Business Sessions at The 1962 Brisbane Conference

Four main business meetings covering a wide range of ecclesial activity were held during the Conference. A notable feature was the Christlike spirit in which different points of view were discussed. There was general acceptance of the prin­ciple that, except regarding matters of fundamental doctrine, members and eccles­ias are entitled to hold differing views in regard to ways of preaching the truth, the conduct of Sunday Schools, and in their approach to the organisation and conduct of the ecclesias. It was apparent that the minority were happy to accept the ruling of the majority without bitterness.

Although ecclesias are not bound to ac­cept all or any of the decisions made at Conferences it was most obvious that most of them appreciated the opportunity pro­vided by the Conference to discuss the underlying principles of truth in relation to their problem with members of other ecclesias. When this discussion is entered into with correct motives and in the right spirit it is of considerable benefit to those who partcipate.

Tuesday, 9th May, may be regarded as a “business day” at the Conference. The Australasian Christadelphian Bible Mission occupied the morning’s discussion, the Cen­tral Standing Committee meeting was held in the afternoon and the Sunday School Union had their meeting at night.

Bible Mission

A detailed report and draft constitution were submitted by the Provisional Com­mittee for consideration by the meeting. The Provisional Committee was formed in July 1961 by the Central Standing Com­mittee when their investigations indicated that most Australian ecclesias favoured the setting up of an Australasian Christadel­phian Bible Mission. It was agreed that the object of the Mission is to assume the res­ponsibility, in collaboration with the Chris­tadelphian Bible Mission of Great Britain, for Mission activities in the Pacific area and countries adjacent to Australasia, or else­where as determined.

Recent private visits to the Philippines and elsewhere, have forcibly demonstrated that the field is white to harvest. The Com­mittee has also been encouraged by the vol­ume of goodwill towards the Mission by ecclesias and individual brethren and sisters. The offers to assist, both materially and in regard to seeking and accepting field work duties have been very pleasing. A total of 1 , 182-12-1 1 had been donated for Mis­sion work up to the 1st May, 1962.

The draft constitution was adopted with a few minor amendments. Briefly summar­ized the constitution provides for the Mis­sion to be controlled by the Australian Brotherhood in the following way.

Each ecclesia may appoint one delegate to a Regional Committee within each geo­graphical region conforming roughly to the State boundaries in Australia and to the North and South Islands in New Zealand. Each Regional Committee may appoint up to three of its members to the General Committee and the General Committee will thus be composed of up to three members from each State of Australia and both islands of New Zealand. The General Committee willfi add to its numbers by ap­pointing two eld workers. It shall also appoint an Executive Committee of three from its own ranks and for convenience of administration the Executive Committee shall be located in the one region.

The General Committee shall determine policy, projects and activities to be under­taken by the Mission and the Executive Committee shall carry out their directives.

Undoubtedly a vast field of work awaits the Mission; its success depends on the blessing of our Heavenly Father, the willing­ness of brethren and sisters to reside for short or long periods in these near eastern countries and the financial support of the Brotherhood in Australasia.

Central Standing Committee

Thirty-six Australian ecclesias are now associated with this body and in his report to the Conference the chairman of the Com­mittee said, “It’ is believed that the Central Standing Committee performs a constructive background function for the brother­hood by a service which is neither obtrusive nor authoritative. We all, no doubt, feel that it should continue to function in this manner, to render a quiet but positive ser­vice to the Body of Christ.”

In addition to their normal functions of printing and stocking literature, pins, brooches and wineglasses for sale, the Com­mittee is currently negotiating with the authorities regarding registration of breth­ren to officiate at marriages when the new Commonwealth Marriage Act becomes operative. It was also responsible for arranging the recent Australasian tour of Brother and Sister Winter-Moore which has been so much appreciated by us all.

Among the interesting items discussed at the C.S.C. meeting was a proposal to sup­ply Christadelphian identification discs for use on motor vehicles and a request from the 1963 Sydney Youth Conference Com­mittee for assistance in arranging for a suit­able brother from England to help the young people in their Conference Studies.

Sunday School Union

The report to the Conference from the Union executive discloses that 36 Sunday Schools in Australia are associated with the Sunday School Union. There are 15 in New South Wales, 7 in Queensland, 6 in Vic­toria, 5 in South Australia, 2 in Western Australia and I in Tasmania. It was espec­ially mentioned that affiliation with other Christadelphian Sunday Schools in Australia would be welcomed.

The five year course now in its last year will be recommenced next year with the series “The Creation to Sinai” and the notes are being completely revised by a special committee who are taking into consideration the comments, criticisms and helpful sug­gestions which have been received during the last five years.

Six additional divisions have been crea­ted and in future scholars will compete with those of their own age as there is now a separate division for each year from 5 years old upwards on a calendar year basis. The extra divisions will provide extra Union Prizes and this will add to the incentive now that such large numbers do the examination each year.

In the open session there was some dis­cussion about the lessons and notes. Also an overwhelming majority passed a resolu­tion asking the Union Executive to reverse their decision to abolish the Baptized Division. This was after it had been ex­plained to the meeting that elimination of this division would be likely to have detri­mental repercussions in at least one of the larger Sunday Schools where attendance of baptized scholars is encouraged as setting a good example to the rest of the School.

The problems and benefits derived from teaching children whose parents are not Christadelphians were discussed and many interesting experiences were related. These indicated an enormous field of potential converts from this field of service.

General Business Session

This meeting was held on Thursday evening, 11th May, and the interesting matters discussed included the following:

Standard Questions for Candidates for Baptism.

A proposal in this regard was dis­cussed at some length but it was apparent that most ecclesias consider that the Con­fession of Faith made prior to baptism should not be permitted to become a series of answers to predetermined questions which could be learned “parrot fashion”; instead it should be a statement of a per­son’s convictions and understanding of the Gospel Message. It should not be conduc­ted in a predetermined fashion but varied to suit the particular background and tempera­ment of each applicant and should enable the applicant to demonstrate his or her understanding of the scriptures and their state of mind in regard to the decision to seek immersion.

Segregation of Baptized and Non-Bap­tized at Memorial Meetings.

It was pro­posed that as the Lord’s Supper is only for those in Christ the presence of others in the midst of the members is contrary to the principles and practices of the Truth. How­ever it was pointed out in the discussion that the circumstances of each ecclesia in regard to the hall used for Memorial Ser­vices vary considerably and the real dis­tinction is in regard to the partaking of the emblems. Although the presence of chil­dren and others not in Christ among the members presents problems in regard to dispensing the bread and wine these prob­lems can only be dealt with by each ecclesia in the light of their own circumstances. The proposition was lost.

Unleavened Bread.

The type of bread and wine to be used at Memorial Services is often discussed and there are many varying views in regard to it. The meeting unanim­ously carried the following resolution. “That as there is no scriptural command or man­date as to the kind of bread to be partaken of at the Lord’s Supper, this Conference does not support the action of any Brother or Sister who refrains from fellowshipping ecclesias who use either leavened or un­leavend bread at the Lord’s Table.”

Private Visits to Country Ecclesias.

It was also unanimously resolved “That the Brotherhood in general be requested to organise better their private visits to Country Districts where there is an ecclesia, or brethren, advising dates of visit, willing­ness to lecture or otherwise, so that a Hall may be engaged and the lecture advertised”. In regard to country ecclesias and those in isolation a motion was also passed asking ecclesias to consider the establishment of state committees along the lines of the Christadelphian Isolation League to organ­ize visits and provide as much help as pos­sible to these smaller groups.

Military Service.

The meeting unanim­ously reaffirmed the Christadelphian objec­tion to all forms of Naval, Military and Air Force service both combatant and non­combatant, and resolved to notify the Prime Minister accordingly.

Jury Service.

Many brethren stated their conviction that Christadelphians should not participate in Jury Service and the Confer­ence was reminded of a resolution to this effect which was adopted at the 1956 Conference.

A resolution proposing that efforts be made to have State Governments provide exemption from Jury Service for Christa­delphians was narrowly defeated on the grounds that these provisions already exist in some States and there is no evidence of real difficulty in obtaining exemption in the other States.

Next Conference.

An invitation from the Adelaide, Cumberland, Enfield and Wood­ville ecclesias for the 1964 Conference to be held in Adelaide, God willing, was accepted.

Appreciation was expressed to the Con­ference Secretary and the Committees and workers involved in preparing and conduct­ing such a happy and profitable 1962 Conference in Brisbane.