SPIRITUAL ERA

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26631, 29 November 1947, Page 8

SPIRITUAL ERA

DEATH BLOW TO ATHEISM FUTILITY OF PAGAN IDEOLOGIES Special to the Daily Times ROXBURGH, Nov. 27. “It is a glorious era for spiritual culture and creative intelligence,” said the Rev. Leslie B. Neale in the course of his address to a meeting of the Otago-Southland Synod of the Methodist Church last night. “In recent years,” he continued, “ two things have rapidly developed—science and philosophy—which have dealt the death blow to atheism. No sane mind any longer accepts Haeckel’s atheistic philosophy. Two things have become incredible —one is that the world explains itself or has evolved itself; the other is that the material is the real. At last man, befuddled and befooled by ideologies, realises the futility of the blind pagan humanism that has so long striven for supremacy.” During the evening excerpts from “The Last Night of Bethany” were rendered by the combined Methodist and Presbyterian choirs, under the baton of Mr E. McFarlane. In dealing with the question of church union, the committee endorsed the recommendation that voting on the proposed basis of union should take place at the June quarterly meetings of 1948 It was also recommended that every circuit and home mission station be visited by a member of the Church Union Committee to explain the basis. The synod also recommended that the basis of union be referred to the full senior membership of the church as well as to their quarterly) meetings. It was suggested that the conference consider the name-of the Rev. J. J. Lewis, M.A., 8.D., of Milton, when considering nominations for a representative to the first meeting of the World Council of Churches, which meets in Amsterdam in 1948. • Mr A. Dingwall represented -the Peace Thanksgiving Fund Committee and urged upon the synod the necessity of acquiring the target of £50,000 as soon as possible. .“This money is needed,”*he said, “to procure sites and establish Sunday schools and churches in rapidly developing areas, and to assist aggressive schemes which may be inaugurated by circuits and home mission stations for church extension.” A district committee was anpointed consisting of Messrs T. P. Michelle. H. H Johnson. G. R. Sheat, and the Revs. A. H. Ivory and R. Thornley. _ .. _ , , In presenting the Dunedin Central Mission report Rev. W. E. Falkingham pointed out the magnitude of the work. The total income from all sources for the year amounted to £4O 000 and the total expenditure, £42,500. There was 10 trained sisters on the staff as well as several nursing aids. The wages bill for the year amounted to nearly £IO,OOO. Mr Falkingham paid a tribute to the outstanding work of the Rev. Neale. He was a man who combined all the gifts of an able administrator and business executive with those of the highest traditions in pastoral and pulpit ministry, he said. Appreciation of the work of Sister M. Frampton, matron of the Eventide Homes was also expressed. The Rev. Neale, in speaking to the report, pointed out the extent of the ministry rendered to the community. Ninety-seven folk were cared for in the Eventide Settlement. “At the present time the foundations are in for a new 25-bed nurses’ home,” said Mr Neale, and he referred to the factory work being done by the Revs. L. Greenslade and W. E. Falkingham at Hillside Workshops and Radiation, Ltd. It was pointed out that at the invitation of the employees at Hillside Workshops weekly meetings were being conducted. Synod commended this work and suggested that other districts throughout the Dominion investigate' the possibilities of doing similar work.