Y.M.C.A. CONVENTION.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 940, 6 October 1910, Page 2

Y.M.C.A. CONVENTION.

A SERIES OF RESOLUTIONS:

-Atr. Geo.'Sicnning, general secretary of #*" Christchurch, led. the': devotional meeting •: jcsterday.'at; ttio Y.M-.C.-A.'Conv'ention. -■ The Resolutions ' Committee submitted . ' : the following resolutions,!which were car-' ried:—. : ■\T ; conV^tt°iivrecommcnd - thW' :^ew.;&ajajid-Sectional- Conimittee totake v.V ' iinraediate " consideration tK©~ .possi-, •«' biiity,:. r ofy JiaTjnff, Pterraaii6Efc i: A^ciatioa;'r rV •;" • v ri •?. " le : convention .extends a hearty ■ invitation to Mr., JF.; B. Smith to ivisit . V AustnUia; New;. duf ing£i9l2' '??'■ to liold a-.seties;of missions! among; men: "'S-' is: deeply, conscious;ofithe. nee& atid"'greatvvV* - opportunity -for ,such, 'trusts';/'.-¥■■ that Air.; Smith < will sc-o liis "way;': clear to :-/* ■' respond to the call.**, ; '.v . \ :' >y: ; T^at ; fh'e■ conventionscorflially..'extends; Iff. '™'erhaljreetirig and'-welcome to the ,- Mission;.of Help of the Church .of. Eng- .. land to- -New Zealand, andassnres- the members of; the mission, of the'-Interest, the sympathy,: and the help of the asso- ,■ ciations; and prays that the mission may . , under. God-.be of -great service and'bless-, ' —li^i l our Tjeloved Dominion." - That the convention/desires', to/ex- . press its appreciation'of the* great work being done -through the boy . scout move- : pent,. and"..rccommehds* to all' the Aus-' tralasian. Associations that they.'give to - ; J '- this movement their hearty support, and provide every possible facility, for:extending its influence.". .

"That-the convention resolves: (1) That . the various associations take into consider. : ation the adyisabilityofsecuringcorres- //;'';' ponding members;iii' as' many proyincial: towns asl; possible,with the object of !>••' ascertaining; through;.suchV.corresponding . ; members'local needs, and. conditions, aiia ; of ultimately forming, local Young Chnstian\'Ass6oiatibns'.. (2) That the duties 6£ such. corresponding' members l shaU .",V'\ be,to gather youhg. men in{d : classes.;for!. V'. study, viz., Biblo study,educational, so.cial, ..arid, physical". Classes,., and in this - and;, other .ways: deemed advisable ■to edu-. . cato the yonng. men. in the. country, towns in the whole work and otiject of. the Young :Men's '.Christian .Association.; (3) v -That dt .a ■ recommehda'tion : . i -: t(>- the board of directors;. that full Association, # privileges,be gr'anted;free ;to'such .corresponding 'members; in. the: with whichsthey: correspond:(4)r That.ino-; Young Men's uhristiito Association. b« .'" .formed ■ ill^any,:country.;town?"or. district v Tvifliout -the " sanction and ..supervision of the - National Coplmittee, and dn. the case of New Zealand without '■ the New; Zea- \ land Secretarial Committee."

"That the convention wishes most gratefully to extend its heartiest. thanks to the: Wellington Association for its' - kind. hospitality to members of the convention, --v. •to assooiationvstaff for their unfail-/ ing : kindness, ; to the. president, of;.the;. aw sociation (Mr."J. G. W. Aitken) for his entertainment of members at welcome din- ' ner, to Mr. and Mrs. Iversleir' for' their'. kind reception at Day's Hav, to Mr. and . ' Mrs. George, and Mr. 11. Hart for'hos-; pitalitv extended. to,.delegates. The'con- - : vention' also records' its : thanks and apr ; . . '-' ;preciation for the valuablo and untiring services, of both its president (Mr. J. J. ;. Virgo) and its hon. secretary (Mr. C. E. . W: -Wefcter), to the various members 'V. con-tributing-.papers, .the Keyis. J.. J. North • ■' and C. A. Sims for addresses." •' ■■ -* : ; 'V V The. National Committee's report:was '- revised, and the statistics'were' made aa up to date as possible.; Mr. J. J. .Virgo expressed appreciation. of the kind hospitality of the/Wellington' board, antf Mr. Islet suitably, responded.. .-' : . EFFICIENCY. ' v ''- : ' V; -' : 'f' Mr. Joseph M'Farlane, general secretary, of. the Auckland Associations, open- . : e'd aa. important klisciission;:-'^ffi<aeM^ Our Religious Work," with- an?excellent ■ ■ . > address. The speaker, said the associa-. ' tion stood against; any man who had gono • as.far 'as to. decide (that Jesus. Christ was not the Divine Son of, God. The laymen's Missionary movement was, in a waj% a.product of tho Y.M.C.A., ana,, many of tho liead men in the • movement • were' prominent ;association men. ,- Tha. Young -Men's:- Christian Association was ; • not against the Church, ljut was. a dis>? • tinct help-to tho Church. ;A.6trong'religious /work committee'' was needed,| and tlie; -v. association should .mike-an effort -to- lava 1 seasons of revival. ' Bible study was tho \ V basis" of a strong, robust ieligio'us'work.'*.' Personal-work,- too; was a strong, feature in tliß Y.M.C.A. Purity- meetings once '. a year paved the way for deeper and mora spiritual. work."• A good discussion" followed.- • The-other subjects dealt with.were'prin-' .;■ cipally-the week of prayer, foreign work, •■• . . Bible study, open-air. work, and tho dis- ' ' . tribution of -religious literature. ' Mr. i •• menti-that' religion;- was not a depart:. . '• ment, but an atmospnore. : : 'v . - Before calling oh tho Eev. C. A. Sims to.. give his address, Mr.-J. J. Virgo sprang" a pleasant surprise upon the local general secretary (Mr. Holmes) by presenting him with a stout leather suit-case.; with his name'• thereon. The delegates,\ he: said, ,'v,- . felt, it their duty to give .Mr. Holmes, . • something in recognition of his services ' > • rendered to the convention. Tho recipi- .' ent suitably replied. \v : 3-:; CONCLUSION. ' ' The Eev. C. A.- Sims'e address was,-' a-' v.-v' 'fitting termination;to' a.isuc'cessM-'conven-.Kr;. 1 ;:;- tion. The speaker dealt with "Sacrifice,- . - . and Service for Jesus Christ." Tho sacri- . fice had. begun in the heart of God, Who ' saw"the Lamb that had been.slain from . '•/ the foundation, of tho - world.'' - Tho. sacri- : fice had been continued by Jesus-Christ'' Himself. Ho'knew of the .loneliness 'of V . not. being understood, but searched for . His. Father's-' will,' and went bravely. to ; tho Cross.Last;of all, ; 'the sacrifice ter- -'. .' minated in human service. Men ' were... not 'to think of crowns and purple'robes, - • but suffering and opposition. ' ... Mr. Virgo led in ; prayer,';and; tho delo-. , gates;joined hands,"and sang the parting . . hynin, - "Blest;Aße.the ' ; that' i and the Benediction! was pronounced. .• So.ended.the second.National Conven-' . .. tion for Australasia, one . to be always ," 'reihembered : for'its intense spiritual-tonej'!; ar.d for tho. devotedness of the delegates' . attending. ' . j-v-i: w;' • ; -