BAPTIST UNION.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18204, 15 October 1924, Page 7

BAPTIST UNION.

YESTERDAY'S BUSINESS. MISSIONARY DAY. The annual conference of tho Baptist Union of New Zealand was continued yesterday. Various reports from mis sionarJes work'vg in inc.in were rwi ..Tn the course of his report the Rev 'W. C. Hunter said: "I am convinced that a d'dy or unusual opportunity :-' dawning, and that with a reinforced missionary staff we might even be gathering the harvest for which :n long years of faithful and devotod abonr we have been patiently preparng. With our present inadequate staff it is to the missionary in chars' .i cause of continual sorrow that the amount of supervision and administrative work he is compelled to do leave? so little time and energy for the essential tiling—personal contact with the hungering souls around us •• • Through another year it has been my 'u'gh privilege to work side by side with New Zealand's brave band of Rapt is t missionaries out here in Bengal. I appeal to Baptists of New Zeaj iand to see to it that this great work ■diall not fall to pieces for want of a j large and immediate response to the imperative call for new missionaries.' A report on work amongst tho women of India stated: "We beg you to send us more missionaries. This is a time of great opportunity. Through out India there is a growing restlessness and dissatisfaction among both. Hindus and Mohammedans'. The lower castes are demanding their rights as men, and ar.! throwing off the yoke of the higher castes. Everyone is demanding liberty. Never liave the people listened to our message with such open minds as at present. Wc want to be able to take advantage of this, and instead we are handicapped by lack of workers." In moving the adoption of the reports, the Eev. Stanley W. Jenkin said that they showed what a deep debt of gratitude they owed to the B.W.M.U Pastor C. Chant seconded the motion, which was carried. The statement of receipts and payments for the year ended September 20th, 1924, showed tho following items: —Receipts £5307 12s 3d, payments £5570 8s sd, debit balance' £202 10s 2d. The chief item of expenditure was £3896 13s Sd by way of remittances to India The Missionary Society Reserve and. Imdowment Fund stood at' £4500 at the end of the year. In moving the adoption of the statement of receipts and expenditure the Rev. F. A. Crawshaw said that a pleas ing feature was that the receipts from the young people's societies for missionary work this year showed an increase" compared with last year. It was satisfactory to see the young people taking an interest in missions, because a Church that did not have the missionarv spirit was a dead Church. Ho would' urge all to do far more than thev had "done for mission work. Mr 11. H. Driver seconded the motion. Hi said that it was pleasing to note that last year the Baptists of Nov.- Zealard had contributed £1 a head towards missionary work. The statement was adopted. The Rev. J. J. North paid a high tribute to the work done by the Rev. John Takle as a missionary in India. He said the fact that Mr Takle had continued his herculean labours for twenty-eight years \yas most noteworthy, especially when the climate of India was considered- In his work he had been ably assisted by his brave and devoted wife. After all these years of service Mr Takle had returned to New Zealand and was forbidden by the doctors to go back to India. Mr North then moved the following motion:— "The Missionary Society has received with the greatest regret the resignation of the Rev. John Takle as a missionary owing to persistent ill health. The socictv finds itself unable to do other than acquiesce in the verdicts of the doctors that return to India is impossible. The record of twenty-eight years of continuous service has been a glorv and an inspiration to all our people. We have constantly rejoiced in the strong missionary leadership of Mr Takle and in the steadfast support of Mrs Takle whose bungalow has been both to English and Indians in the district, a directly Christian influence. The achievements of Mr Takle as an authority and author on Mohammedan, questions has secured recognition in mauv countries. The perfect organisation" of the mission station at Bramanbaria is very largely due to Mr Takle. The foundation of the Christian Church in the North Tipperak has been well laid. The society gives thanks to God for this great record of service, but finds itself unable to contemplate a severance of relations and directs that Mr Takle's name be retained as Missionary Emeritus and trusts that .in God's mercy some years of happy and useful retirement in New Zealand may remain for him." The motion was seconded by the Key. C. Dallison and carried enthusiastically, Mr Takle returning thanks on behalf of himself and Mrs Takle. Mr T- E. Toneycliffe moved the following motion:—"Tho society recognises the immediate necessity of making proper provision for Mr Takle and his family, "and suggests the following provisions:—That a house at an estimated cost of £I2OO be secured in that city in which Mr Takle desires to live, and that this amount be asked for as a special gift from the constituents of tho society. That in addition to the annuity provided by the fund a pension of £IOO a year "from the society's funds be paid", such amount to be subject to such revision as from time to time may be necessary." The motion was seconded by Mr A. F. Carey and carried unanimously. It was announced later that the sum of nearly £BOO had already been promised' for the purchase of the house, the cost of which was restricted to £I2OO.

During the afternoon Mr Smeeton retired from the chair, which was taken by the new president, the Be v. F. E. Harry. A vote of sympathy was passed with the Eev. Alfred North and family (Dunedin) in the death of Mrs NorthThe report of the B.W.M.U. stated that no record could be found of the number of branches or the membership at the inauguration of the Union, or "of its first annual report, but the second annual report stated that fifteen representatives attended. Responses were given bv eight branches, fn 1905, when the Union had only thirteen branches, it raised £2OO to build the women's part of the new dispensary of Chandpur. There had been steady progress from the first. ■" was a. matter of rejoicing that ISS Bice was back from India, and a matter for deep regret that the Church had lost the services of such distinguished members as. Mrs A. North, Mrs J. G- Eraser, Christchurch, and Mr Russell, Edendale. Aucriland ; A new branch had been formed at Edendale, and in the near future it lioped to establish others at Lyall Bay and North Brighton. There had been a small increase in membership in quite a number °t branches,' the figures being now approximately H"4 in the senior and <6 in the "Y" branches, making a total of 1250, an increase of 118 on > ast year's figures. The treasurer's report showed that a substantial sum ab forwarded to India last Christmas to-

J surpicment the gifts that had previ™or the members had been making I comfort., for orphans, widow, and j t , e persons thnre. Tho reports of i ";»«°»«ies urged tho need fur mi-ro 1 • J?' . Th "° waa «i deal of on : to uo and workers were wanted J wry urgently. I The report' <ra s adopted. i<>e financial statement, showed *>mf tlie branches had .ion,, well during the rnc {otal rt'eeiDt* amounted to rt'trio* 13 * 4,1; \ Vhich Poetically eonst.tuted :i r-oord. in 1920 tho total was a, 1564, but of this £3OO was given ■.- a:i anonymous donor, and £SO bv aruuaer anonymous donor. Tho n mounts were made u P as follows: Uiianee at bank £2;< ?, s , Auckland r l^"':*,,* s - 3 "* Central £257 10s ■><•. Wellington i'su 14 S nd> <j antcr . "ury £23 d 13s Bd. Otago £237 16s sd. •o.iethon annual meeting, etc.. £S 24s "I 1 ' ' ri)o Payments had amounted to: £i2 3l i lls 3d- and gifts £2t> !i s 2d. a total of Z ° s Ucl: secretary's honorarium f-,< expenses £l2 Ss ''!• typing and other expenses £l4 Hd. leaving a bank balance of £l4 as lid. The report was adopted. The Rev. s. Morris was elected to preach the missionary sermon, and the •lev. F. A. Crawshaw was elected as deputy-preacher. Me ?S rs E. Grigg and J. T. Simpson. j)f the Students' Association, who have been accepted to train for home or foreign service, were introduced to the Conference by the Rev. J. K. Kempt on. The missionary budget estimated the receipts to amount to" £5250 (bvlance in India £430, Church subscriptions £I2OO, S.S. and C.E. £OOO, B.W.M.U. £IOOO, Y.W.B.C.TJ. £350, self-denial £OBO, general £230, interest £270). The expenditure was estimated at £5468 (salaries for office £250, Indian estimates £3315, salaries of ministers in New Zealand £400). The budget was adopted. The election of the Foreign Missions Committee was announced as follows: —President, Eev. F. E. Harry; secretary and treasurer, Eev. M. W. P. Lascelles; committee, Revs. S. Jenkins, J. J. North, 11. S. Hercus, J. K. Archer, It. H. Kempton, J. \V. Kemp, W. S. Rollings, Messrs T. E. Toneycliffe, A. F. Carey, W. Lanbourne, the president, secretary, and treasurer, and the district presidents of the 8.W.M.U., and the president of the Y.M.8.C.1T.; editor "Missionary Messenger," Rev. S. Jenkins. A motion was carried: "That this meeting, recognising the need of some change in the method of electing the Missionary Committee, . asks Mr Dimcombe, in consultation with the secretary, Mr A. F. Carey, and the president, to bring forward his proposed alteration of the constitution of the Union and the Missionary Society for the consideration of the nest annual conference." In the evening addresses on work in the Indian mission field were given by three missionaries—Miss Rice, tho Rev. John Ings, and the Rev. J. Takle. The Rev. H. G. Hereus presided over a large attendance. Young Women's Bible Class. The annual meeting and tea, of the Young Women's Baptist Bible Class Union was held on Saturday evening, and proved a very happy function indeed. After the tea, which was provided by the girls of the. Canterbury Bible Classes, the visiting delegates and representatives of other classes were welcomed by Mrs Stuart. Mrs Rollings (Wellington), and Miss Lovatt '(Whangarei) replied, and the meeting was then taken over by the Dominion President, Mrs Thornton, of Dunedin. A tribute of love was paid to the memory of Mrs A. North by Mrs Thornton, on behalf of the Bible Class girls. Bouquets were presented to the retiring' president; to Miss Bice, and to M?ss P Gainsford in appreciation of thei service at home and on the Mission field The annual reports were read by Miss D Buchanan, and showed a most encouraging increase, both in members' and in gifts. Miss Rice spoke on outgoing executive.