BAPTIST UNION CONFERENCE.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIIC, Issue 14321, 11 October 1910, Page 3

BAPTIST UNION CONFERENCE.

FITTING IN Dt'NEDEN. The -SUi annual conference o! the Baptise Union opened in Dunedm last Thursdav The Kev. R. H. Knov.des K»mptc» (Auckland., chairman, in the i-.-i-.n-.' of his address unci-' retereme 1.0 tin- Andi'-an initio,, and to the I'ac-t m' the' extraordinary attending the invai-iiipL. 'l'll'' pvaple of Darnell had dc-erled Hi.- theatres, am! the explanation lias that the uvea!

and women'of I'arneii had. found something better than theatres.

'J'he Rev. A. North d. piored the la-.-k of aspirant-, to the min.stry of their elnu'cli, wleeh he ei rtsidercd an indication of weakness. The Rev. .J. .1. N-.rth said that a tremendous change had eoaie c.v.-r the people in regard to charity and reverence and their knowledge of things spiritual. What was needed was thi*" orthodoxy should be uttered in modern speech, and in terms understand by the masses. Most of -Friday morning was g;ven up to the consideration of a new financial proposal, founded -an a scheme in vogue in Canada. This was pia-.-ed Lei..re the dc-1.-uatos bv .Mr W. JI. C;oi-iie. of Wellington, and -'t was decided to commend the consideration of the- scheme to the .-hiii-oh; s. The afi-u--nenn session was occupied -by the ,oeop-tii-n and disc'.'.-s.o:> of report; on .he Sunday si'-onls. A low" oi marks in the annual examination-; was explained by ih t - ue-t that grammar and spelling hat! been taken imo account. This practice was sirohiily depjvcat.d. At a la!-g--iv attended inertjng in the evenin-i adt'res-es were n'ven on the subject --The iiaoti-ts and their Contribution a. the "World's Prom-ess." three speakers dealing with the subject in relation to the oast, tile present, and the future respectively. At Saturday's 'session' district reports were read. The O'aco report showed an increase of membership and healthy organisation, aval stated that the Rev. J. TaR-'s itinerary had stimulated ims-iomirv enthusiasm. In the Wellington report speciaJ reference was madJ tii the work at Ohakunc. and the splendid work of the vinniu men of the North TsLuid Young '.Men's ISible Class Union in the erection of the church, paving their own raii fares and hoard and f.-e-lv giving labour. A eh-.mh costing iiwt)' had been erected at Hastings! and a mission hid I. the L'ift oi Mr AF Lasce.l--,. had also h-.-on opened two miles fi-.m Hastings. Other churches ha<l l v « n erected in the district, without union aid The Canterbury report mentioned that a il'reachors' Association, with the object of -systematic training of vonii;:. men for preaching, had boon sLaried by the auxiliary. Reference was also made to the splendid work of the Rev. R. S. Gray. A <ite for a chuivh bad been purchase:! .it St. Albans, and the nucleus of a building fund was already in hand. The church at Timaru has decided to ren.vv if .arrangements io work in r-oii-neetior- witli ihe Congregational Church for a further term, i * Aieklan.l report was also found to be highly satisfactory. At the same .-'tFng it fss decided to elect the executive cor.ii! ittee. by electing four from each centre, and then electing the remainder of tlic general committee, Yesterday tlio I'niou passed a vesolntion 0.-tpressing an earnest hope that the Gaming Foil before the House will be so amended ;,s to absolutely prohibit, under the heaviest penalties, the operations of bookmakers at all >..oe meetings ufid sports gatherings of any sort.