THE PRESBYTERY.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 428, 10 February 1909, Page 9

THE PRESBYTERY.

DISTRESS AT HOME. PROPOSED NEW "ORPHANAGE, VACANT PPU'VTS. ' Several impprtaut matters were discussed at a meeting of tho Wellington Prosbytery bold yesterday, tho Moderator (tho Itev. Dt. Gibb) presiding. Distress In Britain, The Rev. Dr. Gibb moved:— ' > " In view of tho calamitous depression 1 pf irado in tho Motherland, and tho. appalling destitution of the necessaries of Wo auifeml et present by millions of our kinsfolk across the sea, the Presbytery conuiiew|s to its faithful people the do- ' suability of holpmg this distress as they may havo opportunity, and, it specially enjoins that a collection be taken up in all the congiegntipns within tho bounds, and that tuo sum thus Pbta.ir.ed be sent to the Children's Bread CoinmitUo at Homo." Tb,a moTor trusted the motion would be unanimously adopted. "God only knows, , ho,said, "what the extent of the appillmg ppyeity and 'really is." Inere were, in GlasgPW alono, 10.UOO men out of work. These wore not reckless statements. but tho results of careful and calm investigatipus by competent writers. Tho moral effect of such a losojutwn should bo veiy groat in community- What they could do was certainly'a \ery small quota towards the allcviat\on' pf such extensive poverty, but'as they wevo all aware "every rmckle makes a muckle," The uietipn was secpnded. The Rev 'Mr. Douglas trusted that the Preijbj'teiy would be careful to avoid the reflection whioh 'might he cast that it had overlopkcd the nearer necessities pf the distressed in Wellington Mr. ?. G. W. Altjten thought that the Presbytery had no reason to reproaoh itself for neglecting its own poor. llieir own church workers saw to that. As to tho distress at Homo, it had, in extent and misery, as strong a claim upon their chanty as had tho sufferers by the famine in India, ihis distress at Home" i>as a famine in eveiy Bpnso of tho word. ' Another speaker hazarded the suggestion, that this action of the Presbytery might be regarded as 'an attempt to ingratiate the , Church with the Labour party. "A Sop to I Cerberus," ho i The Moderator (Dr. Gibb) said tha| thoir chief an§ aim jn .this matter was tho porfonnaiico of an act of charity—that ana nothing cjee, of course, if it so happened that their action should be pleasing to Pther bpdies, why, all the better. The motion was oarricd. New Orphanage for Wellington. Dr Gibb tabletl \\k follpwing mptipii.— "That in view of the urgent need of a suitable home for Indigent orphans connected with the Presbyterian Church jn the Wellington and other neighbouring , provinces, and in yiew of the fact that a very successful „ beginning has' been made in this work by the Presbytery of Dunedin (which has new two hpniee liberally supperted-'-by the people of the southern part of the church),, and, finally, in view pf the fact that certain • other churches malco adequate 'provision , for the needs of these destitute children, the Presbytery now. afhrm the extreme ' deiirableness of fho establishment of an orphanage in Wellington, and. appoint a committee to consider and report to an early'meeting thp neoessary etep? tP gIYC effect to tho same " Iμ ainpjideofipn of tJ|e, context of t))e motion, Jiho m,oyer said that "of course Hip fiist question tha't would be asked would bo .that of hnanco. It was his experience that when a good thing was successfully launched, the finances could bo "very veil, left to themselves In, idea h. a d taken a definite shape, and ha,d been,verjL,well supported. He desired expieas,|y.lo mal>e clear the faci that 'this mpvement should upt be re«.ro;ed as thAp&ial'Fifufcti'drfofSt'-Jbllh's . —it was a phase of church ,\\ork whiclj ought to lio.wrthjn.the Ecope pf the churches as a united, whole. . * ■' r J _ Thpnßev. J. K r Elb.ott *was delighted to second a metion of this nature, although he was not euie that he was in favour of a building toi which orphan children would be drafted. .He preferred that there should be found for , such children, places in private homes. . The influence of home life was pf a divmo character. The motion was carried. "Appalling Dearth of Ministers." ' An interesting, albeit 6oraewhat pessimistic, discussion took place on the Jack or suitable candidates for vacant Presbjtorian pulpits The Rev. Pr. Gibb, rcfeirfng to tho apprpachmg completion of tho -new ohurch room at which is to be opened on Februqrj 26, lemarked that $\a future of, the church \iork in that district was by no means clear There was a dearth—an appalling dearth —pf ministers., Hβ of at least 28 vacancies, and where a minister for Kelbumo was to bo found ho did not know. Unless they could pftoi such a stipend as v\ould make it possible foi an able mmistei to assume the of tho district, considerable difficulty'■would bp experienced in filling the yncancy. A Homo Missionary would not satisfy the requirements of Eelburne. In view of tho apparent impossibility or _ extromo difficulty of finding a minister for Brook]} n he put it to those present whether an "amateamatipn of church interests as botween Kolbuine and Prcpklyn minlit noi be desirable. Such an arrangement might enable them to offer a stipend of fiom £800 to £350 per annum, without a manse. Tl\is nugh£ be a retrpgrado step fpr Brooklyn, but what else was to he dono? They were no nearer a minister for ICelbunie than they had been months before Tho llev. J K. Elliott was not' inclined to favour , such an amalgamation. It would be a retrograde movement, disastrous to either/ Kelbumo offered a fino field for a good man * The Rev. J. Paterson concurred. Divided service between tho two districts would be against the best interests of both. Spme satisfactory guarantee fund should be arranged for, if possible, apart frpm tho regular church fuud, ' The Moderator, replying, said that what he had previously indicated had inerelj been by way of a suggestion. Ho would go fully into the matter, and bring down a report on the whole question. So far as' Drb'oklyn is concerned, it is understood that the, feeling is nqt in favour of amalgamation; a certain amount of support to Dr. Gibb , s"suggestion has, it was stated, been e\ inced at Kolburne

Other Matters. A oommitteo was, appointed to investigate and report upon tho question of administering to tho spiritual welfare of the Church's adherents residing in the Wadestown district. , Dr. Gibb was nominatod for appointment as a "Minister for the Navy," in pursuance of action taken by the Genoral v Assembly, which has asked all presbyteries to nominate representatives, who shall look after tho welfaie of Presbyterians on H.M. ships in Now Zealand waters. 'A resolution was passed of sympathy and oondolenco with Dr. Gibb, who has lately passed through a poriod of domestic affliotion. The Presbytery passed a resolution of appreciation of the "marvellous and .extensive" erudition of tho late Dr. J. Dunlop, whoso death has romovod one of the most prominent figures in the Presbyterian' Church of New Zealand. ' Tho Rev. W. Shirer, as moderator for the vacancy at Brooklyn, reported that serviw wero being continued regularly, and the congregation wero in good heart and keeping well together. There was a difficulty in not havine a manso to offer a new minister, but Brooklyn offered a fine field for a willing worker. ' , A discussion on Sunday concerts is given in another column. , ,