BREEZE IN THE PRESBYTERY.

Bruce Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 310, 6 October 1899, Page 7

BREEZE IN THE PRESBYTERY.

In th© course of a discussion on church extension at Rosyln, the Rer. Mr Sutherland said : If the Presbytery was so anxious to extend the church, why nob do so amoDgst lapsed Presbyterians and others who went to no church at all. There were | from 8000 to 10,000 people in Dunedin, who never darkened » church door. Why did

not the Presbytery extend the church amongst these ? Ib cried out, " Let us have church extension, but let us have it in Roalyn, where it is not needed." That was the position. Another power behind the throne in this movement, was the efforts of ' om» to get a suitable position for a minister who was out of work. The committee was personally waited upon by ibis minister, and urged most pathetically in this direction. The Rev. J. Chiaholm : I appear here today to declaim these base motives. The Rev. Mr Sutherland : lam stating facts. Will you deny them ? The Rev. Mr Chiiholm : I do so most emphatically. Mr Chisholm went oa to say that he had been urged to offer his services to the people of Roslyn, and he stated he was quite willing to place his services at the disposal of the church. He had an opportunity of doing useful work in a much larger sphere in the North Island. He could go to a place to-morrow where he could get £5 a week (he was sorry to have to mention these cetails), board and lodgiug?, travelling expenses, and so forth ; bub he always liked the Church of Otago, and wished to tender thab church his services. The motives that had been imputed him were ungenerous and base in the highest degree. He had made no appeal to the committee auch as was suggested by Mr Sutherland. The Moderator pointed out that M r Sutherland suggested that friendi of Mr Chisholm had been working for him. If that were so, Mr Chisholm co ild not ba blamed. He could not be blamed for the actions of his friends. The Rev. Mr Gibb said that Mr Sutherland should explain more fully as to his suggestions of a power behind the throne, or the oracle being worked. The Rev. Mr Sutherland said that two meetings had been held in Ro&lyn, the decisions arrived at were similar, and still suggestions were being made to proceed in auoiher direction. Was that not evideuce that there was some power at work ? He would move as an amendment — " That the presbytery do not begin services in the Roalyn In-' at itute, but instruct, the committee recently appointed in Roslyn to proceed &8 soon as possible to secure an enlarged Sabbath school ona site central for Roslyn aud Belleknoweg. 1 ' Mr Ferguson seconded the amendment. The Rev. Mr Borrie emphatically repn - diated ail the insiauabiona made by Mr Sutherland. He thought it was very unjust and ungenerous fur Mr S atherland to insinuate that appeals had been made to the committee. The Rev. Mr Scorgie said that what those at the meeting asked was that an evening service be started, and that a building should afterwards be fixed up for a larger Sunday i-chool. The Rev. Mr Chi holm said that he would withdraw wholly and absolutely from the whole business. He had not the slightest desire to go to Roslyn except to do good service to the church. So far aa Roslyn was concerne i, he would have nothing further to do with the matter.