CONGREGATIONAL UNION.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume II, Issue 49, 10 February 1912, Page 5

CONGREGATIONAL UNION.

Palmerston North, Feb. 9,

Tiie Congregational Conference continued its sittings to-day, and to-night the Rev. I. Surginson -read a paiter on "The Attitude of the Church to the Rich,” in which he bel(l that riches weie not as some -eemed disposed to hold, necessarily criminal--only the abuse of such riches or efforts to become rich by anti-social acts. He considered chat the church had lost much influence by foolish hurry-scurrying to accommodate itself to the dicta of noneburchgoers, who wished to dictate the churches’ attitude according to w hat non-churchgoers professed to believe to be the teachings of Christ. and wished all rich men to be denounced irrespective of how they had made or ir ed their riches. The , disciples had misunderstood Christ’s advice to the young ruler to sell al! that lie had and give to flic ;>oor. It was net his great possessions but his excessive devotion to them that Christ had denounced. To plague and penalise men because they wore making money too fast would be despotic and reactionary. The xion. G. Fowlds. the Revs. Evans. Tiffen. Hird and others agreed.

Tin* Rev. Bowen-Harris urged better equipment and appreciation of Sunday schools as absolutely necessary to the welfare of the church. The Rev. (■rant. Port Chalmers, gave notice to move that the Defence Department be consulted as !o the appointment of military chaplains for each district ; also for heart} greetings to the Moray-place Church on its jubilee.