PRESBYTERY OF OTAGO.

The Presbytery commenced its half-yearly meeting on Weduefiiay lasbi» the First Church (D«.- BumsV). Tnere \veiepae3t.nt—ll«y L>. At. Steviait, Mdderutyr; L»r Bums. Ale-i>W Will, Baunevn a<F, Joiins'ODe, Todd. M'Nijol, fctoljo, and Une, miuistero; ana Me^rs A. Tola aud M'Alaster, elders.

ThemeetingLaving been constituted; by; the usual tJbii devotion il exercises, Mr Livingstone:gave, in com-, mission-irom Kirk Sespion of First Ohui-cb,DunediVi, appointing him their represeutativein the Eresbytery;; -, for the ensuing twelve months; Mr Jno. Griilie3, from *•* Knox Churcb~, Mr H.Clark, from Tokomairiro; and .l 0 Air Moms, from Port Chalmers. Their commissions' mi were sustained and their names added to the roll. - ra( On the motion of Mr Stewart, Mr Stobo, of Invercargill', was appointed moderator for the ensuing tv twelvemonths. . . '. fri ••' The minutes of previous meeting were read and a j s approved of. , " ';" - *tw THJ6 "WEST TAIERI CASE. O b The minute of last meeting anent the West Taieri th case having been read, and Messrs Gardner, Rennie, mi M'Derraiad aad Jieid, members of West Taieri coa- ca gregatiotts being present, and it. beiug considered ad- W visabie to ascertain from them the state of that cover gtegauou, they severally expressed :heir opinoas. ci it was then moved and seconded that the resigna •at tion of Mr Uric be not accepted. It was also moved A' and seconded that the Presbytery delay the eonsidera- sei tion of this case for six months, with the under-'., th stanling th.-t,if there be no further action on the part'1' ha of the congregation in favor of Mr Uric or against W him, the rtsiguation of Mr Uric and the memorial di now on tho tible from members and adherents be re- bo garded as withdrawn. It was further moved and an seconded that Mr Uric's resignation be accepted, and nc that Mr Uric be continuel a member of Presbytery th for two years It having been agreed that the second tli and third motions should be put against ea 'h other, he 8 voted for the second and 0 for the third. The fii second motion was then put against the fir»t, and 5 'hj voting for each (4 declining to vot j) the Moderator ti gave his cisting vote in lavor of the first motion, d< which was in consequent carried. al ,Dr Burns was appointed to preach at West Taieri p; on the fir^t Sabbath of January, to intimate the reso- ft lution c jme to in the matter or Mr tine's resignation, ai and to give such advice and encouragement to the bi congregation as he may deem it advis ible. U Messrs Johnstone, A. Todd, and M'Master were ai appuiute las assessors to West Taiei i. with instructions b to see to a speedy addition of the eldcship there, .ft Mr Todd imported that he had declared the vacancy o at Inche.iuthaaud Kaitangata, and Mr Stewart re- w ported that a site at Kaitaugita had been secured. o Mr Stewart reported that Mr Cameron, had' been fully employed during the pa t quarter, giving supply r to lncbalutha and in other parts of the troviuce. 0 He also gave in a report from Mr Brouard, missionary on gold.fields. ." M r Stuart reported that he had fulfilled his mission t to the north, preaching and dispensing the sacrament ] of the Lord's Supper at Hawkesbury and Goodwood. _ He gave notice that in .the evening iie would propose . that those places should be declared a ministerial charge. . ( Mr Reynolds presented the accounts of the sus- t tentatiou and other fuuds. The following are . abstracts: . i Sustentation Fund: Receipts, L 1,281 6s, made s up as follows :--Green I*iand (three amounts), L 53 17* ; First Church, L 177 Os 6d; Knox Church, Ll7ti 19s 4d; Tokomaiiiro, L 15 0; Invercargill, ( LUC Is; West Taieri, Ll'27 8i 61; East Taieri, 5 LL22 83 6J; Kiverton, L7U; Port Chalmers, L 67 J 2a fcdj Clutha (including 18s 2d for last halt ( ye^r), Ll3B Os 8d; Waihola, L 52 Bs. Balance at ; the beginning of the 1 alt' year, L 5 os Brt ; paid Mr '' M'Giilvray, halaoce of halt year's dividend, Ll3; ' in hand, Li,203 Os 4d. Contingency Fund : Balance in hnnd at the com- \ mencument of the half year, L3B 12s 4d ; from Mr ' Stobo, Ll2 15s 9d; total, Lsl 8i Id. Paid Mr \ Baua.rmati, L42s; Air Scjho, Ll Is 6d :in hand, L 43 4s 7d. .. : Colonial Mission Fund: Balance in hand, L 32 '' •2s 4d ; East Taieji, per Mr Waddell, L'2s ; Green Island, per Mr andrew, LJ3; Knox Church, L 53 7s 5d ; invercaruiil, Ll4 O.S 6;l; reported from First Church.- L3G 17s 10i; T»komaiii-o, L 7; tutal Llßl 8s Id, which amount remains in hand. Jewisli Mission: Balance from last half year, L2O \li lOd. After an adjournment, the Presbytery resumed at six o'clock. It was resolved that Congregations that had not made collecti'ns for the Church Extensiou Fund and the Conference Fund, be requested- to do so, aud report to the next meeting. Hawkesbury. and Goodwood, Anderson's Bay, Green Island, and Pomahaka and Mataura, were declaivd miuisteviul cliar^es. A letter of resignation from Mr M'Gillvray, of Riverton, was read. Jt£e intended to leave New Zealand as soon »s possible, and he recoinmemlei that a young man, a good pedestrian, should be appointed. The resignation wa3 accepted; and the Clerk was instructed i.o supply Mr M 4(-fillvr iy with a Pr csbyterial fcrtifkafe, The Moderator was appoiuted to declare the church vacatit, preaching at Hivercon on the third or fourth Sabbath of January, as might be convenient. It was ordered that the Presbytery meet in committee (in private) at ten o'do k on Friday, to arrange to supply the vacant churches. Ti:e llev Mr Tod-i was appointed to prepare an addresss oa the nature and importance of the Sustentation Fund, to be submitted to the .next meeting of Presbytery. JIK WILL'S, MISSTOX. —RESIGNATION- OF MR WILL.The Key Mr Stewart, as Moderator at the last sitting, handed in docu-uents relative ,to the decision then come to, that the Key W. Will should proceed to Scotland, with a view t>f selecting young men fitted for the ministry, and also to Silect a professor of theology and biblical literature Jo become the heart of a col-epe. The fir*t document was a resolution of the trustees for religious and educational uses, " 'I hat they have no funds at present available for the purpose (ut t!ie Mission) and thnt they do not feel justified in incurring any liability beyond the present heavy amount with which the trust estate is burdened," Another was the opinion oi Mr ;T. B. Gillies, barrister, .as to the powers, &c, of the trustees; it beinginti mated that, in the face of that opinion, nothing could be done for the mission, as all the receipts j must fi st be appropriated to repaying the Ll,ooo advanced by Mr M'Grlashan (for building manses). Mr Gillies's opinion was a long and intrlsite one. • The supplementary trust deed he excluded frouTconsideration, as it could not vary tbe original trust. From the original deed, witli such light as was thrown) upon it by^ the Institutes of the Ot;»go Ree Church, the questions submitted must be answered. It seemed, to have bien contemplated vhat so far as the oiginal sum from the New. Zealand Company was not required for immediate purposes the trust«e3 might invest it. If invested in land, there was no express power to sell or to mortgage; but rather an implication agniust either. If invested iv mortgages, the auiounta might be expended for trust purposes— buiUiner dmmhesorschools; paying ministers or teachttrs—<»r be re~i» vested, writh the proviso that no part of the original piincipul was to be applied towards stipends or salaries lv. the. Institutes, there appeared to. be an indication that a Divinity College was contemplated; the building to be paid for out of iu''otne ov prm4(iai inyvstel in morfcgagres, and thcsalarieaput-of iucomealone. The iraatee3 wers to act with the Preslijtery, but there was n>> controlling power given to tlw Presbytery in any matter. No direction, or even command of ihn Pre^bywry couli justify the Trustees, should they exceed their-powers'; and the trust dee i was so. v;sgui, that the Trustees mi>;ht have serious difficulty unless their powers were defined by a legislative ciiactmeiii The summarised anSA-ers of 'Mr liiliiea to the several questions were as follow : — 1. The trustees have no power to mortgage the estate for any purpose whatevfr. 2. The trustees are not bound to expend the trust funds as the Presbytery may direct. •■■•.• 3. The generaL relationship between the, Trustees and the Presbytery is merely that the later must ba a-consenting party, not a.ditectin-r one, a*.to the means and obje«t3on which the Trustees, iv th'ir discretion, and within the> purposes of the trust, expend tbe trust fund. There was also read a resolution of the Presbytery appoiuting Mr Will and defining hi<» duties as agent; and also instructing the trustees to provide LtJW and " debit the same' to the general trust- fundI'—L4oo1 '—L4OO b ing for Mr Vv'ill'a expenses and L2OO for the expenses and passage of the contemplated .Professor and his family. ' ; The Eev. W. Wili* said that aboml; three weeks after his appointment he got an intimation that the Trustees had legal doubts' as to whether they were at liberty to apply the Trust tunds as proposed ; but'the factor assun'd him that the funds would be raised without burJeiiiing the trust; and aVto the legality,lie saw no real dlifiieulty, because in this"case, the Presbytery bad acted precisely as they had in every other siuc^i their constitution. The Presbytery had never obtained thei consent of thWTr^ diture ; andmahvresolu-ioniai of'the kind; had been sent to the factor and acted on without having, beeu seen by the Trustees at all. If it was illegal to find funds for the mission, all the acts of the Trustees hid been illegail. Knowing the importance:of| a decision, he iHft)rmed^he:factof that:if thereurcite any e?alJdoubfcS 'he^- was! prepared to the Trustee.* agtUßo loss cbrtseqaent upon" carryiiag oat ':t!ie instructions of the Pr^bytery. r While this delay :'l#^'goin^;^nV;h|sv'?jCTMag^':'Wa^-all: but engaged, fnd i■ Wr M^NBuoirdn Wias ;irtuaJiy engaged to •■■ take ?hi 4 IplHcjß'nf the T ueri, and; lie iiad :ent wd iiitoaU; sorts-ol ['Hr^itffementeas to gbinar hbtti», bras to what he wai '■ fo (IdvMir thero. -Suddenly^wasjtold ther^t«;ew I i!o' fan'ls, but he knew that there now existed a re port showing that the neces-ary iuiKs coold be »^^ without burJenhi"; tbe t"ust. He complained of th< position in which ne was placed with respect to'hu congregations. They had uvide him farewell prepen tatious; and their feeiDg was so stroos; in.faypur o the »ni sion t&at he» believed tbera-jwoal I be no <J t i(a Cttlty itt carryiog out tte arrangemeat indepeaoexito

Vji^e&s]^ ■'■■ v hmrvp'^wfci* tp t<> £l^^^g^a^ tojtpfljfiejbeiui <«r ; let. cojild .< be :s6ii(p^iit^r^^w67i. ■ e^ra^uubss/tht} nmij&r <'6uMl^t-iktmintotlie Pro-' incial Council. However,: he was' prepai;eif rrt'>:rftr- -:•.""■ the honor of the. Prj4hyterj'^ to defray th> . sosts of the mission, and to watt tor repayimeat uiaiil lie £1000 had been clearedoff, .' Lv V % The Rev. Br. Btjens moved— . ": rJLhatL haying resume! consideration of she- ■ resolution"'. of the last Presbytery, o send Mr. Will to .Scotland, and considering the altered circumstances of the case, —.-'•' more especially the failure to obtain funds, from the quarter, .contemplated, and the'little likelihood there is wider present circumstances of procuring them from any other quarter, so many of tne leading Tierirfs of ;l tUe Church disapproving1 ot'it -considering ilsothatin addition to the three preachers arrived, two more are on the way, and also the prospector draining a further limited supply f'om Australia-^----;be Presbytery, for these aiid other reasous that night be assigned, resolve that the mission be " not ia,rriedout." VThen it wa3 first agreed to send home for pr^ach}K. who were to be probationers, and to be without 3 aim pa the Presbytery if they hal not obtained calls it the end of two years, he was in a small minority. &t the last meeting, he was passive rather than consenting to Mr Will's scheme ; because he understood ;hat, members had been consulted, and although he kad. not himself been spoken to, he assumed that Mr Will ha I satisfied bimself that there would be no difficulty as to thi funds. The Trustees could not be bound by any opinion given to Mr Will by the factor; and the constant engagement of Mr Grillies in and connected with the Supreme Court, sufficiently explained the de'ay referred to by Mr Will. He had long felt that there had. been considerable license in the notion of the Trustees; but the two boaies were at first clq-sely connected, and the question of legality had never been raised. Now, he iuly appi'ovecl of the decision of the Trustees; an I he was not to be debarred by being told that that decision was virtually a declaration of the illegality of many of their previous acts. He found that many of the leadiug friends of the church held that to send an agent home at all would be a great waste of the funds; and he belivod that.aay agent would be but trifling aid to Ur Bonner. Therefore, he felt, that the existing agency for obtaining ministers should not at present be destroyed; aod he would strongly urge that, in future, the plan should be a virtual 1 everting to the old one of having districts ready for young men who were invited to come out, for he felt that the present one was calculated to have a very demoralising effect. Theltev. Mr Stewart said that the information from Dr Bonner only warranted the statement that one.minister was on his way out; another might possibly be ; but it was well to be exact on the m;itter. Mr Livingstone seconded the motion. He thoroughly agreed with Dr Burns, As to the College, he disapproved altogether of the idea. Scotland was the crad c of Presbyterianism ; there all its bat-

tl s,were,foug;it audits successes won ; there the student was surrounded with mementoes of what had been done; and he feared that in a College elsewhere tiere iniglit bo a-danger of forgetting what Preanyterianism rea ly wa*. Instead of bringing out professors, lie would much rather see m/jans found for sending young men home co study, Mr J. GrLLiES said that he. had not altered his opinion as to ■ he advantage that would result from sending home an agent to select suitable mea; and he still believed that if t-n, even, could be got at once, they would greatly strengthen the hands of every minister. As a trustee, he did not thrink from any responsibility under the resolution, of which he fully approved. It Wiuld ba remembered ttmb some time «go he expressed strong douhts as to the legality of borrowing money on the trust fuuds. In fact, a mortgage oa the trust property would be wpnh no mor.l. than the paper on w.iicli it was wriits.I',1', although thi trustees won,d be individually liable for their acts. He admitted readily that they had acted illegally; but he f .'lt that to be a reason for not d ing more wrong, and not au excuse for going further in an improper direciion. He was exceedingly sorry that Mr Will should be inconvenienced ; but the expense of the mission coul I not come irom the trust funds* and he candidly confessed, from what he knew tif the the feelings of members of th« church, he did not see how the money was to be got elsewhere. Mr Clarke (Tok mairiro) belii-yed that ministers would be forthcoming if p'oper inducements were hrld out. The li(.v. W. Will thought tlve discussion was out of order. He did nut place his case in the hands of the PresViyt tv on i s merits; ami as to the funds, he could make arrangements by which the church would not. be troubled for the expenses, unless she pleased to undertake them* The Rev. Mr Jo tinstone was satisfied 1 hat having ■ an ageut at home who knew the wants of the colony and its situ-itinn, was essential t-i getting a full supply of the right men ; and he believed there would be mi difficulty i» raising the funds by means of voluntary subscriptions The Rev Mr Stewart" entirely justified the action of the trustees. He had always been opposed t > going into debt for the mission. He feared that Mr •Will-,- byhis writings had destroyed somewhat of confidence in Ins fitness for the mission. He (Mr .Stewart) believed with Mr Gillius and Mr Johnston?, that the reasons for sending horn»; were stronger now . than they were in September. If they were divided, nothing could be done ; but if there was a unit< d recommend iition to the church, he bdieve I that the fuwls coul 1 be raised. There was, from v rious districts, a most earnest call for ministers. At the Dunstan, for instance, a Golly man offered, if a minister was sent, not only to confxibuie t > the salary, but to house and fe d him. He (Mr Stewart.) would move — "That the Presbytery adhere to its resolution of September, as to obtaining i.unisters; and that it taka steps at once to procure the necessary means to enable Mr Will to proced home " The Rev. Mr Jouvstone seconded the amendment. The Rev. Mr M'Nicol suppprt°d the amendment. The Key. Mr Todd agreed thai, the ueces-sHy for a mission' was stronger than ever. The proposal wa* no new thing in ■September, foi* it was mentioned in June; and in September, after a conference with friends," the motion for sending Mr Will home was unanimously affirmed. It was mo«t desirable, seeing the constitution of the Church, of Ota<o, and the mixed community .iere,,lhat ministers should be obtained from the various Presbyterian . churches- at home, and- in that Dv Bonner could not help th^m. It would do members good, if they would go north, and study the doing* of the Presbytery of Auckland.; for tlieydil not wait for applications and solicitations, ' but they selected ministers and planted them, wherever there was a promising nucleus of a congre-' gation. If ten or a doz^n ministers could be got into the Province withia the year, they could all be well,employed.' Tha Presbytery should be very careful of rescinding former resolutions, because of private pressure. They were committed.to a mission, and if the trust funds could not supply the means, they must.be found elsewhere. He was not one to cry "Pemivi," and as he believed that the fun's could be raised, lie should vote for the amendment. T' c Rev. Mr Bahnkrmak regarded the i*esolutioa of Septembers having been ha-ty. Dmbtless, Mr ■ Will flid^p'ivatfly confer with members, but it was never contemplated that a final decision would be come to in September. In the discus-ion since then, ■ Mr Will bad not Rhown that prudence which would warrant liiin (vlr Bannermin) iv comniittins to Mr Wilt the eduction of ministers and o{ a professor fur a college. His own congregation Krtd others ha<l formed so strong aa opinion on this point, that nothing would le id them to aive support or countenance to the mission of Mr Will. If the matter was left to the kirk sessions or congregations, it would be found that nineteen-twenticths, if not ninety-nine-. bundVedths of tiie ; wholewmld oppose the scheme. ; Australia", with an agency, found not only that she;' mvi a surplus, but a swplus of inefficient men. -The Rev 'Mr Si swart said that thJitwas rawg.. ni^ecl as the fruit strictly of a voluntary flowing-Ju of men. He was sore t'>at Dr Bonner had deeply - at hearr. the getting of good men forjj Otago : beset utago about first in his work in thst respect. The Rev Mr lUsNßsi|W«;«a'd: it was a matter of opinion wbenc-e the Rurp'Ua- ar.'se.; As fallible men, the Presbytery ivere liable to tnake mistakes, and he corisi«(ered ihtt' they made a great ote in resuh'irig oil this mission. They would do themselves 'honor, by retracing steps adrajttel^ to have been wrong." It. seemed to him like JadVial'"blindness, that Mr Will did not, before taking such piins to or^nntse the Pre>bytvry for the mission^ make some inquiry as to j^where funds were to be bbtairied. • ~,'. . The Hey Mr Johs TOSBbeiievea "that vis district was dei-id'dly in favor 6t th« mission. Mr Todd said that the same was the case in. Tokomairiro. •'.'."''." ' ■•■--■■„■..,■■/ •,■ ■ . ...^ ■■■■.--.•■ The Rev Mr Will said that if the matter -were, to be begun de twvo. all the Aen in Otago might accept the mission, before; he %ou!d un«lertake it, but it bai gone so iar .now that he intiit carry it throuarJi. Certainly, if. ? Presbyte'y thbueht^'th'at wh^t was done in.i.-Octbiwir-'wa't'-wroDg;' thedbtner -of it "wan no reason wbyyrlebt shoull not« nW be done j but he hoped that;the, Presbytt-fy had not got soiiow; as at:; the |biddi|ig of any imhvidual to acknowleJjgethat it had dpiie wjpnsr. The step^as tak*?n^ after dueveonsyeratipn, ; and^ if^tiie leading ; 5 members of the church were ; oppos6:} to tte mi^i!)n, they certainly attended *he^oniemice in September,aad'.'Aaidthat they-wereia^iavoroTlt.,; : He.hadfnot ''orgyiis^l'*■ the jPresbyteiy^on this mattwr; he scarcely knew, when ho oa'ije to the Seotember meeting, whether he should or shoull nni* bring *» forwar-1. Immense injury ha 4 ;beeft done by tlic delay; he hul misseiJ «hd chance of 'meeting yourg mem on leaving- the colleges, The opp;>sitl<»n to the mis-ion had re/Q-iejl its climax before the •? altered' crcttmßtanc'es'* iliJkt had * been' jiMmled •to f aro c, Man'y,kin3ly t'eeiingshal ben expressed; but g^pe* niUy speaking, tU/re haa not f b -en due consideration a» to the portion in which he was' placed Mnttew ha I been sett I "d:\vith his conategjwionsjwn^^hid gone home 'hat he.was comjug on thi streujrfcii of-this mission* ihe •oerteral < A^HemblyofitheJjatt^ h*l .given bin & eawmieaioi^-w wpws^fc-% Wftjowb^-

Bbly wo-iW to <oW extent have faced the auction of expri .sb, had it not Yen con-idere I unnecessary. ff e .oo«td>*e I that h • had iVlt d eply on the m-ttter: and lie must repeat, th.ton t c merits, he <ould not now wunil-totjio judgment of the Pnshyterv. lhe M r)ißi.T»rt flwughtio wasnotior Mr Will to tal < >r itos. fruoruat :>g The Key. Mr Will said that the Presbytery was one c mtricting party ; he was the oth»r; and he did nob hee how, without his consent, the Presbytery could go from the engagement, and in doing ao be doing right. ° J lie Key Dr Burns rep'ied, Tt seemed extremely mllytalic. about Mr Will being able to do so much mine good than Dr Bonwr. be declined to repeat tiie hlu n«ler of ordering a mission without having the S nir su n? nt&s? ry ' ft was mere!y .rWiculoos to say that the Presbytery had no authority to rescind *he appointment of Mr Will. -

A division whs , taken; and the result was that seven voted for the motion and seven for the amendment.

The Moderator said that if he could see that upou other grounds, the mission was necessary or expedient, he should consider Mr Will as proper a man for it «s could be found. But be must give his casting yot-j for Dr Burns's motion, and against the mission.

The Rev. Mr Will handed in an undertaking from ten sentlemen, each to advance LSO for three years free ot interest, for ministers' passage money, the Bame to be repaid by the Presbytery. He would strike out his own name (forLso)and leave the Presbytery to do as it pleased with the remainder. He ii °l 82n« i' and in a similar «"dfrtaking for mow than L'2oo, irom residents at Incli Cluthn. He had now only to request that his name be struck from the roll of the Presbytery—he was no longer a member lhe Moderator asked whether Mr Will had propeily considered this matter. .

Mr Will: Thoroughly. The Moderator did not sec that Mr Will could withdraw.

Mr Will was satisfied that the matter was within his own control. He had resolved upon the step because of the principles expressed and the feelings inanitested towards him, in connection with this matter He would leave Ota<?o at once, but that he must meet his congregations and explain to them: for they did not know of the the course he had taken. He would listen to no proposal whatever, except based on th carrying out of the mission. He would retire. Some ot his ii-rends knew him better than to suppose that ins mind would soon change. Tne Presbytery adjourned at twenty minutes after eleven o'clock; the discussion on the mission haviu"occupied more than four hours. °