COUNCIL OF CHURCHES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2814, 19 February 1908, Page 12

COUNCIL OF CHURCHES.

The quarterly meeting of the Council ol Churches was held in First Church Hall on the 10th. The Rev. W. Hay presided, and there_ were about 20 representatives oi the associated churches present. PKESIDENTIAL ADDBESS. The Chairman, in the course of a lengthj written address, referred to the important work which it was the function of the council to undertake. The council, though not quite as representative as could be wished, gave visibility to the real oneness that existed among the various sections of the Christian Church, and at the same time gave practicability to a common desire for unity in the many schemes that could be adopted and the many activities that could >be entered upon by the council without let or hindrance by denominational interests, and yet without compromising any of the respective churches. The influence of the council in the past had been considerable, and it had not failed to legislate along the lines that made for clean and righteous living. It was not to the interest of the Christian Church to delegate to other organieations work it should undertake itself. The statement was not eoirect that the most practical Christian work was being done outside the churches, because such work was being done by the Church through what were termed outside agencies. i Such organisations as the Patients and Prisoners' Aid Society, societies or councils for the advancement of temperance and no-license, agencies for social purity, and so forth, would find it to their own advantage and io the advantage of the Church to have their centre of affiliation in the council. During the coming months it would be the duty of the council to undertake a campaign with the object of dealing with tho liquor traffic, and would «=eek to | abolish the open drinking bar, which was • responsible for one of the most degrading effects upon tho manhood of the nation. The council had already put its hands to the plough in this matter, and there must be no looking back. If combating the liquor traffic was a Christian work — and he submitted there could be no rational question of that, — then it was the work of iho churches, and as a council they must fulfil their own responsibility earnestly and strenuously. The executive had resolved to recommend that attitude to the council, and he trusted it would be heartily adopted. In a few months the people would be called upon to vote either for or against continuance of a traffic that had slain its tens of thousands, and which had swept nobleness and peace and happiness and comfort and love from innumerable homes. The council had it in its power to takie a leading part in the struggle for a great and noble victoryMany had been contributing to a fund for the purpose — a fund over which the churches had no control, but had they organised they also might have had a fund. Those who had the fund would, however, unite heartily with the churches in the matter. He would submit proposals for a simultaneous mission in the churches and other meetings at the meeting of the executive. Resolutions would be submitted at that night's meeting regarding the terrible «conditions of life in the Congo Free States and the opium traffic in China. Those were matters for the Imperial Government to deal with, but it was not right for the council to shirk its responsibility because of distance. The Christian Church of this as well ac other lands must make ite voice heard, and that voice could be effective in moving the Dominion Government to do its part in such matters. The address concluded with a satisfactory reference to the evangelistic mission conducted by the Rev. C In wood. THE INWOOD MI6SIOV. Mr Wilkinson reported upon the spiritual Buccess which had attended the mission work in the city by the Rev. Chae. Inwood. the evangelist whose mission was conducted under the auspices of the council. The treasurer of tho council (Mr Roeevear) reported that the total receipts from the mission amounted to £75 12e lOd, and the expenses to £61 16s Bd. leaving a credit balance of £3 16s 2d. — It was decided to place on record an appreciation of the Bpiritual results of the mission, and to forward a cony .of the minute thereof to Mr Inwood. It was also resolved to make it a recommendation to the executive to continue in some way the evangelistic work commenced by the reverend gentleman named. THE FLANAGAN MISSION. Tt was resolved, on the motion of Mr H. Driver — " That Mr Flanagan be assured of a hearty welcome, and that the council I pledges itself to assist, him by prayer and co-operation in his noble work, and trusts that his proclamation of the Gospel of re-

deeming: love ir.ay be abundantly success5 ful." It was also decided that the Rev. Mr I Flanagan be afforded a special opportunity tof addressing ministers and Christian : workers on Monday next. THE CONGO ATROCITIES. The Chairman said the executive had , ' under consideration the Congo atrocities, . and it had been decided to send a 6peoial J resolution to all the churches in the ( i Dominion calling attention to the matter. , ' The resolution forwarded was as follows : — ■ J • "As representing the Christian cnurcliM : j of the Dominion of New Zealand, we desire | to enter our most emphatic protest against j the cruel and shameful wrongs inflicted upon the natives of the Congo under the : rule of King Leopold of Belgium. We i regard these iniquities as proved 1 beyond dispute or "denial, on the unimpeachable ■ testimony of missionaries, travellers, and , journalists, who have made themselves familiar with the melancholy facts. We further respectfully appeal to the Imperial C4overnment to use its utmost authority and influence to put an end to these frightful atrocities, which are an affront to the civilisation of Europe and a wrong to the native races of Africa, calling aloud for . immediate redress." The whole position in the Congo Free State was at present I entirely unsatisfactory, and if something I were not done speedily to improve matters | it would end in further complications aris- , ing in that State that would shock Ghns- , tendom. He moved — " That this meeting 'of the Dunedin Council of Christian i Churches approves of the resolution forwarded by its executive to the Church j Councils in Christchurch, Wellington, and ' Auckland enlisting their sympathy and co- J j operation in protesting against the horrible j ; atrocities being perpetrated in the Conga | I Free State under the administration of 1 King Leopold of Belgium ; and. "through , the medium of our own Colonial Secretary. j urging the Imperial Government to insist upon the protection of the natives and the humane government of the StaAe. which it i 1 ha<s a right to do under the terms of the Berlin Treaty." j Mr Wright seconded- the motion, which i was adopted unanimously. | ! Captain M'Donald, who had been in (be j Con^ro for many years, said that so long as the present system of taxation was in force in the Congo very little improvement j could be hoped for. People bad been shocked by published particulars of executions, hands being chopped off, and similar atrocities; but the public had not been inf^rmpd of (Itf suffering wh'Vh resulted from the grindinor taxation which the natives I suffered iirrjl-r. Parpnfs had to sell their j children to enable them to pay the taxes. I The Rev. W. Slade confirmed the previous speaker in regard to the evils attendant upon the individual tax system, and as on illustration, of its effects stated that at one | time in Fiji the natives, who had +o pay the tax in kind, often went without food themselves in dder to do so. THE NO-LICENSE CAMPAIGN. The Eev. N. O. Davis and Mr A. S. Adams waited on the council as representing the United Temperance Reform Council, and asked for the active assistance and mutual co-operation of the Christian churches in the forthcoming no-license campaign. The Rev. N. O. Davis said the time had arrived when the churches and temperance bodies must make a very, pronounced advance in the no-license movement, or they must be prepared for a set-back or maybe A crushing defeat. Since the last election the liquor traffic had enlisted the sympathy of large numbers of young men for thpir cause by supplying them ■with drink, and a very strong effort was to be made to regain the ground lost. At last election there was a sufficiently large number of unrecorded votes to turn the result of the ballot, and felt sure that if the members and adherents voted in a solid block on "the ■ question the liquor traffic would be swept ■ away. He asked that in addition to sympathy and moral support the Church ; and its members should eive the no-license movement active individual help. The < responsibility of success or failure rested '• upon the churches in this matter. ' Mr A. S. Adams commended the Council " of Churches for the practical and helpful | assistance given in the past, and moved:— ; " That the council undertakes to co-operate ; heartily with the United Temperance Reform ■ Council in the 'carrying of no-lieens© at j the forthcoming polls." They wanted men ■ and women to work as well as to give, and if everyone did their best many would a be surprised at the result in Dunedin and 1 surrounding electorates. They could sweep ' the traffic away right through Otago and : i Southland. There were 35,000,000 people 1 living in districts in America where_ the liquor traffio had been swept away. i * The Rev. W. Sla.de seceded the JnoiK^ ]

. which was carried unanimously. Thte last- . named speaker said some good" might be r done by bands of Christian young men i watching the streets on Saturday and other . nights and tabulating the results of their observations in regard to the effects of the | I traffic THE OPIUM TBAPFIO. [ (Mr H. Driver moved, and it was decided : > " That this council reaffirms its earnest hope , that the Imperial Parliament will do it« . very utmost to assist the Chinese Governi ment in its endeavour to abolish the opium j traffic. It specially urges that at any sacrifice of revenue the manufacture of ■opium in India and its exportation to China may be prohibited, and that opium jdens within the English districts in Chinese treaty ports may be plosed at the earliest possible date." In support of the motion, the mover stated that in May of 1906 the Imperial Government affirmed that the Indo-Chinese opium traffic was morally indefensible, »nd decided thai the area of poppy cultivation shoulJ be reduced by one-fourth with the view of its entire abolition in 10 years; but at the end of 1906 the stock of opium in India amounted to 70,000 cases. The Chinese Government had proved its sincerity by an edict that opium-smoking should ceaso within 10 years by closing the opium dens in Shanghai, but the British Municipal Council in the same place had refused to close 1600 dens within its province, because it derived from them a revenue of £10,000 a year. Chinese who closed their 1 dens were rewarded by the Chinese • Government, and those who refused were punished, and one man who refused was tied to his shop door and received 200 | strokes on the hand. j A motion of sympathy was passed and ordered to be sent to the Rev. J. Murray, with an expressed hope that he would soon be restored to health. It was also resolved, on the motion of Mr Roscvear, to furnish the Rev. Mr Laws J with a recommendation from 1 the Otago Council to the Home Church Council. Mr Wright mentioned that Mr Stanes, i who travelled at his own cost, would visit I Dunedin shortly and conduct a mission among Sunday school children.