TOO MANY DUTIES?

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 108, 9 May 1928, Page 10

TOO MANY DUTIES?

PRESBYTERIAN MINISTERS. PREACHING LESS IMPORTANT MODERATOR'S SUGGESTION. The suggestion that the time might have arrived when men entering the Presbyterian ministry should be trained, some as pastors, others as organisers, and some as teachers of youth, was made by the Rt. Rev. James Aitken, Moderator of the General Assembly, who attended a meeting of the Auckland Presbytery last night.

Mr. Aitken pointed out that ministers were taught to preach the Gospel, but when in charge of a church they were expected to undertake organisation, pastoral visitation, and a great many other things. Yet the minister's training was almost wholly to preach. There was a time when people expected a spiritual and also an intellectual stimulus from the sermons, but that day, he feared, had gone by. He did not know that preaching was so much needed now as it was some generations ago. He was putting these points before the

Auckland Presbytery, in the hope of some suggestions being made in the matter. "Much Time Utterly Wasted." Mr. Aitken added that he was sure a great deal of his own time was absolutely and utterly wasted, because of the various things lie was called upon to do. He was sure it would be better for the church, and the cause of Christ, if ministers knew to-day what their job really was. They were now in a new age to which, what was suited to the days of their fathers, was not applicable. Dissemination of Teachings. The Moderator declared that the church looked to the Presbytery of Auckland for inspiration and guidance in its affaire. It was the largest- Presbytery of their Church in New Zealand, and gave most careful consideration to many problems. For that reason he wished to submit some problems for its consideration. One was the deficit in the means of carrying on the work of the missions. Another was the use the Church made of the Press as a means of disseminating its teachings. He feared the Presbyterian Church had lagged far behind in that important matter. He had seen a Church publication in Auckland, by which he had been much impressed. He considered the Roman Catholic Church was to be congratulated upon the action it took in the matter of a Church publication in the interests of its people, by presenting to them its view of the truth. He felt that the Presbyterian Church should have some such organ to disseminate its teaching.