As the result of a well attended meeting at the Chamber of Commerce Room, Yuenmingyuen Road, on Tuesday afternoon it was decided to proceed with the project of the formation of a Scottish Presbyterian Church of Shanghai. Mr. C, M. Bain presided, supported by W. E. Souter. The chairman said in part:—
I feel highly honoured in being asked tto take the chair this evening, as this meeting—and the signatures received in answer to the circular letter sent out some weeks ago—may be historic in the annals of Skanghai- The formation of a Scottish church in Shanghai is no new scheme but has been long talked of. It is an undoubted fact, that among the ever-growing population of this settlement, there is to-day a very large number of Scotch Presbyterians, as well as Presbyterians of other lands, who would welcome a church of the type to which they had been accustomed la the homeland.
There is also a need of church extension in this settlement and particularly felt by people residing in the western district and the French Concession, and those of us interested in the-promoting of this scheme, feel sure. that without detracting from. the useful work of existing churches in this place, there is room for another church in a district not at present provided ior. At the same time we have the children for whom provision of this kind should be made and for whom we are bound to care.
In a venture of this kind we naturally look for the support of individuals interested in it, but in the initial stages we must turn attention more particular-Jy to the business firms here who employ large staffs. There are quite a number such as the Hongkong Bank, The Chartered Bank, Messrs. Jardine Matheson & Ca. and Butterfield © Swire. I mention these because their traditions are Scottish. Your committee could get into touch with the Joint Committees of the Church of Scotland and United Free Church of Scotland Wo have a precedent in that such 2 Committee is helping in the new Scottish Memorial Church for Jerusalem. By the time our scheme is fixed we might be attached to what will be the National Church of Scotland.
Mr. Souter remarked that there was a very strong feeling that they required a Presbyterian Church in Shanghai and he was glad to say that in practically every quarter he had met with' prontises of support. People had been _practically unanimous and those who had objected to the scheme had dono so in a half-hearted manner. They had had promises of support all round and_he urged those present to come forward in a like manner, for, he said, without such backing they could not go forward with the echeme-
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.