CONGREGATIONAL UNION.

Press, Volume LI, Issue 8717, 13 February 1894, Page 6

CONGREGATIONAL UNION.

-_-t_— (PRESS ASSOCIATTOH ___BG___.) AUCKLAND, February 12. The annual sitting of tbe New Zealand Congregational Union commenced to-day in the Beresford stre.t Church. Therfe was a large attendance of both clerical and lay members. The Chairman welcomed to the Union the Revs. G. Burgess, G. Williams, _. C. Isaacs, and J. Sarginson, who had been appointed to various churches during the year; also the Rev. R. J. Glasson, representative from South Australia and the Rev. R. Day, representative from New South Wales. The Secretary submitted a lengthy annual report. It pointed out that there were nineteen churches connected with the Union, and during the year seven bad been without pastors. Fonr had. however, been filled, namely, Beresford street by the Rev. Mr Burgess, Timaru by the Rev. G. Williams, Linwood (Christchurch) by the Rev. J. Sarginson, and Nelson by the Rev. _. C. Isaacs. The report also referred to the projected departure of the tie-*. G. J. Allen to England, and the resignations of Rev. W. Powell, of Wellington, and the Rev. Mr Dewsbury, of Devonport. Mention waa also made of tbe visit to the colony of the Rev. J. King and Mr T. Lord, of Madagascar, in the interests of the London Missionary Society. The Colonial Missionary Society had been inaugurated by a grant of £50 to the new church of Gore, Otago. Regret wa3 expressed that the Jubilee fund had not met with the support it deserved. Messrs J. P. J_orton and G. Fowld had during their visit to England worked in the interests of the Union and arranged for an agency to be started in AuoUiand to disburse the publications of the English Congregational Union. The report laid stress upon the need for children ..tending the Sunday school to be taught more thoroughly tile Congregational principles, and suggested the appointment of a district committee to look into the matter. All the churches connected with the Union had beeu visited during the year by the Secretary, Mr L. E. Bailey. The report concluded by stating that the want of func's prevented the Union in many instances from instituting new work 3.