BAPTIST ASSEMBLY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24433, 19 October 1940, Page 15

BAPTIST ASSEMBLY

YESTERDAY’S SESSIONS RESOLUTION OF LOYALTY The second day of the fifty-eighth assembly of the Baptist Cuurch of New Zealand yesterday was commenced with the preaching of the union sermon by the Rev. J. R. Grave, who took his text from Matthew xxiii, 37-39. The business session followed, the president (the Rev. R. L. Fursdon) being in the chair. A resolution of loyalty to the Empire was passed as follows: — At this moment of world crisis the delegates to the fifty-eighth assembly of the Baptist Union of New Zealand desire once more to place on record their loyalty to the throne. The delegates give God thanks for the noble example and leadership of the King in faith, prayer, and courage in this time of national and world crisis. We pray for our King and his advisors Divine guidance that our Empire may be used of God to lay the foundations of a new world order, where liberty, justice, and peace will be the heritage of all people. The assembly respectfully requests his Excellency the Gover-nor-General to convey this resolution to his Majesty.

In the annual report, attention was drawn to the record self-denial offering of £4600, an increase of £4OO on last year. The opening of the Tripura work in IndL. and the fine promise of the church’s youth organisations, it was stated, were reasons for. encouragement. Reports Received Auxiliary reports were received from Auckland. South Auckland, Central Canterbury, and Otago and Southland. College reports mentioned that 12 students had been in training during the year, and that three would enter the ministry at the end of the term. The Church Extensions Committee remarked on the fruitful results of the team missions. Dr J. J. North was congratulated on having reached his twenty-fifth year as editor of the New Zealand Baptist. Reports were received from the Fire Insurance, Jubilee Fund, Home Department, Literature, Chaplains’, Manurewa Home, Annuity, and Sustentation Committees. Bible Class Tea The Young Women’s Bible Class Leaders’ tea, at which Miss N. Dallast.on presided, was attended by 50 delegates. A lively discussion took place on various topics of importance which were introduced by council leaders. The conference meetings will be continued to-day with a special intercession service, and a business session in the morning. The afternoon will be occupied with an assembly outing at Chingford Park, and in the evening a musical festival by the united Dunedin Baptist choirs will be held in the Hanover Street Baptist Church. Visiting ministers will preach in local churches to-morrow, but the main service will be the Bible class rally in the Hanover Street Baptist Church in the afternoon, when the Rev. B F. Carlisle will be the speaker. The conference meetings will continue till Wednesday.

CHURCH FINANCE DISCUSSED BY LAYMEN Baptist laymen held a meeting in the Hanover Street Church last evening. Dr Charles North presided. Mr Charles Collins, former Wellington City treasurer, introduced thefirst subject for discussion —finance. He stated that the ministers should devote their full time and energies to spiritual matters, and that the laymen should handle finance on a business basis. The speaker referred to the budget system, and stressed the advantages of the duplex envelope method, which meant an assured income for the church and regular giving by the individual member. The speaker referred to the and sustentation funds for the benefit of ministers, and compared them with those of other Protestant Churches. A lively discussion followed, the speakers dealing with the subject of Christian giving from the point of view of church and individual members. One delegate said there was wanted a conscience in the matter of giving. Mr W, H. Newton, of Auckland, speakingl on the subject of Baptist home mission work, quoted statistics t 0 show the progress of the church. There was not an increase in the number of churches established or in membership comparable with the increase in the country’s population. The speaker referred to the strength and weaknesses of the independent churches, the standing of the home missioners, and the need for the control of each new cause by the body that financed it. . The scope of the subject was outlined, and assembly delegates will be given an opportunity of dealing witn it at a subsequent meeting.

WOMEN’S MISSIONARY UNION A largely-attended meeting in the Hanover Street Baptist Sunday School Hall last evening brought to a conclusion a successful series of meetings by the Baptist Women’s Missionar;* Union. Mrs E. Nicholls. retiring presidtent. occupied the chair. After greetings had been received from sister organisations, farewell messages and gifts were given to Miss A. L. Cowles (returning missionary) and Miss I. J. Thompson (new missionary), who briefly replied. Miss M. A. Bradfield. a missionary on her fifth furlough from India, spoke of the great opportunity for. and the responsibility of. Christians in the East as well as in the West. As an instance of the growth and development of the work on the Indian mission field, the speaker told of the 13 bands of Christian women who met simultaneously every month for Bible study, an organisation similar to the B.W.M.U. in this country. The itinerary work was being continued in the villages of the Chandpur district with varying results. The speaker thanked the women of the churches for their prayerful support and beseeched them to continue, for she had found it a source of strength.

Mrs M. J. Bade, who is on her first furlough from India, described- the work in the area in which she had been engaged—Tripura State. In 1879 a Christian woman gained entrance to the palace in that State because of her ability in teaching needlework, and then her, husband made close contact with the young prince. Christian workers had tried for many years to gain entrance to the State, particularly the Rev. John Takle and Messrs Lorraine and Savage, but in vain. It was not till 1937 that the Rev. M. J. Eade succeeded in making direct con-

tact with the Maharajah, which resulted in permission being given for village work. Since then the work had been steadily growing, until to-day there were at least four European workers in the State. At the close of the meeting Mrs Nicholls inducted Mrs Whiteside (Caversham) as the new president of the Dominion B.W.M.U. A solo, “ O Rest in the Lord,” was rendered by Miss Millie Shrimpton. MINISTERS’ ASSOCIATION At a meeting of the Ministers’ Association last evening the following officers were elected:—President, the Rev. M. J. Eade: vice-president, the Rev. J. Russell Grave; secretary, the Rev. J. K. Reid.