CONGREGATIONAL UNION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 41, 7 February 1908, Page 2

CONGREGATIONAL UNION.

; Per Press Association. 1 Wellington, Last Sight. The Congregation Union considered the question of foreign missions this ; morning. The Rev. A. E. Hunt (Tiniarii) expressed the necessity for strengthening the hands of their brethren in the Islands, and particularly in regard to Raratonga, and the educational work being done there. He has received a warm resolution from Samoa, in ivliii-li it was stated that the district committee meeting held at Malua recorded with gratitude the dctermina-j lion of the Union to safeguard the M tcrcsts of the native adherents of th<j London Missionary Society in the South Seas. The meeting also specially rejoiced in the evidence of a newly awakened interest in South Sea missions throughout the Congregational Churches of New Zealand, and it was earnestly hoped that that interest would show itself in affording both men and money to the Society for South Sea missions so seriously threatened with reduction. Mr Hunt made a most earnest appeal for the work in the South Seas. Whatever might be felt by ministers of the churches in Australasia about the organisation of a local Mission Board, the workers in tlie field would regard separation from the London Missionary Society as a dire calamity. The whole of the'amount raised for missions in the Australasian Congregational Churches for 1000 was £5371. of which New Zea' land 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 Rev. A. M. Johnson. Mr. E. Smith, and Rev. .T. King (organising secretary). We feel confident that this visit will tend to increase the interest of our churches in Hie work of the L.M.S., and we assure the directors of our earnest desire to loyally support their off oris in keeping pace with the ineroasing do-' niands of the work, and thai this assembly urges upon the churches (he necessity of doing our utmost to attain the Australasian total of £10,000." The resolution was carried. Home missions were considered bv the Union this evening. The Rev. C. K. Davidson (Kawhia) said ministers and missionaries in the back-blocks had to work hard, often with little encouragement. Progress was slow, but there was need for missionary effort in the bush where settlers were, in danger of drift- ■ ing into Oodless indifference. The Rev. R. Mitchell (Te Kttiti)' BaH the bushdistricts of the North Island were becoming more thickly populated, and too need for mission workers became greater every day. and that need '"'lit he supplied by the Congregational Church.