CHURCH EFFORT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22583, 23 November 1936, Page 12

CHURCH EFFORT

RAISING OF £240,000 MARKING OF CENTENARY PRESBYTERIAN ASSEMBLY [BY TFI.KGRArH —OWN' CORUKSroNIIKNT] CHRISTCHURCH, Sunday The Auckland Presbytery created a ptir at the Presbyterian General Assembly yesterday when it presented an overturn proposing that as the centenary of the Presbyterian Church coincides with the centenary of the Dominion it should be celebrated fittingly by the raising of £210,000 as a thankoffering to God for the blessings the Church had enjoyed during the century. It was proposed that £150,000 should be voted to paying oil tho debt on churches and the balance ior the extension of mission work at home and abroad. Mr. H. B. Burnett, moderator of tho Auckland Presbytery, said the proposal was the outcome of a made to the presbytery by the ltev, William Elliott, of \\ hangarei, that a centenary thank-offering fund of £IOO,OOO should be raised for tho furtherance of mission work. Ihe presbytery had come to tho conclusion that it would be better to raise a fund to clear the churches of debt, for it was found that this burden was crushing many congregations and preventing the extension of their spiritual activities. Congregations were trying, and often unsuccessfully, to meet the interest bill by holding bazaars, concerts, garden parties, and so on, while others were on the bread line. Not Impracticable As there were 200,000 people associated with the Church, 25s a head spread over the period between now and the centenary year would provicio the required sum. The Church had 60,000 communicant members, which meant that £4 a head of them would suffice. This showed that the presbytery's objective was not impracticable, and if tho scheme were launched in faith and pushed enthusiastically tho required sum would be raised. hat better thank-offering could bo conceived? asked Mr. Burnett. The Rev. J. A. Allan (Auckland), supporting the overture, said that when the proposal was made to the presbytery by Mr. Elliott it appealed to members as a most statesmanlike proposal, and it was worthy of the support of the whole Church. Tho burden of debt was a strangle-hold on the churches and the lifting of it would give a new buoyancy to many congregations which were struggling to pay interest. The proposal aroused much enthusiasm. It was proposed that the Auckland Presbytery should take in hand the initiation and development of the scheme, but eventually a committee was set up to frame a resolution setting out the way in which the objective should be attained. Moderator-Designate The Auckland invitation to hold the next assembly at Auckland was gladly flpppnfpfl The Rev. W. H. Howes, of Otautau, was nominated as moderator-designate of the next assembly. Mr. Howes was born in Dunedin and was educated in the Otago Boys' High School and the Otago University. He has been stationed at Waihora, Milburn, Manaia, Rangiora and Carterton. It was decided to ask presbyteries' opinion on a proposal that payments to the beneficiary fund should cease at 65 years, or after 35 years, instead of 40 or more.

With the view to cutting down expense and obviating unnecessary travelling, the assembly resolved that the Advisory Board'should be abolished and that the budget proposals, which arc in preparation for the assembly, should be dealt with by a finance committee consisting of the Church property trustees, the clerk of the assembly, and representatives of the missions, youth and Theological Hall committees. Special Evangelism , In order that the Church might avail itself of the services of a man or men with outstanding gifts for evangelism, the assembly authorised presbyteries, in consultation with the life and work committee, to authorise or appoint such man or men for special evangelism. The first Sunday in July was appointed fo'r special services and Bible class lessons. In connection with the observance of the Lord's Day, the Rev. Mr. Davie said that some of the greatest offenders against the Lord's Day were elders of the Church who went motoring, golfing and so on. The assembly recommended the further continuance of study groups, using "Christ To-morrow" or other suitable text-books, and heartily approved the principle of contributing to national health and superannuation schemes. Citizenship Training

The committee on social relationships recommended that tho Government should be requested to introduce a compulsory citizenship training scheme for young people up to 21 years of age, with the military element excluded, to include physical culture, civics and moral instruction.

Violent objection was taken to the proposal and the convener of the committee accepted an amendment that tho committee should examine the compulsory training systems of tho youth movements of other countries and report to tho next assembly.