CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXX, Issue 14916, 11 February 1909, Page 8

CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.

MEETING OF THE COUNCIL. The annual meeting of tho Council of the Congregational Church of New Zealand opened its session in the Trinity Church yesterday, under the chairmanship of the Rev W. S. Fernie. A committee meeting was held at 10 a.m., and was followed at eleven o’clock by a devotional meeting, over which the Rev D. Hird presided. The Council met at noon, when formal business was transacted. The following sessional officers were appointed:—Minute secretary, Rev G. Heighway; corresponding socretaiy, Rev A. E. Hunt-; reporter to English and colonial papers, Rev A. Hodge ; Reference Committee, tho Revs Closs, Evansn Griffiths, Hird and Craik; Finance Committee, the outgoing committee of the Union were re-elected, with power to add to their number; reporter to the “ Outlook,” Rev R. M’Naughton. An apology for absence was received from Mr TV. H. Lyon, treasurer of the Union, and Mr F. Meadowcroft was appointed acting treasurer for the session.

The Rev W. D. M’Laren and Mr Forbes Ewan were elected members of the Council during the session. Messages of greeting were ordered to bo sent to Mr W. H. Lyon and tho Revs W. Saunders and J. H. Mackenzie.

The following new members of the Council were welcomed: —Revs H. S. Craik (Auckland), TV. B. Harris (Auckland) and TV. J. L. Closs (Trinity Church). THE CHAIRMAN’S ADDRESS.

The evening session was conducted by the Rev D. Hird, the retiring chairman, and was opened with a hymn and prayer. i The chairman of tho Union, the Rev W. J. Fernie, was introduced by Mr Hird and was received with applause. The subject he chose for his address was “The Need for Authority.” A great deal, he said, was now heard of the decline of authority, especially in the case of parents with their children, and it was the same with teachers of religion. In olden days tho Bible had been accepted as a sure authority, but now its authority was questioned on every hand. The lack of authority in the home had its effect on religious life, for Sabbath desecration and the lack of teachers and church workers was largely due to the fact that so many children were allowed to maintain themselves instead of being maintained in the old way. The greatest need of the Christian people of the present day was to get back to the Bible as an authority. Faith in Christ without authority was like a house built on the sands. It was not a question of whether a man’s faith or creed was sufficient, but the question was on what foundation it rested. Men needed authority for their faith as well as for their conduct. For the sake of preaching modernly there was needed a “Thus saith the Lord” more than tan exposition of individual beliefs. If- they rejected the authority of the Bible, what was there to offer? It was tho only foundation on which Christian faith and life must rest. TVhat they wanted was knowledge, and apart from the Bible they would not know anything about the unseen. The most advanced critics admitted that the Bible contained the Word of God, but they contended that it Was so mixed up with Jewish legends and doubtful statements that they must U6e their discretion as to what was untrue. But by thus destroying tho authority of the Bible they left every statement in donbt. He was afraid that the attempt to undermine the authority of the Bible was prompted not so much by a desire to discover the truth as by a- dislike for the supernatural. If tho higher critics were anxious or diligent in trying to uphold the authority of tho Bible instead of finding signs of error or untrust worth in ess in it, they would have an easier task, and would achieve greater success. If the Bible were not inspired by God the book itself Would be a greater obstacle than those over which the critics were now stumbling, and if the Bible were the inspired Word of God it would be little short of blasphemy to suggest that , He would not have kept those inspired from recording what was not true. His contention was not for absolute accuracy of scientific expression or unimportant detail, but for revelation of the truth. As long as the main facts were correct that was all that was needful. The failure to bring positive proof against the truth of the Bible should cause them to rest on it with growing confidence, and should stimulate them to seek a more perfect interpretation. TO-DAY’S PROGRAMME.

The conference to-day will be opened at 10 a.m. with a devotional meeting, presided over by the Rev A. Hodge. Half an hour later there will be° a discussion, on “Union with God: its Cultivation and Practice,” introduced by the Rov W. D. Maclaren and tho Rov S. Griffiths. At three o’clock Council business will bo undertaken, and at 7.30 p.m. there will bo another open conference on “ Sunday School Reform,” introduced by the Rev J. Reed Glasson.