PRESBYTERIAN ASSEMBLY

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXI, 13 November 1937, Page 13

PRESBYTERIAN ASSEMBLY

life and work rei-ort METHODS OF EVANGELISM AUCKLAND, 13th November. Rev. R. S. Watson (Ashburton) Convener of the Life and Work Committee moved the adoption of his Committees report. He referred to the recall of the nation to religion which had been sounded by the Archbishop ol Canterbury, He spoke of the measures which Presbyteries were taking to develop a Christian evangelism calculated to have a more forceful imp; et on the community. He informed the Assembly that his committee was compiling a list of names of ministers regarded as specially suited to conduct evangelistic missions. it was moved, seconded and agreed, that the Assembly commend those Presbyteries and Sessions that have given themselves so wholeheartedly to evangelistic effort and urge that in the coming year the remaining Presbyteries and Sessions give purposeful and practical consideration to the subject of evangelism. Dr J. D. Salmond (Dunedin) observed that in the Presbyterian Church there was a tendency to be amateurish in methods of evangelism. He stressed the necessity of an appeal to botli mind and heart, and commented favourably on methods employed by the Church Army of the Church of England and by tiie Special Mission preachers of the Church of Rome, Dr Salmond insisted that much team work was essential and this required more than the selection of ministers for temporary special evangelists. The speaker held that there were many in the groups often referred to as the intelligentsia and the working classes who were keenly alive to movements of thought and were out of touch will) the church. He indicated that the Presbytery of Dunedin had agreed to release Rev. H. J. Ryburn who had been invited by the New Zealand Student Christian Movement to work lor a year among stud . ts in the University College Centres. Dr Salmond referred to the establishment of a Working Men’s College by the Church of Rome in order to educate an apostolate to the laity.

It was announced that Rev. A. C. Watson. M.A., St. Paul’s, Christchurch, who recently was abroad and attended the Conferences on Life and Work and Faith and Order, had been appointed a member of the Continuation Committee of the World Conference on Life and Order.

Rev. J. A. Allan, Convener of the Committee on Marriage and Divorce, slater' that in New Zealand there existed a very good working arrangement between Church and State on the matter of marriage. The Church had extensive liberty of action. The General Treasurer announced that the appeal for Maori Missions had brought in £8,038. £6,000 had been asked for and the generous response was an indication that when the church was adequately informed about needs, her generosity asserted itself.

Rev. F. H. Wilkinson (Timaru) maintained that the church was passing through an experimental stage in Christian evangelism which sought to reach the community at large. He appealed to ministers to give careful consideration to Presbytery findings on the possibilties and needs of local areas.