ATTENDANCES AT CHURCH

Southland Times, Issue 23649, 26 October 1938, Page 16

ATTENDANCES AT CHURCH

SLIGHT FALLING OFF RECORDED STATISTICAL RETURN TO PRESBYTERY A slight falling off in attendance at church services and at prayer meetings, despite an increase in the number of persons under ministerial care was recorded in the annual statistics presented at the meeting of, the Presbytery of Southland yesterday by the Rev. N. F. Sanson. The statistics were stated to be very much the same as last year with the exception of the tendencies noted.

The Moderator. (the Rev. W. J. Robertson) presided over the following members: The Revs. J. Newlands, I. R. Polson, R. Dun, J. C. Mill, G. H. Crockett, H. B. Burnett, J. A. Thomson, J. H. Thomson, G. P. Mitchell, E. Gardiner, A. Macfarlane; W. A. Carmichael, E. B. Stevenson, and the Rt. Rev. W. H; Howes (clerk), Messrs L. Irwin, A. Scott, A. H. Whyte, W. J. Mouat, C. S. Stevens, W. Kerr, A. Allison, M. J. McFadgen, W. B. Hopcroft, J. M. Lochhead, W. L Russell, N. Rodgers, W. S. Andrews, J. Milligan and R. C. Boyd.

Mrs J. H. Thomson and Mr L. Irwin were appointed delegates to represent the Presbytery at the annual conference of Sunday schools to be held in Dunedin on November 2.

The Rev. W. J. Robertson urged members of the Presbytery to attend the annual meeting of the Presbyterian Social Service Association, to be held tonight in Stobo Hall. At this meeting a demonstration would be given by the children of the homes in Invercargill, also films depicting the activities of the association in different parts of New Zealand. There would also be considered the proposed forward move by the association to appoint a deaconess to work among the members of the city churches and a chaplain to visit the hospitals. This being the last meeting of the presbytery before the General Assembly meets in Dunedin next month, the Moderator of the General Assembly (the Rt. Rev. W. H. Howes) thanked the members for the loyalty and support accorded him during the year. This, he said, was not peculiar to Southland, but was general throughout all parts of the Presbyterian Church. Great deference had been paid to him as Moderator wherever he had visited. It was a great experience and he was thankful for the honour conferred upon him. He trusted that he had worthily upheld the | dignity of such an important position which he very much appreciated. I