BAPTIST CONFERENCE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVII, Issue 17597, 9 October 1920, Page 8

BAPTIST CONFERENCE.

.. ■ I. _■ -II ■ .'- , INCREASE OF STIPENDS. : DONATION OF £5000/ §; TOTAL OF £7000 RECEIVED. The annual conference- of ths*.Baptist Union of New Zealand; was continued, in the ' Auckland . Tabernacle yesterday. The president, the Rev. S. W. Jenkin, presided. ;'. "■"■*-'. ' It was announced that a donation ;of £5000 ; to the annuity" and . suitentatibii funds had been offered by: Mr.. JV v -;AVj Pannett, of Christcbureb, on, condition that a similar amount is raised ,by the denomination throughout the Dominion within the next three years. It was; stated that .this offer had been made in order that the retiring allowance of aged ministers should be not less than £100 a year, with an additional £10 for each child up to three, under the age pf 4.6, .and also to provide for an increase of mimeters* stipends. The secretary, the Rev. B. S. Dray, announced that be already had received promises of four contributions of £500 each toward the remaining £5000 required. The business members of the i conference ware * appointed to consider; how the balance might most speedily be raised. Mr. Pannett was heartily thanked for his generous offer. ' ~ . • A discussion on the policy of the union was opened by the Rev. W. S. Boilings, of Brooklyn. He- urged that the undeveloped resources of .the- churches should be employed in an aggressive evangelistic effort, that the assisted churches should gradually ''become independent of union aid, and that the churches should aim at securing a large and early accession in membership. There was, he said, a call for an ambitious and daring effort. After several speakers had made suggestions as to the best way in which an aggressive policy could be carried out, the matter was referred to the executive. Considerable discussion took 'place regarding the method of training young men or the ministry. Reference was made to the generosity of the Knox College Committee in permitting Baptist students to avail .themselves of all : "-the advantages of the college. Several ministers who bad passed through the theological hall spoke highly of the treatment received from the professors. The Students' Committee's report was adopted. The financial statement presented by the Rev. R. S. Gray, showed that the year had closed with a credit balance of £151. The Home Mission collections totalled £2214. and the self-denial receipts amounted to £597. The sum of £557 had been expended in aiding smaller churches and £500- had been placed in a reserve fund. Of the office guarantee fund £300 had been spent in establishing the office in Wellington. The sum of £1321 had been received on account of the sustentation fund, of which £240 had been expended in subsidies to ministerial stipends, while £1000 had been placed on fixed deposit. Mr. W. H. George had donated £500 to the annuity fund and! a similar sum to the Manurewa Children's Home. A. number of amendments to the constitution of the union were adopted. Owing to the tramway stoppage the proposed picnic at One Tree Hill will not be held to-day. To-morrow will be observed *s Conference Sunday. The list of pulpit appointments appears elsewhere. - ■ i I, • * WOMEN'S HKSIOirABY XWIOH. ELECTION OP OFFICERS. The annual meetings of the New Zealand Baptist Women's Missionary Union also were held at the tabernacle yesterday. Mrs. H. M. Smeeton presided. The ™K"J showed amembership of 823, while £1664 had been raised by the union for the women s missionary .work in East Bengal. The following officers were elected: —President, Mrs. Rollings (Wellington): vice-presidents, Mesdames Anstice, Jenkin Young, Goring, and 1 K. Kempton; organising secretary, Mies Gainsford; treasurer, Mrs. Collins. Miss Gainsford, of the New Zealand Baptist Missionary Society, and Mrs. Bailey, of the Foona mission, were the speakers at the afternoon session- Representatives from the Methodist Missionary/Association, the London Missionary Society Central Committee, and the Woman's Christian Temperance Union were present*