BAPTIST CONFERENCE.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIV, Issue 50, 23 October 1912, Page 8

BAPTIST CONFERENCE.

(Per Press Association.) Christchurch, October 22. The invitation of the Auckland churches to hold a conference in 1913 in Auckland was accepted. THE OFFICERS. The following officers were appointed :—Secretary, Rev. R. S. Gray; Literary and Publications Committee, Revs. Hobday (convener), Gray and Williams, and Messrs Driver ■ and Maunder; .treasurer, Mr A. Carey; union preacher, Rev. F. H. Radford; deputy-preacher, Rev. E. H. Hobday; Sunday Schools and Young Peoples’ Jommittee, Revs. J. J. North, A. Williams, J. Laird and S. Mason, and Messrs Stock, Hayward, Dixon, Jones, Dewdney and Goring (the Rev. S. Mason was elected convener); president, Mr J. G. Fraser; vice-president, Rev. E. A. Kirkwood; executive committee, .Messrs Garlick, Snielton, Toneycliffe, Cathie, Carson, Maunder, Ehidgey, lAdams, Driver and Milligan, and It a vs. North, Hinton, Mason, Dallaston, Hobday and Radford, with the Revs. Kempton, Kirkwood, Williams, A. North and Archer, and Messrs Koby and Carey as ex-officia members; Students’ Committee, Rev. T. A. Williams (convener), J. J. North, J. K. Archer, A. E. Kirkwood and F. H. Radford; Annuity Fund Committee, Messrs R. S. Adams, Toneycliffe, Chidgey and Carey ; Manse Fund Committee Messrs Toneycliffe (convener), Ingold, Garlick, Cathie, Lamb and Drew; editor of “The Baptist,” Mr H. H. Driver; snb-ed tor, Rev. C. Dallaston ; recorder and registrar, Rev. W. R. Woolley; auditors, Messrs Whitten and Hill. RESOLUTIONS. It was resolved; ‘That we recommended the churches to regard and set aside the Sunday following the week of prayer as a missionary Sunday, that special missionary sermons be preach-

ed, and that a collection, or at least a retiring collection, be taken, the proceeds to bo divided between the Union and Missionary Societies.”

The Rev. J. J. North moved: “That this conference, representing 20,000 Baptists, protests against the attempt at present being made to increase the number of race days allowed in this Dominion. While offering no opposition to a redistribution of racing permits, which might relieve certain districts, the conference calls upon the Government to risk everything in order to defeat so retrograde a proposal as an increase of race days.” The motion was carried. It was agreed, on the motion of the Rev. Mr Hobday, to recommend the Baptists of New Zealand to accept the pledge drafted by the New Zealand Alliance not to vote for candidates for Parliament who would not reduce the three-fifths majority. On Mr Driver’s motion it was resolved :—“That we reallirm our protest against all complicity by Croat Britain in the frightful opium traffic of China, and our appeal to Parliament that they should release China from treaties which compel her to receive the drug as grown and manufactured in India. We rejoice in the manifest

sincerity of the Government of China in its resolve to rid their land of this evil, and pray that success may speedily attend their efforts.”

The thanks of the conference- were accorded to local churches for entertaining the conference.