GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 302, 20 November 1940, Page 8

GENERAL ASSEMBLY

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. PROGRESS OF MISSION WORK. The business of tlie General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church was continued on Monday, in St. Andrew’s (Jliurch, the Moderator (Rt. Rev. G. H. Jiipp) presiding. Women’s and .missionary work were subjects dealt with in tho morning. Rev. H. H. Barton (Weston) reported that the Presbyterian Women’s Training institute, Dunedin, was removing from Cumberland Street, to a more suitable and more commodious property, tlie residence of tlie late Mr A. S. Paterson, of Dunedin. During the year institute students had taught 98 hoys and girls in Dunedin Sunday schools and Bible classes. In' the primary schools they had given 30 lessons weekly to 1044 children. Mrs P. Gladstone Hughes presented the report of the Presbyterian Women's Missionary Union on the lines of the annual report of that organisation, as previously published. A vote of thanks and congratulation was moved by Mr Barton, and the Moderator added His congratulations.

Sister Eileen Reid, a Presbyterian missionary from China, spoke to the gathering, mentioning tlie difficulty of carrying on work because of the Japanese invasion. Tlie mission decided against shifting when the fall of Canton was imminent, and she was glad it did not, because there was a tremendous need for its services. Wounded soldiers were coming in every day. and the patients were in a bad way. Under tlie occupation period wounded soldiers were finished with, but there were many other factors which took toll of the people. In November tlie peak number of patients, 150, were in the hospital, which was supposed to deal' with only 70. In the midst of all this there came news from New Zealand of-possible retrenchment in tlie medical work, but the Church in New Zealand rose to the challenge and this did not occur. The speaker paid a high tribute to the work among tho Chinese of the late Dr O. E. Eaton, son of Rev. Clarence Eaton and Mrs Eaton, of Palmerston North. Ho had 70 wounded soldiers to care for at one period in his routine work, with undependable assistants. However, lie was indefatigable in his work and carried out major operations with great success. The result of his work was becoming apparent in tho district to-day. Sister Reid was thanked for her address.

Dr J. A. Loan, who will shortly go to the mission hospital at Canton, was introduced to the Moderator and the Assembly.

Rev. F. Ferguson Fish, of Auckland, presented the report of tlie Missions Committee, which dealt comprehensively with mission work. The year under review might well be regarded as unique in the history of such work, the report said. Perhaps never before had there been such alternations of feeling between fear and hope, between a sense of frustration and thankfulness. The year began with a fear of possible retrenchment for financial reasons; it had seen a continuation of the war in China and the consequent restriction of work there; a disastrous hurricane in the New Hebrides, in which one of the churches and one of' the mission houses were destroyed ■ and it had also seen the outbreak of the greatest war in history. The report dealt with the general work of the committee, tlie “.no retrenchment” effort, aided charges and home mission stations, Maori missions, New Zealand Chinese, tlie New Hebrides, the South China Mission, the Indian Mission, and personal reports of missionaries. The report was received, and thanks expressed fo all who had given such great help during the year, especially the missionaries who did such efficient deputation work on their furloughs, the executive and members of the Presbyterian Women's Missionary Union. Individuals and organisations which liad laboured so devotedly to make the ‘no retrenchment” appeal abundantly successful, those whose interest in missionary work had been shown by generous testamentary gifts, and who had given liberally to various special objects, and the medical referees for tlie services they had so willingly given were also thanked. The Church’s deep appreciation was exjiressed of the faithful, courageous and successful service given by its missionaries, their wives and helpers in all the lields in New Zealand and overseas, Rev. B. R. C. Nottage (New Hebrides), who lias bad to retire because of ill-health, being especially mentioned. THANKSGIVING GIFT,

After the report of the missions committee was received the committee was authorised to make a-thanksgiving gift of a sum of not less than £IOO to help the European missionaries stranded in India through the collapse of their countries, and an equal sum to the developmental work now being undertaken by the Church of Christ in China, the money to be paid from the surplus funds, subscribed oyer and above the annual budget requirements.

A motion authorising the Missions committee to take steps to raise the stipends of ordained married missionaries now receiving less than £2OO per annum, and to increase the annual budget by the amount required to pay half the difference between what each of these home missionaries was receiving and £2OO, the stations on which they were serving to be required to raise the other half of that difference, was held over; as was the addition that the stipends of home missionaries of other categories be increased in a like manner.

The -report of the Church Property Trustees, presented by Mr A. D. Thorn son, convener, said that during the year ended August 18, 1940, eight congregations borrowed a total of £4045 on the security of property ana 17 congregations sold properties, th*' total proceeds amounting to £10,745. Business in connection with church property and estates in which the Church was interested and which could not be tabulated had been greater in volume than for some years. Unconditional legacies totalling £7926 9s 8d had been received. The following objects had received benefits under these requests: Beneficiary fund, £2143 Gs sd; women workers’ beneficiary and superannuation fund, £428 ss;. home missions, £837 12s lid; foreign missions. £llß7 14s 8d; Maori, missions, £l9l 10s lid; social service, £2821 3s 7d; congregations, £3lO lbs 4d In addition, bequests subject to definite trusts had been received as follow Elizabeth McCready Scholarship £35; Evan McLennan bequest, Halkett Church, £300; Wilson Bursaries, £4OO capital and £l5O intertercst; Estate M. Keir, Knox (Larnell) Presbyterian Women’s Missionary Union, £1000; Knox (Parnell) Church, £1000; Estate Robert Duncan, for vouth of the church, £o0; Estate William Magill, Seatoun Church, three house properties, value £1395; D. M. Sutherland bequest, liinakura Church, £25: Estate Alexander Stronach Paterson, beneficiary fund £15,000, ■women's beneficiary fund £5000; Knox College, £16,000; A. S. Paterson Library (Knox College), £3000; j Women’s Training Institute £3000; St. Margaret’s College, Dunedin, ' £6OOO, for augmenting inadequate salaries of ministers, £LO,UUO; Estate

Mary Alexander Smith, £BOO for various purposes. It was decided that the residue of the Paterson Estate, when received, bo funded as. the “A. S. Paterson Memorial Fund”j that a standing committeo be appointed each year to receive a statement from the general treasurer on the net income of the fund, and to prepare a report to the Assembly on the disposal of such income. It was agreed that the legacy of £2OO received from the M. A. Smith Estate “for the general purposes of tne church” be credited to the Centenary Thanksgiving Fund. The report of the Board of. Education, presented by Rev. J. G. S. Dunn (convener) said that the work of the colleges had been well maintained with fidelity to the educational ideal of the • Church. Principals of colleges and members of boards oi governors indicated that from time to time they realised just how essential it was that sound education must have a definite moral and religious background. Further evidence was to hand indicating that old collegians were occupying positions of responsibility and influence in professional and community life. The colleges were making a valuable contribution to the national war effort. The"principals of the three boys’ colleges were now on active service, with other members of the staffs and 300 old collegians. The _ eight colleges had a total roll of 1451, of whom 530 were hoarders and 921 day pupils. St. Cuthbert’s College had increased to 332 and St. Andrew’s to 241. Solway and John McGlashan Colleges also showed slight increases The report was adopted and the good wishes of the Assembly were conveyed to the Queen Margaret and Columba Colleges on the successful anniversary celebrations recently held. The boards, principals and staffs were thanked ijor their contribution to the cause of education and their fidelity to the ideals of the Church, and good wishes were conveyed to the principals of the colleges at present on active service. All donors of legacies and other gifts were thanked and appreciated was expressed of the enthusiastic and generous help given by parents’ associations and okl collegians. The Board of Education was authorised to confer with hoards 'of governors on the matter of a special dedication service on the appointment of principals of church colleges. Mr A. L. Wall (chairman of the Scots College Board of Governors), Miss C. McNeil (lona College) and Mr J. D. Campbell (lona College Board of Governors) addressed the Assembly.