PRESBYTERY OF CLUTHA.

Bruce Herald, Volume III, Issue 65, 6 July 1865, Page 8

PRESBYTERY OF CLUTHA.

This Presbytery met on Wednesday last within the church of Inch Clutha, sederunt — Rev. James Eirkland, Moderator? and Messrs Bannerman, M'Nicol, Todd> Allan, and Copland, ministers, and Mr H' M'Leod, elder. The minutes of last meeting were read arid approved of The Clerk reported that he had transmitted to the Moderators of the Dunedin and Southland Presbyteries, extract minute relative to a further supply of Ministers • that receipt of the same had been acknowledged by the Moderator of the Dunedin Presbytery, and that the extract minute of the Southland Presbytery had been trans* mitted to him, to the effect that the Southland Presbytery required at present no addition to their number ; and that they were not in a position to judge of the necessities of the other Presbyteries. In consequence of this reply, and also of the expected arrival of Messrs Stevens and Waters, it was resolved to take no further Steps at present in the matter. All the Ministers reported, that in terms of the Presbytery's instructions, they had held" a Thanksgiving Service, in connection with the recent abundant harvest, and had made collections on the behalf of the fund for the passage money of Ministers. The following collections were reported : — Tbkomairiro, Ll4 6s ; Waihola, L4ss ; Lawrence and Waitahuna, L 5 18s ; Inch Clutha and Kaitangita, Ll2; Warepa, L 3 13s ; Clutha, L 3. The Clerk was instructed to report that Inch Clutha and Pomahaka Manses were entitled to receive immediate aid from the Manse Fund. The Presbytery agreed to recommend the Trustees to assist the congregation at Lawrence in securing the piece of land deemed ,by them most suitable for site for Manse and glebe. It was resolved to recommend the' Deacons' Courts to make arrangements for collecting the Suscentatioh Fund quarterly.

Sessions and Deacons' Courts were in-' structed to bring up their records for examination at the next meeting' of Presbytery. Mr Todd was appointed corresponding member of Sustentation Fund Committee. It was resolved to call the attention of the Committee on the Distribution of Preachers, to the claim of Warepa congregation, as the oldest vacant chai'ge, to receive the service of Mr Waters, before any other vacant charge, in terms of resolution adopted by the Presbytery of Otago. It was resolved to overture the Synod, to prepare a formula to be signed by ministers, probationers, and office bearers : and questions to be put to the same. It was also agreed to overture the Synod, to recommend to the Deacons' Courts to collect the Sustentation Fund quarterly in those congregations in which at present it is collected half yearly. Messrs Kirkland and M'Leod were appointed assessors to Mr Bannerman, in the formation of a session at Clutha.