THE PRESBYTERY AND THE SOUTH DUNEWIN CONGREGATION.

Evening Star, Issue 9278, 31 October 1893, Page 2

THE PRESBYTERY AND THE SOUTH DUNEWIN CONGREGATION.

CALL TO MR JOLLY REFUSED.

The Dunedin Presbytery met to-day for the further consideration of a call from the South Dunedin Presbyterian congregation to the Rev. Mr Jolly. There were present: Revs. Kirkland (Moderator), D. Borne, R. J. Porter, J. M. M'Kerrow, J. Gibb, A. P. Davidson, and A. M. Finlayson. Elders: Messrs Marshall and D. Thomson.

The Rev. A. Cameron, moderator of the vacancy, stated that the call had been signed by 89 members and 45 adherents and the petition against the call by 34 members and 20 adherents, and he undci stood that the minority were prepared to leave the settlement of this matter entirely in the hands of the Presbytery. The Rev. J. Gibb wished to ascertain whether there was any truth in the report which he had seen in one of the newspapers recently to the effect that Mr Jolly had entirely withdrawn his candidature ; and he further desired to be informed by the representatives of the minority, who were, he understood, then present, whether they were prepared, as Mir Cameron had stated, to fall in with the call given by the majority to Mr Jolly. His vote in this case would be very greatly influenced by the information which these inquiries might elicit. , _ , The Rev. D. Borrie asserted that the Presbytery had at present nothing to do with any communication that might have passed between Mr Jolly and the members, of the South Dunedin Session. The question that the Presbytery had to consider was whether there was a sufficient number of names appended to the cull to justify the Presbytery in sustaining it. The Rev. Mr Cameron said the paragraph in the paper was correct and incorrect. Mr Jolly had, as had been stated, written to the Moderator withdrawing his candidature for South Dunedin, but he had afterwards reconsidered the matter and written *to .withdraw his withdrawal. The newspaper did not know that. After further discussion, Mr Rutherford, representing the minority who hftd petitioned, addressed the Presbytery by invitation. He declared emphatically that the minority were no more satisfied with the proceedings up to this point than they had ever been. It was true they had agreed that if the Presbytery sustained the call to Air Jolly they would not appeal to the Synod ; but this was out of a feeing of courtesy towards the Presbytery rather than from a sense of justice. They felt that they had been treated in a very cavalier fashion all along the line, and if the Presbytery refused to give them their rightful opportunity of hearing other candidates for the vacancy they would have continually a sense of injustice, and there might be originated in that way an endless trouble with the congregation.

The Rev. Mr Finlajson moved—"That the Presbytery refuse to sustain the call." He had moved in a similar direction at the last meeting of the Presbytery held at South Dunediu. If possible, he felt that there were now stronger reasons than then existed for refusing to sustain the call. He did not think it possible for the Presbytery, in the face of the facts, to do other than grant the .minority—who were in the main members ini full communion with the congregation--the further tight which they requested. To sustain the caU would inevitably, under the circumstances, be jKftdHGfcrve of a. very great deal of;trpahle. ■ TheßeV. J. M. Frasbr seconded the motion: : Thti Rot. J. M. M-Ebrkow saidfhat »t the last, nwfettog of the PresbyterpTie had moved that fte «3Mw*urtained- Wow he wished to the nation )toi»fttse to sustain it. He did.» not only on«count of th»*ighte«f the minority, but Jofly's own fault thecongregation had got into a perfectmndme, ■which wowS^»V.^' tJrl K^ , *f"'°y"? flarlß >tne-other' "candidates. Jirgt Mr Jgtyr yonjo. and then Mr w&l*n|t, fffl j#o|#hMt|yt gentleman •h|id tftofiftfrmftww toVpretfepssi.*' Severn other haying. •eawwsad themselves in a similftr rtiaiii, the iippyo Befusefo susMn toscall was carried