CHURCH CONGRESS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3611, 29 May 1923, Page 25

CHURCH CONGRESS.

opening proceedings. CHRISTCHURCH', J.lay 22. Ihe Church Congress opened with Choral Eucharist service in the Cathedral, and a procession of about 100 rle-rgy, including many visiting bishops. Ihe sermon was preached by Archbishop Julius who said the congress w'as sacra#mental, and although many controversial subjects would be raised, the delegates would get their light through the spirit of ' J °“- Regarding spiritual healing, the archbishop said he had been afraid that when people came together and failed fco get that which they sought they would sink back into greater despair; but he had realised that this was not so, and while a man might, not “take up his bed and walk, he would learn to look up to God and get greater strength. This should be the attitude of the delegates to the pro* blems coming before them. ~ the morning service in the Cathedral, which was crowded, Bishop Richards, of Dunedin, presided, and his subject was “The Gosjiel Message.” Hi Biekersteth read a most erudite paper entitled ‘lhe Personal Christ as Saviour and Redeemer.” r e T- , E \, H ' Strong, sub-warden of St. Jonn s College, Auckland, followed with n plea for a sense of proportion in tha ministry of the Word and sacraments. ‘We of the Church of England,” he said, are suffer.ng from spiritual deafness, dua to an overdose of sermons with which our ears are burdened, and it is time that they were given a rest.” He advocated the wider usd of the sacraments, including those of confession and penance. “Children,” he declared, were filled up with Bible stories and mado to attend special services, and learn the Catechism by heait, but it seemed * they never saw any honour paid to Jesus, as in the service of the Holy Communion. Only at the strange age of 14 or so were they told that Holy Communion was the most important service of tha Church.” The Rev. J. H. Rogers, vicar of NorthEast Valley, Dunedin, advocated the simple presentation of the personal Christ of the synoptic Gospels. He said that the only way to reach the heart of the ordinary individual was to exhibit Christ in His character. His works, and His sacrifice, and then to expound the gifts received bv the Church, in the ministry and the sacraments. l'o say this,” he explained, “was not to decry theology, which was never more reeded than now, but as a cure for an error.” In the afternoon a civic welcome was tendered to the visitors at Christ's College by the Mayor of Christchurch. MEN’S SOCIETY QUESTIONS. CHRISTCHURCH, May 24. At the Church Congress this afternoon C.E.AI.S. questions were discussed. The Bishop of Goulburn said the C.E.M.S. was leaching its second crisis, though it had not so much lost ground to make up in New Zealand as it had in Australia, ffhere was no liner type of manhood in the world than that of Australia and New Zealand. The great mass cf them might be coarsetongued, but clean-lived, arid presented splendid material for God’s work. They were plastic, but they were beginning to set, and he prayed that they might be touched before they set into a mould. Air O. Kingdon (London) conveyed the fraternal greetings of the Bishop of Ix>ndon, who was president of the C.E.M.S., to the overseas bishops.—(Applause.) As a member of the Head Council, he brought them tlie warmest greetings of the council. There never was a time in the history of the Church, he continued, when the call to men was so necessary. THE NEXT CONGRESS. CHRISTCHURCH, May 24. At a meeting to-day it was decided to recommend to the bishops that the next Church Congress should take place at Auckland in three years’ time. It was thought that New Zealand was not sufficient!., largo for an annual congress, while if one were held in two years’ time it would clash with the General Synod. E VANG El .ISATION. CHRISTCHURCH, May 25. Speaking at the Church Congress on the subject of “Evangelisation,” the Rev. T. F. Taylor said that one need in the Justice Department was a pleader in court for those who were in trouble; and the Church, must train Police Court workers. A city mission could deal more adequately with factory and wharf workers. ihe speaker aimed at a New Zealand Church Army. —(Applause.) There was another great need. One great burden of rhe parish priest was the necessity to preach twice every Sunday. It was a burden to himself ana to his Deople. Some were called to be orators, and some to be evangelists, and vocation in these matters should be recognised. It was painful to see a man gifted for special work sent to the ordinary w r ork of parishes. The speaker would to see a dominion band of evangelists. The training of toacliers was another important matter. They wanted men and women who would reach the souls of those entrusted to them —an order vowed to poverty and service. The programme was big, but the cause was also big. For far too long the Church had regarded the parochial system as the only way to reach the masses. Evangelisation of the cities was a great task, but no sacrifice could be counted too great to secure it. The final scenes of a notable congress took place at the Cathedral this evening, when the Bishops of Willochra, Dornakai, and Nelson spoke on the subject of “Christ and Non-Christian Lands.” As befitting so historic an occasion, the Cathedral was crowded in all parts, and the service formed a fitting conclusion to the activities of tha Church Congress.