BAPTIST UNION.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 332, 20 October 1908, Page 6

BAPTIST UNION.

NO-LICENSE QUESTION. THE CHURCH AND THE CITIES. (BY TELEGRAPH. —SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.) Nelson, October 19. Tho Baptist Union to-day carried with great enthusiasm the following resolution:— "That tho Baptist Union of New Zealand in annual meeting assembled expresses its intense satisfaction at tho great, unanimity with which Baptists through the Dominion support tho No-License causo. It further expresses tho hope that during the weeks that remain before the-licensing poll Slinisters and members alike will do the utmost that lies within their power to secure the success of No-License in their sevoral districts."

The following officers were elected: —President, Sir. A. F. Carey (Christchurch); ricepresident, Rev. T; A. Williams (Pet-one); secretary, Rev. R. S. Gray (Christchurch); executive committee, Revs. Kempton (Auckland), A. North (Ponsonby), A. S. Wilson (Wanganui), J. J. North (Wellington), A. Dewdney (Wellington), and Slessrs. Adanu (Dunedin), Smecton (Auckland), G. Carson (Wanganui), A. Hoby (Wellington), Driver (Dunedin); editor, • Baptist newspaper, Sir. li. Driver; manager of "Baptist," Sir. J. R. Carey (Wellington); students' committee, Revs. IV A. Williams, W. Hay, J. J. North, F. G. Buckingham, R. S.. Gray; Sunday Schools. Committee, Revs. A. Dewdney, T, K. Ewen, T. A. Williams, vT. F. Thompson, W. Donovan, C. S. Godber, W. Cobham (all of Wellington). Tho conference tea meeting to-night was a crowded gathering. Tho new president (Mr. Carey, of Christclmrch), who is a great grandson of William Carey, the founder of modern missions to tho heathen, was introduced to the audieuce, and received with great enthusiasm.' Tho Rev. J. J. North gave his impressions of his Australasian visit. Tho great problom before tlio churches there, as l|erc, was the problem of tho city. 'Die church must touch tho centres of national life in the. great cities as tho Apostles did in tho first' days. Methods must bo altered, for they must get tho man and their ministers must bfi men amongst, men, with hearts that feel for meu with strong pity.

(BY lEl.Efiltirn—Pl'FSS ASSOCIATION.) Nelson, October 19. At the Baptist Conference the following resolutions were carried: —That a committee be sot up to consider the reorganisation of the executive ami its relation to the auxiliaries and committees of the union, and also to tho officers of both the union and missionary society, the said committee to report at the conference of li! 09. That a committee be and is hereby set up to consider the relations, financial and other, between the auxiliaries' and the union, and to pay special attention to lh>? power and tits methods whereby new' ground for home missions or churches may be entered upon, tho committee to report to the next annual meeting of tho union. That' a loviii<? message of sympathy be sent to the Rev. Tlios. Spurgcon expressing tho liopo of his speedy recovery to health and strength. A congratulatory message was sent to tho Rev, John Clifford, D.1)., on the occasion of Ilia ministerial iubilee. .

A No-License deputation from tho Nelson league, consisting of the secretary of tho league (Rev. Mr. Jcnkin), Rev. B. L. Thomas, and Mr. i\. A. MacLareu, was received. Mr. A. S. Ad:i;:;s, in replying, spoke of tile unbounded hospitality of' the Nelson people. He pointed out that in Ciutha, which had been freed from the polluting influence _of the licensed sale of strong drink, the record of criminal charges was extremely low. I\'o liquor trade advocate mentioned Clutha when seeking to belittle tho good effected by No-Liccaise. The Inspector of l'olice in lnvorcargill had been dubbed by opponents as a NVLiccnsa advocate bccauso lie was compelled by tho facts before him to state the benefits which No-License had conferred ugon tho town.