PRESBYTERY OF CLUTHA.

Clutha Leader, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 12, 15 August 1911, Page 6

PRESBYTERY OF CLUTHA.

The Presbytery of Clutha met on Friday of last week, when there were present, the Rev. Mr Tylee, moderator, and Messrs S. W. Currie, Blair, W. T. Currie, Brown, Ponder, Williams, and Watson, ministers, and Messrs Tait, Clarke, Rose, Leslie, McKco, Russell, Morton, and Kelly, elders, and Mr McLean, home missionary. Apologies for absence were received from the Bevs. Spenee, Cuttle, and Miller, and from Mr Fleming. On the motion of Mr Brown, seconded by Mr Watson, the following was agreed to: The Presbytery expresses its sincere sympathy with the Rev. P. B. Fraser in the loss he has sustained through the death of Mrs Fraser. Thv Presbytery expresses its high appreciation of her devoted Christian character, and her ready helpfulness in the work of the church during her residence at Lovells Flat. The Presbytery prays that Mr Fraser and h'is family may be comforted in the time of their need. It was agreed to express the Presbytery's sympathy with the Rev. A. M. Finlayson, Clerk of Synod, on the death of his wife. It was agreed to express the Presbytery's appreciation of the eminent services rendered to the cause of temperance by the late Mr T. E. Taylor, of Christchurch, and to tender its sympathy with Mrs Taylor in her sorrow. It was agreed to express the Presbytery's sympathy with the Rev. Mr. Cuttle in his indisposition, and with the Rev. Mr Spenee in his recent accident. The following resolution, moved by Mr Ponder and seconded by Mr S. W. Currie, was heartily agreed to : That this Presbytery in accepting the resignation of the Rev. R. Scott Allan, of Lawrence, who has agreed to undertake the Church Extension charge at Musselburgh, Dunedin. desires to place on record its appreciation of his work while a minister within its bounds. For eleven years Mr Allan has laboured among us, lirst as Minister of ;Kaitangata, and secondly at Lawrence. In both spheres he lias proved himself a capable, faithful, and successful worker, building up and strengthening the charge under his care. In Presbytery business he also showed marked capacity. He leaves for the new sphere of labour with the combined regrets and good wishes of his 1 co-pres-byters, who commend him to God and pray that the work of his hands may ever be divinely established. On the motion of Mr Ponder, seconded by Mr Watson, it was agreed to ask the Church Extension Committee to grant £lO to Owaka towards procuring student help for the summer months, and £l3 to Stirling and Lovells Flat. It was agreed to recommend the pay- - ment of the quinquennial grant to Stirling for manse repairs. Mr Brown reported anent the work at Lovells Flat. A written report was received from Mr Spenee on behalf of the Commission appointed to visit Owaka. It was agreed, on the motion of Mr Morton,seconded by Mr Blair. to receive the report and to express great satisfaction with the progress being made in the parish under the new minister. It was agreed that Mr Melx-an exchange with Mr Tylee and brine the report of Presbytery before the congregation. It was agreed to appoint Ccnim-is-sion consisting of Messrs Miller (convener). W. T. Currie Kelly, and Reid to visit Stirling and Inch Clutha and to report to an early meeting of Presbytery. Mr' Ponder moved, and Mr Clarke secobded and it was unanimously agreed to,—That this Presbytery, in view of the near approach of the election, express their strong sympathy with the No-license crusade, and urge on ministers and oflicebearers the duty of taking immediate steps to organise the supporters of the crusade in their districts, with the view of getting a strong Xo-license poll. The following members were elected to represent the Presbytery in the Assembly, viz.. Messrs 'iJalrymple, W. T, Currie, Blair, Brown, Spenee, Williams, and Tylee, ministers, and an elder from each of the following sessions —Balclutha, Kaitangata, Lovells Flat, Milburn, Owaka, Waitahuna. and Milton, Mr Ponder moved the following Overture to the Assembly : That in view of the increasing numbers and aggressiveness of Mormon Missionaries in New Zealand, the Presbytery of Clutha overture the General" Assembly to instruct its Ministers to warn their congregations by preaching against their pernicious and immoral doctrines and that session be urged to be on the alert in defence of the Hock of Christ intrusted to their care. Seconded by Mr Russell and agreed to. It was decided to appoint the Rev. Mr Ponder to support the overture at the Assembly! It was agreed to recommend that the Ministers of Lawrence, Waitahuna, Milton, Stirling. Kaitangata, Balclutha, Owaka, Clutha-Warepa. and (Popotunoa be appointed chaplains under the Defence Act. It was agreed to ask the Minister of Education to provide the necessary legislation permitting the University of Xew Zealand to arrange for the grant- ' ing of degrees in Divinity. I

Mr Tait gave notice of th<* following for next Presbytery : That 'elders' commissions to Presbytery be received and dealt with a't the same meeting that commissions of retiring elders terminate.

51 r 15ro\-n reported at some length on behalf of the Committee appointed to bring the Laymen's Missionary League before the Presbytery, and outlined some work that the Presbytery might very well undertake in connection with a Foreign Mission forward movement. Tokomairiro and Stirling, he believed,, were willing to provide for the salary of a missionary, and the other congregations of the Presbytery might, be thought, support a second missionary or even a second and a third. It was agreed to strongly recommend the formation of branches of the l-eaguc in the congregations of the Presbytery, and to appoint a committee consisting-of Messrs A. E. Stewart (convener), T). McCill, and P. McSkimnving jun., to further the formation ; of such brandies within the bounds. A letter was received from Mrs "R. 71. nrigor, secretary, to say that the. P.W.M.U. branches had formed a Presbytery "Association to deal with P.W. M.U. work within the bounds of the Presbytery. The Presbytery, in receiving the intimation, expressed its gra*

tification at the) formation of a Clutha Presbytery P.A. and at the fresh signs of an increased interest in 'mission work.