PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 6361, 8 November 1907, Page 7

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

GENERAL ASSEMBLY. THIRD DAY'S PROCEEDINGS. A BIG PROGRAMME, The Presbyterian General Assembly resumed ite deliberations at 10 o clock yesterday morning in St. John's Church. The Rev. A. Don (Dunedin), Moderator, presided. BiBLE-IN-SCHOOLS LEAGUE. The Lev. E. M, Eylmrn (Wanganui) informed tho Assembly that he had been waited upon that morning on behalf of tho Citizens' Bible-in-bohoolß League to explain that the league did not wish to wait, on tho Assembly, but to put its proposals before the /Assembly. Accordingly, a letter would_ be sent m regarding the league’s proposals, and the meeting suggested between th© Assembly and the deputation from th© league would not take place. THE SINEWS OF WAR. The treasurer's statement submitted by th© Rev. W. J- Comrie (treasurer) stated: — Tho income for tho year has again been satisfactory, and all tho close the year with credit balances. In© new arrangement of the Foreign Mission Funds does not enable the porition, as compared with last year, to be seen at a glance; but in future it will b© much clearer. Heavy payments for special purposes have been made from both the C.V.M. and the Indian Mission Funds, but the lessened balances to the credit of these funds is more than mad© up by tho increase in the Foreign Mission general account. The credit balances of the Maori Mission and Maori Girls' School Fund havo both increased, and the transfer from the Maori Mission to the Maori Girls' School Fund, authorised by last Assembly, has not been required. The Church Extension Fund (South) does not call for special remark. The Church Extension Fund (North) was considerablj' overdrawn for a portion of the year, and the balance is slightly less than at the close of last year. The Church of Scotland Colonial Committee has intimated that its grant of £SO cannot be continued. The Office-bearers' Bursary Fund has been amalgamated with th© Scholarship Fund. It should bo born© in mind that tho second half of several of the scholarships was unpaid at the date of the balance. The amount in th© treasurer's hands for th© New Century Fund has been paid over to the New Century Fund Committee. The Youth of the Church Fund has been mainly contributed by Bible-classes, and the credit balance shown has been more than exhausted by th© payment of salary at the end of September. The Residential College Fund again shows a substantial increase, and expenditure has fairly begun. The new fund has been opondd for the Residential College endowment. The Beneficiary Funds show considerable increase. The assessment on congregations in the South has been well mot, and congregations in the North are beginning to fall into line, their contributions this year being considerably larger than in any former year. Several large payments have been made by ministers to all the funds. Others, however, are allowing the matter to drift, and the total of ministers' arrears, both North and South, is larger than last year. One congregation in the northern part of the Church, which had not paid its assessment, sent a sum of money, and asked that it be placed to tho credit of the' Southern Aged and Infirm Ministers' Fund. Tho treasurer demurred to this, and asked leave to place it to th© credit of the Northern fund. To this tho congregation objected. Tho treasurer then consulted his Advisory Committee, and on their advice placed th© amount to th© credit of the Northern fund, and now reports the matter to the Assembly. The Assembly Expenses Fund has been sufficient for requirements. Owing to the balance being struck ten days earlier than last year, several amounts for salaries, etc., due at the end of September have not come into this year's statement. The Chaplaincy Fund, from which £4O has been transferred annually for several years, i© now almost exhausted. The pressure of work in balancing the books and preparing th© statement for the printer is such as to require additional clerical assistance at that time. The following congregations have not yet paid their assessment: —St. Stephen's (Auckland), Avondale, Waikato West, Northern Wairoa, Lower Hutt, St. Stephen's (Christchurch), Methven, Kurow, Ravensbonrne, Alexandra, Lauder, Edeadale’ South, St. Paul's (Invercargill), Oteramika. A MUNIFICENT GIFT.

Daring: tho year -£6450 was received from the executors of the late Mr Donald Manson for the following objects:— <£looo for the Theological Students'* College, Dunedin; £2OOU for scholarship©; <£looo for Foreign Missions; .£3OO for the Aged and Infirm Ministers* Fund; ,£3OO for the widows and orphans of deceased ministers; .£250 for the Maori Mission Fund; <£sso for the back-block or Home Missions; .£IOO for the Homo for Neglected Presbyterian Children; .£IOO for tho British and Foreign Bible Society; .£SOO for the Palmerston North Presbtorlan Church for improving tho old church for Sabbath-school and Bibleclass; .£IOO for the Sustentation Fund of Palmerston North Church. Fifty pounds was received from tho executors of the late Mrs Fyfe, of Wyndham, for the Church Extension Fund of the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand; and the Southern Church Extension Committee received a legacy of <£G7 15s 4d from tho late Miss Stark. The latter sum has been placed to the credit of the Southern Church Extension Fund. Of the money received from ’ Mr D. Manson's estate, dJIOO has been paid to the British and Foreign Bible Society, and .£601) to the Palmerston North Presbyterian Church; £2OOO for scholarships has been invested in corporation debentures, and the balance placed on deposit. The treasurer asks tho authority of the Assembly to pay the £IOOO for tho Theological Students College, Dunedin, to the Residential College Fund. The legacies for the Beneficiary and Church Extension Funds raise the question as to the allotment of these moneys. The Assembly is asked to resolve that until* the amalgamation of these fund’s legacies shall be devoted to the fund. North or South, according to the residence of tho donor/ unless there is express direction to the contrary. The accounts are presented in nearly the same form as last year. Under the head of sundry are included contributions to the Scholarship. Training Home, and the Youth of the Church Funds. In addition to the funds shown in this statement, several amounts have passed through the treasurer's hands for the China Famine Fund, Raraabai s Homes, native teacher in New Guinea, Orphans* Home, • and P.S.S A These have been forwarded to the per quarter without any deduction for expenses, and are not shown in the statement herewith.

THE BALANCE-SHEET. The summarised balance-sheet of tho Presbyterian Church of Now Zealand at August 20th, 1907, showed—To investments and deposits, .691,857 Os lOd, j übilee fund loans, .64654 2s lid; Bank of New Zealand (Wellington), 6635 14s 8d; Bant of New Zealand (Dunedin), 1345 15s 4d; National Bank (Dunedin), .6623 7s Gd; sundry balances, 67 9s 3d; ministers' arrears (South), ,61256 14s 2d; ministers' arrears (North), .6213 12s Gd: total, AD0,593 17s 2d. By benelioiary funds, .644,483; jubilee memorial, .69752 ss; scholarship funds, 68633 9s 6d; foreign missions, 610,219 0a lid; Maori missions, .62897 2s 7d; residential college funds, 1111,600 9s 6d; snstentation and church estention, 61746 15s 2d; congregations and presbyteries, 6G652 0s Id; assembly expenses fund, 61421 17a 6d; sundry funds, 62132 16s lid: total, 699,593 17s 2d. Air Comrio thought that the Assembly was to be congratulated on tho state of the finances as a whole. Tho funds all

round were in a satisfactory condition; some showed a healthy increase and a healthy interest on the part of the church. The large balance to the credit of the foreign mission fund warranted the church, in his judgment, in going forward; ho would not say how far or how fast.

THE DONALD MANSON LEGACY. Mr Comrie moved the following deliverance: —Adopt tho statement with thanks to ail congregational and other contributors, and to the representatives of parties from whom legacies have been received, and resolve as follows :

1. (a) That the £IOOO received, from tho executors of the late Mr Donald Manson "for the Theological Students' College at Dunedin" be placed to th© credit of the residential college fund; (b) chat the £2so* for tho Maori mission fund, and th© £250 "for tho Maori School near Turakina" bo held as capital for the Maori mission fund and the Maori Girls' School fund respectively, the annual income to be used as part of the ordinary revenue of these funds; (c) that the £IOO r Tn aid of establishing a home in New Zealand for neglected Presbyterian children’’ be placed to the fcredit of th© Presbyterian Children's Home fund, and that until the Assembly shall otherwise determine the fund shall remain in tho treasurer's hands. RIVAL CLAIMS. In reference to the proposal to allocate tho £IOO mentioned in the resolution for orphanage purposes to tho Dunedin Orphanage, Rev. G. B. Monro (Remuora) pointed ont that in Auckland they had a gift of £7OOO for an orphanage under the Leslie trust; the project was about being carried out, and he thought that they in Auckland had as much right to this money as Dunedin.

Tho Rev. W. J. Comrie pointed out that his resolution had been very carefully prepared with a view to avoiding any question of this kind arising. His resolution stated "that the revenue bo paid until otherwise determined by tho Assembly," and that was with a full mind to th© Leslie trust. He thoroughly recognised that the Leslie trust orphanage had a right to a part of this legacy or to tho whole. The Rev, P B. Fraser (Lovell's Flat) expressed his readiness to move an amendment to tho effect that tho money bo paid to the Leslie orphanage. The Dunedin orphanage had never been brought under tho cognisance of the Presbyterian Chnrch or of tho Otago Synod. This money could not belong to the Dunedin orphanage by any manner of claim while the Assembly had trustees appointed for the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand.

The Rev. I. Jolly (Palmerston North) seconded the amendment. He said he was well acquainted with the late Mr Manson, who was on© of his congregation at Palmerston North, and his interest throughout th© colony as a whole was rather with the north than the south. He thought that in bequests of this kind the territorial position of tho donor should be taken into account, and he believed that Mr Maneon's wishes would bo that the money should be expended in the north. Th© Rev. Dr Gibb (Wellington) supported the amendment. To his mind thev should have one central orphanage, and receiving homes in the other centres. The affairs of tho Dunedin Orphanage should be brought before the Assembly, and they should have a report on it the same ae in regard- to their other institutions.

The Rev. Mr Ryburn observed that a misapprehension appeared to exist with regard to this matter. The Leslie Trust was not under the Assembly. They had an interest in it, and were allowed to appoint trustees, but by handing over this-< money to the Leslie Trust they were giving it away out of their control much more than by donating it to Dunedin. Ho thought the wisest course would be to instruct tho treasurer to retain the money in his hands in the meantime. There was no orphanage yet in existence in Auckland.

The Rev, Mr Monro pointed out that under the late Mr Leslie's will th© orphanage must be in Auckland, and the children educated there must be brought up as Presbyterians. The testator had appointed an Anglican treasurer, and the lawyer under the will was also an Anglican, but tbe other three trustees—of whom he was chairman—were Presbyterians. There was no doubt that the orphanage, when erected, would be part and parcel of this Church's property, although not formally. He thought it would be a pity to have more than one substantial Presbyterian orphanage in Now. Zealand. They could not get a better climate than Auckland—(laughter) —and they had £7OOO there to start with.

The Rev. J.-Chisholm (Roslyn, Dunedin) approved of the interest on. the money being given to the orphanage that already existed in Dunedin. On the motion of Rev. J. Camming (Myrass Bush) it was unanimously agreed that the money be retained in the treasurer's hands, and added to the capital of the fund, tho other proposition having been withdrawn by consent. CHURCH EXTENSION FUNDS. The treasurer's deliverance further recommended :—1- (e) That the treasurer be directed to return the £3 17s 2d sent by- the Nelson congregation, with an intimation from the Assembly that the assessments from congregations, in tho northern section of the Church must be paid to the Northern Aged and Infirm Ministers' Fund. 2. That until the amalgamation of the Church Extension Funds and of the Beneficiary Funds, all legacies, donations, and congregational contributions be placed to the credit of the fund. North or South, according to the locality of the congregation or place of residence of the donor, except where, in the case of donations or legacies, there is express direction to the contrary, and this shall apply to moneys received dur-, ing tho past year, and reported to this Assembly.. DISPOSAL OF LEGACIES. 3. (a) That except where otherwise specially provided, all legacies shall be held as capital for tho fund to which they have been devised; (b) that tho capital of the undermentioned funds be fixed as follows: —Somervell scholarship £ISOO, Anderson scholarship £6OO, New Hebrides bursary £750, Lang .bursary £l5O, Ebenezer book, bursary £3OO, Dr Stuart prize fund £l5O, and that £350 be added to the capital of tho Cameron Muir fund. 4. In the case of capital regarding which there is no special provision requiring it to be held in trust, the committee in charge of the fund may not expend in any one year a larger proportion than 20 per cent, without the express sanction of the Assembly. The remainder of the deliverance was adopted amendment after considerable discussdon. agud and infirm: ministers. The Hot. Alex. M. Pinlayson (Waitati), convener, brought down the following report on the Aged and Infirm Ministers* Fond (South), which stated:— The capital last year hrd reached £10,(M1 Ife Bd. The income for the year has been. £IX33 5© 4d, made up as, follows;—lnterest. £431 lls 4d; annual subscriptions, £379 12s 9d; entry money, £134; congregational assessments, £328 7s lOd; D. Manson's estate, £l5O ; miscellaneous, £9 13b sd. The outlay has been £967 Is 7d, made up as follows— Annuities, £SOS 18s; expenses, £6l 3s 7d. The capital now stands as £10.398 0s sd; an increase of £356 3s 9d. There are eleven beneficiaries now on the fund. The report was adopted, and the Rev. J. M. Fraser and Rev. McC. Smith admitted as beneficiaries to the fund in terms of the report.

The Rev. A. Bruce Todd (Geraldine) presented the report of the Aged and Infirm Ministers' Fluid (North). It set ■forth: Tho capital of this fund last year stood at 6692 G 0s lid. The income has bean: —Interest, 6597 3s 4d; ministers’ payments (premiums and entry money), 6280 Is 6d; congregational contributions, 6185 Gs Gd; D. Munson's estate. 6150;

royalties, etc., £6 13s sd: total, £919 4s Sd. The outlay has been: —Annuities, £546 11s 6d; expenses, .£4-0 11s I0d: total, £587 3s dd. The capital now stands at £7258 2s dd, an increase of £332 Is fid. The report wae adopted, with an expression of gratification at the improvement in the finances and number ot new members. WIDOWS AND ORPHANS' FUND. The reports of th© Widows and Orphans' Fund (North) showed: Th© capital of this fund last year stood at £10,777 6s 2d. The income for the year has been: —Interest, £4-56 14s 4d; , ministers* payments (premiums and 1 entry money), £428 7s 6d; D. Alanson s estate, £150: total, £1035 Is lOd. The 1 outlay has .been: —Annuities, £l4o 3s 6d; expenses, £46 5s 9d: total, £l9l 9s 3d. There is thus an increase of £Bl3 12s 7d upon capital, which now stands at £11,620 18s 9d. t , ' The report was adopted, with an expression of gratification at the improved state of the finances and the number of new mom bens. , _ , , Tho report of th© Widows and Orphans Fund (South) stated: Last year the capital .was £13,843 10e 6d. Th© income for ,the year has been £l2Bl 11s Id, made up as follows:—lnterest, £629 9s 10d; ministers’ annual subscriptions. £483 11a 3d; entry money, £lB 10s; D. Manson's ©state, £l5O. ihe outlay has been £BBO 3s id, made up ae follows: —Annuities, £B2l Os 3d; expenses, £59 2s lOd. The capital now' stands at £14,244 Ife 6d, an increase of £4Ol Bs. Th© report was adopted. MINISTERS LICENSED. Tho following were appointed to the position of minister emeritus, with seat on the Church courts: —Revs. P. J• Riddle, J, H. Fraser, J. McCosh Smith, and D. A. Anderson. It was decided that Mr Hiller should continue as home missionary at Motukarara, Canterbury, for another year, Mr Rule at Patea until Juno of nest year, and Mr J. P. Bathgate at Helensvule. NEW DISTRICT. On the motion of Rev. W. J. Comrie (Wellington) the district of Eoseneath, Miramar, and Kilbimie was raised into a regular charge. METHODIST GREETINGS. The following letter to th© Moderator was read from the president of the Primitive Mcthodiri: Conference;— Rev. Sir—l desire to convey to "ou th© sincere greetings and congratulations of the New Zealand Primitive Methodist Chnrch. We pray that your great Church may be increasingly blessed. May the Great Head of tho Church give your Assembly wisdom and _ boldness. The safety of the Church l n ©» id progress, the great object being tc b-rjug men into communion with God. Ihe ’Gospel is an uplifting power in a young nation. We rejoice to believe that the Presbyterian Church is so strongly woven with the broad web of New Zealand life. Brethren of tho General Assembly, w© greet you. Ka Whiti to re. Sincerely, C. E. WARD. The Moderator and clerk wot© instructed to send a suitable acknowledgment. , Youth of the church.

A ‘ “Youth of tiie Church" evening was then spent, the church being tilled by a large congregation of young people ot both sexes, many of whom are closely identified with the Bible class movement. There was an exceptionally strong choir for the occasion, and the hymns were rendered with harmony and vigour. The Moderator, after a few introductory remarks, led in prayer, and hymn 300, “Jesus! and Shall it Ever Be?, was then sung. The programme consisted oi short addresses, interspersed with vocal and musical items of an appropriate nature. BIBLE CLASSES. REMARKABLE GROWTH. lW J. C. Jamioson, organising secretary to the Bible class movement, U eliuigton, in an address on Bible classes, said it was much harder now to carry on successful classes than twelve years ago. In spite of that uiey found that the Bible class .membership of the .Presbyterian Church had gone up three hundred per cent, within the past five years. Tnere were 7SOO members in the Bible classes outside the Sunday school, and 1500 in the Bible classes inside the Sunday school. That progress had not been general all over the colony—there was one Presbytery twenty per cent, lower than five years ago. On the other hand there were TrCebyteries that had gone up by two hundred to three hundred per cent. There was a place where it was found a tremendous dmioulty to get a dozen young people togeuuer in a Bible class, and to-day they had four Bible classes going, with a total membership of about ninety, and forty of these were fully grown men. (Applause.) The Bible class had created a church feeling not in existence before. It had given something of the idea of the church, its unity and grandeur, that was lacking among young New Zealanders before. vVhen ne took up this work he was not impressed with that view of Christian, work, but to-day it was on© of strongest conceptions. This movement had combined things that were hard to combine—it was a comb motion of the attractive and the aggressive. He was sure everyone of them regretted All’ Henry Drummond was gone from their meetings, because in him was combined better than in tne oa©e of most of them the attractive and aggressive. He was one who was first and foremost in ©very movement to win souls to Jesus Christ. The Bible class movement was at present some QDOO strong, and had in its ranks such young men and women as a mere congregational union never had. Ho had lost his faith in undenominahkmal institutions that wore not part and parcel of the great institution Jesus Christ had founded—the Church of the Living God. This institution was strictly and sternly a port of the Church. They hod only touched the fringe of what might be accomplished. H© believed that last year was the best year they had had. in. the Bible class movement. There .had been more work done, and better work done, and better progress made than in any year that had gone before, tie believed that for many years to come future travelling secretaries would bo able to say the same. The day ought to com© when the Sunday school ctaeses instead of numbering dd,ooo, would be 40,000 or 50,000, ami when the Bible ©lasses instead of being 9000 strong would reach zc,ooo or 30,000. (Applause.) He saw a vast crowd growing up filled with enthusiasm for the Church, and who would mirl aside the long cherished delusion that one could be a Christian and not be evangelistic. (Applause). The hymn "Nearer My God to Thee” was next effectively sung by Miss Mina Caldow,

REV. DR GIBB. The Rev. Dr Gibb (Wellington) said it must be a source of very sincere gratification to all of them—-assuredly to every member of the General Assembly—to know that the Youth of the Church Report indicated a large increase during the past year in the number of tho Bible classes, and in the number of young men and women who were enrolled in these institutions. It was also gratifying to learn that the Bible classes had raised such a large sum of money—no less a sum than 63284. They, of course, knew better than to take the criterion of money as the sole criterion of value in the Church. The Gospel, according to the deacons—which was the ledger in which were inscribed the Sunday collections and the seal rents —might be in a satisfactory state, while the Gospel, according to Christ, might be in an unsatisfactory state: but it was, nevertheless, a sign, in connection with the classes, of the interest taken in the work that such a large sum had been contributed to the schemes of the Church Ho should like,. in passing, to allude to tho fact that the women’s classes outnumbered the men's, and that they were every whit as energetic and successful in the service. He was not sure that the girls did not display greater activity than the men. If he were to copy a senti-

tnent out of the Rev. J. K. Elliott’s book, he would say, "All prosperity to the girls; the girls are the boys.” (Laughter.) He had never hold nor expressed the opinion that the Bible classes could not be improved upon; but that they were a splendid source of success to the Church aud rendered valuable assistance in the efforts to make good Presbyterians and good Christians, he must be a very ignorant or a very acrimonious person who would deny. He had said "good Presbyterians,” ■ for while the Presbyterian Church existed as a separate denomination, they must do their utmost to secure that it should be second to none in numbers as well s as in faith and good works. Ho, as they were aware, very heartily desired to see ' the Presbyterian Church merged in that larger and united Church which, notwithstanding all evidence to the contrary, was certainly coming. But while the Presbyterian Church continued to exist as such, they must do their very utmost to maintain it in the very highest state of efficiency. ‘They were proud of theii Presbyterianism, and very properly wo. The following of Christ would soon cease if people did not believe In Him. and did not bow down before Him. The evangelism ministers must preach must bo the evangelism which sprung out of thought and study and prayer. They must get Christ back into their preaching—that Christ who was as great a Power for the salvation of man to-day as ever in history. What they wanted in the Bible classes was up-to-date Bible study and up-to-date teachers of the Bible. H© did not wish to underestimate the 00-operative plan, but he did not believe it was going to be the final plan. He believed that the work of the Young Men’Sj Christian Association and of the Young Women’s Christian Association should have been undertaken directly by the Church. In the case of his own congregation, the members were thinking of building a hostel on some spare ground, where they would board and care for young people, see that their comfort was assured, and that all kinds of healthful influences were brought to bear on them. (Applause.) REV. J. McKBNZIE.

The Bev. McKenzie (Christchurch) said that as a Church they had not been true to that great command Christ gave to His disciples when He said to them, "Feed My lambs/* God forbad that he should b© so foolish or simple as to belittle the work done in the past, or the heroic efforts of those who in the face of difficulties and discouragements were endeavouring to give to the young the knowledge of God*s work, and helping to equip them for the battle of life. Yet, in spit© of that, he felt that they stood to-day as a Church convicted of neglect of duty in this respect. He felt that the Presbyterian Church was not now, and never had been, true in the highest sense to that command which Onnst save when He tbld His disoipies to seat the little child in their midet. There was needed on the part of the Church a bold and aggressive policy m regard to Sabbath schools.. . Sabbath-school committees and associations should .bo appointed to study and confer regarding the operations in the districts over which they exercised supervision. They wanted a clearer conception of the educational side of their Sunday school work. Be hoped the Church wtrald enter on the work, and carry it through to an abundantly successful issue. (Applause.) Mr P. Pope contributed ‘ Arm, Arm, Xe Brave," as a baritone solo, in a very pleasing manner. ME WE GRAY, M.A.

Mr Wm. Gray, M-A„ principal of the Wellington. Training College, sard. the religious impressions formed. in childhiwd lasted right thrpugn after Me. Be had intended to examine the question and see how far their present organisations were meeting the case for. religious instruction, taking the three chief editcational institutions —tae home, tne school, and the church. Time, however, prevented his dealing with the subject £s he had intended. He. had proposed to show what each of those institutions was contributing towards what must always be a pressing problem—the religious training and religious life of the young people- He regarded the influence ana work of Hi© bom© as fundamental. He did not think they could ever go behind that. He need only ask the question, how many persons in that assembly were there because of the spirit and senti--ment imbued into their lives in tneir homes? How far the piety ot their mothers and fathers ha<x entered into their lives? We took our spiritual as well as physical characteristics more from tb© environment of our earlier lives than we imagined. Ail the elements that go to make up the ideal spiritual and religious lif© wore essentially founded in the atmosphere of the home, and the spirit that breathed there influenced our after lives. The school also contributed a very .strong element to the religious upbringing of cmidnan. It was the duty of the Ohurch to go forward and pursue a bold and aggressive policy in the matter of religious instruction of the young- A great deal of time and force was spent ih elaborate services for grown up people, and not enough time on the religious education of the young. He advocated the establishment of a homo department in connection with Sunday school work, the allocation of a certain gum every year to the publication of suitable literature for the guidance of parents in their duties towards their chHdrotn in regard to religious instruction at the various ages of childhood and youth., the appointment of a superintendent in each of the cities, whose special duty it would be to exercise general supei'vision over the youth of the Church, in addition to ministers and members of the congregation, and for the country districts specially-train-ed Sunday school missionaries were need 1 ©d. Newer methods were ‘ wanted. The strategic point for any colony or dominion wos the minds and hearts of the young people. (Applause). BBV. W. HEWITSON.

Bev. W. Hewitson (Auckland) considered that Mr McKen&ie'e address had been distressing and humbling in the highest degree. He moved that the speeches be reported, and that it be an instruction to ministers to bring the matter before Sunday school teachers, ofhoe-bearens, and congregations. . , , ~ Rev. A. M. DalrympJe seconded the motion, which was agreed to. PRESENTATION Oi' PHIZES.

Rev. J. J. Cairney (\\ aikouaitd) presented the Sunday School Championship Banner to Rev. W. W uyto (Havelock North, H. 8.) for his school at Maraekakaho, it having gained the highest number of marks in the examination. The gold modal for the individual highest marls was won by Miss May V\ byte (Havelock North), and the four silver medals by Miss Ethel M. Dull' (Petone), Master William M. Ryburn (Khandallah), tbe Misses Jessie McLeod and Vida Barton, Dunedin. The proceedings concluded for the night with the singing of hymn 388, "Through the Night of Doubt and Sorrow,’ ’and the pronouncement of the blessing. Tho Assembly then adjourned until this morning.