PRESBYTERIANISM

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 129, 28 November 1923, Page 11

PRESBYTERIANISM

ADMITTED TO THE MINISTRY

ASSEMBLY DISCUSSES PROBATION AND SUITABILITY.

(BY TELEGRAPH,—PRESS ASSOCIATION.)

CHRISTCHURCH, 27th November.

At the sitting of the Presbyterian General Assembly to-day, the Applications Committee recommended that the petition of. the Waikato Presbytery regarding Mr. J. D. M'Farlane, of Otorohanga, the petition of the Nelson Presbytery, regarding Mr. E. T. King, of Seddon, and the petition of the Clutha Presbytery, regarding Mr. J. Crawley of luapeka West, that these home missionaries be received into the ministry, be granted, and that the Presbyteries making petition be instructed to take them on trial for license. The Rev. Dr. J. Dickie, Professor oi Theology at Theological Hall, Dunedin, moved an amendment that the applications be deferred for a year for consideration by the Theological Hall Committee in conjunction with the Home Missions Committee. He asked what was the use of-'educating ministers at all if they could be elected by a vote of the Assembly after eulodstic speeches had-been delivered by their friends The Rev. W. H. 'Howes (Eangiora) seconded the amendment. He remarked that up to the present fifty or sixty ministers had been received into the ministry from the home mission ranks, and it would.be inadvisable to open the door too wide. After considerable . discussion, Dr. Dickie's amendment was negatived and the recommendation of the committee was adopted. The Applications Committee also re commended that the application of the Rev. J. Holmes, of. Upper Hutt * for admission into the ministry of the Presbyterian .Church b e not granted, on account of Mr. Holmes's age. It was explained that Mr. Holmes was sixty-five years of age, and had "had a distinguished career in the Congregational Church. The "Rev. W. J. Comrie (Wellington) moved as; an amendment that Mr. Holmes be received into the Church without probation. 1 The amendment was seconded by the Rev. R. Inglis (Wellington), and after being supported by the Rev. J...-A. M'Kenzis (Moderator of the Upper Hutt station)/ was declared carried on a show of hands. ' "• '. MINISTER SUPPORTS STATE CONTROL. .; A deputation from the New Zealand Alliance waited ..on the assembly to night. In welcoming the deputation the Acting-Moderator "(the.Rev,. N. M'Ara) said:'.."l assure you that the Presbyterian Church is in sympathy with the great movement for the'freeing of New Zealand from the fearful curse of; the drink traffic. The Presbyterian Church is quite sound and solid on this matter.'' . .; ' i : _ The assembly passed the following deliverance: "That the assembly appoint the second Sunday in November as Temperance Sunday, renew its recommendation to Sunday school superintendents and teachers to give attention to the training'of the youiig in total abstinence principles, and. to give them an op portumty ■ of signing: the temperance pledge, request the Government to introduce legislation eliminating the State purchase and control issue so that a vote may to taken between Prohibition and Continuance, strongly protest against • any attempt to' introduce licenses into the King Country, arid earnestly call upon the- Government to. keep faith with the Maoris by maintaining the com-, pact made in .1884-85, and to take all necesrary measures for preventing the illegal sale of liquor in that territory, protest against the effort being made' to have the question of 'corporate control' placed upon the ballot r paper as a third issue, and request Parliament to .resist the effort in view of the fact that there is. no evidence of any demand for this issue by any considerable section of the people."- ,".-.' During the debate, the Key. J. Milne (Thames) moved an- amendment that the clause requesting elimination of the State purchase and: control issue be erased. The first ground of his request, he said, j was justice. Thirty thousand people ! had voted for State Control, and it was a surer thing than ever that in God's good time they would yet see the liquor traffic under State control; (Cries of "Never, never.".) It was a, question of justice to the 30,000 that the- State Control issue" should be left in. - Prohibition was right in. the teeth of liberty.. Mr.. Milne tried to continue after the Moderator had rung the bell, but there were cries of "Time, time," -and the stamping of feet, so he had to retire. .■■■•:. No orfe seconded Mr. Milne's amendment and it was dropped..