C.E.M.S. CONFERENCE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 10926, 15 November 1913, Page 5

C.E.M.S. CONFERENCE.

A conference of the members of the Church of England' Men's Societv was held on Thursday and Friday in the Y.M.C.A. Buildings. - In the absence of the Bishop, who through ill-health was unable to bo present, Mr H. A. Andrews took the chair, and moved a resolution regretting the absence of the Bishop and expressing the sympathy of the conference. Mr-Stoning proposed the following ; resolutions, which were, after discussion, carried:—(l) That a conference of ■ the .C.E.M.S. in the diocese of Christchurch be. held annually. (2) That the Diocesan Union shall in fu- '. ture be elected annually at the annual conference, and shall consist of the Lord Bishop of the Diocese (ex-officio), three clergy and eight laymen. (3) That the Union shall meet in March, June and September, and at such' other times and places as the executive may deem necessary. (4)- That the Union be asked to draw up a provisional constitution for the Society in this diocese, and to present the Fame for 'adoption at the Diocesan Conference of 191-1, having previously submitted it to the branches for consideration, at least four months before the conference. At 9 p.m. the members adjourned to the Cathedral, when the Bishop of Kelson addressed them. On Friday after corporate communion in the Qfc'hedral, the conference again met, whrh the executive was elected—namely, the Bishop, Canons Sedgwick and Bean and the Rev H. W. Mon•ghan, (clergy) and Messrs Adams, Andrews, Bannehr, Gelling, Parr. Sirtipron and Sterling and Watt (laity). The enbjects taken for consideration were . "Aggressive Work of the C.E.M.5.," "Bible Study," '-'Mission Study" ind '" Prayer." In connection with the Bible study, the' following resolution was carried : "That the Christchurch Diocesan Conference of the C.JS.M.S. pledges itself to loyally and whole-heartedly support ■the Bible in State Schools League and Ub request for a. referendum on the system known as the Australian system, and respectfully asks that a copy of this resolution be sent to the Prime Minister and to the members of Parliament for Westland and Canterbaxy,"