SPIRITUALIST CHURCH

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 93, 22 April 1925, Page 10

SPIRITUALIST CHURCH

NEW ORGANISATION.

The Spiritualist Church of New Zealand Act, which was passed by. the General Assembly of New Zealand last year, provides for the affairs / of the Spiritualist Churghes throughout the Dominion being governed by a national council, and in conformity with the provisions of the Act, delegates from all parts of N^w Zealand assembled at Wellington on 10th April to represent their respective churches at the first National Council held since the passing of the Act. Tho council was confronted with problems which vitally affect the future of the movement, and the decisions arrived at will have a far-reaching effect. The first business was the preparation and adoption of a new set of rules, revised to give effect to certain provisions of the Act: An important effect of the recent legislation is that all churches affiliated with the National Association of Spiritualist Churches of New Zealand, which promoted the Bill,-have now, while preserving their financial autonomy, lost their individual identity and are merged into the body corporate. These churches will henceforth bo known as "The Spiritualist Church of New Zealand," in contradistinction to certain other organisations professing similar beliefs, and at present functioning individually under various titles. It will now be necessary . for tho responsible, officers of such bodies to review the'-titles of their organisation's, in order to guard against any infringement of the patent: right of the organised movement .to -. tho title of "Spiritualist Church," secured? to it by the passing of the Act.

In pursuance of the expressed determination of the council to attain to the ideal of a higher standard of devotional service than has hitherto been practised, it -was resolved that the time allowed for demonstrations of spiritual clairvoyance after the services on Sunday ..evenings must in no case exceed fifteen minutes. It was further unanimously decided that no speaker shall bo allowed to givo private readings for monetary gain, and that no person who gives such readings for financial gain shall be eligible to become or remain a member of the Church. This drastic provision was considered necessary in order that the Church may be freed from the danger of sharing the stigma which rests upon persons who indulge in such undesirable practices.; It was also declared unlawful for any affiliated church to permit demonstrations of psychometry at any public meeting held under its auspices, and the council pledged itself to assist the authorities in stamping out the objectionable practices at present carried on under the name of Spiritualism in defiance of the law.

No speaker or pastor will be permitted tj occupy church platforms regularly unless duly licensed to preach, and the qualifications required of applicants for licenses are sucli that a decided improvement in the calibre of speakers is assured for the future.

The restrictions determined upon will in all. probability have tho effect of reducing tho number of professional speakers offering for engagement, but it is felt that more permanent benefit wijl bo derived from the efforts of those available whose primary consideration is their love of the causo for which they labour.

The desirability of instituting a fund for tho purpose of paying a fixed stipend to speakers was affirmed by the council. ■ ■

Steps are being taken to havo tho Spiritualist Church o£ New Zealand included in the gazetted list of churches, whose pastors are authorised to "solemnise marriages. With a view to dissipating public misconception, the council placed on record the fact that the Bible is, and always has been, in use in all churches under its jurisdiction.

An invitation extended by the Dunodin Branch Church to hoW the next council meeting in that city during Easter week in 1926 was accepted. The untiring efforts of the members of tho local church to entertain them during their slay in Wellington was keenly appreciated by the delegates, who spent a most enjoyable timo in Wellington. The "Message of Life," published at Levin, is tho official publicity organ of tho Church,, and matters of interest to adherents will appear in that paper periodically.