THE PRESBYTERIAN ASSEMBLY.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 11709, 8 November 1905, Page 7

THE PRESBYTERIAN ASSEMBLY.

Arrangements for the Auckland Sitting.

(Special to Herald. — By Telegraph.) AUCKLAND, November 7. To-morrow evening the general assembly of the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand will commence its' sitting in Auckland. The business this year is not expected to be of unusual interest. According to the Auckland Star, it is intended to make a special feature of the John Knox quatercentenary, which occurs on Friday. 10th, and will be celebrated with a gathering in the Choral Hall, under the presidency of the Right Rev. David Borrie (Moderator of the General Assembly). Particulars of the celebration have been already announced. The general assembly will meet in St. Andrew's Church on Wednesday evening, when ths retiring moderator (the Right Rev. Robert Erwin, D.D., Knox, Christchxirch) will deliver a eermon. uusiness will commence on Thursday, when the assembly will meat in St. Andrew's Hall at 10 a.m. The business sittings, which are to be resumed on Monday, will probably continue until Thursday morning, the sessions being held in* St. Andrew's Hall from 10 till 1, and evening meetings in the adjoining church from 7 till 10-p-.m. An interesting annual report from the standing committee upon the state- of religion will probably be discussed on Tuesday, while foreign: Thissions will ' also probably ba discussed, and after the assembly opens delegates will be entertained at lunch each day by Auckland Presbyterians, and the ladies of the Presbyterian Women's Missionary Union will entertain the delegates at tea on Friday in St., David's Hall. This will be preceded by a short recital on the new organ at St. David's Church by Mr G. Harold Hardy. On Saturday the delegates, with their hosts and hostesses, elders and managers of the Auckland city and suburban Presbyterian churches, and the ladie3 who attend, tho Missionary Conference, will enjoy three hours' cruise in the harbour and amongst the island of the gulf, upon tho invitation .of Mr Thomas Peacock. The invitations are expected to exceed 500 in number. A special committee will be appointed this w:ek to arrange for filling the pulpits of the Auckland Nonconformist churches with southern ministers attending the assembly. Simultaneously with the assembly, a conference of ladies from all parts, of the colony will take place to consider foreign missionary work amongst, women. There are lady missionaries in New Hebrides. Canton, and Madras, and great interest in the movement is being taken by the women 'of the colonial Presbyterian churches. The conference will be under the presidency of Mrs Gray Dixon, the wife of the Rev. W. Gray Dixon, M.A., and president of the Auckland branch of the - Presbyterian Women's Missionary union, and opens at St. David's Church. Khyber Pass -Road, in the afternoon of to-morrow. ■ ■ A conference for the deepening of spiritual life will take place in St. Andrew's Hall on Thursday afternoon, the Rev. A. Erwin, D.D., presiding. A sabbath schools demonstration will take place in the Choral Hall on Monday evening, and a bible class demonstration on the following Thursday evening in St. Andrew's Hall. The clerk to the assembly J3 as heretofore, the Rev. David Sidey, D.D.. and the arrangements for the gatherings have been made by a committee, of whick the Rev. W. Gray Dixon was chairman. When the assembly meets a committee will be set up to regulate the order of business.