PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVI, Issue 182, 3 July 1936, Page 11

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.

A PROUD RECORD. The proud record of the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand was the subject of a reference, last evening, by Rev. J. Hubbard, the minister of St. Andrew’s Church, during an address at the jubilee banquet. Air Hubbard said that 25 per cent, of the total population of the Dominion owned allegiance to the Presbyterian Church; it was also interesting to learn that 50 per cent, of the population of Dunedin comprised Presbyterians. Altogether there were 350,000 members of the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand. The Church possessed 263 charges, 100 home mission stations and 610 churches. There were 39,000 Sunday school children and 14,000 Bible class members. Referring to the •finances, Air Hubbard’ said that £223,000 had been raised in 1932, and he calculated that in 25 years £4,134,000 had been raised. The Church had 37 workers in the foreign mission field and 32 among the Alaoris. There were 426 children being cared for in the homes and there were 55 inmates of the old people’s home at Dunedin, which had been the gift of Sir John Ross. There were three residential colleges for boys and five for girls while there were two for students. There was also a matter for pride in the possession of the Theological Hall, with its four professors. The Presbyterian Church was second in New Zealand in point of numbers and could not be surpassed for its interest in young people's and Sunday school work. Mr Hubbard also made mention of the close association of St. Andrew s with the life of the city. He explained that all the headmasters of the College Street School and the two rectois ot the Bovs’ High School were Presbyterians. It was interesting to recall that the High School had started in the halls of St. Andrew’s. Four members of the present High Schools’ Board ot Governors were Presbyterians, while two Directors of Education had been members of the faith.