NEW ZEALAND BAPTIST UNION.

Evening Star, Issue 10782, 17 November 1898, Page 1

NEW ZEALAND BAPTIST UNION.

.1 ijublic missionary meeting was held in the Hanover street Baptist Cnur. hj last evening. Mr John Gibbon, of Ashley Downs, presided, and the church was lull.

After the proceedings had been opened with hymns and prayer, The Chairman said that probably there was no branch of (. hristian service that the world thought so lightly of as missionary work; but there was no work that God had more certainly set the seal of His approval on. He hoped the addresses they would listen to that night would make all feel that they must bear some part in this work. Might their earnest prayer he that the Gospel might go forth to all lands, and that every human creature have the opportunity of hearing it. The Rev. G. D. Cox (Napier) said that the missionary had occupied the most prominent place in their thoughts and prayers. Those delegates who had come from different parts of the colony were glad to come to the home of the New Zealand Baptist Missionary Society. If they recognised the vastness of the work being done they ould hardly realise that only thirteen y ears had passed since its inception. Hanover street would become historic in years to come as (he first place where the society was formed. There was not a Sunday morning prayer made in which there was not some specific mention of those who bad gone down into the pit. It was their privilege to hold the rope. After referring at length to the magnitude of the missionary movement, the speaker went on to say that t here were three stages in the work—the pioneer stage, in which the missionaries met witii distrust and suspicion ; the stage of action, in which distrust and suspicion were removed, and in which the Gospel had hj err accepted an i converts Were beginning to avow themselves; and then there was the period of the establishment of the church, with selfgovernment and self proia,alien. Speaking of the influence of missimaiy work In India he raid that caste, prejudice, and superstition were beginning to die out, and he would not wonder to hear at any time the glad tidings that the whole population were ready to accept the Gospel. 'J he Kev. .1. J. L’oki; (Christchurch) spoke at length on lire subject, and dealt with the adverse criticism sometimes bestowed on missions. The Kev. H. PKTKiis (Wanganui) said that i hey had hem reminded that day at luncheon That one of the objections to missions war! in the argument that “ they must first civilise the heathen and then bring them Christianity.” Tliis reasoning had crept into Christian circles, and experiments had been tried in that line, lie had read somewhere that there had been seat to New Zealand three mm—a carpenter, a bootmaker, and a schoolmaster—with the idea of showing the Natives Christian civilisation. The carpenter got on famously, but the bootmaker and the schoolmaster were not wanted. The cart had been put before the horse, and they recognised now that the missionary’s business was to aim straight at the consciences of the people. The annual Conference tea in connection with Ihe Union will he held this evening. The Revs. A. H. Collins, Charles Dallaston, and John J. North will deliver addresses, and the Rev. A. North will preside. The closing meetings of the Conference will be held to-morrow. At ten o’clock the report of the Students Committee and the report of the denominational taper will be presented. In the afternoon the officers for the ensuing year will be elected and ether business transacted At 7.30 in the evening the annual Union sermon will be preached by the Kev. Jo eph (lark, of the Auckland Tabernacle. At the close of the service the Lord's Supper will be observed, and a collection will be make on behalf cf the funds of the Union,