SHORTER CATECHISM.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 19775, 13 November 1929, Page 4

SHORTER CATECHISM.

«. DELETION FROM EXAMINATIONS CONSIDERED. A suggestion from the Hawke's Bay PVeabytery that the Shorter Catechism should be deleted from examinations and the Junior Catechism substituted, was disctisaed yesterday by the Christ- • church Presbytery. After members had expressed divergent views on the matter, it was decided to delay decision for a month. The youth of the Church Committee in Hawke's Bay did not ask for anv recommendation, but merely an expression of opinion on the question. Mr \V. H. Rose was of the opinion that it would be a mistake to drop the Short«r Catechism. A contrary view was taken by the Rev. J. T Allen, who strongly supported the proposal. It was. lie said, unintelligible to children, as well as to many of the teachers. If the Westminster divines who drew it. up 3()0 years ago intended it for the use of children, he thought the children must hare been a fpieer tyne in those dnvs. It was out of touch with modern Church opinion at the present time. Another member said that teachers were put in a false position in the teaching of the Shorter Catechism, ns they sometimes did not understand it themselves, and there was a real difficulty in obtaining teachers for the schools. The Rev. J. Dixon : Scotsmen have always been brought up on porridge and the Shorter Catechism, and they are a recommendation to either.

Pointing out that there was as yet no satisfactory substitute for the Shorter CaWhivr. the Rev. T. W. Armour urged that the matter be held over for a time to enable more thought to be civen the matter. In former years, the majority of touchers were able to explain the difficulties of the Catechism. They knew more thoronehlv the of the Cbt>rrli. said the Rev. Dr. Frwin. The motion to deUv the matter for a month was carried.