GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20112, 24 November 1928, Page 15

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.

PROGRESS OF YOUTH WORK. SATISFACTORY REPORT GIVEN. Wide public interest was shown in the session or the Presbyterian General Assembly last evening, at which the. report of the Youth Comrnitt.eo was presented by the convenor, the Rev. A. B. Kilrov, of Oarnaru St. David's Church was crowded. The moderator, Professor Hewitson, prosided.

Distinct progress during the year was chronicled in the Youth Committee's report. Twenty new schools had received helps for six months free from the youth office. Steady progress had been maintained in tho home schools by correspondence. Tho increase of Sunday School Associations and tho work they accomplished was very satisfactory. The committee working with Melbourne had readjusted itself and was running smoothly. Tho year opened with a credit balanco of £BB and closed with a, balance of £417. l'ho number of teachers had increased from 4374 to 4393, and the number of scholars decreased from 40,417 to 40,022. Junior Bible class members had increased by 206, but seniors had decreased by 82, the total now being 13,216. The Bible classes had supplied 773 Sunday school teachers. The bookroom had had a very successful year and had moved into new and more commodious premises.

Bible Class Movement. Gold and silver medals won in assembly examinations were presented by the moderator to the winners or their representatives. Mr. A C. Whitelaw, travelling secretary of tho Young Men's Biblo Classes, reviewed the history of the movement and the past year's work. That movement in their own and sister churches was the expression of some of the highest aspirations of Dominion youth. Possibly no movement had done more to counteract the strong, harmful influences that threatened the yoilth of our land to-day, yet there was a vast field untouched and a great work yet to be attempted. If the movement was to carry out its main purpose it must faco our young men with service of the Kingdom of God as the finest investment of life. A deliverance, expressing the assembly's deep gratitude to Sunday school teachers and Bible class leaders for their service, and to many other workers for the youth of the Church, was moved by Mr. Kilroy and seconded by the Rev. T. W. Armour, of Christchurch. Both speakers paid tributes to tne faithful and self-sacrificing character of the work being carried on. Mr. Armour expressed special gratification at the educational work being done for teachers. The Ilevs. J. A. Allan, \V. Rower Black, J. Miller and R. M. Ryburn, and Messis. VV. H. Rose and T. W. R. Jlitt were appointed lo represent assembly on the Religious Education Council. The Rev. R. M. Kyburn explained that in this council the Church of England, Presbyterian, Methodist and other Churches were bound together to help one another in (heir work for young people. The Sustentation Fund. The report of the Sustentation Fund Committee, presented bv tho Rev. John Pringle, of Dunedin, stated the equal dividend had been maintained at £295. The number of congregations which had received aid was 73, and tjie amount disbursed was £2098. Mr. Pringle stated they hoped at an early date to make the equal dividend up to £3OO, which had long been their objective. Debate on recommendations of the committee was adjourned. Mr. John Mann was ordained with impressive ceremony as a minister of the Church., and was set apart for service ir. the Maori mission field. A minute, highly appreciative of the work of the Rev. J. A. Asher as convener of tho Maori Mission Committee for the past eight, years, was adopted. A number of gifts, including a beautifully-carved symbolic Maori walking-stick, were pre-' sented to Mr. Asher by the veteran Maori missiorary, the Rev. J. E. Ward, on behalf of the staff. Among the chief business to be dealt. with at this morning's session is fhe nomination of the next moderator, tho report of Knox College and the appointment of a master of the college, and consideration of the treasurer's statement. In tho afternoon some of tho delegates to tho assembly and to tho Women's Missionary Conference will visit the mission manse at Devonport, and about 250 others will be taken by motor to view some of the nearby beauty spots.