PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.

Taranaki Daily News, 25 November 1916, Page 5

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.

ANNUAL CONGRESS, 1 ' By Telegraph.—Press Wellington, November 23. This afternoon the Presbyterian Gen' eraj Assembly paid a visit to Trentham military camp, and were shown over all parts. Special interest wis taken in tho Presbyterian Institute, and gratification wis expressed at the sjzd and completeness of the building and its appointments. In the evening Dr. TCrwin gare report on the training of home missionnries, and spoke strongly of the relation in which many stood to the Theological College and' the course of training for ,the ministry. Professor Dickie supported his' remarks, and said this was a problem thuta would have to be faced by the Church. Messrs McEwan, Dunlo'p, Milne and Cox were" declared home missionaries in full standing. A report on home missions wa»*sub« mitted by Dr. Gibb Deeply interesting speeches empluM sising great needs and great opportune ties of home mission Work were """H by Rev. E. O. Perry and Messrs Climitf and Usher. " The report dealt with great difflcultics caused by the lack of men, Which! prevented work being undertaken iq many necessitous districts. The w*r is responsible for withdrawing many from the field and reducing the number of those available for work. One hundred and thirty agents have been employed/ I'our new stations were opened: during! the ycaf, and two others became sanctioned charges, while four have grown strong enough to dispense with thai grant of money. The congregations oi' tlie church contributed lor tie worle £4527, and' from other sources £1329 was received, making a total revenuol for the year of £5850, while the expen-| diture amounted to £SBIO, of which amount '£4304 was given as grants tc; stations and charges. Wellington, Last Nig!ht. At the Presbyterian General ' Assembly this evening, a report on Maori missions was given in by Rev. A. Doull. The work is carried on at Tftupo by Rev. H. ,T. Fletcher, at Tauraarunui by Rev. J. E. Ward and Sister Alison,, and at Nuhaka by Sister Jessie and Miss' Walker, while the Maori Girls' School at Turakina is under the management' of Mr. Hamilton. Reference wa? made in the report to the eager desire the Maoris show foij religious services, and their appreciation of the work of the missionaries.. Deaconesses labor chiefly among women ami children. A Sunday School was built at Matapuna as the result of gifts from children of the church. Mormonism is one of the chief obstacles to successful mission work. At the Turakina Maori Girls' School there were 23: pupils, whose work received the com-' (Herniation of the Inspector of Schools • of the Wanganui Education Board. A very interesting service was thert conducted, when Miss Walker and Miss Henry were ordained, and set apart t<i work as deaconesses, after which Miss' Walker addressed the Assembly. : , A report on social service work was, presented by Rev: A. Cameron. In thef 1 four large centres of the Dominion there' are omes for children, in which 317 are cared for, and an agent in each centra does most useful work in the Juveniles'! Court. Fifty-five of the boys are hovpi at the front, and six have laid dowri: their lives for the Empire. Mrs. ilills, matron of the Wellington' Orphanage, gave an interesting account, of the local work, and Revs. F, Rule, R,| Inglis, and E, A. Axilsen also 6Coka : for Ohristchurch, Auckland, and Dumi dm respectively. • -