STUDENT CHRISTIAN FEDERATION

Evening Star, Issue 18051, 19 August 1922, Page 13

STUDENT CHRISTIAN FEDERATION

REPORT ON PEKING CONFERENCE. Subscribers and friends to tho Now Zealand -Student Christian Movement met in First Church Hall last evening to hear a report from Miss Agnes Moncrieff, who represented New Zealand at tho recent world conference in Reiving. The Rev. W. 0. Thomas presided. Miss Moncrielf explained that tiro Poking Conference was the eleventh that has been held by the federation, and the third to take place in tho East. Thirty-four nations were represented. It was significant that, of tho two vice-presidents, one was a Japanese and tho other a Chinese. Tho nature of tho conference was twofold. It was intended to help China in its present critical state of change. Also, the federation had been feeling that it was too Western in its character, and they desired to gain more from the wise ami devoted Christian leaders of the student movements in the East. On the question of student relief tho conference decided to appoint five secretaries to maintain tho work among destitute students in -Central Europe. The conference included several refugee Russians in its membership. Tho atttitudo of Christian to non-Christian students in socalled heathen lands was the subject of most informative discussion; and it was discovered that native Christian leaders in India and China regarded Christianity as the completion and fulfilment of their own religions just as wo regarded it as the fulfilment of the Hebrew religion. Tho appeal of Dr Micbaolis, ex-Chancellor of Germany, against the injustice of the Treaty of Versailles was an outstanding feature of the daring part of tho conference. Student leaders from country after country, rose later and protested •that neither ‘they nor those they represented held that Germany alone _ was guilty of tho war. ■ Indian and Chinese leaders were agreed in their conviction that our Western theological doctrines were not tho essence of Christianity. The Rev. Hector Maclean, in- thanking Miss Moncrieff, expressed tho opinion that it was duo to the Foreign Mission Committees of tho various churches to have before them the findings of the Peking Conference on the subject of foreign missions and missionaries. Perhaps bliss Moncrieff might bo able to meet tbo committees and boards personally. Tho meeting was also in the nature of an annual mooting of subscribers to tho movement'for the purpose of electing seven representatives on tho local student council. Only seven were nominated for positions on tbo council, and they wore declared duly elected. The names were as follow, all having been members of the past councilDr Muriel Bell, Miss Blackic, Miss Kentish, Dr Robb, Messrs G. F. Inglis, Bell-house, and J, Johnson.