CHRISTIAN ENDEAVOUR CONVENTION.

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 231, 29 September 1899, Page 6

CHRISTIAN ENDEAVOUR CONVENTION.

The sessions of the Christian Endeavour Convention were concluded yesterday, meetings being held in the afternoon and evening. The afternoon meeting in the V".M.C.A. Hall took the form of a Citizens' Conference. An introductory Bible reading and address, entitled "A Citizen of no Mean City," was given by Rev. W. S. Potter at 2.30 p.m., and at 3 o'clock Mr Theo. Cooper took the chair for the public conference. There was a good atendance of ministers and the general public.

The Chairman stated it was very noticeable to those who were frequently brought into contact with the criminal class that there was an increase in our midst of crime, unrighteousness, and immorality. He felt snre that the only lasting foundation on which a State could be based was true righteousness

Mr Geo. Fowlds (Chairman of Congregational Union) delivered an address upon "A Clean City." The subject could be classed under two heads, physical and moral cleanliness. All reformers agreed that pure air and proper sanitary arrangements were necessary to the health and well-being of a city. The disgusting slums were a disgrace to a city, and Endeavourers should attempt to remedy this state of affairs. Impurity was the most debasing and degrading of all evils. There should be no double standard of morality, one for men and another for women. The one standard should exist for both sexes. The doctors should be compelled to report to the authorities all forms of contagious diseases, as in the case of typhoid. He would like to see the passing of an enactment for the purpose of keeping young persons off the. streets at night. The Rev. J. Clark dealt with the subject of "A Righteous City." He said righteousness was Tightness, justness, or what ought to be in contradiction to what ought not to be. A city was a large family, and its members should be interested in one another. A city was composed of governors and governed. We could never have a righteous city unless right-hearted and right-headed. In a righteous city business men would be in business to do business, and not to do their customers. Employers would deal justly by paying a living wage to their employees, and employees would act fairly and honestly to their employers. The press would be a clean press, and no filthy, suggestive advertisements would appear. It would be a difficult thing to sacrifice profit, but profit should be sacrificed for purity. The gentlemen of the medical profession and the chemists could do much to make Auckland a righteous city. Rigteousness is the support and crown of a city. There are rookeries in Auckland that are a disgrace to her, and cesspools of iniquity such as should be a shame to any city. One of the most heinous offences possible to be practised cannot be prevented by any statute. Poor Chinamen are set upon and seized for gambling, but gamblers in other circles are carrying on their nefarious work unhindered. There are shops in the city only fit for the rubbish heap, and they are only fit to be burned. No city can prosper with a crowd of insolent, indolent parasites. Righteousness exalteth a nation, and righteousness exalteth a city. The city, though young, had elements of decay, and these should be checked at once.

Rev. W. Ready gave the concluding address on "A Sober City." In opening, he said he was a confirmed optimist, and notwithstanding the evils and vices which abound, he believed that Jesus, Son of God and Brother of the race, would win. The only way to get a sober city was by applied Christianity. Things should be pushed at the ballot box, and it was for them to push on to the desired end, and by heroic speech, action, and selfabegnation to bring about a sober and clean city in the fullest sense of the term:. If they would only apply Christianity to the public house bar, the plague spot of Auckland, they would be serving their mission on earth. Auckland was not a sober city—fifteen men charged with drunkenness in one day, and no doubt many not charged at all—a city where such conditions obtained was not a sober one. Why not lock up the liquor and stop locking up the drunkards. Through each citizen doing his duty and voting "no license" they would bring about a sober Auckland. MiReady concluded his address by singing a verse of "Strike Out the Top Line," in which the audience joined. CONVENTION TEA. At 5.30 a large number of Endeavourers sat clown to the tea provided in Pitt Street Wesleyan Schoolroom. The catering was done by Mr J. Burton, of Grafton Road. CONSECRATION SERVICE. As a preliminary to the Consecration Service, a meeting for the Companions of the Quiet Hour was held in the Tabernacle Schoolroom, when an address was given by Rev. C. E. Beecroft on "The Practice of God's Presence."

• At 7.30 the Consecration Service commenced in the Baptist Tabernacle, the Eev. A. H. Collins presiding. The rostrum was nicely decorated with floral emblems, and banners were hung round the galleries. After the opening exercises, the Eev. W. Gray Dixon, ex-President of the "Victorian Endeavour Union, presented the greetings of the 20,000 Endeavourers in that colony. Eev. F. Warner gave a message from: Dr. F. E. Clark, the founder of the movement, which was distinctly American, "Grow and Go." Mr Warner also gave greetings from the New Zealand C.E. Union. Other Unions sent greetings, which were given as follows: —Hawke's Bay Union, Pastor Clark; North Otago Union, Eev. A. Dewdney; Invercargill and District Union, Eev. C C. Harrison; Wellington Union, Mr Graham; Canterbury Union, Mr G. Fordham; Dunedin Union, Eev. W. L. Salter; Palmerston North Union, Mr S. Newcomb; Auckland East Suburban Union, Eev. J. T. Pinfold (president).

The President then preached the Convention sermon, which will be published in our Monday's issue. After the offertory had been taken, which amounted to £11 9/Is, the President thanked the press for the excellent reports published of the Convention meetings, the trustees of the various churches and schools for the use of their buildings, and all who had assisted to make the Convention a success. The roll call of the Societies forming the Union was then proceeded

•with, a large number of societies responding to their names by giving facts and incidents of missionary enterprise.

A large bouquet of flowers in the colours of the Pitt Street Wesleyan Society was then handed to the retiring President by a little girl on behalf of that Society as an expression of their esteem and love, Mr Collins returning thanks for the gift. A similar presentation was made to the incoming President (Rev. H. Kelly, M.A.) by one of the junior Endeavourers.

The Rev. Hugh Kelly was inducted to the chair by the retiring President, who expressed the hope that he might have a year of jirosperity during his administration. Mr Kelly responded and exhorted the Endeavourers to more faithful service, and challenging them to double their numbers during the closing year of the century. During the meeting Mrs J. W. Stewart rendered the solo "Remember Now Thy Creator."