PRESBYTERIAN ASSEMBLY.

Evening Post, Volume LXIV, Issue 117, 13 November 1902, Page 7

PRESBYTERIAN ASSEMBLY.

SECOND DAY. EVENING SESSION. The delegates rcas«embled at 7 p.m, yesterdiiy. Applications for admission into the Ministry were received and referred to it special committee to peruse and report at a later period of the session, the Rev. R. M. Rayburn to be convener. A number of third year theological students, who had applied for licenses, also the requests ot the Southland Presbytery for leave to take Mr. Thomson on his return from college on trial, -were also referred to the same committee to report upon. The Rev. Dr. Watt, of Green Island, Dunedin, was unanimously elected Moderator for the year succeeding that of the Rev. J. Paterson. It was resolved that the balance-sheet of the Otago Synod be published with the proceedings of tlic Assembly. Congratulations were received from the Frge Church of Scotland on the formation of the union of Eresbyterianism in the colony, also greetings from the Baptist Conference, both of which were ordered to be reciprocated. The W.C.T.U. asked for one Sunday in each year to bo set apart in the cause of Temperance. The clerk stated that this -was done every, year, go the letter was ordered to be acknowledged. , The Wesleyan District Synod also sent hearty greetings at the union, of tho Presbyterian Churches. CHURCH 1 EXTENSION. The Rev. David Borrie presented the report 3of the Church Extension Committee of the South Island. The reports ■were taken as read, as they occupied a small volume of some eighty pages of close type, and dealt very fully with each charge and preaching station, together with details of every item of receipts and expenditure of each. All the accounts had been duly audited and certified to as correct. The Rev. D. Borrie spoke at great length on the work and concluded by moving the adoption of the report, adding that the thanks of the Assembly be tendered to Miss M. R. M., a noble Christian lady, whoso liberality in connection with church extension work was well known in the South ; that the -work of church extension and Home missions be commended to the Assembly iyid the church. The Rev. J. Ross (Turakina) spoke in highly commendatory terms regarding the amount of work done in the- South by the 'church, and other ( speakers having eulogised the organisation in 'the South, the motion for adoption of the Southern section was agreed to. The Moderator, Rev. J. Falerson, on behalf of himself and colleague, Rev. J. K. Elliott, submitted the Northern report. Mr. Paterson-expressed his desire to retire from the position' of convener, owing to so many additional duties being placed on him now. He paid a tribute of praise to Mr. Elliott for his constant attention and indefatigable zeal in the cause of church extension. The Rev. C. S. Ogg, Treasurer of the Church, Extension Fund, explained some items in the balance-sheet. He showed that the usual contributions of £100 each from thb Church .of Scotland and the Irish Presbyterian Church had not sent this year owing to the funds of those two organisations being absorbed in the ■work being carried on in South Africa. Hence their funds were now dependent entirely on their own resources. They had a balance in hand of £186,' against •which they had liabilities in January of over £200; therefore, unless some aid .was given from the South or some kindly disposed person rame forward liberally to)ielp them^'hc i'aarcd that they would, have to reduce thair expenditure. (Mr." Patorson.: "l J ooh, pooh.") The speaker considered that care must be exercised. The Rev. J. K. Elliott reviewed llie work of church extension in Wellington, ■where much was required, especially in the suburbs. He moved that the reports of the Church Extension Committee be adopted, and that this important scheme be commended to the Assembly and the church ; thai it be a recommendation that in each cor "jregation a well-organis-ed scheme of collecting funds towards it be established, and ttafc the thanks of the Assembly be accorded to the convenei-, treasurer, and all helpers in the cause. Mr. G. G. Bridge seconded the motion, giving -some able testimony to llie*wcrk done iv many districts. With the leave of the Assembly, the Rev. E. O. Peiry, agent under tha Auckland Presbytery, gave an account* of the work which had been done recently in the Auckl&nd Presbytery district. H.js experiences on the gum-fields, in the kauri forests, and over '" the roadless north," weie listened 'to with interest, and he was warmly applauded on resuming his seat. The adoption of the. report was unanK niously carried. ' THE SUSIENTATION FUND. Tho Rev. Dr. Dunlop (Dunedin) presented tho report of tho Sustentation Fund, which he explained belonged exclusively to the district bounded by the Otago Synod, but was now embodied in the Assembly's finance. Tho report i-how-cd that the fund for the ye.tr ending 30lh September, 1902., amounted to £14,114/ 19s 6d, as against £13,936 12* lid for the pievious yea-*, or an increase of £190 16s 7d. Ho further stated that the system adopted was a facsimile of that in vogue in the Free Church of Scotland. Owing to the muchincreased number of charges which came under this fund the distribution had been considerably deduced, a circumstance to be deplored, seeing that the expense of living had so much increased. He moved the adoption o£ tsio leporl, and expressed the hope that flic fund would be better supported in tLe future. • T'he Rev. J. Cumniing seconded the motion, adding that llie thanks of the Assembly were due to Dr. Dunlop, the convener, and the donois, which wa« carried. CHURCH PROPERTY BOARD. The report of the Board of Trustees was read by Mi Jt-vr,cs ]M"Kcrrow, ths chairman. Several gifts to the church, were recorded. Regretful reference was made to the deaths of two of tb.e Trustees — viz., Messrs. Jehu Deans, of Riccarton, and James Smith, of Wellington, both wiso and dispassionate counsellors, staunch sons oi the church, ever eager to promote its interests, spiritual and temporal. The Assembly was' psked to make appointments to these vacancies, as it was desirable to fill their places. The report was adopted, Mr. M'Kerrow undertaking to nominate two gentlemen at the next sitting. STATISTICS. The Rev. W. J. C'omvie moved the adoption of the report of the general statistic? published at the end of the book of reports, giving 'details of every item of expenditure, reattendance at services, communion, elc. Mi*. Conjrie pointed out that, though difficult to collect and compile, the value of them was. somewhat discounted by their not being complete, owing to several churches not having sent them in yet. He gave instances of some gross cases of carelessness in sending in the returns, and mentioned one case of a young man having written in a, decidedly offensive manner to the Rev. Dr. Sidey, when lie had been asked to supply the statistics of his church. He moved the adoption of the leport, com-

mending the particulars to the churches, and urging on ministers and officebeareis the need of forwarding the returns to tho clerk as early as> possible after the close of the year. Notices of motion were then handed in and the Assembly /closed in tha usual way at 10.30 p.m.