AUCKLAND PRESBYTERY.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXVIII, Issue 4697, 12 September 1872, Page 3

AUCKLAND PRESBYTERY.

A pro re nata meeting of the .Auckland Presbytery was "held r 'yesterdayinSfc. Andrew's Church. The Rev. 3. Macky preaided, in the absence of the Rev, ThomasNorrie, the Moderator, There were also present .-—Ministers s Messrs. R.F. MacNiool (Clerk), J>. Brace, P. F. MoKepziei T. Stewart, Hamilton, Morrice, . and<Moßae. Elders : Messrs. A. Dingwall, Thompson, J". Y. Stevenson, and R. Sommerville. The sederunt was opened by the Rev. Mr. Maoky j reading the first chapter of the 2nd Epistle of Timothy, and afterwards engaging' in prayer. " \V ,' l - J ' , r (/ALtS TO THB RevV Mb. STBWABT.'—The Clerk read the documents which had been received, containing calls to the Rev.' Mr*. Stewart, from the Waikato district. A letter was raid from Mr. Andrew Kay, secretary of the Church Committee at Alexandra, ; stating that a part call from the Waikato district had been forwarded. It asked that Mr. Stewart should reside, if the call was accepted, not more than fire miles' from Te Awamutu. The call stated that £125 Had been promised to the stipend f and, and was signed by 64 settlers intheTe Awamutu and Alexandra districts.— The Clerk then stated there were other three calls from other parts of the Waikato district, on v the eastern side, and proceeded to read a series of resolutions which hadbden passed at a public meeting at which were representatives from the Cambridge, Hamilton, and JNgaruawahift districts. The resolutions were signed by Mr. William Clair, ss chairman of the meeting. They offered t to Mr. Stewart a yearly salary of £200, and residence at Cambridge ; and for Mr. Stewart to officiate at Cambridge, Hamilton,, and Ngaruawahm, There were part calls for this district from Cambridge, Hamilton, and Ngaruawahia, signed by a considerable number of the settlers, each district promising to contribute a certain amount of the general fund. It was held that the three part calls for the eastern sida of the Waikato district formed together a complete call, and the one from Te Awamutu and Alexandra being sent on behalf of the whole of the Waikato district formed but a part call, — A considerable amount of discussion ensued upon the acceptance or otherwise of these calls, and various explanations were given by different members of Presbytery. it was generally conceded that to work the Waikato district properly at least two clergymen wonld be required. Mr. Bruce at length moved that fcho call from Te Awamutu and Alexandra, on that sido of the Waikato, be sustained so far as it goes. — Mr. McKeuzie seconded tbo motion, which was carried as a part call from the Waikato. —Mr. 1 Bruce then, moved that the call from Cambridge, Hamilton, and Ngaruawahia be sustained. — Mr. MoKenzie secoaded the motion, which was agreed to. — The Clerk said there bad jdst been placed in bis hands a call from the Presbyterians in the Coromandel district. The call was read, which -promised at least £150 per annum, and was signed by 92 names. — The Chairman inquired whether there were any documents accompanying that call. — Mr. Sommerville replied that a commission had been appointed to bring it up, and make what explauations the Presbytery required. The commission consisted of Messrs. Atkin and McGregor. — Mr. Atkin was heard in support of the call, and stated that a -great dealmore support conld have been promised, and more names obtained, had ''there beeu jnore time to canvass the district. The 9£ names on the call were obtained in one day. There was no organisation amongst the Presbyterians at Corotnandel, and he did jnot anticipate there could be until a minister was appointed. That would afford.a central rallying-point, and then he believed there would be neither want of members' nor want of monetary support. The number of names on the call did not represent one -half of those ■who -would join in the movement were a minister appointed. He was, sure Coromandel was a district that would j increase more in twelve months than the Waikato district would increase in as many years. — Mr. McGregor agreed with ; wliat Mr, Atkin had said, and stated further .that until there was a minister amongst ' .them they could not form any correct idea of their strength as a body. ~ty re fijy< t° Jsome questions put by members of Presbytery, Mr. Atkin said when "service was jheld at Coromandel the collections usually Amounted from £1 153. to £3 10s., about an •average of £2 each day. But that should tiot be taken as any correct gauge as to what could be done. The place of meeting was 'used on week-days as a theatre, and a great number of their people refused to attend in consequence. — After some debate on the subject, Mr. Bruce moved that this call be sustained as a regular call, as the. others read, and that i$ be considered' on its merits/ |— Mr. R. Sommervilleseconded the motion. — ■A considerable amount of /argument ensued ks to what the, duty of the Presbytery was in the face of these three calls? Some were for proceeding with ■* decision : at once, and and others were in favour of postponing the settlement of the question until next meeting >f Presbytery, in about three weeks 'hence. , Mr. Stewart was at last asked for the oxjression of his opinion on the subject, when io stated that it was with the greatest ' difficulty he could bring his mind to a decision me way or .another. He was however in avour of aocepting the call from Cambridge I th,e Presbytery had no objection. — Affcer,^ engbhy conversation Mr. McKerizie ( capved^ ' That the call .from Cambridge, Hamilton, tnd Ngaruawahia be- put into Mr. 1 Stewarts »anda. "^-^n^Sommerviile} 1 ' the j notion,, 'which ! was agreed to^ when the Locuments were handed' to. 'Mr. rStewart. — £r, Bruce : Mr. Moderator, you should put he question to- Mr. I Stewacfc iff he accepts his call, p- M.r/.;t Mapky : Bo < you, Mr. i Stewart, accept this call .from the people of < Cambridge, Hamilton, and Ngarnawabiaj and < o^oa^ree i^-J>e<)ome^their'minist9r^t 3! « k H ir. Stewart : YM^MrJMiwky { You do? i -Mr. Stewart:'! do7-~Ou the motion of i Jruce, seconded by Mr. Stephpnson, it wajb ; greed l that the l iW. 4 ThottSs Norrie, ttfef loderafcor JEo^j the , present .year^ should be ' < ppointed a commission from the Presbytery ft> in^ocfcJldW JStfewartiintoTlms^ha^tirf] me Waikato", and that he ijlsq be appointed &> serve the necissafy Miofc; ac 'as. early a ; date as possible, on.or.abppt^hfl 23r,djinstant. 4-On the motion of Mr. Bruce^ seconded by ittr. Nicool, iluwaj A reaoj.veji ;siafcsb.e whole of the Waikato district be under the spiritual supervision of Mri -Strewart ib'thS''m.eantittie, ] Atil othe-f''islef^y%M^^|e!ipSc[pM;; ! I I additional i^o^jts^ Tr Mt^'omo^ Jn- 1 tjmated, ioßjiheiaafomaUon of '.th«ii"friends ; aft Cbrort»ha*l'and[ Tft^A^'a^^ha^i^Va hprOfA, jl^y i Hp'rn«r>OToni(j!rjex*idvi*n'd>M4'. MoOallum, irom ScDtliud] were'W^V ofi'th'eir tipte action^wJjt^^kkfctfayfaik&ttt&M. ; rtady, ' should ihey^ desire ,eith«t< | glntlehienl-4i®»* '%n«'nt^Waiiyriifjb¥e'^]HS&M%^ 'wnjCjft./lefJfc About , the t 22nd.i>une,-*nd,miglit \ bt expeoted to arrive soon.. N««^i^n;;Cpma>i).tQe »J!joUldr>|eßd ;t nitnh4.O(Wntto should he • wrS»:«^lfef<we'' the' \m&W&Wmy« MfrMm9*>%ti& jOlerite*e^lxe^ : tl»B ie*adic^munic«ted. witlit MK^fowiT : iastto the buiineiii! which theiy^^^^N^y--' iteb-pld hmifli^^^W^^J^t^jjpfctingj>f,the. G^eraiiiAM^mT^' l*tid('bJad