STUDENT CHRISTIAN MOVEMENT

Evening Star, Issue 17312, 27 March 1920, Page 2

STUDENT CHRISTIAN MOVEMENT

Following the auxiliary conference held at Geraldiuc in January, at which it was resolved to take active step 6to form branches of the Students' Christian Movement, the Rev. R. S. Watson (chairman of the Ota go Provincial Council) and Mr J. Johnson (secretary) called a, meeting of past students and friends, to be held in First Church Hail last night, to discuss the proposal to do something in Otago. The Rev. R. B. Watson presided and conducted devotions, and explained the reasons for convening the meeting. Mr T. M. Haelett, the national religious secretary of the Y.M.CA. in New Zealand, said in the course or his address that he supposed the majority of those "present had been at one time or another connected with the Students' Christian Union, and if so they must have felt, as he did, that the vision caught at the University was dimmed or lost when one got tossed out into the world. What they discussed at Geraldine was not new. For a long time there had been a thought of doing something to preserve things that were vital to life. The time might not be t'pe for any complicated organisation, but the opportunity had arisen, and should not ho lost sight of, for launching a movement by which those who were of op.p mind in this matter would bo kept together, and keep vital and reil the beliefs that inspired them m their studentunion days. The movement wao out? of the things that could be relied on to inr.ke the _ Christian religion real and animate. Active service was the only ih'ng that qualified a man to call nim'.-eli a Christian. If that test were adopted it would mean the crowding out of hosts of persons who hovered about ihe churches. The church had been afraid to demand from its members the services that dioulcf be given. Those who were fciiil young had to settle this business. Community service, which was the common aim qf the movement, meant that everyone should earnestly try to do something, 'and not sit about looking dignified. If there was any place where dignity was ridiculous it was a church meeting. He could put his finger on hundreds of graduate* who w?ra keen when young, but had hveome listless and were just living hi the ruck. A cumbrous organisation was not necuad The suggestion was to? *orm something which would be a complete bond 1 ctwee'i those who wished to live r eal rives rnd keep them in touch- with one another. Mr Johnson was the next soeaker. He said that in France they got into the way of estimating the relative value of things. A man going into the field knew whntjiad to be carried, a"!?.o what could be left behind. It seemed curious at first to find a man leaving his overcoat and taking a book. Bub he knew what he was doing. Experience taught what was important. One of the things that they had learned on service was the absolute," need of the Christian student movement, an<? the problem now. was to conserve what that movement had given us. It had an ideal; it had energy; it had a note of challenge and a note of faith that was worth keeping. It was the problem of perennial yoi.ith. Some men could keep young—Dr Waddell, for example. Why should all not do the same? The idea was to keep young so as to bo fit to do something. There was plenty of time, even in the busiest lives, to do* everything that really ought to be done. It was all a. question of'preferences; knowing what to drop in order to do what was more important. The speakers went 'on to sketch the lines of what, in his opinion, would be a suitable and worthy organisation. This 'served to start a discussion of the subject generally, and \t was agreed to keep on thinking about the matter today, during the reunion ramble at Anderson Bay, and assemble this evening to lay down a policy, appoint officers, and arrange circles and meetings.