PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20890, 4 June 1931, Page 11

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

HAWKE'S BAY RELIEF FUNDS

FINANCE AND FOREIGN AF-TAIRS

[I»V TEI.ECiI! Al'lf. — I'll ESS ASSOCIATION.] \VEIiLIXGTOX. Wednesday.

The I'reshyteriaii General Assembly inday received notification of a grant j<f £2OO toward relief and reconstruction in the Hawko's Hay district from the Presbyterian Church of Ireland, with an expression of sympathy with the losses sustained in the earthquake. The general treasurer, the Rev. V. (!. Chapman, reported that a sum of £4sfjl had been received from congregations for tlie purposes of relief and reconstruction. A total of £2200 had been advanced to the. congregation of St. Paul's, Napier, for the erection of a temporary building for church purposes. It was unanimously agreed that out of the accumulated funds of the fire insurance account £2OOO be paid to the. fund opened for tin- relief of churches in Ilawke's Bay.

The. Rev. J. A. Asher, moderator of the Ilawke's Bay Presbytery, and minister of St. Paul's, expressed his own deep gratitude at tho consideration and sympathy extended to him personally and to Presbyterian people after the disaster, lie said he was very gratified at the generous response to the moderator sap peal. It would all be needed, as he expected very little help to be available from the Rehabilitation Commission.

Tho treasurer, in presenting the annual financial statement, deprecated anything in the nature of panic with regard to church funds. Such investments as the trustees had made were very sound. There was a decline in congregational giving to general schemes of tho church, but he was doubtful whether the economic position was wholly responsible. Legacies had been largely responsible for tho meeting of current expenses. "Let us hold to tho work that wo are doing," said Mr. Chapman. "We. have been richly blessed in the past. Are we to grow weary in well-doing ?" The Bcv. George Budd, chairman of the advisory board, reported that a sum of £12.000 had improved the position especially in the foreign mission account, to which fund that sum had been bequeathed. It was agreed to transfer £7500 to meet tho deficit in the foreign mission account, £4600 toward the deficit in tho homo mission account, and £IOO to tho youth of tho church account. A motion was unanimously carried commending tho Leaguo of Nations Union to the support of tho people, urging wholehearted prayer and service on behalf of world peace and disarmament, and calling attention to the critical nature, of tho present crisis in view of tho forthcoming Disarmament Conference, upon the success of which the future of the world depended.

A report in regard to gambling said tho Assembly noted with deep concern the continuous issue of licences for art unions by authority of tho Minister of Internal Affairs, and that it strongly reaffirmed it-s opposition to all such enterprises as being debasing to tho moral and economic interests of the, community.