ANNUAL ASSEMBLY

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 142, 12 March 1937, Page 12

ANNUAL ASSEMBLY

Congregational Union of New Zealand DELEGATES WELCOMED The fifty-fourth annual assembly of tlie Congregational Union of New Zealand opened hist evening with a welcome lea at the Terrace Congregational Church. Tins was followed by a publie meeting at which Hie chairmanelect, Rev. 11. W. Newell, M.A., 8.D., was inducted by the retiring chairman. Mr. H. Sturge, and the presidential address, reported elsewhere in this issue, vgas delivered. Addresses of welcome were given at the tea by tlie mayor of Wellington, Mr. 'l'. C. A. Hislop, and the Bishop of Wellington. Rt. Rev. 11. St. Barbe Holland. Also present were Mr. T. C. Brash, moderator of the Wellington Presbytery, and Rev. W. Gilmour, representing the Wellington Ministers Association.

Welcoming the delegates who were visitors to Wellington, tlie mayor said It would be an impertinence for him to discuss the matters for which they were met. Yet he would like to make a passing suggestion. A great deal was heard of the difficulties of the world to-day, and there were many evidences of departure from the basic Christian virtues. Yet there never was a time when there was greater opportunity of bringing to the. people the knowldge and the practice of the doctrines of the Christian faith. Was there ever a time In history when the idea of self-advancement received less support than it received to-day? Yet he ventured to suggest that in tlie mind of the average man the idea of doing something for the general well-being was stronger now than ever before. Thej’ should therefore not be carried awav by the disturbing things that were going on in the rest of the world. The soul of man was growing, and in his general ’activities he was getting nearer to the ideal. In their conference they would be dealing with the question of bow to bring nearer the unity of the Christian churches, concluded the mayor. That was an object which was going to be an essential factor in defeating the forces to which they were opposed. , “I hope 1 may be able to look backon this gathering as one where I made new friends,” said Bishop Holland. There was no greater human friendship than that created by the fact of a common spiritual goal in life. He was convinced that the more the members of the different bodies joined to realise the real gravity of their problems and the necessity for clear thinking about them, the more they would see the raising up of the edifice which they knew God meant them to build. While he agreed with the mayor in his appreciation of the development of Christian unselfishness, he would perhaps hesitate to say whether the humanitarian ideal thuS finding expression would have the insurgent force necessary to combat the problems it faced. None the less, the Church, if it were to lead, must see to it that everything untrue to its highest vocation was eradicated, and all that was finest and nearest to the original Christian message developed. Every gathering 'if Christians meeting at the present time must do so feeling the Divine stimulus to develop the great constructive programme for the betterment of human life. “Do settle down to it not in the sense that it is a routine job that has to be gone through, but in the knowledge that every little contribution you can give is going to be used by God in achieving His purposes,” said Bishop Holland. Replies were made by Mr. H. Sturge, retiring chairman of the Congregational Union of New Zealand, and Rev. Arthur C. Nelson, of Auckland. To-day’s Sessions. The principal business when the council assembles this morning at 10 o’clock will be the election of sessional officers. At 2.30 p.m. the Rev. Albert Mead, M.A., recently returned from a prolonged visit to England, will speak upon “Impressions of Religious Life in England.” A discussion will follow. The day sessions are being held in the Terrace Congregational Hall. At 7.45 p.m. a public meeting will be held in the Cambridge Terrace Church. The theme for the evening meetings is “The Everlasting Gospel.” The first address will be given this evening by the Rev. Arthur Muriel, M.C., 8.A., whose subject is “The Unfolding Gospel.” The Newtown and Cambridge Terrace choirs will lead the singing, with Mr. W. Ralph at the organ.