BAPTIST CHURCHES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26916, 30 October 1948, Page 8

BAPTIST CHURCHES

APPOINTMENT FOR LOCAL MINISTER VICE-PRESIDENT OF UNION The Rev. E. W. Batts, of the Hanover Street Baptist Church, has been elected vice-president of the Baptist Union of New Zealand and of the New Zealand Baptist Missionary Society. He will automatically become president next year. Mr Batts was educated at the Auckland Grammar School and received his theological training at the New Zealand Bible Training Institute and the Baptist College. Prior to that he was engaged in business, specialising in advertising. After graduating he spent a year abroad, being associated for some time with the West Ham Central Mission, London. He has

held pastorates in Lyall Bay, Ashburton, Gisborne, and Lower Hutt. He has conducted the children’s page of the New Zealand Baptist for 11 years. At present he holds the office of president of the Otago and Southland Auxiliary. “ There is a general feeling that evangelism should be regarded as the normal, continuing function of the whole church,” stated . the annual report of the Baptist Union of New Zealand which the secretary the Rev. P. F. Lanyon, presented to the Assembly yesterday morning. “It will not be known for another two months how far we have succeeded in our aim of a 10 per cent, increase in membership during this year, but it is evident that there is a rising spiritual tide of evangelistic zeal in our churches.” Reference is made to the work of Dr J. J. North as editor of the New Zealand Baptist for the last 32 years, almost half the length of its existence as a denominational paper. A Board of Evangelism, distinct from the Church Extension Committee, has been set up with headquarters in Dunedin The members of the board are the Revs. C. B. Boggis, F. A. Parry, E. W. Batts, Dr Charles North, and Messrs G. Buckley, A. Wheeler Paterson, and B. Wilson.