A GIRLS' CONVENTION.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 775, 26 March 1910, Page 10

A GIRLS' CONVENTION.

PRESBYTERIAN BIBLE CLASSES. ' The Girls' Bible Class movement is growing rapidly in New Zealand, and it is especially strong in the Presbyterian Church. They have a union of Bible classes throughout New Zealand, 128 classes belonging to it with a membership of over 3000. Yesterday at St. John's the—it takes a long time to say, but is worth saying—the New Zealand Young Women's Presbyterian Bible Class Union held its sixth convention in St. John's Schoolroom, when delegates were present not only from Wellington district, but from Auckland, Hawora,. Dunedin, Palmerston North, Masterton, Marton, Nelson, and Greymouth. ; The day began at ten. o'clock, when the roll-call was read, with tho annual report and balance-sheet. Mr. Boal, president of tho union, presided. The annual report presented by tho Executive 'Council dealt at length with the general work of the > year, and .with the special objects to which the union's funds are devoted. During the year a total sum of £742 7s. 6d. has been collected, by the Bible classes on account of various activities, and of this £128 4s. 3d. has. gone to Maori missions, and since that required help it was decided to give

it to the Turakina Girls' School; £133 14s. 3d. was sent to foreign missions, and tho Presbyterian children's homes received £154 2s. 4d. The report stated that after full consideration tho special committee set up to deal with it had recommended that tho union should publish a paper as official organ of the ]3iblo classes, and the council decided to proceed in tho matter. At cloven o'clock a special service was conducted in St. John's Church by Dr. Gibb. At half past two the conference met for tho afternoon session, when tho president delivered an address, in which he dealt with the need, for devotion, and selfsacrifice, on the part of class members. Ho deprecated the tendency to rely ton much on the efforts of tho teachers, and pointed out that only, "as every member of a class determined to do her utmost for tho welfare' of the class could it be thoroughly successful. He spoke also of the need

for prayer, saying that it was fount! that where tho Bible classes held special prayer meetings moro' girls were' members of the ' Church. Loyalty to the Church. should bo developed in the classroom. Although there were. 3000 girls in tha union, that number was small compared with the girls attending the churches, " and he thought that, there was room t for increasing work !? fo bo done. ' The ■'~' member of a Bible class should live for,, her class, and work for it on. week days '*. as well as Sundays, and do all iu \hcr •. power to extend its influence. Mr. Boa! / concluded with a suggestion as to tha great power that lay in tho hands of the ;• girls of the union if they -would only exert it for the advancement-of tha work of God. . .■ During the afternoon addresses were ' delivered dealing-, with.-; the. special branches of work that como within tho scope of the union. , The union supports a student at the J raming Institute in Duucdin. ' Miss , vw h A SCOre , tary ■of tho Wellington ,- 1. \\ .b.A., who received her training at, the institute, gave a.very interesting little, address on the life there, explaining .tho method of training. ■■•■';. A. report of the work done in the : '' Turakina llaori sirls' school was read ' by Miss Eoyle Cooper, who was a student at the school, and is now on the ■' stall as assistant to Mr. Harrison. Tho school aims at giving, an all-round - training, and, in addition to tho general iinglish course, pays special attention • to domestic instruction. .-,'.". . The Presbyterian Children's Homes' receive help in cash, and in many other o ™ s . f !' on i the girls of. the. union're ?orts of tho work done both m Dunedin and Wellington x were received. , At .the end of the;"afternoon session ■ a welcome tea was held in St. John's ■ Hall, when about 100 delegates were present. An address of welcome waa , given by the Rev. J. K. Elliott, wW pressed great pleasure at being present, " and bore test™ to the help that the ' Bible c asses of his own Church ban rendered in the work of . winning you? K People for the Church, and - training them in the Church's service. S J-he. evening was devoted to a dia- ' cussion on mission work. Tho North '■' - teW n rj..B ? i„ n sent a.pape? on . Foreign Missions," and a most ktewiv ■ ' ing paper on Maori mission woTwas contributed " by Sister Aliso™ whose " C& *JHT in the En* Country, while "a paper on the Canton " Vmage r missions was read by anotmS Miss -Pearl Allan, of Dunedin, gave" a paper on- "What Should our Bible • CW do for Foreign Missions?" - the convention meets in St; John's"-. Classroom, at ten o'clock this morning, :■■■ l e "»*»£ au i discussion ?.... papers, and m the afternoon there will be a picnic to Day's Bay. • 4 t Um T t( l d Bible-class rallv will be held in St., John's Church on Sunday afternoon, when Sister Mabel will gi T0 an . address and m the evening Dr. GibS < will hold a special Bible-claS; service '