TRAINING OF LEADERS PRESBYTERIAN YOUTH WORK

Wanganui Chronicle, 1 November 1946, Page 7

TRAINING OF LEADERS PRESBYTERIAN YOUTH WORK

A warm tribute to the work of chaplains overseas was paid by the Rev. Stuart. C. Francis (Christchurch>, convenor of the youth committee, when moving at the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Wanganui yesterday that the committee's report be adopted. He added that youth work and the training of leaders was most, important to the life of the Church in New Zealand.

The chaplains had done splendid work overseas and the fruit of this was to be seen in the number of older men taking up Bible Class work on their return to New Zealand, said Mr. Francis In one case the leader of a revived Bible class was a returned soldier who had been a prisoner of war and he had with him six other returned men. All were training for leadership. Much of this was the result of fine work done in schools established overseas for servicemen. Mr. Francis emphasised that leadership was a most important aspect of the work of the church. Last year schools for workers, camps and conferences were held. The work was bearing fruit already and would reap a rich harvest in the years to come. Lack of sufficient staff, however, had created a difficult problem. Last year the objective of five field workers was reduced to two and some of the work planned could not be carried out. The committee had experienced a very busy year, however, and anpreciated the help given throughout New Zealand.

Youth occupied a place of strategic importance in the life of the Church, said the Rev. A D. Robertson (Christchurch), seconding the adoption of the report. Mr. Francis later paid a tribute to Dr. J. D. Salmond, Director of Youth Work, describing him as one of the most influential members of the assembly and one of the greatest figures in the Church to-day. He was regarded as a leader of Christian education in New Zealand.

Statistics from the report showed a general increase of 74 more Sunday schools. 98 more teachers, and 1265 more children. On the Bible class side there were 98 more classes and 821 more members (473 men and 348 women). “Of those in Bible classes, grouping by ages shows 1381 under 14. 4168 14 to 16, 3110 16 to 18, and 3007 over 18. There is a decided increase in the number of senior men in classes—397 more than in 1945,” the report added.