FOURTH DAY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2762, 20 February 1907, Page 16

FOURTH DAY.

The annual meeting of the Council oB the Congregational Union of New Zealand was resumed in the Moray Place Church! on the 11th inst., the chairman, Rev. W.. Day, presiding. The preliminary devo> tional meeting was conducted by the Rev* B. L. Thomas. CHURCH EXTENSION. The Rev. A. S. Baker read a paper aft " Congregational Extension in New Ze«* land." He said that the seeming indjffetf* ence and half-hearted attitude on this sufe ject was in part due to the unwillingness of Congregational ists to enter into needles* competition with other churches, and alaj to the possibility of church unoin feeing realised at no vpry distant date. In T Ne^J South Wales the Congregational Union* had appointed a superintendent of honub

missions, whose operations were attended with signal success. The conditions "in New Zealand were different, owing to there being four centres and to the scattered nature of the churches. Yet the speaker urged that, in some such direction, they had the idea and method, ■which, in the hands of a capable and energetic minister, enjoying the full confidence of the churches, would within a few years put the denomination in a much more favourable position. Given the man, the other difficulties as to finance, etc., would solve themselves. A vigorous and sustained discuesion in committee followed, the speakers being in full accord with tho appointment of such an executive officer. Finally it was resolved) to refer the whole question to the consideration of the Finance Committee, which was instructed to bring up its report on Tuesday afternoon. MISSIOX BEPOBT. The Rev. A. E. Hunt prc c ented the report of the London Missionary Society Auxiliaries. No returns were to hand from Auckland district, but the statement showed that " Wellington had contributed £303 Is 2d; 'Canterbury £145 18s 9id. and Otago J8375 16s 2d, or a total from the three districts of £824 16s lid for ,he year. It was decided to thank Mr Hunt for his services, re-appoint him to the position, and also, that the fuli statement of the L.M.S. Auxiliaries' contributions bo published in the "Year-Book." The Rev. J. E. Newell, of Samoa, delivered an address on the present position and prospects of the mission in Samoa and the adjacent islands. It seemed to him, he said, that the questions which affected the government of the South Sea Islands called for the appointment of *n official reference committee t>v the churches. Such a committee could, without the need 1 of any public agitation or press correspon- j dence, approach the government or adminstration on matters affecting the missions, preventing the clashing of interests or wrongs being done. The time was ripefor a reconsideration ot our relations with tho South Sea Islands. A deputation from the Home Board would shortly be here, and he urged the church leaders to be as ready to""~discuss questions of policy in the South Seas as others were to discuss political conditions and the governmental policy in the Pacific. Above all things, he pleaded earnestly with the constituents and directors of the society to pause before entering on a policy which would deprive the churches of the South Seas of that leader«.h.p and help so highly- valued by them. — (Loud applause.) 1 On the suggestion of the Rev. W. Saunders the Reference Committee of the council, with the Revs. Newell and Hunt added, was directed to consider the position stated by Mr Newell and to report to a subsequent meeting. The Rev. Mr Newell wished it to be distinctly understood that he did not stand before them in any feeling of rebellion. He ■was entirely in sympathy- with the r orward movement of the" L.M.S. in the East. He , did not wish to blame the directors for the statement of their policy. They had to 'ace the matter in a businesslike way, «nd fad to find out what they could do and whr.t they could not do. What he de-ired <o clo vas to bring the matter pertinently before the people of the colonies who were not doing as much as they would if they had a sense of their responsibilities upon them.