FAMILY WORSHIP

Greymouth Evening Star, 13 October 1928, Page 11

FAMILY WORSHIP

“A THING OF THE PAST.”

(Special to “Star.")

CHRISTCHURCH, October 12.

A leakage in church membership came under discussion at the Baptist Union Conference this morning. The Rev. E. N. Goring said the problem lay with the people who were definitely Christian and keenley interested in the church, but who never attended the services. They sent their children to the Sunday Schools and made them attend church daily, but they themselves had simply got out of the habit of church attendance. “Go to the young people,” he said, “and ask them to accept church membership. They reply, ‘Look at so-and-so. He never goes to church, yet he is as good a man as anyone in it.’' It is a case of example being stronger than precept. Family worship is a thing of the past.” The Rev. E. Tuckwell (Dunedin) said it must be recognised that there were two classes of people whom thej r were failing to reach. They were outsiders and insiders. They were losing approximately 80 per cent, of the young people who passed through the Sunday Schools. Rev. S. Barry (President) said that evangelism was the first step towards membership. A serious weakness lay in the disloyalty of members.