he found himself less a rabid Presbyterian and more concerned about being a Christian. He thought that whenever a church was the predominant church it was exposed to a grout temptation in not being as interested in co-operative work as it. should be. He thought that in Otago the Presbyterians had to fight: the temptation to bo the aloof big brother and not unite in hearty association with the other brothers in the work of Christ. He hoped tho council would face unitedly Ihe tremendous work of evangelising the city and winning every man, woman, and child for flic Master. Tho Rev, Mr Kempton said they rejoiced at tho success of the Presbyterian CTiurcli. and if it lost its denotninulionalism it would gain in tho inspiration it would give to tiio community. The Council of Christian Congregations had always been treated with groat respect by the Mayor and councillors, and by. all people hi positions of authority and rosponsihilit v. He attributed that to. the fact that the attitude of the council had never been an impossible one. Another reason was tho high spiritual and moral character of those ’ who had hold positions of responsibility in the public life of the community. '1 here was no wish ■on tile part of anyone responsible for (he policy of the council to he’ intrusive. They had no wish to trespass upon the rights of any other organisation. They would like to co-operate witn every other organisation that sought to promote the cause of righteousness and God’s great kingdom In order to frame a policy and do work that would ho an honour and credit to them they should secure an increase in membership. All branches of the church were represented on the council. .So far as individual churches were concerned they had about 25 represented on the council, hut they "ouid like to have a much stronger representation. 1 here were several suburban (■hutches, both Methodist and Presbyterian, and the council w’ould like to have the privilege of welcoming them to membership. There was no entrance fee, ana it, was not likely that there would be any subscription tor a long time to come. ]fe thought that if ail the churches came m and they hud a night set apart for a quarterly meeting they could do some things that would tremendously influence the city for good provided they were in earnest. He would like to see in Dunedin what they had in Melbourne—a noon prayer meeting weekly throughout the year. TTiat would mean a tremendous uplift to the business men. They might also hold a combined evangelistic servun one month in the centre of the city and the next, month in one of the suburbs, =0 that, a, united effort might be made to reach the men outside the churches. Although this city was not as had as some the burden on the minds of parents with regard to the bringing up of their children was becoming pretty heavy. This was a problem that would have to lie dealt with, and there was room for great activity on the part of the (domicil of Christian Congregations. Mr Tapley returned thanks for tho con-

gratulations on his re-election as Mayor, and said that anything relating to the Christian 'work of the city always had his deeped sympathy. He was very much struck with what had been said about the Council of Christian Congregations. It had always struck him that the churches might be very much stronger, if they were solid in community 'of action. If it were possible for all the churches to be brought into one line what a splendid thing it would be for the Christian Church. It seemed to him that so much more could be done if there was one solid church. The City Council appreciated the aims and work of the Council of Christian Congregations, and if it were approached about any of the problems being dealt with it always gave heed to them. He did not agree with them on the question of sacred concerts on Sunday nights after church. He was open to conversion, but it seemed to him that there was no difference between bands playing on Sunday afternoons and playing on' Sunday nights after church. At night they saw youiig people wandering up and down the street and at St. Clair and various other places. He felt quite sure that if sacred concerts were held a , F church some of the young people would patronise them, whereas at present they got into mischief outside. He congratulated the council on the splendid work alreadv achieved, and hoped that during the next 25 years it would make even more extensive strides in connection with the things the members hod so near their hearts. , Mr E. A. Rosovear, who was a member of the first executive, and who has been treasurer nearly all the time the council has been in existence, said he considered that the Rev. G. Heighway had done more for the organisation- than anyone else. Colonel Morris was the first treasurer. He hoped the council would do greater work still. He was delighted with the remarks about the prospects of union of the churches.' In ms opinion the church would never get hold of the mai in the street until it became one church. He thought that if the church conducted evangelistic missions more good would be done than if such missions were run by visitors. After mentioning that -Gipsy Smith had been invited to come hero next year, Mr Rosovear said he believed that the church should go to the people, and he thought a of the church should speak at every gathering where a' band was playing. The bands would be only too pleased to have such a speaker, ind he trusted they would accept the opportunity to send a speaker. Mr J Farquharson said the most privileged work which the council could take up was in connection with the young people. The Rev Mr Saunders said that- evangelistic missions had done good, but be thought it was easy to exaggerate the good they had done, and lie had not been overwhelmingly impressed with their results. Ho thought they should consider the question of sending a speaker to the Gardens when a band was playing. He would prefer that the young people should gather after church and listen to good music than they should gossip or get into mischief in the public streets, and ho thought the council should consider the question of co-operating in regard to Into concerns on Sunday rights. The Chairman said the council* represented a very strong and virile body, and he thought that to-day they had as vigorous an executive as they had ever hod. He counted it a very high honour to be president of a body of men willing and able to do things. He was sure that some of the suggestions made would bo carried out. It was decided to send n message of greeting to the Rev. G. Heighway. Prayer In- Mr Duncan Wright and the Rev. W. Walker brought the proceedings to a close.