CONGREGATIONAL UNION.

Otago Witness, Issue 2813, 12 February 1908, Page 53

CONGREGATIONAL UNION.

WELLINGTON. February 5. The annual session of the council of ths - New Zealand Congregational Union wao ' commenced to-day in the Terrace Church. A meeting of the committee wa6 held at •' 10 a.m., and at 11 a.m. a devotional meeting was conducted by the Rev. W. Day. At noon the first business meeting of the council was held. The committee reported that it had received with regret an intimation from the Rev. W. Saunders that his . health would not permit him to fulfil the duties of president of the union during 1 1908. Under the circumstances the unanimous choice of the committee fell upon the Rev. David Hird, M.A.. of Trinity Church, Christchurch. The following office-bearers were elected: — Report to English and colonial journals, Rev. \V. Day; correspondent to Outlook. Rev. A. E Hunt ; Reference Committee — Revs. J. R. Gla-sson. \V. A. Evans, A. E. Hunt, and S. Griffiths;; Finance Committee— the outgoing committee, with the Hon. G. Fowlds and Messrs A. Lindsay, A. W. Lewis. W. F. Eggers, L. W. Thornton, and C. V. Leijon;. minute secretary. Rev. G. Heighway ; corresponding secretary, Rev. J. H. MacKenzie. There wai a large attendance in the evening, when the president delivered his inaugural address. His subject was '"Christian Fredom and Denominational Loyalty." The session will last till next Wednesday. February 6. ~The Congregational Union considered th« question of foreign missions this morning. The Rev. A. 12. Hunt (Timaru) referred to the necessity for strengthening the hands of their brethren in the Islands, antt particularly in >-egard to Rarotonga, end the educational work being done there. He had received a warm resolution from Samoa, in which it wa.s stated that the dis- i triet committee meeting held at Matua recorded with gratitude the determination of the union to do its utmost_to safeguard' the interests of the native adherents ot

I the London Missionary Society in the , South Sea«. The meeting also specially, ' rejoiced in the evidence of a newlyawakened interest in South Sea missions 1 throughout the Congregational Churches of New Zealand, and it was earnestly hoped that the iiiterest would 6 how itself \ in affording both men and money to the i 6ociety for South Sea missions, which vvero so seriously threatened v. iih reduction. Mr Hunt made a most earnest appeal for the • work in the South Sea«. He said tha* 1 whatever might be felt by ministers of the churches in Australasia about the organisation of a local mission board, the workers in the' field would regard separation from the London Missionary Society as a dira calamity. The whole of the amount raised i for missions in the Australasian Congrega- ' tional Churches for 1906 — the latest returns — iva- £5371 of which New Zealand raised £1548. He moved — "That we place on record our hearty appreciation of the visit of the special deputation from the Board of Directors of the London Missionary, Society. consisting of the Rev. A M. Johnston, Mr E. Smith, and the Rev. J. King (oi yanking secretary). We feel confident that this vHt will tend to increase the intere-t of our churches in the woik of the London Miesionarv Society, and wo assure the directors of our earnest desire to loyally support their efforts in keeping: i I pace with the inci-ea=ing demand*, of the 1 woik. and that this a-scnibly urges upon , the churches the nece so itv of doins> our utmost to attain the Australasian total of £10,000." The resolution was carried. HOME MISSION'S. Home missions wore considered this evening. Tho Rev C. E. Davidson (Kawhii) said the minister" and missionaries in the back-blocks had 10 work hai d, often with, little encouragement. Progress was 6low but sure. There was -need for missionary effort in the bush, where «ettlers were in I danger of drift ine into Godless indifference, i' The Rev. R. Mitchell (Te Kuiti) said tho j bush districts of the North Inland were j becoming more thickly populated. The j need for mission workers became greater I every day. and that need mu=t be supplied I by the Congregational Chinch. February 7. I The council resumed this morning. ( The president of the Methodist Confer' ence te'ejrraphed his congratulations on the pa«r success and best wi«hes for thtf" future. ' It was decided to receive a deputation from the Pie-byteiian Assembly on Monday. I The Rev. J. W. Russell, of the Congregational Churcn. Scotland, was introduced by the Otago Di-^nct Union and appointed a peisonal member of the union. The Revs. Burcrovne. Burge-«, and Young were received as yer-onal members on ths recommendation of the Auckland District Union. The report of the Auckland District Committee c howed steady work in the Kawhia *_ and Raglan districts, also round Te Kjiiti. It was resolved to set apart a special Sunday for the advocacy of the claims of j the London Missionary Society, and as fat as practicable an interchange of pulpits , for the purpose. j The Rev. Mr Hunter suggested ihe hold--I ing of a missionary exhibition in either one or all of the chief centres of New Zealand, similar to those being held in tho [ United Kingelonia