FUND FOR PASTORS

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 607, 8 March 1929, Page 16

FUND FOR PASTORS

CONGREGATIONAL UNION YEAR’S WORK REVIEWED Press Association NAPIER, Thursday. The business sessions of the annual meeting of the Congregational Union commenced this morning. The report of the pastors’ provident fund, presented by Sir George Fowlds, showed that the fund had now reached £12,000. Sir George was sanguine that very' soon finality would be reached in the negotiations to link , the fund with similar funds in Australia and the Homeland. A comparison with the Australian States showed that the New Zealand fund was in as strong a position as any.

The Rev. Harry Miller, the Moderator, presented the annual report, which showed an extension in many churches. He was optimistic that the foundations were being laid thoroughly on a basis on which further extension was possible. Five years ago it was said in England that New Zealand Congregationalism was the sick child of the Congregational family. But today the divisions had been healed, and unity was real. Solidarity was a growing idea, and esprit de corps was evident everywhere. Mr. Miller claimed, in answer to criticism, that the ministerial standard in the Congregational Church was higher to-day than it ever had been. The afternoon session was devoted to a discussion of the youth work, in the course of which speakers expressed the opinion that no real progress could be possible until homes were really Christian. The teachers' work was multiplied by’ parents who “sent their children out of the way, in order to get quiet to read Sunday newspapers.”