BAPTIST CONFERENCE

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 793, 14 October 1929, Page 14

BAPTIST CONFERENCE

PRESIDENT’S RECEPTION WORK OF CHILDREN’S HOME Three hundred guests attended the reception given by the president of the New Zealand Baptist Union Assembly, which was held on Saturday afternoon at the Manurewa Children's Home. The new president, the Rev. Joseph \V. Kemp, being absent, the retiring president, Mr. S. Barry, opened the reception by introducing Mr. F. W. Gaze, president of the board of trustees. Speaking on the work of the home, Mr. Gaze said that since its openingin 1593 sf)o children had passed through the institution. The number now being cared for was 65. Twenty years ago the removal from Remuera to the larger buildings and spacious grounds of the present home had taken place. The property was now free of debt, and still continued to graw under the supervision of a board representative of all Baptists. A large number of the present children attended the district school at Manurewa, where their scholastic and physical progress compared more than favourably with that of the other scholars. Advantage was taken of the spacious dining room in the home for the purpose of Sunday School work, but it was hoped in a few years, if there was no established Baptist Church anti school in the district, to meet the needs of the home with a small chapel in the grounds. A short speech was also given by Mr. \\‘. R. Ellingliam. Hymns and songs sung by the elder children were much appreciated. BIBLE CLASS RALLY The principal event yesterday was the united Bible Class rally, held in the Tabernacle. Special services were also conducted in city and suburban Baptist churches. At the rally the singing was led by Mr. L. A. North. A short address on the results of the Bible Class movement was given by the Rev. H. E. Edridge, of Caversham, Dunedin. Several missionaries ou furlough and representative presidents of the Young Men’s and Women’s Bible Classes were also on the platform. On Saturday morning the ministers attending the conference met at the Baptist Tabernacle, where the Rev. Thomas Weston spoke on “The Minister’s Aim.” In the evening the Tabernacle chorus choir, led by Mr. Arthur E. Wilson, gave a musical festival in the Tabernacle, there being a large attendance. The conference will continue until Thursday evening, when a special communion service will be held. ARE THEY REAL? SIN, DISEASE, DEATH CHRISTIAN SCIENCE SERMON “Are sin, disease, and death real?” was the subject of the lesson-sermon in First Church of Christ, Scientist, yesterday. The Golden Text was from Proverbs 12:28, “In the way of righteousness is life; and in the pathway thereof there is no death.” Among the citations which comprised the lesson-sermon was the following from the Bible: “It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.” (John 6:63). The lesson-sermon also included the following passage from the Christian Science textbook, “Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures,” by Mary Baker Eddy:—"ln the Gospel of John it is declared that all things were made through the word of God.” Everything good or worthy God made. Whatever is valueless or baneful, He did not make —hence its unreality.” (p. 525). ADVANCE OF SCIENCE MEN, SLAVES OR MASTEES? Advances made in various branches of science were dealt with by Mr. R. F. Way in a lecture in the Majestic Theatre last evening, under the auspices of the New Zealand Rationalist Association. War had already ceased to be a liand-to-hand conflict, and had become a murderous possibility of obliterating the inhabitants of whole countries with air-borne poison gases, said Mr. Way. The fight against disease germs had been successful, and in time to come disease would be entirely eradicated. As a result, man’s life, already lengthened by many years, would be terminated only by old age or accident. Machines were taking the place of labour the world over, and the question of the future would be whether men were to be the slaves of machines or whether machines were to be used in the service of man, to shorten his hours of labour and add to his wellbeing and happiness. In the near future the development of wireless would further revolutionise the world. All over the world today scientists were working in an international brotherhood. Before their magic wand geographical boundaries would be swept away, distance annihilated, and the fervent wish of Robbie Burns consummated, “That man to man the world o’er, shall brithers be for a’ that/* The film “Metropolis” was screened.