Page 6 - Preservation for the Documentation of Chinese Christianity

I . INTRODUCTION

The year under review started with deeply moving signs o f increasing
sympathy and understanding between the Roman Catholic and Protestant
churches, when during the Week o f Prayer fo r Church Unity, Catholic priests
attended the three united Services and representatives from Protestant
churches were welcomed at the special mass at the Roman Catholic Cathedral
and St. Theresa’ s, Kowloon.

But the fir s t impression of Hong Kong’ s church l i f e might w ell be of
almost bewildering variety and energy rather than ordered unity. The
contrast are striking. The intorudction of "beat" music into a church
service, which led to much correspondence in the English press, is o ffs e t
by a Service of Choral. Praise in co-operation with Chung Chi College, when
a ll o f the ten anthems sung were set to Chinese music. The e ffo rts to
serve people in th e ir need, through c lin ic , feeding-programme and social
welfare centre, are balanced by efforts to deepen the spiritu al l i f e , such
as the annual ’ Keswick’ in English and.the revival meetings, in Chinese, both
held during the summer. The churches, already committed to educational work
from primary to university leve l,a re now extending th eir effo rts into the
fie ld o f practical training o f which the new Kei Hip School at Wong Tai Sin,
operated by the Church o f Christ in China and the Holy Carpenter Centre in
Hung Horn, operated by Sheng Kung Hui, are examples.

The habit o f co-operation is growing and is presented here in two
groupings, not mutually exclusive and now, happily, on good terms. These
are fir s t , the Chinese Christian Churches Union, already f i f t y years old,
membership of which is on a congregational basis; and secondly, the Hong
Kong Christian Council, whose membership is by denomination. The Chinese
Christian Churches Union now represents 79 member-churches and o ffers
regular opportunities fo r discussion and join t action. The Hong Kong
Christian Council has a membership of nineteen major church denominations
and Christian organizations. These member church denominations represent
73% of the to ta l Protestant Church membership in Hong Kong which is
estimated to be 130,000 (adults) at the end o f 1964.

As a member o f the Division of World Mission & Evangelism, of the
World Council of Churches and the East Asia Christian Conference, the
Council aims at strangthening the lo ca l churches through united e ffo rts ,
promoting the ecumenical movement, and expressing common concern fo r the
needs o f society by concerted action. Since its purpose is to be an
association of denominations, i t cannot le g is la te fo r it s member churches,
nor act fo r them without specific request. Work of the Council is at
present being carried on by three Auxiliary Organizations, eight Standing
Committees and four Special Committees.

I I . OPPOSITION TO THE LEGALIZATION OF OFF-COURSE BETTING

During the year, an Advisory Committee on Gambling appointed by
Government has been studying the I a d visa b ility of legalizin g Off-course
Betting. Members o f the Council as w ell as many other agencies have
expressed th eir concern and opposition to this possible e v il. This matter
was brought up fo r discussion at the Council’ s Executive Committee October
meeting and it was unanimously voted that the Hon. English Secretary of
the Council should w rite a le tte r on behalf of the Council to the Chairman
o f the Advisory Committee on gambling p olicy registering our objection to
the legaliza tion o f Off-course betting. This was done and copies of that
le tte r with a Chinese translation were sent to Editors o f a ll leading
newspapers in Hong Kong and members of the Advisory Committee. At the
in vitation o f the Advisory Committee Rev. Paul J efferies, Rev. Loren E.
Noren and the Secretary attended it s meeting on Friday, 20th November, 1964
at 5:00 p.m. to present the reasons fo r our objection: a period o f question
and answer followed. We were assured that the Committee would consider our
views seriously before making a fin a l recommendation to Government.