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The Spike or Victoria University College Review Silver Jubilee 1924

V.U.C.C.U. 1899-1924

page 70

V.U.C.C.U. 1899-1924

It may without undue pride be claimed that the Victoria College Christian Union is the oldest of the College Societies, for it was founded even before the inauguration of the College itself. In January 1899, Mr. W. H. Salmon of Yale University who was at that time travelling secretary for the Australasian Christian Unions, paid a visit to Wellington and presided over a preliminary meeting of intending students at Bishop's Court, when it was decided to form a Union in Victoria College.

Dr. John R. Mott—the father of the World's Student Christian Federation—visited Victoria College in 1903. He was specially impressed by the need for some organisation that would be of service to students in developing a balanced spiritual life in a University System that is officially purely intellectual. Keen and practised in C.U. work, and having an intimate knowledge of College life, he quickly detected the weak spots in our Union and with practical advice and personal leadership he did much towards founding the Union upon a sure and permanent basis. He emphasised the necessity for broadmindedness, the importance and power of the Bible Study Circles, and the challenge which a true Christain Union makes to all students to devote the whole of their lives to the service of Jesus Christ whether it be in College, in business, at home, or abroad.

The movement on the men's side never included the large bulk of the men students, but, particularly in the early days, had in its membership a large proportion of the leaders in student life—men like Gillanders, D. S. Smith, J. A. Ryburn, H. W. Monaghan, G. W. Morice, J. C. McDowall, T. Rigg and Burbidge acknowledged that the inspiration for unselfish social service which marked their careers at College was largely an expression of the idealism of the Student Christian movement. The V.U.C.C.U. has always been marked by keenness and intellectual vigour, especially in facing the religious difficulties of students. Perhaps the high standard of intellectual honesty demanded by the Professors, who, in the early days addressed the meetings, had a powerful moulding effect. Old syllabuses show that Union meetings were addressed by Professors Mackenzie, von Zedlitz, Easterfield, Kirk, Picken and Hunter. Probably if one Professor, more than another, has left a permanent impression upon the movement at V.U.C. it is Professor Picken. During the whole of the time that he spent at Victoria College he asserted emphatically that the Christian Student had a duty first to face out his own intellectual and religious difficulties and then secondly and just as imperatively he should try to understand the point of view of the Students who were opposed to the Christian programme. Hence it came about that when the Heretics Club was established the C.U. students especially exhibited their willingness to discuss with opponents the programme of the Kingdom of God.

The history of the Union might also be outlined in terms of the various Annual Conferences, particularly the ones held in the neighbouring districts—Trentham 1908; Marton 1909, to which Rigg, McDowall and Burbidge walked from Wellington; Waimate 1915 with its emphasis on the Holy Spirit expressing Himself in the lives of believers, dedicated to the Service of the Kingdom; page 71 and Cambridge, 1911, compelling attention to missions and social service, and so on. Woodville Conference 1913-14, at which the V.U.C. delegation included the Stracks, was another Conference which was due to have a profound effect on the Union at Victoria. However, the War came and the men's side had the greatest difficulty in carrying on because of the depletion in their numbers. Owing to this shortage of men the work of carrying on the activities of the Union fell a good deal to the women, but as a result of this period of greater responsibility the women's side of the Union gained a great deal in courage and independence of outlook. The women's side has always included some of the most capable women students and graduates in College. In addition to carrying on the work for the Union, several of them passed into the wider field of service in the whole New Zealand movement. Jessie Abernethy, Doris Gavin, Elsie Graham and Agnes Moncrieff, are all "Wikitorians" who have rendered service to the whole New Zealand Student Christian movement. In addition Winifred Griffiths, now Mrs. Ponsford, was sent to represent the women students of New Zealand as a worker in the Missionary Settlement for University Women at Bombay; Captain Annie Smyth, of the Salvation Army, returned to New Zealand last year after over 10 years mission work in Japan; Doris Gavin has represented New Zealand students by some years of service among India's Women students; and Agnes Moncrieff was sent by New Zealand to the W.S.C.F. Conference at Pekin in 1922.

Airini Pope has represented New Zealand at a European Conference held in Holland, while from the men's side, Norman Robertson has attended a European Student Relief Conference in Turnov, and, during 1924, Gordon Troup will be one of N.Z.'s delegates to another W.S.C.F. Conference, this time in England.

Besides the direct influence of Professors, Conferences, and the general moulding effect of the weekly Bible Study groups, the fortnightly general meetings, and the vocational studies, a small class held every Sunday morning should be mentioned. Led by Miss England, it has concerned itself with the study of Old Testament literature. It has been of immense value in helping many Christian student generations to a wider and deeper appreciation of the religious literature of an intensely religious race.

The study books in use from time to time are also indicative of some of the ruling ideas of the movement during the last 20 odd years. In the earlier days annotated lives were the regular study. Following on from them, social studies, such as "Discipleship" (Angus), "Jesus Christ and the Social Question" (Peabody), and Rauschenbusch's books reflected the social emphasis. "Christ's Message of the Kingdom" (Hogg) was a searching of the mystic elements of Christianity. Oldham's "Mark" brings us back to Bible Study in its simplest and often most difficult form. Then follow the Fosdick books such as "The Manhood of the Master," with their arresting appeal to practical personal problems. To-day, Sharman's "Jesus in the Records" holds the field, compelling men and women once again to study the Life at first-hand.

Looking back over the events of the past the writer cannot help feeling something of that wonderful human friendliness which has been so characteristic of the C.U. during the last 25 years, for by the coercive power of a common lofty aim, men and women of all creeds and denominations have been drawn together in page 72 the strongest bonds of Fellowship: "It was the C.U. which woke them up to Christianity as alive."

Many are the problems which the S.C.M. has had to face, and V.U.C.C.U. has taken its share in the work of the student community of New Zealand. In the spirit of a searcher endeavouring to find that "Wisdom is more than gold," our Union has, through Bible Study Circles, through Social Study Circles, through the study of such questions as Christianity and War, and by an honest and sincere effort to maintain and keep pure the highest ideals of our alma mater, ever sought the Truth and tried to follow it unwaveringly.