WA Baptist Union 1901
BAPTIST UNION.
ANNUAL SESSIONS.
The West Australian
14 November, 1900 (p2)
Monday afternoon’s session of the Baptist Union commenced with reading of letters from churches. The Wagin church letter was read by its secretary, Mr. J. A. Richards, who praised the work of the Rev. F. H. Radford in founding the church, and the progress made under Mr. A. George, the home missionary in charge.
The church membership had increased by nine during the year, and now totalled, with present applications, 37. Active steps were being taken towards the erection of a church building.
The Perth church letter was read by its secretary, Mr. G. H. Cargeeg. The church, notwithstanding withdrawals during the year, was making substantial progress. The membership at present was 162. During the year some 55 had been transferred to no less than 12 churches in this and other colonies, while applications had been made by 55 to join, 54 being elected, thus the church had lost one. The additions were over one per week for the year, and the baptisms one per fortnight. The Sunday school had 13 teachers, exclusive of officers, and 145 scholars. The Christian Endeavour Society and the Open-air Band had rendered effective service. The amount raised during the year was £623 1s. 7d., which was an average of nearly £12 per week.
The South Perth letter was read by Mr. Walter Miller, and spoke highly of the work of the Rev. F. H. Radford in that suburb. A building was in course of erection, and the prospects of the work were of the brightest. The Christian Endeavour Society and the Sunday School were in a good condition.
The Narrogin letter was read by the Home Missionary, Mr. H. Horsey. A building was about to be started, a plan of which was at the gathering. The Daylerking letter was also read by Mr. Horsey.
The Katanning letter was read by Mr. Morris Beeck, and spoke highly of the work being done in that district. Two churches had been erected in the district during the year, that at Katanning costing nearly £600.
The Boulder City church’s report was, in the absence of their delegate, given by the Rev. J. Beck.
The Fremantle report was given by the secretary, Mr. S. H. Lamb. The church had seen troublous times, but now in their handsome edifice and a growing membership in church and Sunday School, their prospects were bright.
An encouraging report was presented by Rev. W. Kennedy, superintendent of the Great Southern Railway Home Mission, detailing the work being done in the agricultural districts, and speaking in the highest terms of praise of those who are associated with him in his work. An excellent report was also presented by Mr. John Woodrow, the secretary of the Home and Foreign Mission committee, showing that good work had been done by their committee during the past year.
The health of Miss Brown since her return from Bengal had much improved. Misses Wilton and Harris were in the Melbourne Training Home.
Students Curriculum.
The student’s curriculum of training for the Baptist Ministry was introduced by Mr. H. D. McCallum, and, after some discussion, a resolution was passed in favour of the subjects enumerated, as the curriculum for the first year of training for students for the ministry; other arrangements
to be made for the following years.
In connection with the above the following resolution was passed: “That this Union views with pleasure the prospect of the settlement in Perth of Rev. Silas Mead, M.A., LL.B., and trusts that the new council will take steps to arrange with him some means for the supervision of the education of Western Australian students for the Baptist ministry.”
Election of Officers.
The election of officers for the ensuing year resulted as follows: – President, Rev. A. S. Wilson; vice-president, Rev. J. Beck; treasurer Mr. G. H. Cargeeg; secretary. Rev. F. H. Radford; council, Messrs. R. Arnold, H. Hoare, W. J. Fist. J. Woodrow, W. Johns, J. Selby, S. H. Lamb, W. Miller, J. Gough, R.Harris, G. W. Whiting, and H. D. McCallum.
New Members.
The
requisite notice of one day was given in order that the following be admitted
as personal members of the Union: – Messrs. J. B. Ackland, John Fielding. and
George Dibden.
Affiliation with South Australia.
The matter of affiliation of the Baptist Union of Western Australia with the South Australian Baptist Union was introduced by Rev. A. S. Wilson, who delivered an effective speech on the subject. The following resolution was passed: ‘That this meeting recommends that the council open up negotiations with the South Australian Baptist Union (Incorporated) with the view to the
affiliation of this Union therewith and, provided that the preliminary arrangements
are sufficiently matured, that this resolution be regarded as notice of motion
empowering the annual meeting of 1901 to take decisive action on the question.”
In the discussion it was submitted that this was honed to be an initial step to
the federating of the Baptist Churches of Australia.
Proposed Change in Church Government.
The Rev.
F. H. Radford, the newly elected Secretary of the Union, submitted the
following resolution, which after discussion was carried with one dissentient
voice: “That we favour the consideration of a change of church policy for
the carrying on of Baptist work in Western
Australia, and the substitution of a modified connexionalism in place of the present method of Congregational Church government. We recommend that the council appoint, as early as possible, a committee of investigation for the guidance of the next half-yearly meetings.”
Visits of Revs. J. G. Greenough, M.A., and F. B. Meyer, B.A.
In connection with the visit next September to the jubilee of Baptist work in New Zealand of the President of the Free Church Council of Great Britain the following resolution was passed: “That the Baptist Union of Western Australia in annual meeting assembled, learning of the proposed visit of the Rev. J. G. Greenough, M.A., to these colonies next year, place before him their wish that he should spend some time in Western Australia en route.” A similar resolution was passed with reference to the visit of the Rev. F. B. Meyer, the President of the Baptist Ministers’ Union of Great Britain.
At 6 p.m. an adjournment was made for the public tea.
Twentieth Century Fund.
At 7.30 Mr. Charles Goode, of Adelaide, took the chair and, as arranged in the afternoon, introduced the question of the Twentieth Century Fund. The Baptists of Western Australia were asked, he said, to raise money not so much as a duty, but as gratitude to God for His past mercies. In an interesting manner he narrated the raising of various funds in South Australia.
The Rev. A. S. Wilson, after a brief and inspiriting speech, moved the following resolution, which was seconded by Mr. John Brown, and carried enthusiastically without a dissentient voice: “That this Union, as a token of gratitude to God for His blessing to us as a denomination during our five years’ history in Western Australia, attempt to raise during the first five years of the new century £500 per year, or £2.500 altogether, as a Twentieth Century Fund.
This fund to be divided as follows-£100 per year to the subsidisation of stipends for extension purposes, the balance of the amount, excepting donations given for specific objects, to be devoted to the establishment of a Baptist building fund for loan purposes.” The gathering took up the matter with enthusiasm, and the sum of £300 11s. for the first year was given by the gathering, no single donation being over £50. Few of those present extended their donations to the five years, but the amount promised for that term was £152. making £452 11s. in all, the only specific gift being £15 for a conveyance for Katanning Home Mission work.
The following subjects were dealt with: “Truth and Freedom,” by the Rev. J. Beck: and “Faith and Fullness,” by Pastor F. J. Miles, the speakers being heartily received by the audience. The Rev. F. H. Radford, whose subject was “Fervour and Fidelity,” explained that in view of the splendid interruption caused by the Twentieth Century Fund he would withhold his address.
A report of yesterday’s proceedings is unavoidably held over.
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