PRESBYTERIAN SYNOD.

Otago Witness, Issue 2507, 9 April 1902, Page 28

PRESBYTERIAN SYNOD.

The Presbyterian Synod resumed their Bitting on the Ist inst., the Moderator (the Rev. J. M. M'Kerrow) presiding. The Moderator- welcomed the latest ordained minister, the Rev. J J. Cairney, of Waikouaiti, and the Rev. Mr Fisher, formerly of Invercargill. THE BEY. MB KIBELAKD'S DEATH. The following memorial minute was unanimously adopted: — "It is the painful 'duty of ' the synod to record the death of jfche Rev. James Kirkland. Mr Kirkland perved the Church long and faithfully, having occupied successively the charges of Inch-Clutha, Hokitika, and West -Taieri. '•A. man of kindly and cheerful disposition. a preacher of evangelical fervour, he commended the Gospel by word and life to chose who were ivithin the range of his influence." SYNOD ABBAXGEMENTS. The Synod Arrangements Committee reported on arrangements for the conduct of the synod's business, and brought up a ii umber of proposals with regard to it. On the question of the date of meeting it was mentioned that Easter time was not suitable for the farmers, and that the winter phow time, in June, would be more con- , ,Venient. The Rev. P. B. Fraser moved— 'That it be remitted to the Business Committee to take the voice of the presbyteries as to the anosfc suitable time of meeting of synod and Report to next meeting of synod." . The Rev. Mr Kilpatrick seconded the motion. Mr Murdoch (Riversdale) said a great jnany had b*en debarred from coming to *he meeting on account of the period of the year. It was a most unsuitable season for all farmers. He moved aa an amendment — "That this synod request the General 'Assembly to appoint another time for the synod's meeting." The winter show time _ 4 would be very suitable. Mr G. G. ITyfe (Wyndham) seconded the amendment. The amendment was carried by 33 votes to 26. It was then unanimously agreed — '' That it be remitted to the Business Committee to consult the presbyteries as lo a suitable date for the meeting of the synod, and to petition the General Assembly to fix a date accordingly." .In answer to Mr Murdoch, the Moderator caid that Dr Bannerman's salary was formerly £100 per annum. The Rev. James Cummiug was appointed aa temporary clerk, and during the discussion of the clause the Rev. Dr Bannerman and the Rev. Mr. Fittlaysou retired. The Rev. Mr Cameron moved and the Rev. Mr Chisholm seconded — '• That Dr Bannerman be appointed senioi clerk." — Agreed to. The Rev. Mr Cameron moved and the Rev. Mr Chisholm seconded —" That the 6ynod express its hearty appreciation of Dr Bannerman's long, faithful, aad }aluafole servicca as clerk during 57 years, and relieve him of the work of the office. — Agreed to. ' The salary of Dr Bannerman was fixed at £50 per annum. It was agreed, to appoint the Rev. Mr Finlayson as acting clerk at a salary of £10 per annum. ' It was resolved to ask the Sustentation - F.imd and the Church Extension Fund Committees to appoint their own honorary treasurers. THE STATE OF BELIGIOX. In the afternoon the synod held a conference on the state of religion. The subject ,was introduced by The Rev. Mr Currie, who read a paper, in which he dealt very fully with the whole question. In speaking of the position of anatters to-day, he said the spirit of indifference was the* spirit that kept possession of very many persons. The love of pleasure was never stronger than it was to-duy. Sport vrae the ruling passion of multitudes of young people. Gambling, drunkenness, and impurity were as evil-looking and as defiant as ever. And inside the Church things were not as they should be. It was painful to hear from time to time- what some good churchmen were capable of doing. He made allowance for defamers, and took stones of the kind with more than a grain of salt, but even then there was the ugly suspicion that the work of grace in the heart had not 'l>een very deep. They spoke of the evil of sin-hardening, but was not the malady of gospel -hardened worshippers more hurtful? Hundreds, thousands read their Bibles, or listened to sermons from time to time, uninfluenced, one might almost say, for good or evil. Conversions were tho reverse of common, and in all their churches at Home and in the colonies their best men were frankly confessing the fact. Touching on the explanations of failure, he said that the plenty and general prosperity of the times, and the ease and leisure and luxury which these brought, gave to the world a power over men which otherwise they would not have. This, however, was not tho full explanation. About religion itself, as lived l>y not a few professedly Christian men. there was a want of reality that many could not but recognise. A church made up of men or women of this stamp could not prosper. Even on their more consecrated .members, he was afraid, the spirit of the times had been exorcising an influence not altogether for good. The age was a very •practical one. It was opposed to sentiment multiplied their machinery far beyond their driving power. The need of waiting "upon God was largely forgotten, and their times of retreat were all too few. whether as individuals or as a church. Their hope and confidence, lie took it. were 111 the presence and power of Jesus Christ. In the light of that indisputable truth a rex-ival of religion was always possible whenever and wherever men sought for the blessing as those who tneant to find. They need not wait till come indefinite time for the blessincr. It - was theirs any day where there was faith to receive it. Their failure was in themselves : their strength and confidence were in the ever-living, ever-working Christ. The Rev. Mr Lindsay, in a short paper. <3ealt with the relation of young men to the Church. - * The Rev. Mr Borrie was not satisfied with the number of conversions in their churches. It.Seemfed to him. too, that there was not that religious enthusuiaaem and life in the church, that- there ought to be, not even in .the services. Many attended church very irregularly, and rtayed „away with a light heart. There should be more 'confession and more prayer, and then they might put themselves more in line with the epirit of God. Were they to allow things to drift on as at present? Were they to *he contented with half of their Presbyterians lying without the church and living as if salvation was a matter of no consequence to them? Were they to allow the yorni? people ad th£ old nfianlo tv dri£t_c^SJULifi£

little or nothing? It was infinitely sad and pathetic to see the young men and young women brought up in the Sunday schools drifting away and not uniting themselves with the church, and with Jesus Christ. It was a difficult problem, but he hoped the synod would not pass over without putting forth a helping hand to alter the state of things that now existed. Mr J. Geggie (Warepa) said the reason the divine ppirit was not working among people was that they had cast it from them. The divine word had been cast away from their young people in their education. Why was the Bible excluded from their schools? Unless the church set itself to get this* remedied — and now it was united it had more power — and took ?teps before a general election to urge their case, how could they expect the Divine Spirit to come and bless their manifestations? The Rev. Mr Chisholm said it appeared to him there had been a gradual deterioration in the Christian life of the province. Perhaps the church had erred too. They had set up certain things as clear and essential marks of clear piety, and had often left outside a great many things that should not be severed from a pious life. They ought to make people see that in the doir.js of life's commonest duties there was spleridid opportunity for manifesting the spirit of Christ. The Rev. Mr Nichol thought the present backwardness was largely accounted for by the manner of most people to the great question of the Holy Spirit There had come to be an extreme irreverence in the manner in which the Holy Spirit was spoken of. Although there was much to make them hopeful, never was he more hopeful than he was to-day. He believed that if they worked in hope and struck that note throughout the whole church there would soon be a different state of things to report. The establishment of factory work had a great effect on the question of religion in many districts. The young men of their families were busy driving their carts to the factories on the Sabbath morning, and did not get back in time to attend church in the morning, and when they broke off from the morning service they were not so much attached to evening service, 'and not so much attached to religion. He suggested that they should set their young men to bring back the young men and their young women to bring back the. young women. The Rev. Dr Watt thought there was every reafeon to be hopeful. There was a difficulty. There was a sort of back-ebbing that was not confined to Otngo alone. It was noticeable even in the church in the Old Land. Notwithstanding that, he thought there was a likelihood that things would improve. He thought the Gospel they had been preaching was somewhat narrow — that it had not sufficient breadth in it. There was one truth the Christian Church would realise more than she had done, and was likely to be the reigning truth, in time to come, and that was the risen Saviour. At the time of the Reformation the great truth then instrumental in accomplishing great work for Christ was the justification by faith. Every age brought out a special aspect of the truth. One aspect after another had served its time, (and remained in possession of the church for ever afterwards, and he had the feeling that the aspect that was coming was that Jesus Chmt was the living Christ and the reigning Christ. He believed the " higher criticism " was doing some harm. Some young people, not knowing where it was to end, were inclined to fight shy of the Bible altogether. It was, therefore, the living Christ that the ministers should impress on their people. It would make the church more victorious over difficulties than she was at present. Mr W. H. Rose (Oamaru) said that ministers and elders must put their heads, as well as their hearts, together to adopt a method to bring not only the young people but the old peop'e back to the church. They should urge the reading of the Bible in their schools, and iimead of " winking the other eye" at the liquor traffic, they should take a stand and deal firmly with the matter. The Rev. Mr Rpence, Mr E. B. Cargill, and Mr Murdoch also spoke, and After the Rev. Mr Carrie and the Roy. Mr Lindsay had v plied, a hearty \ ott> of thank* wa<- accorded them for bringing the matter befo'-c the synod in the way they had done EVENING SITTING. The synod resumed at half-past 7. when there was a large uttendmee of ministers, elder?, and the general public. THE MODEH\TOH's ADDRESS. The Moderator delivered the followine --M--.- n ., -Th« Hin<*ian Minirftry and the Signs of the Times": — Father > and Bicthrc-n, — Before proceeding to deal with the subject I have ventured to choose, I desire to thank you sincerely for the honour you have done me in appointing ire to occupy the moderator's chair. I do not esteem it the less that the synod is not now the supreme court of the Church. It may be that I would have been called to thn position even if union negotiations had still been in progress instead of being, a< happily they are, a thing of the past. That Ido not know But I will not admit that the positicu is less a mark of honour and a token of confidence now than it has been in former clays. The synod may possibly at c ome future time be <o o\orGhadowcd by the General Assembly that interest in it will languish, and e\en the utility of continuing it wTth all its present powers acid functions rr>ay become a matter of debate. The time, however, is not yet. And although it is possible that it may arrive, it is also possible that it may Hot arrive. We need not forecast the future when we have sufficient present business to occupy ovtr thoughts and employ our energies. Although we meet on this cccafjon at an interval of only six months from tho time when we la- t met, and although we have yielded to the General Assembly the period of lengthening f'sivs and sprmpmg flowers and accepted the period of shoiter days and autumnal tints, we are the same that we have ever been, and our loyalty to the supreme eonrt of the- Church does not detract from the pli-asure with which we greet one another ar, rnembera of the Synod of Oiago and South fa ncl or from the importance v, c attach to the lium ness which has brought us once moic together. It is doubtless a cause of general pan Jartion and of fervent to God that throughout the length and breadth of the land vro are one PreFbvterian Church The advantages of the unira will increase in number and distinctness with the Kipse of time. It would be unreasonable to expect the result" of consolidation before time to consolidate has been granted In a, few years tho Church will probably forgot that il W£6. Pace divided into xwi jigiis* each ,yl

which called the other "the sister church" and was in the habit of giving and receiving " fraternal " greetings, Thp closest scrutiny will one day be insufficient to discover the mark of the joining »f the two sticks which became one in the Divine Hand that grasped them. Whatever may be the benefits to which the union will give existence, there can never be any change ia the essential dnt'es and responsibilities of the Christian ministry. While we endeavour to bear one aaother's burdens, every man must also bear his own burden. Howevc- strong may be our interest in the welfare of the Church at large and in the progress of religion in distant places, each labourer will always have his own task, his own encouragements tad discouragements, his own responsibilities to God and the people of his charge. The citadel ,has many towers, and there is a lonely watchman on each. The conditions under which the work of the Church is beiag prosecuted and the proper uso which ought to be made of the characteristics of the time are to Christian labourers generally, but especially to Christian ministers, matters of great interest and importance. " Opinions and practices change from age to age. " The thoughts of men are widened with the process of the suns." Adaptation to altered circumstances is essential to keeping interest alivo and attaining permanent success. Perception of the signs of the times and knowledge of the way in which to deal with them are inclippensable to securing the best results. This, then, is the topic on which I would venture to speak for a little : " The Christian Miuistry and the Signs of the Times. ' In some respects those signs are patent to all, and to all observers they piesent the came appearance. There is no difficulty in pointing' them out when they aie conspicuous and easily recognised. But while fact is undeniable, opinion may be called in question. One may speak for all when he states plain facts ; he speaks only for himself when he expresses an opinion. I will endeavour to keep this in mind, and avoid an ex cathedra style of address. When Thomas Carlyle wrote his essay on '"The Signs of the Times" he took a very wide survey of the situation. He brought under review politics, science, literature, education, metaphysics, and religion; and, as might be expected from a man of hi« temperament, he wrote in a denunciatory manner of the spirit pervading the whole of them. He admitted that the dark features which ho portrayed belonged more or less to other ages as well as to his own day, and while acknowledging that in the whole picture there were bright lights as well as gloomy shadows he taid : "If we dwell chiefly on the latter, let us not be blamed : it is in general more profitable to reckou up our defects than to boast of our attainments." I imagine that if he were In ing now ho would be still more severe on some of the characteristics of the age, for there ha« been an extension rather than a contraction, a strengthening rather than a weakening, of the governing principle which he so strongly condemned. His idea was that the mc^t marked sign of the times was mechanism. " Wero we required," he said, "to characterise this age of ours by any single epithet, we shoul be tempted to call it not an Heroical, Devotional, or Moral Age, but above all others the Mechanical Age. It is the age of Machinery, in every outward and inward sense of that word ; the age which with its whole undivided might teaches and practif-es the great art of adapting means to ends." Why anyone should complain of progress in the art of adapting: means to ends is by no means clear. If the desired ends are good, surely the best means ought to be employed, and the wisest adaptation of means to ends ought to be sought. But Carlyle grumbled without just cause, and flung invectives againjt all processes of lightening labour and all devices for attaining quick results. He lamented that our old modes of exortion were all discredited and that nothing was done directly or by hand, but all by rule and calculated contrivance. He said there wore machines for everything, and that even relißion was managed by machinery, mstanc ii)R the Bible Society, which, "professing a far lupher and heavenly structure. i« found on uiquny lo be altogether an earthly con tmanee, Mipportcd by collection of moneys, by fomenting of vanities, by puffing, in trigue, and chicane, a machine for convert 1111* the heathen." One cannot but admire his fckill in the work of demolition, but it is unnecessary to follow him into the several departments where he wields hi? sledgehammer for the purpose of smashing the mechanism of the age. I wish to t-av tins howc\er, that underlying his intense dissatisfaction with many ideas- current in his day and many methods of working which he perceived, there was a strong and pineere desire that things should be not left alone, but better managed. He does not denounce religion itself, but he denounces, religious institution*, and all those external agencies for propagating religion in the world in which we as Christian men glory and for which we desire increasing success. " The truth is," caj-s this wonderfully strong but often pwverpelv mistaken writer, " men have lo=t their belief in the Invisible, and believe and hope and work only in the \ Y isible; or to speak it in other words: Thi« is not a Religious age. Only the material, the immediately practical, not the divine and j spiritual, is important to us. The infinite, absolute character of Virtue has passed into a finite, conditional one: it is no longer a worship of the Beautiful and Good, but a calculation of the Profitable. Worship, indeed, in any sense i.s not lecognised among us or is< mechanically explained into Fear of pain or Hope of pleasure. Our true deity is Mo-ehonirm. It has subdued external Nature for us and we think it will do all other thintr*. We pre giants in physical power: in a deeper than metaphorical sense we are Titans that strive by Leaping mountain on mountain to conquer Heaven also " Making allowance for exaggeration and for unconscious misrepresentation, it is plain that CarJylc hod no conception of the value of religious and philauthropic work. Visible institutions are essential to the public propagation of religion. Evn with the imperfections which characterise ajl, and the faults which s-o disfiopire some, they are absolutely indispensable and have been eminently useful. If Carlyle's views had been the views of all men we could not now, either in the Home Country or in the colonies, have been able to speak of the cjreat religious achieveir^i:t> which have been made and of the nu<.»Mv work for God and man which is ever bring carried on with augmenting force and mccess. The signs of the times, reliefon^lj rftjarded, pointed upwards even in his day Thf-re were those who firmly believed it. if ho did not. Nine years before Carlyle published his cstav on "The Signs of the Times" in the " Edinburgh Review." Robert Hall preached a. juarnian ux Bristol tax the ggffie suliiect.

Being contemporaries, the times of which Carlyle wrote and Hall spoke were of course identical. But there was a remarkable dif--ference in the spirit and opinions of the two men. Hall discoursed on the great increase of mental exertion, on the increased attention which was given to the instruction of the poorer and humbler classes, on the improved, state of preaching and the more abundant supply of the public means of grace, on the advancement of the Bible as the great and only standard of Christian faith, on the increasing harmony among the genuine disciples of Jesus Christ, and on the extension of civil and religious liberty. The machinery so contemptuously mentioned by Carlyle in referring to religion Hall viewed as a system of things Divinely ordered for th<? moral and spiritual benefit of mankind. Each institution arose in its order, and each sustained and aided the others. The finger of Providence was discernible in the very succession in which these institutions made their appearance, while in their union and co-operation they constituted an apparatus completely adapted to promote the Christian renovation of the world. " First appeared the missionaries as pioneers to break up the ground and open the way ; then the Bible Society followed ; and at last the system of education completed the design." Robert Hall perceived what

I Thomas Carlyle could not see — the action ' of God in directing men's thoughts and energies to the founding and maintaining o£ institutions whereby under the influence of that spiritual force which is essential to their 1 efficacy the great cause of human salvation,enlightenment, and moral improvement; I might be advanced throughout the worlds ! "The machinery," he said, "is provided* but the Spirit alone can move the wheels." Since those days many things have happened, many things have changed, man.ss j thinga have vanished, but the signs of the times indicate that Christian men have as i strong a belief as ever in the necessity o£ ! diligent attention to organised schemes combined with humble dependence upon God-^ in other words, in faithful work and earnest prayer. What means the constant building of churches, the opening up of mission fields.) I the increase of schools, the founding and! fostering of innumerable agencies all aiming at the moral and spiritual improvement o£ our race, if it does not signify that the* wisest minds are fully and unchangeably convinced as to what God requires and the world needs? They know that if men were to cease to work for Christ they would! cease to care for Christ. " Occupy till 13 come " is regarded as a command of the Master not lesa firmly binding upon the

Jntsent age, and all future ages, than "Do this in remembrance of Me." Here^ then, is an evident sign of the times, a consentaneous and sustained effort to advance on the lines approved by the latter and condemned by the former of the two celebrated men whose names I have mentioned. The position, thus held is one which suggests possibilities of error, although to hold it is significant of a true sense of duty. There is a danger of paying such attention to the mechanics of religion as to overlook the dynamics. Machinery is made for motion. To effect motion there must be power. .The power that produces the results contemplated by the construction of religious mechanism is, of course, the Spirit of God, and if we forget that fact, or underrate it, our efforts will largely be in vain. On the other hand there is a danger of expecting spiritual results where nothing has been done to prepare for them, nothing attempted that amounts to inviting them. Speaking on one occasion about Christian missions the late Mts Booth, of the Salvation Army, paid : *'If we have not succeeded in the past we are not to throw the blame on God as too many Christians do; as a gentleman sitting in his mansion the other day, in an easy chair with his feet on an ottoman, yawned out : ' Well, you know the Lord will come presently and put it all right.' ' Ah,' I said, • I am afraid you will find yourself very much deceived. I am afraid you are expecting the Lord to do what He expects us to do. The Lord does not say He will come to preach the Gospel to every creatme, He says go and do it.' " Looking at events which have lately taken place, it must be acknowledged that a strong desire on the part of religious denominations to draw nearer to one another i 6 a conspicuous sign of the times. Alike at Homo and in the colonies the disposition to attach less importance to points of difference and more importance to matters of agreement has made, and is likely to make, gratifying progress. Christians in large numbers have come to think that the union of Christendom is not impossible and the 6plendid examples of incorporated union which have lately been shown by Methodiets and Presbyterians have encouraged the hope that the process of joining together isolated religious parties will be continued until the church on earth retains no visible divisions. Whether that -hope will ever be realised none can really telk It is safe to soy, however, that there will be many more visible unions than have yet been effected. And that the spirit of unity is strengthening even where the idea of unification i? not yet entertained anyone who observes the signs of the times can plainly see. The desire to co-operate without waiting io amalgamate is evidently stronger than at any former penod. ahe exclusive claims that were once so loudly asserted in certain quarters appear to be less loudly proclaimed now than formerly they were, and there are many distinguished men in the Church of England who have spoken in generous and kindly terms concerning their fellow labourers in the cause of Christ who are oot related bo neany to the apostles as they claim to be tuemseives. Years ago Dr Maclarcn, of Manchecter, delivered a lecture on "Religious Equality in its connection with National and Religious I/ife," and in the course of it he said: "There is, notwithstanding occasional jars and squabbles, for nobody is perfect, on the whole a substantial identity of faith and a large amount of brotherly helpfulness and mutual sympathy among ' the sects, and I think we are daily drawing closer. There 13 only our elder brother wanting, and he is sometimes apt to be angry and will not come in." Since that time— a generation a g O — the ties of " brotherly helpfulness and mutual sympathy " certainly have become stronger. In another generation they will probably be stronger still. It is a cheering sign that a representative man of such character, ability, and influence as the re-oently-appomted Bishop of Durham should hold such liberal views as he expressed a few weeks ago at a meeting of the Northern Christian Union, held in Newoat>tle-on-Tyne. and that those views should be so cordially and widely approved within the Anglican Church. Not loss significant are the expressed opinions of Canon Armitage Robin son, Canon Hensley Henson, and other men of note. The signs of the times appear to promise this at least: that the elder brother will one day be found to have entirely lost his anger e\en if he should be obliged to express his regret that he does not quite see his way to come in. Now. it is our duty to be thankful for these tokens of a better understanding _ and a better spirit among leligious communities, for they indicate gradual approach to that high standard of Christian life which Jc-us Christ has given, and they presage ir.crea.-ed success in commending His authority and the claims of His Gospel te the world. "Neither for these only do I pray," -aid He, " but for them also that believe on Ms rh rough their word, that they hvav nil bo one: even as Thou Father art in Me aiul I ,n Thee that they also may bo in n- : that ilio world may believe that Thou elitist send Me." The subject which I ha\r taken i<= a hard one to keep within reasonable limits, but it shall be done, <t'en at the expense of noticeable omissions It may be tiue tint '"brevity were almost an insult to the occasion and office" in tho case of a, retiring Wesleyan president, but it certainly is not so in "the case of an emerging Presbyterian moderator. I wish to mention now, as characteristic of our time, that de#p interest in Biblical studies, of which the immense literature on the subject which has appeared and is always increasing is e\idence. The theological student* and young ministers of to-day have access to treasures of Biblical learning to which the older men in the ministry were stranger* in their youth. Serials like the " Expositor," the " Expository Times," the " Expositor's Biblo." the "Theological Educator." the "Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges." etc.. were unknown when some of us first began to preach. The field of exposition and illustration of the Scriptures was a very contracted one compared with its present extent. Not only was the Higher Criticism unborn, but Biblical Criticism in any form received little attention in comparison with what it receives now. Deep interest has been awakened in the study of all subjects serving to cast lieht upon any portion of the Bible. Marvellous progress has been made in discovering confirmations of Bible history and in clearing up difficulties which were once viewed as hopeless. Innumerable treatises have appeared relating to all branches of Scruptural knowledge and all aspects of religious doctrine. Lives of Christ in. abundance have been written, many of them wonderfully attractive, and all have been widely read. The signs of the times indicate great advance as respects the interest taken in the contents of the Bible, their autho-

has -thus been furnished with literary aids of the greatest value, and better work is expected from him now than ever before. Looking at it all round, the preaching of the present day may be judged to be of better quality than that of a generation or two back. A higher standard being demanded, a higher standard has been reached. Ministers have more abundant material, and when they understand the proper way to use it tbeir preaching cannot fail to be characterised by freshness, insight, and adaptation beyond that of a former age. Among ministers, as among men of all professions and occupations, there are, of course, diversities of gifts. There are also different ideas regarding the best mode of attaining efficiency in ministerial work, which is of many kinds. One man may coneider that the quality of his preaching is not of so much consequence as the quality or quantity of some other kind of duty — pastoral visitation, for example, — and if it is true, as a friend of mine in Glasgow, who now rests from his labours, used to say, that a minister must do his work either with his head or his heels, each must judge of what is likely to be most useful in his own particular sphere. I think, however, that preaching, on the whole, has improved with the increase of aids to study and with the stimulus which has been given by the productions of specialists in Biblical research. As time elapses differences in modes of thought and methods of presenting truth inevitably appear. Men's minds are acted upon by a variety of influence." leading to new ways of looking at subjects to wider vision, and to altered phraseology. Such changes are sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worse. Dr Barratt, of Norwich, speaking not lonp: ago on the subject of " The Gains and Loe a cs of Modern Pleaching,' 1 said that the gain's were a larger conception of the love of God, a clearer view of the humanity of Jesus, a kindlier view of the nature of man in his unregenerate state as b"ing not simply a mass of evil, but as having lingering remnants of the likeness of God ; and that the lesses were such a« a dimmer conception of the awf ulncss of sin aud the reelity and certainty r,{ a judgment day. As to the mode of preaching, he said that the eld artificial construction of a sermon h?d given place to more natural speaking and a. more conversational style — a gain due to the late Thomas Binnoy. If I may venture to differ from s-o eminent a man, I would =ay that the change which has taken plnee in prrac'iing, so far as the sterner doctrines of the Bible are concerned, does not prove, or even imply, on the part of preachers " a dimmer conception of the awfulness of sin and the lealiry and certainty of a judgment day." The difference, generally speaking, is less of thought than of form. There i 3 a departure from the terrific style of preaching of former times. Descriptions of the torments of hell and tho terrors of the judgment day are not often introduced into sermons now. But this fact does not substantiate Dr Barratt's assertion if it means what to me it seems to mean. If there is suspense of judgment regarding certain awful matters on the part of some, and if there is a modified lone in speaking of them on the part of almost all, it is because their awfulness is more truly realised than when men discoursed with absolute assurance about them and dwelt upon them in detail, and bearer*, accustomed to severity of language, listened placidly and felt no alarm. In speaking of improvement in preaching, I have had in view mainly the form and manner in which religious truth i 3 presented, taking for granted that the preacher's then\e is none- other than it ought to be — Jesus Christ and Him crucified. Believing that the signs of the times do not indicate a general departure from evangelical truth, it would be out of place on the present occasion to compare these days with others as respects doctrine. I believe that Christ was never more distinctly and faithfully preached as the Saviour of sinners and our Divine Master and Lord than now. If there are losses anywhere such as tho=e which Dr Barratt mentions, the cause is not to bp found in depreciation of the words and work of Christ or in false views of Hie Person. Other things may tend to produce —and I now speak not of the pulpit but of the public — weakening of the sense of em and los 3of the sense of responsibility. Men may grow worldly and indifferent in spite of the plainest and mn=t faithful teaching on the groat themes of =in and salvation. Religions declension may tako place oven when from day to day energetic efforts are made to secure relitriou* progr^--. WeW c miift nice into account the v. orld riut-ide the Church — tho v. ovH with it? < iin.ity. its temptations. a".d it- =nare»\ Will >t he il»ni»»d that the irim-try of tho Ciureh i« .sometimes dispr.rogo.l m account of that which ought to oo'nttributed to the opposition of th« woild v Nothing is considered too severe to Ikj said about it. Tlie excrcisa which has ben aptly railed " Y»""-"n-bait ing" is with soive a favouiiie rc< re.it. on. Denunciation of church.-* a.'d < '.uwch soing ppople afford- to certain oth> r-j pi-tuliar, satisfaction. There are faults enough, as we all know and deploro, both in mil l'tcit. and churches, but rrmch of the «cori. and abuse which th. v receive i* a token of the hostility of the unrcspnerate heart to their work. If the f=iiyi« of the time- do not warrant the opinion that this is a strong and robu«t religion-, age, the explan.. tion ituitt lie sought, not alone but \ erv larcrelv, in that atmosphere of materialism by which the Church is 'urroune'ed. It has oftcai been remarked th?t while the savage and piofane attacks which at one time were made upon the Christian religion have to a large extent ceased and infidel lecturers find their ocou pation gone, a more subtle infidelity ha-s s?raduallv appeared. Whatever may ha\e caused it, relisious difference widely prevails. God is bani-hed from the thoughts and pxcluded from the lives of multitudes who do not speak bitter words against Him nor ridicule relicion. They pimply do not care for that which is spiritual. If they havo abundance of the kind of gain and pleasure which the world affords th<*v are satisfied : thi.s is to them the purpose of life. Now if worklliness finds entrance into the Church, and FOmetimes becomes conspicuous, we need not be surprised. Chn«tians and non-Christians freely mingle with one another They are obliged to do =n. Soeietv would otherwise be dissolved. But to li\e in the world and yet not be of the world requires constant watchfulness and prayer. Necrlisfenee exposes to worldly temptation and spiritual assault. "It i-. methinks," said Addison. " a very melancholy consideration that a little negligence can spoil us, but great industry is necessary to improve uf." This is the explanation of much of the feebleness, inconsistency, and torpor which characterise many in the Church. As a feature of these times I would mention the growth of carelessness in re-ard to church attendance. True it is that many Christians still join in public worship with JtfA)6 e JPtfUuLJ££3ltarity. &nd. esfceejn. thejjriyi-

lege a3 highly ?s ever it was esteemed. But it is certain not only that the habit of attending both services on the Lord's Day has largely fallen into desuetude, but also that a considerable proportion even of those who are in full membership with the Church have grown so remiss as to be absent from public worship more frequently than they are present. I might adduce many testimonies to support the assertion that on the whole people go les3 to church now than they formerly did. One testimony of great weight will be sufficient. Listen to Dr Dale : "The temper of our times is very different .from that of the more vigorous ages of the Church. Many excellent people must be surprised that in times of danger the writer of the epistle to the Hebrews should have said to the Jewish Christians, ' Forsake not the assembling of yourselves together.' To require men to attend public worship if it involved thorn in any serious risks would seem to us very preposterous and fanatical. Very slight reason* appear to constitute a sufficient ground for neglecting this duty or for discharging it yery irregularly. We are suffering from slight indisposition ; or we have far to wa'k and the weather is hot and the roads arc dusty : or it threatens to rain ; ... or the preacher is dull ; or there is to be a =ernion and a collection for some institution in which we feel no interest ; and so. wo stop at home. . . . It is doubtful whether there exists any such strong comiction of the necessity of religious communion with others as would lead any considerable number of us to expose ourselves to serious danger rather than to cease to worship with the Church. We might, indeed, suffer the worst penalties which persecuting laws could inflict rath n r than submit to a tyrannical interference with our religious freedom ; but it vas not for the sake of freedom but for the sake of communion with the Church that the martyrs of early times and the Huguenots, the Covenanters, and the Nonconformists of later days defied the secular power. When they imperilled their fortunes, their liberty, and their lives. thej r were not thinking of vindicating a right and resisting an injustice, but of satisfying the irrepressible cravings of their spiritual npture."

The question is frequently discussed whether the world is growing hotter or worse. On both sides strong and positive opinion* have been held. It is not a question which admits of absolute and final -etrlement. though by paying more attention to favourable th-.n unfavourable «igr.s the optimistic conclusion Is reached and by tin opposite way the pessimistic. "It does not got belter only." says, Professor Dennv, " nor worse only, but both. Its progress is not ?imp!y v progress in good, evil being gradually driven from the field ; nor is it simply a progress of evil, before which good continually disappears : it is a progress in which good and evil alike come to maturity, bearing their lipest fiuit. showing- all that they can do, pro\ing their stiength to the utmost against each other : the progress is not in good in itself, nor in evil in itself, but in the antagonism of one to the other. This is the same truth which we are taught by our Lord in the parable of the wheat and the tares." It is even so. The signs of the times are. neither wholly good nor wholly evil ; they are of both kinds. If we cannot ascertain their relative proportion we can at least know them sufficiently to discern our duty. To indulge either in indiscriminate praise or indiscriminate blame would neither be wise nor fair. Yet if it may be confidentl}' said that in some respects there has been improvement, there is good reason to say that in some. other respects the former days were better than these. There are. for example, habits and tastes prevalent which indicate a decline in the appreciation of what is serious and searching. As preachers we ought to refuse to pander to a desire for the sensational or the ludicrous. The dignity of the puloit ought to be resolutely maintained. Tt is no place for outri subjects, for curious and absurd titles of sermons, for nonsense applied to religious truth and fluty, for devices fitted only to amuse or please. Tn addressing the Free Church Council at Cardiff not long acto Dr Horton said : "He hoped it would not seem a paradox if he maintained that one great value of public worship is that it is dull. . . . If by ritual, music, or preaching they gave the "people the idea that they were trying tn please them, they had already sanctioned the principle that when they ceased to be p!ea=ed they v.-ere at liberty to stay away. For his part he utterly declined to please them: he would ha\e no attraction in his church unless it were ihe austere and awful attraction of Mount Sinai and Mount Calvary." I read lately in a popular magazine of s O me extiarrdinary means adopted by certain ministers in America to fill their ehurche.-. The churches were filled: the exchequer was filled, tco — filled to overflowing; — but the means in mo=t cas^s were utterly unworthy •*nd indefennble. Tf Dr ,lohn»on'? dictum " Nothinjr odd will last" i« tine, trick* of that kind arc bound ultim.il"ly to fail. They fail even from the bi-prmninp: in this lesp'ec-t, that they di-honou'- the (-.in( titiv of public worship and lower tho chaia"tcr of the houf-e of God

Tihe duty which devolve- upon ul-.u 1 -. n< w and always, is faithfully, -rriously, hop"fully. prayerfully, to proclaim the uiu-lidinf-mc Gospc-1, to ref rat and command the "old old ptcrv of .Jpmis and His ln\r." I remember hpanng Dr Dale, at one r,f our monthly ministerial meeting in Pirmniahani — meetings made attractive and profitable in no small deprree by Ins prc>enc< — >-r<?ak of the intensely interesting nature of the Gospel. The study of God's method of salvation, and the deeper examination of the facti and truths which constitute the preacher- theme, he declared to surpass in inten t all othrr subjects;. I IVieve he expressed what we will all a< knowledge to be profoundly true. What s-übjict i* as interesting as the Gospel? We ought to spare no pains to clothe with interest and attractiveness the mpnner in which it is presented. If we are in any measure to succeed in this object we must watch the s.gns= of the times, and while never relaxing our grip of the ancient and essential doctrine modernise our methods and give them adaptation without condescending to irrcle\ancy. pbsurditv. nr popularity-hunting. There i» one thing which should cltcer iii au.id all present difficulty, and it is the fact that we are labouring in a causo which, though it may sometimes seem to languish, cannot possibly fail. The words of the Master, " Lo ' I am v.'Jth you alway even unto tho end of the world " ought to yield perennial strength and comfort. We do not work for ourselves, but for Chi i=t. The men who care only for their own outward success— if buch men there be — are in their wrong sphere ai preacher-, of the Gospel. Tt ought to be a joy to the toilers in obscure places, under hard eondi tions, that the me.s=age they deliver is destined to reach and bless the whole human j¥«*v MxQm them but fe% war tear iv

r yet they belong to a great company who are all doing the tame work, and God is over all. The power of His Spirit has produced , the results which have appeared already, and will more abundantly produce them in days to come. With our minds fixed on the end which God proposes, and _\vhich must inevitably be attained, we need not at any time be greatly cast down. Foi', though personally we may have but little strength, i and as regards religious achievements but ■ little to show, still " he that is faithful in j that which is least is faithful also in much." i Our position is firm, and there is nothing to I fear. J "Whoso has felt the spirit of the Highest, I Cannot confound, i»or doubt Him, nor deny ; j Yea, with one voice, O world, though thou I denies:, j Stand thou on that =ide — for on this am I. S Away in the future there is a glorious climax of men's work for God — ours* as well as that of others. How far away we cannot , tell. It is not given to us to know the times and the seasons which the Father has ' put in His own power. But we are taught to pray " Thy kingdom come : Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven." The petition should remind us that whatever we may aim at doing, God's blessing on it , should be sought, for the great work of filling the world with that, which alone is a balm for its wounds and a cure for its sorrows is^in holier and stronger hands than ours. Songs shall be heard instead of sighing, and tears shed silently in the long dark night shall leave no trace behind them to mar the joy that cometh in the morning when God shall arise and have mercy upon Zion. It is coming, it is coming — the day j of His might}' working, — when the wilderi ness and the solitary place shall be glad . and the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose. Our eyes will not see the glory of a regenerated world. Our ears will 'not hear the rattle of the angel's chain with which the devil shall be bound to be cast into th.' abyss. But the day is coming, for , .".11 that, and we may well rejoice. Tbe PeJ.eomPr shall see of the travail of His boy.l and shall be satisfied. The kingdoms of I thiß world shall become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ. Lift up thy voice, O Church of the risen and ascended Savour, in a mighty cry for the more abundant outpouring of His spirit and for the blessedness of His appearing. With Milton's faith and passion let tho invitation be repealed till the whole round earth is girdled with the sound and the echo is s,ent back from heaven. " Come forth out of Thy royal chambers. O Prinea of all the Kings of the Karth ; put on the visible robes of Thy imperial majesty : take up that unlimited sceptre which Thy Almighty Father hath bequeathed The^ ; for now the voice of Thy ■ bride calls Thee, and all creatures sigh to i be renewed."

TEMPERANCE WORK. The Rev. J. Kilpatrick, in speaking en the question of temperance, directed attention to the increase of drinking and of drunkenness in New Zealand as manifested by the Registrar-general's returns for last year. Last yeas pometlmg like three millions sterling were spent in wines, spirits, and beer, or a sum equal to, approximately, £3 lls per head per annum of the total popu'ation, or an increase of 2s 8d per head as compared with the previous year. It was an increase that brought no pleasure, but pain, to the community. It was no sign of prosperity. The caly relation the liquor traffic had to the prosperity of the colony wwoa o that it presented an opportunity to the worker to spend the money he had toiled hard to earn, and it gave no adequate return. — (Applauce.) Naturally, one asked how the increase had come about. Where must they look for the consumeis? Must they raise the question, Do young Now Zealanders drink? There were those who constituted themselves the champions of the young men and said, " No, certainly not to any great extent," but one or two admitted facts would force them to conclude, very sadly, otherwise. It was true, for example, that the number of old New Zealandeivs was clotting le«s. It was also true that the liquor bill was getting heavier. It necessarily followed either that young Now Zealanders did drink, and that to an increasing rate, or that the old New Zealanders who remained were drinking at an alarmingly increasing rate, through grief, possibly, at the departure of their shipmates. — (Laughter ) He thought more charity should be shown towards the old New Zralandei-- ("Hoar, hear), — oven if the feelings of the vouiig New Zealanden* were hurt by f-taung tho truth about them. Then, voting New Zejlandci ? appeared frequently in the courts ohiii s ( *d with drunkenness more frequently indeed than old New Zealanders. In May. 1900, .Tiidsje Edwards, sneaking in Ciirintfhurili, *md it wan a serious thing to find that so many prisoners wore younpr men —New Zealandeic. In fact, 16 out of ?A wc-re young New Zealanders. and in almot-t e^ery caw drink wa-s the eaube. That was i-ufficient io cause anyone to throw a«idc sickly and seek to prevent such a iPMili He moved the following resolution : — "This meeting regrets that all the efforts in the past have not materially diinini-herl the drinkinc evil", and that the national drink bill shows an iiieroa-:C. and ro«oIve-< that more vigorous effort- are needed on the part of the Church nid all friend- of tempr ranee to cope wtih t hi- question The. Rev. R. Fairmaicl seconded the motion, which w:>^ carried unanimously. The Rev. K. Mackie moved— "That this meeting prp=s upon ministers, office-bearers, and the friond'- of temperance throughout the chinch the need for more \ ijrorous effort within the chinch by way of getting pledges to total abstinence, the working of Bands of Hope, and ort?ani cinqc ing temperance societies generally."' He advocated the principle of total abstinence by ihe pledge. It was no confession of weakness to sign the pledge. One weak in their temperance work was that the temperance organisations had

not the sympathy ihsy ought to have from men of standing in the church. Men of good social position in the church should be asked to associate their names with tha Bands of Hope and other temperance organisations, and if that were done an impetus would be given to the work of temperance euch as had not hitherto been experienced. The Rev. Mr Borrie seconded the motion, which was carried unanimously. Mr A. C. Begg moved — " In view of the evils of the drink traffic, and that this year the triennial poll will be taken, this meeting earnestly calls upon the Christian voters tc exercise the power the law has confer-ed upon them at the ballot box and to put forth every effort to sweep away the whole traffic." The Rev. Mr Reid seconded the motion. Speaking on the question of young New Zsalanders drinking, he said he had sometimes stood at hotel doors to watch things for himself, and his experience was that the majority of the men who entered hotels were young men, not only men in their prime, but younger men. One evening he stood in a passage of a leading hotel in. the city, and wps struck with the fact that those who went out aud in were youncj men not above 30 or -55 years of age. Lacking into one of the bars, his experience was the same, and yet the same in another bar. They must not blind the"k eyes to the fact that the young colonials were learning tc drink, end in God's name_"it was the place of the Christian Church to" take the temptation out of the-ir way. The motion was carried unanimously. The Rev. Mr Currie moved — " That in view of the forthcoming election, a stro'^Qf recommendation be made to the presbytei'ies under the jurisdictioii of the synod to -stir up the people to do their duty at the ii".al option booths." Mr W. H. Rose (Oamara) seconded uhe motion. He hoped the resolution would be passed on to the presbyteries, and that thw presbyteries would impress some life into the matter before next election, and "hen, instead of ha-vimj only one district in wh'rh there was no-license. they would have very few districts that had licenses. The motion was carried unanimously. THIRD DAY. The Presbyterian Synod resumed their sitting in First Church on the 2nd. tho Moderator (the Rev. J. M. M'Kerrow) presiding. THK NEXT MODERATOR. It was reported that the Presbytery of Dunedin had nominated the Rev. J. A. Will as the moderator of the next synod, and that the Presbyteries of Clutha, Oamaru, Southland, Mataura, and Dunstan had nominated the Roy. A. Cameron. On the motion of the Rev. J. Cumming, seconded by the Rev. J. Kilpatrick. it was unanimously agreed to nominate the Rev. A. Cameron as the moderator of the next synod. UXIOX OK CHEISTIAX CHURCHES. The following overture from the Presbytery of Olutha was submitted and received : — " Whereas union of Christian churches_ and forces is a clamant necessity of tho time?, and whereas there' is need to witness to> common fundamental truths, and whereas the present practical co-operation of the churches would be greatly facilitated and: strengthened by a representative annual conference rather than by sporadic meetings of small committees, it is numbly overturedl by the Clutha Presbyteiy to the synod to take the whole question into consideration with a view to bringing the subject befora the General Assembly and establishing such. annual conference or other association of duly elected representatives of Christian churches which would make for practical co-operation of Christian forces in the present, and which, without a sacrifice of truth, to chyrity, or of charity to truth, but with the triumph of both, would in the providence of God make for an ultimate fusion of Christian denominations into a zealous and powerful national Church of New Zealand." The Rev. P. B. Frascr moved, s»nd the Rev. J. Kilpatrick seconded — " That tho overture be adopted, and be transmitted to the General Assembly." After a, discussion the motion was unanimously agreed to. BIBLE-RE A.DIXG IN SCHOOLS. The I?a\. Mr Gibb explained to the synod, on behalf of the Gcieral Assembly, what was bivng done in conr.ee tion with the Biblc-in-'-ohool-. campaign. The as-embly had, befc)d»s the ordinary Bible-in-School<= Committee, appointed a commiseee, with himself as convener, to confer with the leaders of other churches, and to endeavour to come to an understanding and formulate a platform. In the discharge of this duty he had taken the following action: — First, he had approached the Wo=lcyan Conference, and l.id got it io anpoint certain delegates to confer with the members of the assembly's committee resident in Dunedin. The result o? that conference was- the adoption of a resolution to abandon the platform for which they had b"en for some time contending — > namely, Minr-le Bible-reading, with the repetition of the Lord's Prayer, i>nd to go in. for rradinw, with explanations by tho teachoiv, such explanations to he whollycontained in a book to be supplied by the combined churches. The Wesleyan Conference afterwards adopted this platform, unanimously. He had also had come correspondence with the Bishop of Wellington, from which it appeared that this is tha platform tho Bishop has been for some time advocating, and on behalf of which ho had formed an influential association, representing nearly all the churches in Wellington. He (the speaker) had further had an interview with Mr Neild, warden of Se-lwyn College, and convener of the Diocesan Committee on Bible-in-School?, and ascertained from him that the Anglican Church in thi?

province was prepared to fall in heartily with ' the basis as adopted now by the Wellington Association, comprising almost all ' the churches of that city, by the Wesleyan Church. of New Zealand, and by_ themselves. He said '' themselves " for this reason : that the assembly gave the committee power, after they had come to an agreement with other churches, to take what steps they deemed best to bring it prominently before their people. He had consulted all the members of the committee not resident in Dunedin, and found that they were heartily in favour of the proposal, and it was his intention, as moderator of the General Assembly, to send through the Outlook an intimation to their ministers and congregations as to the platform and what conld be done to further it. In conference .with the assembly's ordinary Bible-in-Schools Committee that morning, he had intimated what had been done, and they had thereafter gone carefully into the question of how to promote the good cause. They would try to bring into line all the other churches in this district, and they would arrange for a number of meetings in all their congregations, which would be addressed by ministers of other denominations than their own. The Oamaru Bible-in-Schools Committee (which consisted of the membere of the OamarCt Presbytery) had' agreed to take a plebiscite of the electors within the bounds o£«_the presbytery. They would print a small leaflet with a few urgent words of appeal to the people, and .with a detachable slip at the foot of the sheet, onjtvhich the voters would be asked to record their wishes as to the introduction of the Bible with explanations by the teachers, as set forth in the platform they had now adopted. These sheets would be delivered throughout the electorate, and the voting slips would be afterwards collected by those who had distributed them. It would probably be found that there was a majority of 10 to 1 in favour of the restoration of the Word of God to the schools, and if this venture was successful in Oamaru and neighbourhood it might be followed out in other presbyteries. When the parliamentary election came on he was decidedly of opinion that they should and would put themselves much more in evidence than ever they had done before. The trouble had always been, not that the people were opposed to the Bible in schools, but that they were too indifferent about the matter to bestir themselves at election times. The politicians in turn would not trouble themselves about any matter that was not perpistently pressed upon their attention. To j impress a politician they had to make themselves a bit of a nuisance to him, and this he hoped they would do. He trusted that they would depute one or more of their uumber to attend every candidate's meeting' and have the question kept to the front. Let thorn insist that thi3 question be a-* well ventilated at these election meetings as every other question was about which men felt strongly. If they set their minds to it and did all that it was in their power to do before the next Parliament was elected, he ivas persuaded that they would gain the boon — nay, the right — for which they had beeji so long contending. The Rev. W. Wright also spoke on the question. (i was agreed to call the attention of the presbyteries to the requirement of rhe General Assembly, and recommend them to take immediate action. AN" ALLOWANCE. Tt was agreed that the syrod recommend the General Assembly to make an allowance to the Rev W. Stewart of £40 per annum from "the church extension fund. HOME AXD FOKETOX MIS3IOKS. The Rev. James Chisholm opened a conference on home missions, addressing the 6ynod at considerable length on a number of questions connected with the subject. Referring to the position of the city and suburban churches, he said the Dunedin Presbytery had the whole matter under consideration at the present time, wad. in the coarse of inquiries made, had revealed some rather startling facts. During the last 10 ■fears there had been uu increase in the Presbyterian population of Dunedin and Buburbs of 2+31 per»on«. and during the Fame period there had been an increase m the membership of the Church in Dunedin and suburbs of 369 Another item that had Eomewhat surprit-ed him was this : Looking •at the church accommodation available for Presbyterians in Dimediu and .suburbs they found that in the city there were 325* sittings for 3878 Presbyterians. In the suburbs there were 2400 fittings for 9932 Presibyterians. Taking the two together there were 18,810 Presbyterians, according to the statistics as given in the- recent census, and seating accommodation in the churches for only 5654 persons. The two chief reasons for the great laxity among Presbyterians were inadequate supervision and iuadequate church' accommodation, and the problem they should try to solve was what remedies were to be adopted in order to get rid of that state of things. What he would advocate was need of more consecration on the part of ministers and elders, need of giving greater care to character and conduct, need of more loving conduc to those who had fallen out of the pale of the Church, and need of a more stern conflict with the phases of evil that existed amoog them. He a^o spoke of the necessity of house-to-house visitation and of the value of the work of .women amoug their people. The Rev. D. Borrie, speaking on foreign missions, said that they should have a forward movement. He held as strongly as anyone that New Hebrides was the chief mission, and that they should do their utmost there, but if they did not branch out in China. India, and probably South Africa nnd South America, the great mission field of the world would find what they had already found — that the money would go there whether they went or not. He realised that the Church was not doing her duty in this matter She coukl do far more, and she would do more the moment that the ministers and office-bearers wakened up to their rcspon°ibilities and kept the matter before them They should scatter missionary literature, nod prepare literature suitable for the day. It rou&t be of a kind that would attract attention. Ministers must call attention to it, and try to force it home, and get the people to realise the great facts of the world and of the missionary world. Votes of thanks were accorded to the Eeve. J. Chisholm and D. Borrie for their »ddresocs. COMPLIUEXTART. The synod recorded a vote of thanks to ihe retiring moderator for his sermon and services, and to the present moderator for his excellent address. WOMEN'S MISSIONARY TJNIOtf. In the afternoon the fifth annual meeting of the Presbyterian Women's Missionary Union was held in First Church Hall, which was crowded. The Moderator of the tvnod

presided, and seats on the platform were also occupied by Mrs Hewitsou (president of the union), Mrs A. C. Begg (vice-president), Mrs Bannerman (foreign secretary). Miss Bellamy (of Syria), Miss Henderson (of Madras), and others. The proceedings were opened with the singing of a hymn. The Moderator expressed the great satisfaction the synod felt at being brought into different circumstances— namely, in holding a kind of social meeting, instead of discussing dry business details that in their place were necessary. Meetings of the kind were always enjoyable. There was an air of comfort and eatisfaction and enjoyment, both on the part of the ladies who invited the synod and on '*c part of members of the synod who accepted tho invitation. One fine feature of the whole business was that they always had an opportunity of hearing remarks either from someone who was going out as a -missionary or from a miSFionary who had been in the field and was on furlough. They would have that satisfaction that day. Their experience of their own missionaries warranted the opinion that no more efficient missionaries were to be found anywhere than those employed by the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand, and from time to time they had had very favourable reports of the work they had done and the great good they had accomplished in their respective spheres, and sometimes in the midst of considerable difficulty end trial. That afternoon he had pleasure in first calling on Miss Bellamy, from Syria. Miss Bellamy, who vre.s received with applause, read 14 verses of a chapter from St. John's Epistle in Arabic, and gave a short account of her experience! among the people of Arabia, speaking of the character of the people and of their peculiar beliefs and traditions. It was not the fact, she said, that she was on furlough. Before coming to New Zealand she had been at work among the Syrians of Sydney »nd Melbourne, and in Dunedin, where there were many Syrian people, she had spoken to a number of the women since her arrival. These women were anxious to learn the English language, and she had arranged with several ladies in Dunedin to undertake io teach them. The first lesson, phe hoped, would be given by a lady next Tuesday. Miss Henderson, the Presbyterian Church's agent ii> Madras, who was also gieeted with applause, sa : d it was now fivo and a-half years since she was set apart for the work of God in India, and it was with feelings of the deepest thankfulness that she ftoocl there that day in good health to give an Pccount of her work in Madras. She would not say much that day, but during her «tay in Dunedin she would meet with different branches of the Church and give fuller accounts of her work and of the needs of the people of that great city. The association she wa-* connected with had five large fechool c , and workers were teaching in about 1000 homes. They also carried on Bible work in several of the \illages near the city. The educational was the largest branch of their work. Their hope lay in the education of the young. Most of the women clung so tenaciously to the old faith that there was little hope of their leaving it. If they did embrace Christianity it was almost impossible for them to declare their faith. The children were taught the Shorter Catechism and some simple hymns for an hour .daily, and where the> grandmother or the mother would not listen to a teacher they would gladly listen to what the little children might tell of what they had been taught in the schoolroom. Miss Henderson also spoke of the nature of work carried on in the bchools, and of the Zenana and other works that had been devised for the uplifting of the heathen Hindus, and concluded by saying that on other occasions she would refer more in detail to the duties that fell to her lot to perform. Mrs Bannerman. foreign recretary of the union, presented Miss Milne, who is about to re-enter the mission field, with a sum of money to be devoted towards the purchase of a sewing machine for use in her sphere of labour. The Rev. Mr Hewitson. on behalf of thft executive of the Foreign Mission Committee of the Presbyterisn Church of New Zealand, presented Miss Milne with a copy of the revised version of the Bible, with reference*. Miss Milne briefly thanked the donors for the very handsome gift; they had s-o kindly presented to her. Prayer was offered up by the Rev. Mr Hewitson, after which hymn 194- was suns;, and the Moderator then pronounced the benediction. During the ofternoon Mis? Kitty Robertson sanpr the hymn "There is* a (?reen hill." The fifth annual report, which wa* preseuted to members, contained the following cause?: — New branches havo been formed at Gore. Caversham, Dipton, Fortrose. Mo3giel, Enfield, ond East Taieri, with those already in existence making a total of 38. We have received reports of much quiet and hteady work being done by the various b.anchee. II having been found that more monty was raised for missions by churches where collecting agencies were in existence than where an annual collection was the rule, our secretary was instructed to write to the ministers of our charges, suggesting that the former course should be adopted. Evidently all our ministers do not yet know that our aim as a society is to inciease interest in the missions of our own church, as one replied that this year they had their hands full, but would tiy next year to send something to the P.W.M.U. All the money we ask for the union itself is a small annual sum from each branch to defray cost of typewriting the missionary letters, postage of same. etc. Again we beg to remind branches that they mi requested to send quarterly reports to the union of the work done by their branch, and also to appoint a town delegate to represent them at the quarterly business meeting, if any of their own members are unable to attend. Our March meeting had special reference to the lamented death of Miss Jessie Blair, an active member of our Green Island branch. Miss Biair, who volunteered for work in India, died at Poona, of typhoid fe\er after brief esrvice Mrs Knkland spoke of her consecrated young life and peaceful death, and Mrs Driver, of the Missionary Training Home, gave testimony to her consistent life and conduct while in residence at the home. The August meeting took the form of a farewell to Miss Moore, on the eve of her departure to resume work in Ichang. Miss Fraser and she were compelled to leave their posts owing to the recent troubles in China. Our prayers and sympathies go with them m their much-loved work. Executive. — Two of our vice-presidents — Mcs- \ dames Begg (Dunedin) and James Holmes (Oamaru) — have been visiting Scotland during the year, and were kindly received by the Women's Missionary Associations of the Established and U. Free Churches. Greetings were sent, and good wishes reciprocated. Zenana Work. — We are looking forward to a visit early next year from Miss Henderson, our missionary in Madras, India. Her furlough is now due, and is well deserved, after five years of unremittine toil in a trvine lluuate. We

hope she may be able to visit some of the branches while m the colony, and still further interest them in her work. The industrial classes for lace-making, started by Miss Henderson, have been very successful. A parcel of lace made by the girls has been sent for sale on behalf of the mission. A box of Indian curios and needle work was sent to Dunedin for sale by Miss Henderson last year. This box arrived too late for the annual meeting, and a drawing-room sale was organised and held at Knox Church Manse on the sth December. The articles sold very readily, the sum of £-10 being realised. The orphan girls in the boarding school are well reported of by our missionary. Miss MacGregor has begun her work in Madras since our last report was presented. No initial difficulties with the language having to be overcome, Miss MacGregor was able to take up heT work at once, and has met with a very cordial welcome from her coworkers in the U. F. Church Mission. Her health continues good notwithstanding her aiduous labours amongst the schools, and we trust she may be long spared to go in and araong«t the women and children of Madras. The foreign secretary'a report was as follow*: — The repor* of the foreign secretary may appear one which might be left out, as not bearing directly on the work of the union, but when we remember that we should " look not only on our things, but also on the things of others," we shall find that it is good and helpful to exchange greetings with our sister mission unions, to learn of their work and to acquaint them with ours, all of which will widen our sympathies and stimulate us in our work. We offer thanks most heartily to all Women's Mission Unions in the sister colonies, the Homeland, the United States, and Canada, who have forwarded to us during the year, as hitherto, their annual reports and magizin.es. From Toronto we have also received a publication ■which contains an account oi the work of the Women's Foreign Missionary Society of the Presbyterian Church in Canada, from 1876 to 1901, an interesting record of far-reaching work. It is very gratifying to us to learn that Mrs Oatts, who visited Dunedin a few months ago, when in Toronto, was present at the celebration of their semi-jubilee, and presented greet- | ings in the name of our P.W.M.U. At the | annual conference of the Women's Foreign I Mission Association in Edinburgh, during the i first week of the assembly of the United Free Church. Mrs A. C. Begg, one of the vice-presi- ! dents of our union, who is at present on a visit I to Scotland, was introduced as the bearer of ! gieetings from our union. A periodical relating ; to Moravian missions has been received by the ' secretary, containing a beautiful and touching i lotter of sympathy to our King, the Qnccit, .tnd Royal Family, or. the death of our late | Lamented Queen Victoria It is signed by the members of the Moravian Mission Board at ; Hermhat, Saxony. Rev. W. Watt, clerk of synod, I'anna. New Hebrides, in the name of the Mission Synod, sent extiaet minute, forvardmg thanks for the box sent by members of our union for the use of missio'ianes during their meetings. Copies of our annual reports have been sent to all the secretaries of the International Women's Associations. Through our report we would offer Christian greeting to all our sister \inions, wishing them Godspeed in their work. May they and we ever be steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, trusting m the promise that our labour shall not be in vain in the Lord. EVENING SITTING. In the eiening a public missionary meeting was held in First Church. There was a moderate attendance of ministers and elders, and a good attendance of the public. The Re\. Mr Baghdasarian wa*» introduced to tlm synod by the Rev. W. Eew;tson and was welcomed by the Moderator. In a short address Mr Baghdafcarian stated the object of his visit to the colony, and referred to the position of the Armenian pcoplo consequent on the fearful mastaeres j committed among them by the Turks a fewyears ago. Massacres on a small scale, he ' o-aid, were no doubt proceeding in Armenia to-day How could they help Armenia? They could sympathise and pray for it. and there was aNo a practical way in which help could be given it. There are 40,000 orphans and widows today and therefore some substantial assistance should be given for the cause He hoped to vuit different churches, and e\ery penny he raised would go through tho British Ambassador iv Constantinople for the benefit of the people of whom he spoke. — (Applause.) After a hymn had been sung, The Rev. O. Michelsen, missionary, wa* called upon to give an address. Ho said it was with gratitude to God he could look back on 24 years, of mission life in the islands. It was no boast to say that tho mission had been a successful one. He had been borne up by the prayers o f God's people in the Church. In answer to their prayers and his praj-er& he belie\ed he had been guided to the right course in dealing with the people, and God had added his blessing. It was now 11 yearb bince tho last \il!age gave up heathenism. At every village throughout his district, which now co\ercd some 30 villages and 6ome four or five islands, there was a house of God and a teacher conducting school and service The natives last year contributed £61 to church buildings, £54 to the support of the teachers, and a free contribution to the Indian famine fund of £40. — (Applause.) The number of church member* at present was nearly 500. During the last couple of years lie had not admitted any church members. Numbers were speaking of baptism, but he bud made a 6top for a while, fo as to establish the church that was there. He hoped the people of the Church in their prayers would not forget him and the great cause in which he was workinjr when he was fur away. — (Applause.) The Rev. J. Aitken (of Wymdham) advocated the position that foreign mission work was a necessary fruit of the Christian spirit. He was pure that the more their indnidual congregations did for the foreign woik of the Church the more they wouid do al-o for the home work of the Church, and tho more effecthe would their work be within their own bordfrp. — (Applausp.) The Re\ W. Hewitson, convener of the Mission. Committee, mentioned the uamos of the missionaries who were working for the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand in different mission fields — Chinese, Maori. New Hebrides, India, and the Cantou villages. They l>ad eight ordained men, not including Dr Lamb, and they were looking for a successor to Mr Gillies. There were nine other workers, two of whom were zenana workers and seven of whom were assistants to the missionaries. There were also two students — one in Canton and one in Dunedin — who looked forward to the Caaton village work On the motion of Dr Bannerman. seconded by Mr George Reid, the speakers were thanked for their able addresses A vote of thanks was also accorded thp ladies who had ••pokon in the afternoon and the ladies who had pro\ided the refieshn^nts Tha livnn " From Greenland's icy moun-

tains " was sung, after which the Moderator brought the meeting to a close by pronouncing the benediction.