CONGREGATIONAL UNION

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8482, 17 July 1913, Page 9

CONGREGATIONAL UNION

HALF-YEARLY CONFERENCE. The half-yearly conference of the Wellington district New Zealand Congregational Union opened yesterday afternoon in the Terrace churchroom. Mi T. Forsytli presided, and extended a hearty welcome to the visiting delegates.

THE CHURCH AND THE CHILD. Mr J. J. Whitehead, of Palmerston North, spoke on “The Church ami it» attitude towards the young.” The speaker considered that tne unurch itu adapted itself and lived for the aduiU. alone, never making an effort to cope with the younger generation, and was entirely separated from the Sunday school, with the result that numbers of children who passed through the different Sunday schools did not afterwards become true churchmen. He was pleased, however, to see that stops were now being taken to secure the children, and that in many of the churches the morning services were being constructed to suit the understanding of the younger members of the congregation. He considered that no work rewarded the worker Better than work among the children. It was to be hoped that the church would soon be an institution that would spend a great deal of its energy among the young, for the congregation of the future depended on the children of to-day. Regarding the Bible-in-schools movement, he asked whether the chufoh is railing its voice loud enough in the matter, and whether steps were being taken to save the children. He considered that the church was not as whole-hearted as it should be, and he asked —“Do wo really and truly believe in the Christianity we profess?” “The truth really is,” ho continued, “that the bolici in our midst to-day is really a compromise.” . A lengthy discussion ensued, in which the Rev. J. R. Glusson expressed his opinion that at the present time more money had been spent in Sunday schools and other Christian organisations for the young than had ever been done before, but he didn’t know whether there had been a corresponding increase in the results. “There is plenty of organisation,” he said, “but the machinery is not properly in motion.” PREPARATION FOR MEMBERSHIP. An interesting paper on “Preparation for Membership” was read by the Rev. B. L. Thomas, of Masterton. Very early in the history of the Church systematic instruction was considered indispensable to the preparation for Church fellowship, but at the present time internal dangers threatened the Church, that is, the fellows of the Church were not thoroughly conversant with the theories of the Church. The class of person to be a member of the Church should be one who has an intimate know.edge of Christianity, and one whoso whole heart and aspirations are devoted to the Church. TO-DAY’S SITTING. The conference will be continued this afternoon, when papers on Home and Foreign Missions will be read by Messrs J. G. Gibson and W. Mill respectively. A resolution on Sabbath observances will be moved by Mr «I. llott. In the evening the conference will be concluded with a sermon by the Rev. D. Hird, M.A., of Palmerston North, and a communion service by the Rev. W. A. Evans. As the meetings are open to the public it is hoped that all members and adherents of the Congregational Church will endeavour to be present.