BAPTIST CONFERENCE.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 49, 12 October 1911, Page 6

BAPTIST CONFERENCE.

(Per Press Association.)

Napier, October 11. The Now Zealand Baptist Missionary Society held its annual meeting to-day as the seventh sederunt of the Baptist Conference. The new president, the Rev. Knowles Kempton, presided. The secretary, the Rev. E. A. Kirwood, read the annual report. The work in the East is being extended, and a new church and other buildings are being erected. Great interest is being shown by the young Indians in Bible study. Mrs De Carteret, who lias been for years in India, has resigned owing to a breakdown in health, whilst the Rev. W. White lias been engaged to assist Dr Pctoit at Chandpur. A church lias been formed in Bra lima baria by the Rev .J. Tackle.

The treasurer’s report was presented by Mr. T. E. Toneycliffe, and showed a debit balance on cite year’s working of £l9O, and a total debit balance of £349. The Auckland district contributed £GOS, Wellington £035, Canterbury' £320, Otago and Southland £5!;;: "u total of £2:4 0.

Tim Rev. ,i. tv. Archer' was elected .'•retary, the Rev. A. North organiser s'vretaV v, Mr A. Hobv treasurer,

the-Rev. K.'W. Macdonald missionary preacher, and the Rev. William Howard Elliot deputy preacher.

A. missionary conversazione was held in St. Paul’s School Hall in the afternoon, in tnc evening a public missionary meeting was hold, the church being crowded. Mr J. G. Turner, the vice-president, presided. Addresses were delivered by Mrs Beckingsalc, I 'who has just returned from India, and the Rev. R. S. Gray, on mission work in connection with the Philadelphia Congress. Miss Cowle was set apart for missionary work, the sermon being preached by the Rev. A. X. Wilson (Wanganui). The Rev. R. S. Gray gave a most graphic description of the Russian delegates to the Philadelphia Congress, and of the Baptist work in Russia. No complete census is possible as to the number of Baptists in the Czar’s dominion, but the moderate estimate is .100,000. After a description of the various delegates and their sufferings, Mr Gray appealed for help to assist Pastor Fctlcr to build a church in St. Petersburg. Tire meeting promised £217 for that purpose.