CHRISTIAN STUDENTS' CONFERENCE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2565, 13 May 1903, Page 14

CH RISTIAN STUDENTS' CONFERENCE.

r F: /.Mj INTERESTING CONVENTION". iT'-v Or?. 6-rvn.j, Ryrc-nEi:.) CHIIIST'-'J.iU?iCn, May 1. .•D»lfttf*L«s 10 the numbor of over 120 have urived in Chrisich^roh from Auckland, Wei.insloTs, Wang.inui, Gisborne, Napier, and Nelson to take part in the Students' Conference on Home and Foreign Missions, to be conducted by Mr John R. Mott. Seventy delegates arrived by the south express to-night. In all between 250 and 300 .will take part. The proceedings will last over threo days. Great interest in the conference is excited in university and religious ■"circles. May 3. The Students' Convention, held under the suispioos of the World's Student Christian (Federation, opened in the Canterbury Colflege Hall on Saturday morning. There ,«vas a lafg© and representative attendance, /the delegation including graduates and ■■undergraduates from all the universities of Is T ew Zealand, representatives from almost all the high schools in both the North and South Islands, ac well as missionaries and representatives from tho missionary societies of the eeveral churches and other organisa-

tions. Including » few specially-invited visitors, there were nearly 300 present , the proportion of men to womer bein^ almost two-thirds to one-third. Twc unique features were noticeable in the gathoriag — fir^t. that the audience was almost entirely composed of young people ; and secondly, that the delegation comprised members of 3>ear]y every Protestant religious communion in the colony, met to discus- the best , methods of advancing the cause of homo ! and foreign missions. Yet. although the High Church Anglican sat cheek by joul with the Plymouth Brothers, the jarring note of denominationalism was not onco heard, and the utmest harmony and good feeling prevailed throughout al: the deliberations of the conference. The Rev. C. W. Carrington. of Christ's College, presided at the morning cc.ssiou, and on the nlatform were: Bishop Julius (Christchurch)", Rev. Dr Waddell (Dunedin). and Messrs J. R. Mott (secretary of tho World's Student Christian Federatioii), E. J. Wit.hvcomb (travelling secretary of the Australasian Students' Christian Union), and Mr Allan Thomson (Dunedin, president of the New Zealand Students' Christian i Union). j Prior to delivering an address of welcome to the delegates Bishop Julius read a letter from Bishop Nevill, who, in his official capacity as Acting-Primate of New Zealand, expressed his sympathy with Mr Molt and the work of the Students' Union, and

wished the conference every sucoe-s. Bishop Julius warmly welcomed to f 'hii-Ulairth the delegate; to thy first Students' Christian i Unkjn Confrrenci? eve;' held in lh.? colony. lie contraatod the condition of things 10 ! years a^o, whou the religious life of the | university student was at its lowest ebb, with the present promise cf great thing*. He argued that the spread of minions wa,s the. business of the Churi-li : and that whereas it used, to be contended that learning and culture, were thrown away upon the heathen, and that it wa., a pity to wa^to good men in tho foreign mission field, the ('lmrcli had now (ii-covci-ed that uotiiii.'g v oj too good for the mi-.sion fii-ld. K<* pointed out t!i:it tho result of discovery and tficnliric research had been to bring I lie heathen nearer than ever befor.?, until almost cvrry part of the world was comparatively easily aecessiblo to missionary effort. He enlarged upon tho part which women were called upon to play in missionary work, and declared that ihe true meaning of the emancipation of women was only grasped ' when they used theu- freedom for the .; evangelisation of tho world. j Mr Mott followed with a thoughtful and j forceful addre.-a on the 'student missionary uprising and its message to New Zealand, fiketching the risa and progress of the student federation throughout th& world. The opening address in the afternoon 6e=.~ion — .wa.= delivered by tho Rev. Dr Waddcll. on '"The Needs and Claim: of the

Cities of New Zealand," and seldom has the popular pastor of St. Andrew's been heard to better advantage. The address was a well-reasoned argument on the problem of the city. Dr Waddell quoted figures to show the large percentage of the world's population which took up its abode in the cities, and averred that the great problem of the city was to g-et the people to keep away from it. He enlarged upon the perils of the city, pointing out that the city masse 3 the scattered streams of evil, that the security of home life was assaulted to a greater extent than in the country, and that in the city man is removed from tho healing influence of Nature. He then d«ait with the city as an opportunity, arguing that, groat as is the peril of the city, the opportunity is greater. He concluded by outlining what in his opinion ought to b& the attitude of the Church and the individual towarda the city problem, and in eloquent terms forecasted the fine future which lay before the cities of New Zealand. The Rev. F. Bennett (Taranaki) spoke on " The Needs and Claims of the Maoris," and in the course of his address ho highly eulogised the work accomplished by the Young Maori party in elevating and educating the remnant of a dying race. Mr Bennett gave it as his opinion that the end of the Maori would not be extinction, but absorption by the Pakeha. He gave witness as to the good results which had occurred as the outcome of the modicum of selfgovernment already grantfed under the Maori Act. including the power given to tho Maori to deal with the liquor traffic, and he appeal to all missionary agencies to co-operate with the Young Maori party in the moral, intellectual, social, and spiritual elevation of the Maori, and thus ensure that the mingling of the race be not attended by the deg-eneration of their offspring. The concluding address of the afternoon session was by the Rev. Dr Erwin (Christchurch) , on " The Claims of the Ministry on Men of Education." Mr C. H. Bevan Brown, master of the Boys' High School, presided at the evening session, and was supported by Canon Averill (Christchurch) and the Rev. Mr Grant (Leeston). Mr Mott delivered a lengthy and interesting address on the evangelisation of the. world in this portion, a task which he contended was not only binding upon the Church,, but imperative and also possible with the means at the Church's disposal. On Sxmday morning a special service was conducted in the Cathedral, attended by the students and delegates, when a sermon appropriate to the occasion wa* preached by the Rev. H. T. Purchas (Sydenham). The afternoon was demoted to a discussion on foreign missions. Two meetings were held — one for men in the Canterbury College HaJl. and the other for women in St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church. The Rev. C. W. Carrinsfton presided over the men's meeting, supported by the Rev. Dr Waddell (Dunedin) and Dr Morse, of the American V.M.C.A. Addresses were delivered by the Rev. W. Huckett (London Missionary Society), on "The Claims of the Islands of the Pacific" ; by the Rev. .T. Takle (Baptist Missionary Society), on "The Claims of India" ; and, by the Rev ; A. Don (Dunedin), on " The Claims of China." Th<?. sepsion concluded with an impressive addrfi.=a by Mr Mott on "The Temntations of the Young Men of the Non-Christian World." Miss M'Lean (lady principal of the* Girls' Co'.lege. Wellington) presided over the women's meeting, when the claims of the foreign mission field were ure?m*ed by four returned lady missionaries — Miss B. A. Clark, Miss Latham, Miss Moore, and Miss I Burton. | On Sunday crvenine Mr Mott spoke on the responsibility of the delegates, and conpratulatnry messasres were read from student union? in all parts of the world. A number of short addresses wero delivered by representative delegate*, and reports presented "of the work accomplished.