CHRISTIAN ENDEAVOUR MEETING.

Western Star, 20 May 1904, Page 3

CHRISTIAN ENDEAVOUR MEETING.

On Wednesday evening a meeting of representatives from the various churches was held in the Wesleyan Church with a view to ascertaining the practicability or otherwise of starting a United Christian Endeavour Society in Biverton. The meeting was presided over by Mr John Beid, 8.A., of Dunedin, who, in the course of an eloquent address, ably demonstrated the utility of the Christian Endeavour movement. The churches these days were, ho said, dying of dry rot. Their methods of working were antiquated. They needed organising and bringing up-to-date. There were latent possibilities in every congregation which, under the present system, were going to waste. The C.E. Society made such a condition of things impossible. A church possessed of a vigorous C.E. Society was a church in which every member was given something to do, and was no longer the reproach it once was—a one-man concern. After clearly outlining the work of the various committees and dealing at some length with the pledge-card, the speaker concluded by exhorting those present to pray for an out-pouring of the Holy Spirit. Without this, all organising and co-operating would be in vain. A C.E. Society or a church without the Holy Ghost was simply an elaborate piece of mechanism—devoid of motive power to make it go. In response to an invitation from the speaker, various gentlemen gave expression to their opinions on the matter, and after some discussion it was decided not to attempt to inaugurate the movement at the present time. Many valuable hints thrown out by the speaker it was felt might be made use of. Outlook and Sunshine Committees could with advantage be formed in connection with the various churches ; but.the small number of young people in Biverton to whom the movement had appealed in the pasc did not warrant, in the opinion of those present, the setting aside of the weekly devotional meeting, and therefore it was decided to work on the "Id lines, and to make the best of things as they were. A hearty vote of thanks to Mr Beid for his kind and helpful address, and prayer and the Benediction concluded the meeting.