OPENING SESSION

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLV, Issue 21184, 3 November 1938, Page 11

OPENING SESSION

PRESBYTERIAN ASSEMBLY By Tele; aph—Press Association DUNEDIN, November 2. The inaugural session of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand was held this evening, the function taking the form of a divine service conducted by the retiring Moderator (Rev. W. H. Howes). The main address was delivered by the incoming Moderator (Rev. T. E. Riddle), of the Presbyterian Missions in India. Mr Howes said that the eyes of the whole Presbyterian Church at the present time were on the Canton Centre of the Church’s missionary work in China. For many months past there had been a lot of anxiety for the safety of their workers in that field, but he was glad to be able to pass on to them that night the latest news from Canton received by cablegram only that afternoon by the Superintendent of Missions (Rev. George Budd). The message stated that all their workers were safe and at their posts. For that the entire church would be thankful, and he felt that they would all sincerely hope that Providence would finally bring the warring nations together in peace and amity. At home in New Zealand the year had been an eventful one. There had been many trials in the form of epidemics and diseases among man and beast, and just lately there had been the upheaval of the general election. He was not going to say anything about the political nature of that event, but he thought that there was cause for deep regret that there had been disclosed a backward trend in the temperance cause. The movement was not making progress, and it had been by small margins only that they had retained no-license in those areas which were not open to the licensed trade.