BAPTIST UNION

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 59, Issue 16, 29 October 1938, Page 2

BAPTIST UNION

FUTURE OF MISSIONARY WORK. OPENING OP NEW CHANGES. (Per Press Association.) . WELLINGTON, October 28. To-day was Missionary Day in the programme of the New Baptist Assembly now meeting in 'Wellington. Three missionaries ft present in New Zealand on furlough from East Bengal, the Rev. B. N. Fade, and Misses Eunice Ogilvie and Eileen Coad were welcomed by the president, Mr F. W. Horner,.

The following Missionary Council was elected:—Dr. A. Hodge (Auckland), Dr. G. North (Dunedin), tho Rev. S. Jenkins (New Plymouth", Mrs A. Anstice (Christchurch), the Rev. J. lugs (Napier), the Rev. E. N. Goring (Invercargill), the Rev. F. A. Parry (Greymouth), Miss E. Beckinsale (Dunedin), Mr S. Barry (Auckland), the Rev. J. Table (Wellington), the Rev. G. C. Reay (Hamilton), and Mr LI. H. Driver (Auckland) . The following are also members of the council, ex officio —Mr F. W. Horner (HaworaV, the Rev. W. P. Lascelles, the Rev. L. A. North, the Rev. W. S. RollingvS (Wellington), Mrs E. N. Goring (Invercargill), Misses H. M. Rico and N. Wilkinson (Auckland). In the missionary budget which was adopted after a long discussion, receipts were estimated at £8425, and payments at £7849. Tho principle of whether missionary work should be conducted through institutions such as hospitals, homes, and schools, or whether the available fund should be applied principally actual preaching was briefly debated. The following reference to missionary policy was contained in the annual report of the Baptist Missionary Society. “Our field committee, in common with the workers of other societies throughout India, has been earnestly considering missionary policy in the light of changing conditions of life in India. The Government, for example, is greatly extending educational and is encouraging many forms of welfare work, including medical benefits. The conviction shared by all missionary leaders throughout India is that supreme emphasis must be placed on the presentation of the Gospel as a message of reconciliation with God. Institutional work should be subordinated and made contributory to this end.

“It is recognised, however, that educational, medical, and social services may become instruments of the Gospel of salvation. Two changes have been endorsed by your council. The first involves the closing of the Mission Compound School at Chandpur. By so doing the expenditure saved will contribute largely towards tho maintenance of work in Tripura state. Tho other change affects several of tho inmates of. Widow’s Home at Braliamanbaria. These have come from other missions and are to be returned to their respective districts.” Dr. Charles North, a former missionary, protested against any curtailment of institutional work. He said thgt the best way to tho hearts of the people was through good works. Miss E. Beckinsale, also a former missionary, supported the previous speaker. Other delegates concurred in the view that the society should be very careful about abolishing any institutional work.

The report was adopted. During-the last three years, considerable attention has been paid by the Union to the widening sphere of influence of the Baptist Church in the .Dominion. Two years ago a beginning was made on the AVest Coast and under the leadership of the Rev. Mr Parry who traversed the whole of that area, considerable advances have been made. A strong church has been established at Greymouth and there are several congregations at other places. Tlie Rev. F. C. Reddell has been in charge of operation in the Dunedin suburb of Sunshine for the last year, and the new church he has founded there was admitted to the union during the present assembly. He has met. with similar success in the neighbouring district at Green Island, whicli has also this year contributed a new church to the union.

The Rev. E. N. Goring has been appointed to a new church at Georgetown, Invercargill. Another area in which good work has been do no Miramar, AVellington, which was formerly a branch activity of the Vivian street church, but as from this 'year onwards, been constituted a separate church under the Rev. H. E. Edridge.

The practice is to support the work in these new districts in the initial stage by grants from the union, but they are required eventually to become self-supporting. Assispaince to church extension work has also been given (by the Baptist AV omen’s Missionarv Union.