MASTERTON MINISTERS' ASSOCIATION.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10277, 4 July 1911, Page 5

MASTERTON MINISTERS' ASSOCIATION.

iy——— MONTHLY MEETING. The monthly meeting of the Minis- j tors' Association wa; held in the Congregational Manse yesterday afternoon, when the President (Rev. A. T. Thompson) presided. On the motion of the Rev. A. Hodge, it was decided to take measures to adopt a Citizen!?' Sunday sometime just prior to the municipal elections. The Rev. A. T. Thompson introduced a scheme by'which the whole of the residents of Masterton could be visited with a view to ascertaining the religious census'of the town. On the motion of the Rev. H. Wat:on, the matter was held over for the next meeting for further'consideration. The Rev. A. Hodge introduced a discussion on the subject of Sabbath reform, in which ho sought to show the immediate need for a strenuous and holy fight against the encroachments upon the Sabbath. Mention was made of tho' splendid work done in this direction by Sabbath Reform Societies in England and in Canada, and in other' places. Mr Hodge said that 'Sabbathbreakers were found amongst Church members,- and that the ■ cure for this could only be found by fro:-h consecration. The lust among pleasure-esekers who changed the sacred day from being a day of r& t into a day of restlessness could only be checked by increased and wise evangelisation. A third class of Sabbath-breakers could bo found —the employers of labour, against which legislation should be brought. It was agreed that all the Churches should endeavour to check the secularisation and industrialisation of tho Sabbath.