BAPTIST UNION ASSEMBLY

Press, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 26263, 7 November 1950, Page 3

BAPTIST UNION ASSEMBLY

MISSIONARY DAY HELD Work in t!he Baptist mission field in India and Pakistan was described by two missionaries at a missionary rally held last evening at the Oxford Terrace Baptist Church as a conclusion to the sixth day of the annual Assembly of the Baptist Union and Missionary So-i ciety of New Zealand. The problems of maintaining Christian education, in Pakistan was discussed by Miss- H. D. Adams, .who returned recently on furlough after her first term of service. The Government was considering making Moslem education compulsory, she said. , Most of the missionary wprk in Bengal was being done by Baptists, said the Rev. R. C. Brown, a returned missionary with 14 years’ service in the mission field. In spite of all the difficulties there was great opportunity in India, he said. Greetings from the Baptist ’Mission-; ary Union of Great Britain were con-; veyed by the English Baptist leader, I Mr Ernest Brown. He outlined the progress made by the society since it) had been founded by William Carey I 150 years ago. ; Messages were heard, from Dr. Nolal Ivory, who will be soon to' the mission field in India, and from Miss Joy Smith, who is to join the, mission field there. ♦Valedictory ad-, dresses to these two missionaries were given by Mr B. Williams, president of* the Men’s Missionary Fellowship of New Zealand. The three spiritual essentials for missionary work were purpose, power, and a passion for souls, he said. The prayer of dedication 'was read by Dr. Charles North. Report on Missions The missionary sermon, which opened missionary day, was preached' by the Rev. C. H. Barton. The annual report, which included an account of I the activities of the church in the Brahmanbaria, Chandpur and Tripura State districts, Pakistan, was read to delegates yesterday morning. Financially, the year had been remarkable, said the report. The total Christian community in the three districts was 5147, members of the church numbering 2520. There had 122 baptisms during 1949. The number of churches and outstations totalled 81. The total) population of these, three districts in which the Baptist Church operates is approximately 2,809,000. It was agreed to form a Baptist Historical Society, after, a report from the tutor of the Baptist College (the Rev. Ayson Clifford) had been heard. Speakers emphasised the importance of collecting and preserving historical material on the eve of the Baptist centenary next year. The college princi-, pal (Mr L. H. Jenkins) offered to house material at the college. The Missionary Council was elected as follows:—Ex-officid members, officers of the Baptist Union and the Baptish Women’s Missionary Union, the chairmen of the* auxiliary missionary committees, Mr E. Nees, the Revs. J. J. Burt, S. L. Edgar, and F. A. Parry, and representatives of the Bible class movement. . Elected, the Revs.. C. H. Barton. E. T. Beilby, J. A. Clifford, H. Nees. E. F. Sherburd, D. Rushbrook, A. F. Hfeffernan, Mrs R. L. Fursdon, Misses F. E. Kershaw, A. L. Cowles, Dr. C. North, Mr N. E. McGregor.