BAPTIST UNION

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 16, 13 October 1927, Page 5

BAPTIST UNION

ANNUAL CONFERENCE OPENING PROCEEDINGS Delegates from all parts of the Dominion assembled in Wellington, yesterday for the forty-fifth annual conference of the New Zealand Baptist Union and Missionary Society. The president, Rev. E. Evans, of Dunedin, presided. The president extended a cordial welcome to members of the conference, which he hoped would prove very successful. "A Baptist conference,” he said, ‘‘contains all the elements of an explosion, but I have come to value the work of an explosion or internal combustion. If we keep within bounds it will get us somewhere.” An apology for non-attendance was received from the Rev. J. K. Archer, of Christchurch.

The following officers were elected:— Minute secretaries, Revs. R. Grave and T. H. Ecursall; Press reporters, Revs. A. S. Wilson and C. W. Duncomb; public questions committee, Revs. W. S. Rollings, J. J. North, and F. E. Harry. The Rev. J. C. Martin, general secretary of the Australian Baptist Board of Missions, attended the conference and was welcomed by the president. Mr. Martin, who was president of the New Zealand Union 20 years ago, suitably aud stated that he was present as the representative of the Australian Baptist Union, which comprised the Baptists of the six Australian States.

The St. Albans Church was received into the union, on the motion of the Rev. J. J. North, seconded by the Rev. J. Robertson. The annual report stated that the work of the union in its several departments had been maintained with vigour and devotion. The following removals had taken place Pastor Chant from Epsom' to Mornington; the Rev. H. R. Turner from Edendale to Oxford; the Rev. F. A. Crawshaw from Gisborne to Palmerston North; the Rev. D. C. H. Barbour from Hawera to Epsom. 'The Rev. H. G. Hercus resigned the pastorate of the Hamilton Church, and has gone to the Burton Street Tabernacle, Sydney. The Hamilton Church had called Mr. Bycroft to the pastorate. The Rev. G. N. Garlick had resigned the pastorate of the Otahuhu Church.

The adult membership of the churches was 7858, but with adherents the congregations numbered just over 20,000 adults. There had been a steady increase in church membership. The executive expressed appreciation of the faithful work of the auxiliary executives and officers. In several districts there were promising openings for church extension work, but the auxiliaries were prevented from more aggressive enterprise for lack of funds. The progressive work of the Young People’s Department and the Bible Class Unions was alluded to with satisfaction.

"Your executive/’ said the report, “had during the year the pleasing duty of accepting, on behalf of the union, a property donated by seven members of our churches as a residential college. The property is situated in Reffiuera Road, Auckland. It occupies a splendid site, and is equipped for a residential training institution.” The report added: "The Annuity Fund Committee will submit to the Assembly a report which shows the fund seriously unfinancial from an actuarial point of view. This should have the earnest consideration of the Assembly. Your executive expresses the’ hope that by an augmentation of this.fund, and largely increased financial support from the churches, the scale of benefits to members may not have to be- reduced. The purpose of the sustentation fund is not to relieve the churches from any degree of obligation regarding the payment of the minister’s stipend, but to supplement such as are found inadequate. Twelve of the ministers have received grants during the year. The fund needs augmenting, so that its usefulness might be widened. In some cases an auxiliary executive has conferred with an aided church and secured an increase of stipend. The churches have been urged to adopt the budget system of finance, and use the envelope system of giving. Seven churches have adopted the budget system, and twenty report systematic giving by means of duplex envelopes. Your committee urges the use by all the churches of these businesslike methods of church finance, and is confident that their adoption would lead to. an increased income for both our churches and missions.”