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The Spike or Victoria College Review, June 1903

Christian Union Notes

page 27

Christian Union Notes.

At the Convention and Summer-school of the A.S.C.U., held at Wollongong N.S.W., January 4-11, our Union was represented by a member of the executive. This year a Summer-school will be held in New Zealand, and we hope every member of the executive and many other students of Victoria College will be able to attend. A handbook for the use of students was issued at the opening of the session by the Union, and early in the year the members gave a very enjoyable social for the purpose of welcoming new students to the College.

April 18.

Professor MacKenzie delivered an interesting address on "Religious Indifference." The Union is greatly indebted to Professor Mackenzie for the willing help he has given on so many occasions.

April 24.

Mr. Mott, general secretary of the world wide student movement, arrived in Wellington. He was publicly welcomed by the Mayor on behalf of the citizens of Wellington, and afterwards addressed members of the Union in the Y.M.C.A. lecture room. Keen and practised in Christian Union work, he quickly detected weak spots in our Union, and gave a number of conditions under which a strong union might be built up.

Briefly, these are as follows:—

1.Members must energetically cultivate the society of non-members.
2.The membership should include students from all branches of college life; the union should be broad enough to include as associate members all right-minded students whatever their creed or beliefs.
3.Leaders should be students of strength and influence. A good leader takes account of all the facts and puts his best into the Union.
4.A strong Union has a definite, comprehensive, and progressive policy.page 28
5.The Union must be thoroughly organised, so that work is distributed most advantageously among the active members.
6.The pervading purpose of a true Christian Union is to lead students to become disciples of Jesus Christ.
7.Bible study is made a principle department of every powerful Union, "Out of nothing something cannot come."
8.A strong Union must have a strong missionary object.
9.Lastly, and most important of all, prayer must be made a prominent feature of work in a Union.

At 4 o'clock Mr. Mott addressed the women of the University, together with the staff and senior pupils of the Girls' High School, on "Christianity, Real and False." At 6 o'clock the men students were addressed on the subject, "Temptations of Students in all Lands," after which lecture Mr. Mott left by the "Rotomahana" for Christchurch and Dunedin. The first Missionary Conference of the students of New Zealand was held in Christchurch on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday of the first week in May, when 318 students met together to consider the problem of evangelisation. Eleven delegates were present from Victoria College. After our return from the conference we were able to welcome Mr. Mott to Victoria College once more. He left many pressing duties to give us an address which will always live in the memory of those who heard it—" Why an Increasing Proportion of Students throughout the World are Becoming Christians."

The first Mission Study class was held in connection with V.C.C.U. on Saturday, May 30. This class meets fortnightly on Saturday evenings from 7.15 to 7.55, and all students are heartily invited to join.

May 16.

Professor von Zedlitz gave an address on Martin Luther, as the Rev. Mr. Sprott was unable to be present on that date. Our thanks are due to Professor von Zedlitz for consenting at so short notice to help us out of a difficulty. "A Friend in Need is a Friend Indeed."

April 30.

Rev. Newman Hall gave an address on the preenainende of Christ, in which he showed that, while many other characters in history have been eminent, the character of Christ was pre-eminent.

The men's Bible Class meets on Thursday evenings, and the women's on Wednesday evenings. In both classes the course of study for this year is the life of St. Paul.

We have now the first books of the large C.U. library of future days. These books, which were ordered by the delegates who attended the conference at Christchurch, will shortly be placed in the library for the use of all students,

page 29
Professor Mackenzie.

Professor Mackenzie.