LAYMEN’S MISSIONARY MOVEMENT

Evening Star, Issue 15882, 14 August 1915, Page 10

LAYMEN’S MISSIONARY MOVEMENT

PRESBYTERIAN BRANCH. The annual meeting of the Dunedin Presbyterian branch of the Laymen’s Missionary 'Movement was held in the First Church hall last evening, Mr A. Burn presiding. The chairman welcomed tho Rev. H. E. Davies, on furlough from Canton,, and the Rev. G-. H. M’Neur, who is about to return to the work there. Owing to the war the work of tills branch of the movement during 1914 iiad just been .holding on, but during the present year it had been going forward. Tho chairman read a letter from Dr Porteous, of Jagadhxi, in which ho,stated that it had been decided to endeavor to raise a sum of £3,000 for a building fund for the c Ohurch’s mission in India. He believed that this could only be done by the united and active support of the Laymen’s Missionary Movement. Tho proportion which he asked the Dunedin laymen to provide from their Presbytery was £SOO. This, the chairman pointed out, was an exceedingly modest demand, and it was impossible to emphasise the need which it would help to meet. Ho thought the only possible thing for tho laymen to do was to take up Dr Porteous’s challenge heartily.

Professor D. B. Waters moved—“ That the Laymen’s Missionary Movement assist Dr Porteous in his appeal, and that '.he executive work up a scheme whereby it may be furthered by the Presbytery of Dunedin.”

Mr W. T. Glasgow, in seconding the motion, stated that £SOO should be the minimum sum aimed at. The motion was carried.

Tho committee, in their fifth annual report, referred to the effect of the war in hindering plans previously formed. The date of tho departure of the missionary deputation to the East had been indefinitely postponed owing to the war, and the matter had been left iimbeyance. The committee urged the desirability of the deputation leaving at the earliest possible date, as there were many questions of an nature in regard to the work of tho _ mission in the Canton villages and India, which could only be settled by a deputation-investigating and discussing those matters on the field with the various • organisations interested. ‘During the year the committee. had earnestly discussed the question of increasing the membership and influence of the movement in Dunedin, and in furtherance of this matter a conference with the ministers of tire Dunedin Presbytery had been held. Professor Waters, in the course of a most admirable address, explained to the meeting the aims and objects of the Laymen’s Missionary Movement, after which Dr Porteous, of the Punjab Mission, spoke of his work in India. Several of the ministers present promised to receive a deputation from the Laymen's Missionary Movement Committee with a view to ■forming a branch of the Laymen’s Missionary Movement in their respective congregations. A deputation had waited on the men of the Anderson Bay congregation, and as a result a branch of The movement had • been formed there.. Indebtedness was expressed to the officebearers of the First Church for the use of a classroom for committee meetings, and also for the use of the hall for the annual meeting. The annual statement of receipts and expenditure showed receipts totalling £ll 11s Id. The year began with a credit of £l2 7s. and ended with a credit of £l2 16s Id.

Ills following office-bearers were elected President, Professor J). B. Waters; secretary and treasurer, Mr W. 11. Taylor; committee—Messrs A. Burn', Glasgow, Gow, J. Stewart, Sunderland, White, P. L. Clarke, T. Somerville, and I 1 arquharson. The Eev. H. E. Davies said he had been asked to answer the question : How can the Laymen’s Missionary Movement best help the work of the Canton Villages sion ? H© felt there was very little they could not do. They could raise a sum of money, but there were other things even more necessary. He hoped that the early departure of a deputation to Canton would help on the work there. It would be.oi the very greatest assistance if the laymen would see that the funds were kept at a sufficiently high level to remove all anxiety from the Foreign Missions Committee and to enable those of them who were in the field to press on with their work. Another way in which laymen could help was by studying the. field and its problems. If thev were to pray intelligently for this work- thev must know its problems, and their prayers wore a matter of urgent necessity. Thev conld also help by stemming the present tendency to let everything go for the war. The Eev. W. H. M’Neur spoke a few words of farewell on the eve of hia return to China. He commended the denominational loyalty of the Laymen’s Missionary Movement, and drew attention to the fact that while the mission funds of the Pres00*000 n £ hll J c! ] s ! lo '‘ ve<l a of over 1 resbytenans were giving thousands of pounds to outside missions. The debt oi their own church had the first claim upon them.