BIBLE CLASS UNION

Wairarapa Times-Age, 28 December 1939, Page 4

BIBLE CLASS UNION

CAMP AND CONFERENCE. PROBLEMS ARISING FROM WAR. The first session of the New Zealand Anglican Bible Class Union’s nineteenth annual camp and conference was held at the Wairarapa College yesterday. The camp is being held until January 4. The presidential address was given by the Rev H. S. I. Kenney, B.A. (Cambridge) (reported elsewhere) and reports were received and discussed.

The report of the executive council showed that 12 new Bible Classes had affiliated with the Union during the past year, representing an increase of 130 members. It was decided that the executive council of the Union in 1940 should be stationed in Wellington. The following officers were nominated: President, the Rev H. S. I. Kenney (Petone); the Rev C. R. Kreeft (Eastbourne), Mr S. W. Brooker (Karori); secretary, Mr H. R. Hicks (Kelburn); treasurer, Mr John Stephenson (Island Bay). Nominations were also received for the committee of the Union’s magazine, “Outward Bound,” as follows: Editor, Mi- C. M. Dukes; business manager, Mr D. R. Porter; committee, Messrs S. W. Brooker, C. C. Aickman, C. E. Barber and J. Stephenson.

The Bishop of Wellington, the Rt Rev H. St Barbe Holland, arrived during the afternoon and spent the night in camp. During the evening he addressed the conference on the conditions ruling in England prior to and after the outbreak of war. He gave a vivid description of the problems created by the evacuation, black-outs and the challenge presented to the Christian Church to give a vital message of hope to the world in the present crisis. In illustrating the problems being experienced in Great Britain the Bishop referred to the slums problem. In Perthshire, Scotland, children from the Glasgow slums had been accommodated and the apalling poverty seen during the evacuation was an eye-opener. It was tragic to see the number of children who in many cases had never had a chance to reach civilised standards of living. He felt sure that people could not be complacent- about these apalling conditions, and allow the people to go back to such standards of living. The delegates are occupied every morning in study groups, under supervision of a leader. The Rev Gordon McKenzie (Kelburn) is in charge of the study groups.

The annual tennis tournament between classes of the Union will be continued this afternoon, while a football match. North v South Island, will also be played. An address will be given at 8 o'clock tonight by the Ven Archdeacon Bullock.