CHURCH ATTENDANCE

Evening Post, Volume CXXII, Issue 68, 17 September 1936, Page 17

CHURCH ATTENDANCE

PRESBYTERIAN EFFORT

OFFICE-BEARERS' MEETING

Arrangements have been made by the Presbytery of Wellington for a "churchmanship campaign," and efforts will be made to fill the Presbyterian churches and to bring the claims of the Church before 'non-churchgoers, particularly with reference to church attendance. A start was made on Tuesday evening, when 130 officebearers' met in the Elm tearooms for dinner. The Rev. D. M. Hercus, Moderator of the Wellington Presbytery, presided. The Rev. G. W. Hunt,'after referring to the phrase of the Bishop of Wellington that he was an "unrepentent Anglican," said that an "unrepentent Presbyterian" believed in one order of minister, equal at all times and in all places, and governing with the, ruling elders in the Presbytery. The Presbytery contained the two essential elements of self-preservation and selfdiffusion. He did not think that the members of the presbyteries realised the full extent of their powers. In the early days in New Zealand an attempt was made to appoint a State churdtw but the presbyteries met and coir demned the proposal, which wSjj dropped. In these days, when tho Lord's ' Day was threatened with secularisation, the presbyteries could do much to stop that. Also, he thought that the Presbyterians were too modest and did not get enough advertisement for their social work. The Presbyterian Church11 was the second largest church in New Zealand, as revealed by the 1926 census, containing 333,731 people, or 24.6 per cent, of the population. Unfortunately, 42 per cent, of the people who called themselves Presbyterians were unknown to the Church. He believed that tha Presbyterian Church had a great future. From the Church of Scotland it obtained men who were great in faith and outlook, and it had a great tradition. If it contained the true Apostolic spirit it would, grow. The defection from the early Church started when there was not enough spiritualr ity, and innovations were introduced to attract the pagans and the Jews, Prelacy was also introduced and the church declined in spirituality. The duty of the office-bearers was to have a simple and devoted piety, and that had been the genial soil of Presbyterianism throughout the ages. Mr. E. P. Lambert, an office-bearer of St. Stephen's Church, Lower Hutt, spoke on the place of the elders and the laymen in the Church today. He advised regularity in attendance on Sundays, punctuality, the habit of prayer, consistency in helping the minister, loyalty to the minister, thoughtfulness for the young, generosity in church giving, especially through the weekly freewill offering, humbleness, and assistance for others. VISITS TO NON-CHURCHGOERS.. The Rev. R. Inglis said that prayer was the bedrock of the Church. He appealed for volunteers for Bible teach-: ing in schools and for visitation, In connection with this campaign he had started to call on the homes of nonchurchgoers, and although he had done so in trepidation he had been given a kindly reception everywhere. Mr C. S. Falconer said that a personal visit should be paid to each home to see if the people who resided there were churchgoers or not, but pnorto this the churches should determine th« exact bounds of their parishes. Mr H. W. Kersley advised that contact should be made with non-church-going people by visitation. The women, and not the men, were working in the Church, he said. He suggested that by winter a form of "Presbyterian action" be formulated. . . v Mr V G. Chapman, church treasurer," contended that there were enough organisations in the Church at present. If the management committees of the various churches took up the subject of home and foreign mw sions they could do all that was necessary. He suggested that more work Sd be done by the Presbyterian churches in the slums. The wife tot.* Wellington doctftr had suggested the setting up of a sisterhood to \i»ork in the slums. ■ • ' «■ ~ Mr R. Johnson suggested the setting up of a men's society throughout New Zealand. , Other points of view expressed vy a number of speakers were that more church work could be done througn lodges and women should be given more representation in the courts. Mr N. H. G. McFarlane stated that business men should give more witness to their church association in their daily duties. ..•■■..■_. ■ . On the motion of the Rev. A. A. Armstrong, seconded by Mr. G. Robertson, a motion was passed recommending to the Presbytery the formation ol a Presbyterian Office-bearers Fellowship and recommending that another meeting be called within two months. The Rev. G. Budd, Superintendent of Missions, spoke briefly, and Mr. W. Coleman sang a solo.