CONGREGATIONAL UNION.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXVI, Issue 5199, 13 February 1904, Page 2

CONGREGATIONAL UNION.

SECOND DAY'S MEETING. Tho annual conference of tho Congnw gational Union was continued yesterday at the Terraco Ciirarch. Tho Ivev Johi' Wilkins, chairman, presided. Greetings wore convoyed to the coofcrouco from the Congregational Uilioii of South Australia by tho Rev W. M Grant. SUNDAY SCHOOLS. The Rev S. J. Baker, at tho request of the committee, road a paper entitled “Sunday Schools—Wanted, a Reformation.” Tho present time, ho said, itf emphatically one of deepening concern for tho religious training and education of the young. Despite tho numerical in. crease in the scholars under religious instruction, there is a feeling of uneasiness concerning the efficiency of the Sunday schools as they are at present constituted and worked. Tho futureof tho Church depends upon a wlisoil and more far-seeing provision for the children; wiser aiy.l more generous plant for tho growth and extension of Sunday school work must ho devised, and ther* must bo no shrinking from wholcsoma criticism. To some extent ho blamed tho numerical decrease in. scholars in tho past to tho lack of enterprise in church extension, especially by tha cities. So long as no provision, or in. sufficient provision, is made for Sunday schools in. suburban districts, ho contended, there wifi be a loss of young people. How moot tho difficulty? WoUi, in tho absence of more dclinllto schemes for church extension, tho rev gentleman said, lot tho Church encourage families in suburban districts to start Sunday Behoofs iu their own homes. Speaking of tho homo circles, ho blamed parents for not exercising more'control of children, and for not seeing that they at tended the Sunday classes. Tho speaker urged that a brighter and more at> tractive atmosphere should bo put into, tho schools, that tho standard of teaching bo raised. Tho material to be taught had never really been got hold of by tho teachers. A great many of th« teachers had no grasp of what they acre attempting—they .had no ability for teaching, nor the desiro to acquire ability. Preparation, classes for tha teachers are needed, where they will ba taught to use tho blackboard, maps and concrete objects. Further, there should bo fewer teachers and larger classes for tho benefit of discipline and progress. A long discussion followed, and fot tho most part it was fault-finding with the methods and results of the work of tho schools.

THE QUESTION OF FEDERATION, Tho afternoon was devoted! to a discussion on the question of union with the Presbyterian and 'Methodist denominations, and a report was presentod by the Rev W. Saunders for th« Dunedin committee appointed last year to deal with the matter of uinlLon. Tho report pointed! out tho negotiations that had boon commenced during last year and how they luifl boon broken off owing to the difference of opinion of what should constitute tho creed, os laid down in tho articles submitted by the Presbyterians. The whole aspect of th<r proposal had been changed when it" was discovered that those responsible for the creed were too previous, and tho General Assembly did nob seem to regard it with too great favour. It wa«( itself, hut wont only to the committee not put before the General Assembly of tho Assembly. Tho question of unlio-n had since been referred to the Presbyterian Chlurclics of tho colony for an opinion, and there was no doubt that it was not in the favourable portion that i!b was last year. If at the next Assembly the matter is favourably received, further advancement may be looked for, as far as the difficulty of creed is concerned. The position to-day is “as you wore” before tho negotialbionn wore entered into. The E-ov Mr Saunders hoped th« union would strengthen itself, so that if negotiations were entered into again it would bo Eu. a better position than before to deal with them. It was fo* tho union to go on its way, and wait for a movement from the other side. He went on to say that it was well to understand that unless the Methodists joined with tho Congregationaliste tho movement was not likely to mature, an the Presbyterians did not consider the Congrogatdonallista a largo enough body to unite with. Now, tho Congregational ists were not likely to make any advancement to the Presbyterians—(hear, hear) —but if negotiations cams, .from thorn, the Congrogaticnalists would, enter upon them as willingly as had been done before.

The Hew Mr Miller (W ellington) said that although the Oongregationalistm were a email body in numbers in thai colony, they would resent being patronised. Tire union should’ not go cap ip baud to anybody; if the “rich relaitHons” wanted to approach, let them do so, (Hear, hoax.) Tire Rev Mr GTaSson. (Wellington stated that tho Presbyterians knoji very well that the position, that tph Congregationalists would maintain wa* an. untrammelled Gospel. Tho Church would not’tolerate the idea of subscription to a dreed, and would be very foolish to do go. The Congregational denomination all over tho world haul been always in the van as regards union, and tho New Zealand section was now waiting for it, hut it was aba waiting until the Presbyterians and others had more advanced views on tfaai subject of a Creed. The Rev Mir Taylor (Otago)'assorted that if Congregational ists wore a amah body, they could lot their voice be heard and thefir influence felt. After further similar discussion thin matter was left to the Befercmne Caati mittco to draft a resolution. PASTORS’ PROVIDENT FUND. The report of the Pastors’ Provident, Fund Board was presented. Tho totaS income during the year amounted « £lO7 10s 7d, and the expenses were £1 2s 3d, leaving £lO6 8s sd. Of the total income, £69 18s 2d came as interest oaS investments. Tho contribution from the churches during the year amounted to £29 11s Bd, being a little over ball the amount received during tho pro. vious year. The fund now stands ait £lsOl 4s 3d. and the board urgently recommends that a special effort should bo made to secure another £IBBO. til order that it may be made available as speedily as possible for the purpose fat which it was commenced. Mr Georg* Fowlds is tho retiring member of the board. It was resolved to make an urgent appeal to tho churches throughout the colony to bring the fund up t® £3OOO, and- to put it into operation, THE EVENING. In the evening a young people’s meet:., ing was held at tho Courtenay plao® Church, and addresses were given, hy the Revs A. B. Hunt, F. Nicholl and A. Hodge. To-day a picnic is to hn hoj/J atf) Day’s Bay t ,