DRUID ORDER’S POSITION

Taranaki Daily News, 14 September 1934, Page 6

DRUID ORDER’S POSITION

VISIT OF GRAND OFFICERS. PROGRESS DESCRIBED AT ELTHAM. Two officers of the Grand Lodge, Bro. Lethaby, Grand President, and Bro. J. Laughton, Grand Secretary, were present at a special meeting of the Eltham Druids’ Lodge this week. The visitors, who were accompanied by D.P. Bro. Goad, were welcomed by Bro. Garter, A.D., and Bro. Drabble, secretary, who expressed pleasure at receiving two such distinguished’ representatives of the Druid order. Bro. Lethaby traced Jhe history of the movement in New Zealand since it broke away from the Victorian constitution 38 years ago. Then the society had but 500 members and 11 lodges with a very small capital. To-day the society possessed 18,000 members and had built up reserves amounting to £707,000. The sick and funeral fund, after making heavy disbursements, had increased by £31,000 according to the last balancesheet, making a total of £65,000. The 1926 valuation showed a deficit of £13,000 in this fund, and it was a creditable achievement to have converted this into a surplus of £65,000 in so short a period. The board had helped old-age and unemployed members and it was hoped at the next valuation to further reduce the limit age of paying dues. The present value of the death benefit' fund was £130,000. The Australasian colonies contained over one-third the total number of Druids in the world, and the North Island society, held one-fifth of the total Druiu. finance in the world. Bro. Laughton explained the method of the trustees in investing the funds and said that of the four strenuous years the past had been the worst experienced by the society. Various societies had adopted the method of making a new member eligible for sick pay as from initiation, and the Druias’ Board had also instituted this procedure, but the speaker held that no society could afford to continue this policy. The present system of medical examination in connection with admission to lodges might require tightening up, and this aspect was to be given consideration by the combined friendly societies’, council. On the motion of Bro. Drabble,- a hearty vote of thanks was accorded the visiting officers for their remarks. The Grand Secretary congratulated Bro. Drabble on the efficiency of his secretarial work. Supper was served under the supervision of Sister Williams. “GROWTH IN CHRISTIAN LIFE.” PRESBYTERIAN ’MINISTER SPEAKS. “Growth in the Christian Life” was the subject on which the Rev. J. Paterson, M.A. (Wanganui), addressed the congregation at % St. Andrew’s Church, Stratford, on Wednesday night. The service was . one of a series of mission week services which commenced on Sunday night. Mr. Paterson conducted another service last night, and will conclude his mission to-day with an address to the P.W.M.U. at 2.45 p.m. and an evening service at 7.45, preceded by anthems from the choir which will , commence at 7.30. “It is not sufficient to accept Christ as the Saviour and to be bom again for we must, grow into the full stature of manhood and womanhood in Christ,” Mr. Paterson said. “There is no one fixed recipe for such spiritual growth but three means are necessary and given to us all.” . f The first, he continued, was the use or God’s word. There were various ways of studying the Bible. It could be studied as a collection of historical records or as a textbook of theories and ideas, but it should be used humbly and prayerfully,, as a means of hearing God speak to the minds and hearts of people. If that were done the Bible would speak directly and with authority, for through its words God’s spirit would group and master the spirits of the students. The second means was prayer; no scientific theory could disprove that God did answer prayer for centuries of authentic experience vouched for it. “We live in a plastic universe where our human efforts can co-operate with God in shaping, for instance, animal and plant life,” Mr. Paterson said. “God has put us in a world where our human wills are used to carry out his Divine purposes to fulfilment, and one of the means of our co-operation is prayer a stewardship and a power placed in our hands for effective use.” The last great source of spiritual growth was the indwelling Holy Spirit that Christ gave to those who had faith in Him and who surrendered their lives to His guidance. People were not meant to live the Christian life in their own strength. Christ came to them and dwelt within by His Spirit. The weakness of the Church was due to their dependance on their own resources and methods instead of surrounding themselves to the organs of the Divine Spirit working in and through them the purposes of the Divine love. RATAPIKO TENNIS CLUB. SUCCESSFUL YEAR REPORTED. The annual meeting of the Ratapiko Tennis Club was held in the hall on Friday mght, when the president, Mr. J. Lepper, presided over a good attendance. .1 A report on the year’s work showed the club to be in a. sound financial position. .1 The courts were free of debt and the club had a Credit balance of £l2 9s, the report mentioned. The splendid cooperation of the members, in that they had been able in such a short period to clear off the debt on the courts, was referred to. During the past season over

£166 passed through the club’s account. Friendly matches had been played with clubs from the surrounding districts, Ratapiko club winning seven and losing five. The competition for places on the ladder was keenly contested. During the past eason the club had 35 members, all of whom were financial. In March the club lost three staunch members, Mr. W. B. Martin, the president, Mrs. Mar-

tin and the club captain, Mr. Archie Martin, owing to their, departure, from the Ratapiko district. The following officials were elected:— President, Mr. J. Lepper; vice-president, Mr. J. Wells; secretary, Mr. D. Corbett; club committee, Mesdames Wells, Lepper and Corbett. Messrs. J. Lepper, JWells, R. Therkleson. G. Linklater, DTherklelson, W. Wells and B. Martin;

club captain. Mr- Roy Therkleson; match committee, Messrs- R- Therkleson, W. Wells qnd D, Corbett. ' ? Ten members were elected. Arrangements for opening day were left for the committee to ' decide. The club again decided to make the court? available for the school children. R was also decided to have a volley board erected ,qt an early date. i.