CONGREGATIONAL SUNDAY SCHOOL UNION.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17273, 27 March 1918, Page 8

CONGREGATIONAL SUNDAY SCHOOL UNION.

Tho annual meeting of the ■ Congregational Sunday. School Union of Otago and Southland was hold last evening in the Port Chalmers Congregational Church. Tho gathering, which included representatives from Port Chalmers, Ravensbournc, Leith Street, King Street, Moray Place, St. Clair, and Gore Schools, was presided ovor by the Rev. W. M. Grant (re'tiriug president). The Chairman welcomed the delegates, who partook of tea provided by the ladies of, tho Port Chalmers .School, the" hospitality being acknowledged •by a vote of thanks. After devotional exercises and the singing of a solo by Mrs Morgan the business meeting was proceeded with. Tho Chairman referred to tho importance of a movement made at the annual meeting_ of the New Zealand Congregational Union recently in the direction of forming a New Zealand Congregational Sunday School Union. He specially welcomed Miss .Joan Begg, from Samoa. The annual report (which, with the treasurers' report, was adopted)'referred to tho valuable work tho union had dono in its important sphere amongst young people. Tho annual Scripture examination had been entered into again with groat interest by tho scholars, and tho results had been distinctly orcditable, the percentage of "marks gained being very good. Tho challenpo shield awarded to -tho school making tho best showing in tho examination was won by Goro School —tho most southerly Congregational Sunday school in tho wprld,—and tho win was most popular. Thanks wore due 'to the Messrs W. Phillipps, T. Begg, and the Rev. I. Sarginson. Appropriate reference was made to the 'oss tho union had sustained by tho death on active service of Messrs T. do Spong and W. Buchan, both earnest workers. The following office-bearers wero elected: President, Rev. I._ Sarginson; vice-presi-dent, Rev. G. Ileighway; hon. secretary, Mr E. E. Wilkineon; 'treasurer, Mr J. Laing; delegates — superintendents (ex officio). Miss Halo (Moray Place), Mios M'Kinley (Port Chalmers). Mis 3 White (St. Cljvir), Miss Burgess (Leith Street), Mr W. Jack (Ravensbourno), Miss Hoighway (Gore), Miss Laing (King Street). . It was decided that the lessons upon which the examination should -bo hold this year should be tho lessons of tho quarter commencing on April 1. The final selection of tho essay subject was left to a spocial The Rev. I. Sarginson suggested that in these days, when young people were taugh't so little about tho freedom that had been won for thein at such a price, the subject of the essay should be. eay, " John Wickliffe," " The Mayflower," or some such historical subject. ... 1 The application of trie Timaru Congrega» tional Sunday School for affiliation was received with enthusiasm.

A motion of sympathy with Mrs Begg," whose son, Lieutenant O. Begg (a Sunday school teacher), had been wounded at tho front, was carried.

During the evening Miss M'Kinlcy pro sided at tho organ.