MORAY PLACE CHURCH

Evening Star, Issue 23729, 9 November 1940, Page 6

MORAY PLACE CHURCH

ANNUAL MEETING The Eev. J. H. Harris presided at. thd annual meeting of the Moray Place Congregational Church. -The meeting, was opened with a devotional service, after which Mr Harris gave a brief survey of th* year’s work. Mr Harris then read a cablegram from the church’s senior, deacon, Mr p. Barr, who is at present in Sydney. Mr Barr sent greetings, and congratulated the church on its seventy-eighth anniversary. The annual reports of the various church organisations were then dealt with briefly by the secretary, Mr J. A. M’Call, who referred to the number'of young men from the congregation who had volunteered for military service. The church was to ba congratulated, he said, on this contribution to the Empire’s war effort. Despite the depletion this had made in the ranks of the church’s supporters, the various functions throughout the year had been very successful. Speaking to the balance sheet, the treasurer, Mr B. H. Henderson, said that there had been an increase in the amounts collected, and be hoped that, this was a sign of more intense interest in the organisation, The report and balance sheet were then adopted. The retiring deacons were re-elected. At the conclusion of the business an interesting address, calling on laymen to become militant churchmen, was delivered by Dr J. D. Salmond. Dr Salmond said that to combat the growing indifference to Christianity the Christian congregations must become a vital fellowship, depending not only on ministers, but on laymen. The layman would have to cease to Tie a neutral. Today the world was more used to action than words, and people were looking to the church for “ action.” In an ariny the most important man was the common soldier and in the church the layman. Although he was very interested in youth work, Dr Salmond said that he had greater faith in the family as a force for the good of the church and the nation. He advocated the use of a “ family pew ” service. Everyone could practise discipfeship through the home. Expressing concern at what he described as a moral “ Fifth Column,” Dr Salmond said he frowned on gambling, not becausa it was wasteful, but because it appealed to greedy motives. This was one of several expressions of paganism, which evangelism would have to combat in the modern community. He had been impressed at tha effectiveness of the propaganda methods expounded in a book by Dr Goebbels, the Propaganda Minister, and, much as he despised their aims, he felt that the church could employ similar tactics for good. During the short programme which followed, tiie Minister said that Mr Barr had presented the church with 50 new hymn books. Items were given by _ Misses M. Green A. Guy, and Hr J. D. M’Kechme.