CHURCHES OF CHRIST

Otago Witness, Issue 2924, 30 March 1910, Page 34

CHURCHES OF CHRIST

ANNUAL CONFERENCE. The twenty-fifth annual conference of the Churches of Christ, South Island district, was commenced in the Tabernacle, Great King street on Good Friday morning, Mr T. Arnold, vice-president of the Conference, Executive, presiding. The first half hour was spent in devotional exercises, after which the roll of delegates was called. The churches represented and the list of delegates were': —Christchurch, R. Gebbie; Ashburton, J. Readhead, W. Shearer, and W, Olsen; Greymouth, J. M. Innes; Oamaru, T. H. Mathieson, S. Clarke, sen., J. Gebbie, J. JD. Familton; Hampden, G. Mathieson: Dunedin, Captain C. F. Sundstrum, J. W. Stokes, J. M. Routledge, Alex. Thompson, ,W. J. Hastie, L. Kemnitz, L. C. J. Schulen'burg; South Dunedin —W. M. Allan, A. F. Burns. L. Irvine, W. H. Palmer; Mornington' —H. Holmes, Captain J. Stewart, J. L. S. Wright; N.E. Valley—T. Arnold, G Balsille, W. J. Lowe; Burnside, J. I. Wright; Kaitantrata,. E. Andersen ; Gore-- -• J. R. Clarke. W. G. Ladbi-ook; Mataura— T. J. Bull, W., Pryde, ,M. Perkins; Invercargill—A. Brighton, W. D. Little, -J. Watt, Middlemass; isolated member, A. Roy (Portobello). - ' " The Chairman apologised for the absence of the president (Mr C. F. M'Donald) through, indisposition. He urged them* to increase their endeavours in that band of union which had for its purpose the efficient carrying on of the work of the Master. In the presidential address by Mr C. Fleming M'Donald. which was read by Mr Arnold, the writer iea.lt with the twofold mission of ihe Church —namely, the unity of Christendom and the evangelisation of the world, arid in this connection touched upon some of the matters upon which they were happy to say they were united as Christians. Allusion was made to the ordinances of devine worship and their significance, and he emphasised the necessity for prayerful devotion in obeying the commands of Christ, and diligence in the service of the' Master-, who said, " Go ye iritoall the world and.-preach the Gospel to every creature." .The annual report of the Home Mission Committee was presented. In the latter it was stated that, in conformity with the wish of last conference, the home mission evangelist (Mr F. W. Greenwood) had continued to labour with the Ashburton Church up 'to the present. Difficulties that had confronted him in taking up the work had been overcome, and he had laboured unceasingly to build up the church and m-each the Gospel to the world. Soon after last Conference application for financial assistance was received from the church at Gore. Mr J. R. Clarke had been communicated -with in reference to taking up evangelistic .work, and subsequently was engaged by the church, when the commifcrce assisted towards paying his salary. The charge of Burnside Church h?>d rested mainly in the capable hands of Mr J. M. Routledge, who had carried on a considerable amount of speaking as well as arranging, for speakers in his absence.

The committee and members of the church were again indebted to Messrs .A. Roy and J. Inglis Wright for valuable assistance in their positions of correspondents to isolated brethern and editor of the Quarterly Letter respectively. The Mataura and Invercargill Churches had placed their evangelists at the disposal of the committee for one month each. Mr T. J. Bull visited KaitaugaU, and Mr W. D. Little spent his time at Gore. The committee was unable to supply evangelistic assistance to the Hampden Church. Apart from the work carried on through the Home Mission Committee, missions have been conducted by Messrs __Little and Hastie at Dunedin and Invercargill, and by Mr Mathieson at Oamaru, and Mr J. M. Innis spent some time at Kaitangata. Much had been done to strengthen, the church assisted, and greater success was looked for in the future, although it would be necessary to sustain the _ Ashburton and Gore Churches for some time to come. The Home Mission Committee's financial report (also adopted) for the year ending 31st December last, denoted, as read, that the receipts had been £326 2s 4d, and the expenditure £3lO Is 2d. The Church and Bible School statistics for 1909 showed th-t'there were 14 churches in the South Island district, with a membership roll of 1617, 955 Sunday school scholars, and a teaching staff of 118.— Adopted. A special vote of thanks was accorded Mr A. Roy for his services in connection with isolated members. In connection with a motion passed at the Conference last year as to the best methods t>f owrryiafl on home mission work, and whieh a eommitt&e was set tip to eoPßider, the eemmitt§B new roendeel that eaeh. church, appoint & ©Bfil' mitt.ee, or eno member-, t© «et m mim= Spending ppoi'otary with th« Home eion Committee! (bat any church {avmpil und.es the avispieea of the eaeimiUee l-#

under their foresight for two years; that the committee have discretionary power in the engagement of evangelists; that the home mission annual offering be taken up the fourth Lord's Day after Conference, and that the committee be urged to make liberal use of literature in connection with evangelistic work. It was decided to offer an engagement to Mr H. G. Harwood, principal of the Bible College in Melbourne, to work amongst the churches hi the South Island district and do pioneering evangelising, at a salary of £3OO, details of the engagement baing left in the hands of the Home Mission Committee.

The Conference essay, " The Old Watchword and the New Cwntury," was read by Mr T. H. Mathieson (Oamaru). A hearty vote of thanks was accorded the reader for his profitable paper. It was decided that the next yearly Conference be held at Ashburton.

The delegates and friends were entertained at tea afterwards in the Choral Hall, the ladies of the Dunedin churches presiding at the tables. Finally, a foreign mission rally was held in the Tabernacle, Mr J. Inglis Wright presiding, when appropriate addresses were given by Messrs T. J Bull, W. D. Little, and T. H. Mathieson, ■th-a choir supplying the required music. SECOND DAY—MARCH 26. The twenty-fifth annual conference of the Churches of Christ, South Island district, was continued in the Tabernacle, Great King street, on Saturday morning, Mr T. Arnold, vice-president, occupying the chair. Greetings were received from the Middle District Conference, now sitting at Wakefield. .'■",'-' The report of the Foreign Mission Committee placed on record appreciation- of the splendid manner in which appeals had been responded to. Whilst the contributions last year had exceeded in the aggregate those of the ' previous year, still a few of the churches had not quite attained what they had formerly done, thus falling short of their apportionments. Christchurch, Greymouth, and Mornington had done splendidly, having exceeded their apportionments, while Hampden and Gore had reached their apportionments. The committee had appealed for £275, and received £242. I'he work was expanding, and there was necessity for more money, as there were several financial matters of importance to be dealt with in the near future. It was to be regretted that the exchange of preachers on the Lord's Dav previous to Foreign Mission Sunday had not been as general lart year as the committee would have liked. Thanks were, however, extended to those who had assisted in this direction. J\lr Hollis had taken up the work at Blantyre, under the direction of the British Churches, .and the field was receiving the attention and assistance it deserved The work at BuWyo, under Mr Hadiield, continued to prosper and extend. Mr Sh'erriff, assisted bv Mr Hills a:;d Sister DoLson, continued noble work at Forest Vale, althoufih the workers were considerably hampered for want of sufficient" funds. Mr Agrippa, the native exhorter. had resigned during the year and .settled down on a farm near Bulawayo, where he purposes in spare time preaching to the natives. During the vear five white people, three coloured, and 58 natives had ioined the mission station churches in .South Africa, the membership now being 274. in addition to 21 followers at Intini 'Hillside). The training of native evangelists was considerably delayed, principally from financial reasons. The balance sheet for the year 1909 showed the receipts to have been £583 14s lOd, and the expenditure £438 7s Bd. ••

. It .was decided to establish a Church Extension Fund, to assist in the erection of church buildings by means of loans, repayable bv annual instalments, an annual collection being taken up in all the churches in the union, augmented by individual contributions, annuities, or bequests. In this connection Captain C F. Sundstrum, Messrs C. F M'Donald. Theodore Arnold. A. Thomson, and A. Roy were appointed trustees, with full power to receive all eontnbutijons to the '"und, and lend same or part to any church as they think advisable. The ©lection of conference officers resulted as follows:—President, Mr F. W. Greenwood (Ashburton); vice-president, Mr Ralph Gebbie (Christchurch); secretary and treasurer, Mr J. Readhead (Ashburton); Home Mission Committee—President, Mr A. Roy (Portobello, re-elected); secretary, Mr L. C. J. Schulenburg (Dunedin, reelected); treasurer. Mr J. M. Routlcdge (Dunedin, re-elected); committee I—Messrs 1 —Messrs C. F. Sundstrum. W. J. Stokes, W. J. Hastie, and A. Thomson; Foreign Mission Committee—President, Mr J. Inglis Wright (Dunedin. re-elected); secretary, Mr J. L. Stewart Wright (Dunedin, re-elected); treasurer, Mr K. H. Kippenberger. (Dunedin, re-elected); committee —Mrs T. Brown, Miss J. Alexander, and Misses C. Aburn and H. Holmes. It-was decided to continue the Quarterly Letter, under the editorship of Mr T, Arnold. THIRD DAY-MARCH 28. The annual conference of the Churches' of Christ of the South Island district was brought to a conclusion on Monday. Addresses were given on Bible Classes and schools, and .were freely discussed, and at the conclusion the-, speakers were accorded a hearty vote of thanks. The election of officers resulted as follows:—President, Mr C. F. M'Donald (Dunedin); vice-president, Mr T. Arnold (Dunedin); secretary, Mr W. H. Palmer (South Dunedin.); treasurer, Mr W. J. Lowe (North-East Valley) ; committee— Messrs W. J. Stokes, W. Alexander, Miss L. Neil, and B. Thomson (Dunedin). The congratulations and fraternal greetings of the union were extended to the Christian Women's Board of Missions then sitting in conference. In view of the practice of various churches differing in the matter of transfer of. members from one church to another, it was deemed desirable to have some uniform method in vogue, and it was decided that a committee consisting of Messrs H. J. Hastie (Dunedin), R. Gebbie (Clxristohurch), F. W. Greenwood (Ashburton), J. W. Stokes (Dunedin), W. Kilgour (Oamaru), and H. Langford (Cnristohuroh) be appointed to make suggestions to next conference for the consideration and guidance of the associated churches. It was agreed to leave the future of the foreign mission work in South Africa in the hands 6f the Foreign Mission Comffijttea, Ms W, 30, LUtle (InvemugUl) tos. e; -

pointed the conference essayist for nex{> year. Votee of thanks were accorded the hosts who had entertained the visiting delegates, the ladies who had presided at the conference tea meeting, the president (Mr T. Arnold), the secretary (Mr J. M. Innee), and his assistant (Mr W H. Palmer), the press representative (Mr Woollett), and the Times and Star.