CONGREGATIONAL UNION.

Otago Witness, Issue 2814, 19 February 1908, Page 41

CONGREGATIONAL UNION.

"THE GREATEST NEED OF THE CHURCH."

WELLINGTON, February 10. The subject of to-day's meeting of the Congiegational Union was "The Greatest Need of the Church," introduced by the Rev. Mr M'Nau<rhton. who pronounced it to be "the recognition of the Lordfchip of Christ."' An interesting discue6ion followed. Th<? Rev. J. R. Glasson considered that practical Christianity was most needed, not the Christianity of men whose business methods were unchanged by their religion. Other members advocated the concentration of Christians on burning questions of the Vimes, such as Socialism and the growth of irreverence and atheism. Deputations from other free churches were introduced, and short addressee were given to the assembled delegates. Several of the speakers expressed their aporoval of the unification of the churchee, and hoped it would some day take place. At the meeting of the Congregational Union this evening addresses on " Modern Methods of School Work" were delivered by Mr G. Hogben (Inspector-general of Schools) and Mr W. Gray (principal of the Wellington Training College). CHURCH ORGANISATION. WELLINGTON, February il. The procedings of the Congregational Union this morning were chiefly concerned with the business of church organisation The Pastors' Provident Fund Board's report was presented by the Hon. G. Fowlde, M.P., who announced that the capital fund had increased by £139 0s 8d during the year, and now amounted to £2576 10s Id The contributions from the churches ajid personal donations were both considerably lees than in the previous year. Only four of the churches had contributed this year and the board respectfully suggested that the other churches should consider if wiey had done their duty >n this matter. Interest for the coming year should amount to £130, leaving £300* to be obtained to bring up the total to £3000 — the amount required to make the fund operative. In view of the coining year being the twentyfifth of the union the board recommended that the eemi-jubilee should not be allowed to pass without making an effort to raise ..he £300 required for the purpose. The retiring member for the year (Mr A. J. Beaven) was re-elected. With regard to .the £3000 required, Mr Fowlds guaranteed, on behalf of the Auckland district, one-third of the sum — namely. £1000. Mr A. M. Lewis said he trusted that Wellington would not be backward in raising a similar amount, and probably Canterbury and Otago between them would provide the remainder. FINANCES. •The financial statement for 1907 was read b" the acting treasurer (Mr Meadowcroft). On the extension and augmentation fund a deficit of 13s 2d was 6hown. There was a balance in hand of £60 in the home mission extension fund, while further promises to the fund totalled £20. -From this account £113 16s 2d was transferred to the general account. On the site 6 fund capital account there was a balance on hand of £291 3s sd. The total loans now current through this fund were £1928. 12 churches being 6O aided. The total receipts were £793 18s 2d, and the expenditure £843 Os 3d. The grants paid through district treasurers were as follow: — Auckland, £412 17s Id; Otasro, £71 ss; Wellington. £218 3s Bd.— The report was adopted. Recommendations were adopted as ioll _"That ow: the application for grant-ma-id from the Colonial Missionary Society of £100 for Alicetown be approved; that grant" from our own funds as applied fc and as approved by the district committees be made. The assistance to j?e given to churches and minions under these two resolutions would total £570. The estimated expenses of the union meeting and the deficit on the general account would bring this up to £735. but against this were to be placed anticipated grant of £1000 from the Colonial Missionary Sooietv and the surplus from sites fund, collections, etc., bringing it up to £265. This would leave £470 <o be provided by the churches. The Finance Committee recommended ..hat the aim should be to rai9e f he cum in the following proportions:—Auckland, £170; Canterbury. £35; Otago, £130; Wellington. £135.— Adonted. STATISTICAL. _ v The renort of the registrar, presented by Mr G. Hunt, showed that there had been a not gain of 76 in membership of the church — a.n increase of 134 P er cent., — to which all the districts _ contributed. The membership at the beginning of the year stood at 2233 and was now 2309. The number of Sunday schools was the same as. last year, while the scholars had risen from 2633 to 2654. Wellington was the only district which showed a definite increase, which was accounted for by the new work at Alicetown. Thirteen ♦idividual 6choo!s showed a more oi less serious decline. There had been a net lo'.s of five in the number of teachers, which had sunk from 321 to 316. Tho value of church property had increased from £53 525 to £58.173 — a net increase of £4648. Part of the irtcr&ase was attributed to the riso in Hnd rallies. The debt had risen from £6064 to £7189— an increase of £1125 Manse debts had been reduced by £200. SOCIAL QUESTIONS. The Rev. A. E. Hunt (Timaru) spoke on temperance, and advised his hearers to vote for no-licenfc«. The Rev. I. Sar^inson (Chnstchurch) spoke on Sabbath observances, and the Hon. G Fowlds gave an address on pnmblincr. .vhich he believed had done more to demoralise humanity than drink A good doa.l I of the gambling that went on was really ' a reaction against the monolonv of life He advocated making the conditions of life as satisfying to the nature of man as •possible. He thought the act parsed laet session was an immense advance on anything prey ioiibly accomplished, and t'npt it had almost entirely done away with gambling in workshops. CLOSING MEETING. WELLINGTON, February 12. The annual session of rhe council of the New Zealand Congregational Union was brought to a conclusion to-day. ELECTION OF OFFICERS. The council elected officers for the coming year as follows : —Chairman, Rev. W. S. Fernie; secretary, „ Rev. G. Day; treasurer, Mr W. H. Lyonj registrar, Mr

Granville Hunt ; auditor, Mr C. Campbell ; preacher, R«v. A. E. Hunt ; Outlook editor, Mr A. Heighway ; committee : Auckland — Rev. S. Griffiths and the new Bereeford street minister, Messrs A. G. Lee, W. Mitchell, H. Edmonds, C. E. Campbell, J. E. Hall, A. T. Craig, S. W. Smeeton, J. V. Hooton, J. E. Moore. W. B. Leyland, and W. M. Trigg; Otago— Revs. W. M. Grant, W. Saunders, G. Heighway, and W. S. Fernie, Messrs R. Greig and J. H. Wilkins ; Canterbury — Revs. D. Hird, A. E. Hunt, and I. Sarginson, Messrs A. W. Bieaven, W. Dall, and A. Henderson ; Wellington — Revs. W. A. Evans, J. M. Aspland, J. R. Glasson, and B. L. Thomas, Messrs A. M. Lewis and F. W. Meadowcroft. THEOLOGICAL THAIXING. The Rev. R. M'Naughton asked if anything had been done by the committee set up last year to go into the question of theological training for young men who had expressed a deaire to enter the ministry of the CongeregationaJ Church. The Rev. G. Heighway stated that the committee had never met during the year, and couid not, therefore, table a report. It was agreed that the committee be re-appointed with the Rev. G. Heighway as convener to report next year. CHURCH JXTON. The Committee on Church Union appointed last year, also failed to bring down a report. The committee was re-appointed. It was decided that the committee of *.he union be re-appointed a committee of reference to safeguard the interests of the Native adherents of. tho London Missionary Society in the South Seas, the Wellington members of the committee with power to add to their number, were constituted n executiva. GENERAL. It was decided to suggest to all Congregational Churches to set apart the third Sunday in October of each year as a Young People's Sunday It was resolved : ' That it be a recommendation from this council to ..he four district secretaries that a digest of their district minutes be forwarded ea«h month to the editor of the Congregational Outlook as soon as possible. ' The R«v. A. E. Hunt (Timaru) moved: " That this council desires to place on record its gratification at the promise of temperance reform throughout the world, and especially at the great success which has amended the carrying of No-license in some parte of the Dominion, and in view of the forthcoming No-license poll this council urge upon our ministers and churches the necessity of putting forth every effort to bring about as speedily as possible the abolition of a traffic which is one- of the greatest obstacles to our social and religious life." The motion was carried unanimously without di6cu=siou. The Revs. W. A. Evans and J. Tteid Glasson were constituted a committ-ce to watoh the progress of law 3 affecting eligious liberty 'n New Zealand. It was reported that no law had been passed during 1 the last year which needed comment from this standpoint. The following delegates were appointed to attend the forthcoming international conference of the Congregational Church at Edinburgh: — Revs. I. Willuns and W. Saundere, Messrs A. Lindeay Spragg, and Gutteridge. Any r urther action which might be necessary, should any of thc-se delegates be unable to make +he trip to be taken by the committee. It was decided that the council 3hould meet nei.t year at Christchurch. IHE CHRIVTCHCKCH FIRF. CHRISTCHU.RCH, February 11. In connection with the recent fixe, it is stated that one insurance company in Christchurch has lost more money o\er the fire than it will collect in premiums for the next 30 years, not allowing for a single additional loss during that period. CHRISTCHTjRCH, February 13. The ruins of Wardell Bros.' factory, which have been smouldering since the fire last Thursday night, began to bum fiercely this morning, and the brigade had to get to worlc. The shell of the building contained 15 or 20 feet of debris, apparently consisting mainly of bricks and oharred beams, and from this a dense cloud of smoke was rising w.ith an amount of force that indie* 1 ed a strong fire underneath. There was no danger of the fire spreading, but the smoke was a source of considerable annojance to the neighbouring business premises. This afternoon the brigade was still pumping water inio the ruins, but had not succeeded in suppressing the fire. ALLEGED PILFERING. CHRISTCHURCH. February 12 A good deal of pilfering took place at the fire on Thursday night. At the Police Court to day Peter and Edwaa-d Power were charged with having stolen £5 worth of drapery, the property of the Wellington Woollen Company, and drapery valued at over £20. the property of Gott Broe. The accused ncie remanded on bail. WELLINGTON. February 12. De f ective Ca^sels yesterday arrested a man named George Barnes, who was endeavouring 1 to sell a new pail of trousers in a second-hand shop. The man's room on being searched was found to contain boxes of goods, valued at £50. stolen from Ross and Glondining's during the recent Christchurch fire. The accused admitted the theft, and was remanded to Christchurch. TWO MEN FINED. CHRISTCHURCH. February 15. Two young men, named Peter Power and Edward Power, were each fined £5, in default one month's imprisonment, to-day on charges of stealing a quanfuy of drapery belonging to tho Weihii<4i.on Woollen Company and Messrs Gott Bros, on the night of rhe bis; fire la^t wocl:. Tho various incipient fires diicovcicd in Chnstchurch on Thui-day evening cau-pcl a gre t deal of alaim amongst business poople in the citj, and ctnnjreni mea-uios were taken to guard their premises yc^t^rdav. Sergeant Burrows detained a half-caste nho t\js belie', ed to be connected -nirh the outbreak at the rear of Mr Andrewa's thop. It \ia< =tated that this man vmited Mr Andrew s'e shop and asked for come matches iu->t prior to the fire occurring in the Al Hotel right-of-way. Mr Andrews identified the man, but as the police had not sufficient evidence <o connect him with the fire he was allowed his liberty.

The police are inclined to the opinion that the incendiary is a maniac or some

irresponsible youth, who wants to witness a fire eimilar to the one which ruined such a number of business premises last week. It. is stated that the fire on Thursday week had its origin inside a door abutting on a right-of-way, and since then scarcely a night has passed without the brigade being called out. This is perhaps a coincidence, as the circumstances connected with the fires which occurred between Thursday week and last Thursday do not give rice to the suspicion of incendiarism. A cat fell on a recent Sunday from a second storey window in the Rue Beaubourg, Paris, on to the hat of a woman who was passing. The cat clawed the woman' 6 face and destroyed the sight of one of her eyes. There is at present only one inmate of the habitual criminal portion of the New Plymouth gaol. He is employed in making mats for the use of the department, and is said to be "working- out his salvation "at a steady pace. He will be joined by several others in the course of a few months.