PRESBYTERIAN CALLS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 240, 3 July 1908, Page 8

PRESBYTERIAN CALLS.

~ THE CASE OF PAHIATUA. AN OLD-FASHIONED SYSTEM. The • Presbyteri.in system of appointing ministers was subjected to some criticism at a pro re nata meot-ing of the Wellington Presbytery, held yesterday, to consider a call from Pahiatua to the Rev. J. Chalmers Mill, licentiate, of Auckland. . In the absence of tho Moderator (the Rev. J. Gibson Smith), tho Rev. J. Kennedy Elliott presided.' There were also present: The Revs. W. Shirer, A. T. Thompson, R. Inglis, P. C. Rennie, and W. Douglas, with Mr. J. G. W. Aitken, M.P. . •

The special meeting was callbd at the instance of the Rev. A. T. Thompson, of Masterton, who is acting as Moderator in connection with the call In a letter which was read at the meeting, Mr. Thompson stated that tho Presbyterians of Pahiatua were unanimous and hearty in ' their desire to receive Mr. Mill, that tho latter was prepared to take up work by July 12, and that it was strongly desirable/that the induction should take placo without" unnecessary delay.

Mr. Thompson, .who had- to como from Masterton to attend the mooting, was lato in arriving with the call. The letter, was discussed briefly prior to Mr. Thompson's arrival. , f . : . . " HASTEN SLOWLY." / Tho Rev. R. Inglis thought that things should not be done too hurriedly. The people of Pahiatua should fully realise 1 the responsibility which they were assuming before a new minister was appointed to that charge. Ho would like to know whether tho call was signed by the required threefifths of the communicants. ,He understood, also, that Mr. Mill inteuded entering, the mission fiold, and it Was possible that he might only bo a year or two at Pahiatua. •.

The Rev. A. T. Thompson, who was accompanied by Mr.. Sayers, session clerk at Pahiatua, stated, on. his arrival, that the opinion of the district, as shown at a-recent meeting, was absolutely unanimous in favour of Mr. Mill, and he thought ; that his appointment . would mean a happy .settlement of the church at Pahiatua. There had not been time .to get as many signatures to the call as might have been obtained. ■ Some of the country .people had not. seen it, but their representative at tho._ meeting had vouched for their agreement with the call. Mr. Sayers spoke to similar effect., • PARISH DEBTS. , The Rev. R. Inglis, who, as treasurer of the Presbytery fund, has had much difficulty in collecting the Presbytery assessment from several churches, said that the last minister at Pahiatua had paid the assessment out of his own pocket, in the' expectation thai it would be refunded. He had heard from the minister since his resignation of the charge that lie had'not received the refund. Mr. Inglis said that lie could not acccpt this money from the minister's private purse. Mr. Thompson said that •ho had not been informed of this position. From an examination of the roll it appeared that the signatures totalled only onefourth of the number of communicants, the requisite proportion in accordance with the Book of Order ! being three-fifths.. Mr. Thompson was convinced that no risk would be taken in • settling the matter. The need was as it was difficult to obtain "supply." THE CALL RETURNED. Mr. Aitkcn moved " that the. call be returned for further signatures, to comply with the rule of the Church.". Mr. Inglis supported tho motion. It was a mistakd to rush things, _ arid ; sometimes a congregation was just as impatient to get rid of a minister as it bad been to get him inducted. ... The Rev! P. C. Ronnie, in. supporting the motion, said that the Wellington Presbytery was, getting a reputation , for.; doing-, .things illegally. He instanced two. cases, in which the Presbytery had acted ultra vires, in. regard (to appointments.-. Tho minister would; have -no claim' upon , those members ; of the congregation who had not signed the call. The Rev. W. Shirer supported the motion. Mr. Thompson said ho thought that it was ono-'of the crying harms of 1 the Church's system that •it took a. long,, roundabout course 'to get ministers settled.- The congregations I suffered during these protracted proceedings. • • _ Mr. Inglis wished to add to the motion a provision that steps be taken for' the. payment of the Presbytery's assessment.Tho Prosbytery considered that the! addition was not in form. ..- Mr. Inglis nsked .'what steps would be taken to collect the assessment. It was ruled that that question could not be discussed at the special meeting. / A MORAL LIABILITY. : Mr.. Inglis said that morally,' at least, the congregation ;waS -bound -to.' mako -this: payment. He proposed-an addition to the motion urging payment. . Mr. Shirer agreed, that it,was -.'disgusting that' repeated difficulties should -be experienced in obtaining this small charge, from; congregations.'- . There was no course open to Mr. Inglis,- however, but. to- .bring up the matter at the next ordinary,-,meeting.; . • Tho- motion to return,the ,call v/as'.carried, : . , .'.... , v . Mr. Thompson explained that lie had to look after a very large district, and had several schemes to carry oil"at once. He had 'thought that the call contained more names.' -

' Mr.' Aitken said that.it took a .tremendous amount of time to obtain signatures. This was a very old-fashionod system, and in thecaso of a large church it was almost impossible to get the requisite three-fifths proportion of signatures at the church door, as was directed by tho Book of; Order. • • ■ . When the remaining signatures are obtained, the call will bo laid before a second pro re nata meeting of tho Presbytery, which must bo held within a fortnight. It was dccided that this meeting should be held at Masterton. '