MODERNIST TREND.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 60, Issue 201, 3 June 1940, Page 3

MODERNIST TREND.

CHURCH AND UNIVERSITY. ALLEGATION OF CANADIAN. (United Press Association. —Copyright.) j SYDNEY, June 2. The Rev. Dr. J. Gibson Inkster, of Knox Presbyterian Church, Toronto, interviewed by the Sydney “Sun” after a visit to New Zealand, said the extent of Communism in New Zealand shocked him. He was surprised to find that half the students at Victoria University College wore tinged with Communism. Mr Inkster added that New Zealand Presbyterians wore “touched” very seriously with modernism. “Sometimes it seemed to him that Karl Marx was replacing the Bible.

COLLEGE AUTHORITY'S REPLY, WELLINGTON, June/2. 1 The Rev. Dr. .T. Gibson Inkster supplied the pulpit of one of Wellington’s leading Presbyterian Churches, St. John’s, for eight months, until a week ago. When Mr Inkster’s statement about Communism and students of Victoria University College, made in Sydney, was referred to him to-night the principal of the college and, vice-chancellor of the University of New Zealand (Professor Sir Thomas Hunter) said he had no comment to make. An authority of Victoria University College said Mjr , Inkster’s statement was absolutely faise. “What is the use of answering a man who makes such a wild statement,” he said. “So far as I know he doesn’t know anything about the college. It was a cowardly thing for him to wait until he; got to Sydney before making the statement.” “NEWS” TO MODERATOR.

CRITIC’S INSUFFICIENT KNOWLEDGE. CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. “It is news to me that the Church is impregnated with Communism,” said the Moderator of the Christchurch Presbytery (the Rev. J. Lawson Robinson) when the remarks made in Sydney were referred to him. “It seems that Dr. Inkster was not in New Zealand long enough to understand what the political 'and economic outlook of the Presbyterian Church is, So far as I know it certainly has no sympathy at all with Communistic doctrines as outlined in Karl Marx’s ‘Das Kapital.’ Ido not think Dr. Inkstei has sufficient knowledge of the Presbyterian ministers of New Zealand to understand their theological outlook.