THE AUCKLAND PRESBYTERY AND MINISTERIAL STATUS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXII, Issue 305, 24 December 1891, Page 3

THE AUCKLAND PRESBYTERY AND MINISTERIAL STATUS.

(To the Editor.)

Sir, —In your report of the proceedings the Auckland Preabytery, which appeared in your issue of Wednesday last, it is stated that " the Committee appointed to consider a petition from Whangarei reported, recommending that the Assembly be asked to give Mr Osborne tho status ot a third year divinity student. . . . The report was adopted. The Moderator objected on the ground that ib would tend to lower the ministerial status. 1.

The matter referred to h.6re must be interesting not only to the Presbyterians of Whangarei, but to your Presbyterian readers everywhere, so I make no apology for asking you to publish this letter.

That your readers may understand the position, it may be well to premise that the Presbyterian Church at Whangarei has been vacant for a considerable time. Some months ago, after various candidates had visited the place and preached, and after the pulpit had been supplied by occasional preachers who were not candidates, Mr S. Osborne, a layman, was sent down under the sanction of the Presbytery to supply the pulpit and take charge of the congregation. A large majority of the members and adherents of the church here being much pleased with Mr Osborne's services, petitioned the Presbytery to take the necessary steps to have him ordained and inducted as minister of the charge without requiring him to pass the ordinary course of training. This petition was forwarded at the end of September or the beginning of October last, and it was evidently in connection with ib that the report of the Committee already referred to was made. Those who signed the petition are perfectly satisfied of Mr Osborue's fitness for the ministerial office. He had been sent to them by the Presbytery to do the work of a minister, and he had for some time done that work, in so far as his official status permitted, with much acceptance to the congregation. He is no novice, no stranger in the colony. For about seven years he has, within the bounds of the Auckland Presbytery, been doing similar work to that which he was sent by the Presbytery to do in Whangarei. His character and hi 3 attainments are well known. Mr Osborne has expressed his willingness, if the church sanctioned his doing so, to become minister of this charge. Bubib now appears that the Presbytery refuse unless Mr Osborne submit to and pass certain Presbyterial examinations; and the Moderator of the Presbytery differing from the majority of " the fathers and brethren," objects to even that, "on the ground that it would tend to lower the ministerial status."

Now, either Mr Osborne is qualified for the work of the ministry or he is nob. If he is nob, why did the Presbytery send him here at all ? Why has the Moderator, Mr Monro, allowed him even once to occupy the pulpit of Sb. Luke's, Remuera ? I understand that he has done so several times, and that bhe people made no objecbion, bub, on the contrary, were pleased. Why have many of the ministers sanctioned his preaching in the pulpits under their care for some years past ? Clearly the Presbytery erred in authorising Mr Osborne to take even temporary charge here, if they were nob sabisfied that he wae qualified ; and if they were sabisfied bhat he was qualified, why do they now go back upon their own decision and require him to pass examinations before they can recommend his ordination ? Are they not doing both him and the congregation an injustice by withholding from him the efcabus of a minisber when at their requesb he is doing bhe work of a minister ? Is it fair or reasonable to ask a man of hi 3 years to. manage examinations at bhe same bime that he is performing tho duties of a heavy country charge ? How could it in any way lower the ministerial status by admitting to the ministry a man in every way known to be qualified ? Doe 3it nob rather lower the status to permib and authorise men to do the work of the ministry who have nob fche ministerial status? —I am, etc., An Omj Scotch Presbyterian , . Whangarei, 7th December, 1891.