C.E.M.S.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16465, 29 June 1921, Page 4

C.E.M.S.

REVIVAL OF ITS WORK. At the Canterbury Diocesan Conference of thv Church of England Men’s Society, held on the first of tho present month, tho question of reviving the society’s work in Canterbury was discussed, and a committee consisting of the Revs J. R. Hew land. C. A. Fraer, J. Young and 0. Fitzgerald, and Messrs C. N. Forrest, F. Hitchcock and O. H. Clibborn was set up to consider the matter and report on it at an adjourned meeting of the conference. This adjourned meeting was held in tho board room at Christ’s College last evening. Bishop Julius presided, and there was a good attendance of delegates. The committee, in the course of its report, stated that it felt strongly that a deepening of the spiritual life of individual members must precode and would include all else. As a first stop in this direction it waa recommended that arrangements should bo made for a. ‘‘renewal of membership” service for all branches in the diocese at the earliest possible date, preferably at a united central service in Christchurch for North Canterbury, a.nd at a similar service in Timaru for South Canterbury. .The committee also recommended that an endeavour should be made to establish and maintain a prayer meeting once a week at some central pla.ee. The committee felt that some specific work must be adopted to insure a more definite aim and some continuity of action, and considered that no better choice could be mado than that of social and religious work among boys and men. In this direction the committee recommended t hat members of the society should support Bible class work in every possible way. With regard to general social service work, the committee recommended that the executive should ;um at securing C.E.M.S. action and opinion °, n outstandmg social subjects, ana MiouJd take steps to secure C.E.M.S. representation on all social service, cmircii or local government bodies, and that the society should strive to be the voice of the men of the Church on all social service matters. Urgent steps wore necessary to retrieve the financial m^ 10D V of a ‘otal asßosamont, of £lB6 f or the two years endpald £13 y 9 ~! 9 E- tho. had W 6d - ~ eaTlnC >" unpaid balance on May 31 last of £46 12s 6d. in© committee recommended that should 6 ! tha \ '? d£Ttook contribute Sked *,? P a >' tho amounts on ing, that a, collection should he taken up at the proposed “ renewal of tSTt P .u“ r V Cei to holp to redueo the deficit; that the position and needs of the immigration uork and its vital nf a ;nd tf Vl "houlrl he made the snbject of individual appeal in tho different parishes, and steps should be taken to acquaint church people generally with the work that was being done. The committee had examined the affairs of 1 - b 2’r. nn d was satisfied as to its desirability and soundness as an asset and urged tho conference to support and extend its activities in the service of the f hutch. Tho work of tho socicty in military camps had been ron?itiered by the committee, and as there was a prospect of its becoming an extensive Hiid permanent work, requiring the services of a paid officer, the commjttee recommended that the society should endeavour to provide helpers in rotation to assist the permanent officer of the Regimental Institute at times of special activity when troops were in camp. Tho thanks and appreciation of members were due to Brothers .T <\ Adams and C. M. Straehey tor their devoted and self-sacrificing work in the. institutes at Expeditionary force and Territorial camps. Any credit the society received for this work was due entirely to their efforts. The recommendation of the committee that the society should assist Bible class work in every way was discussed at. some length. Various speakers deplored the fact that Bible class work had been neglected in the Anglican Church as compared with the Presbvteriun Church. The importance of Bible cfas-i work was stressed, and also the need for men to undertake it. The various recommendations made bv the committee were adopted and the following were elected to a provisional diocesan, executive:—Revs J. R. Hew-Tu-nd, S. Parr. O. Fitzgerald, and Messrs E. Hitchcock and O. H. Clibborn. Timaru a.nd Ashburton are to be asked to appoint one member each to this executive.