PRESBYTERIAN SYNOD.

Evening Star, Issue 12163, 6 April 1904, Page 8

PRESBYTERIAN SYNOD.

The Synod resumed their sitting at three o’clock yesterday afternoon, the Moderator (Rev. J. A, Will) presiding. —State of Religion.—

Tho Rev, Mr Begg read the report of the State of Religion Committee. The report stated, inter alia:—“ The sacraments hold an important place h> our church life and work. By the use that is made of them and the attitude of the people towards them we can get a very good idea of the spiritual condition of the community. For this reason it is needful to look into our practice in regard to them, and see how far it is ini correspondence with the ideal. The sacraments are included under the means of grace, but this view of the sacrament of baptism does not seem to be so pronounced as it ought to be. Some of our ministers have replied that they ‘try to make the nle realise it as such.’ This, we have )übt, is the attitude of all our ministers. But there is still much heed of instruction on this point. Quite a number believe that those applying for the sacrament look upon it as a means of grace. But most have qualified their answer.” A number of replies received to questions are given as examples. The report states that most people appear to have very crude ideas as to the spiritual value of the ordinance, not so much to the child as to the parent and the congregation. “ Too many nave the erroneous idea that baptism is a ceremony of which the principal part is the giving of a name. Some, with superstitious views, think it would be a calamity if their child died unbaptised, yet there are those who take a truly spiritual view of the ordinance. Most of the ministers explain the meaning when it is being celebrated. As to the desire for this ordinance among parents, the members as a rule all seek it, and a fair proportion of the adherents. Of course, there are exceptions. In. regard to the proportion of children baptised in the church the answers are very varied. A few report 50 per cent, or 60 per cent., and a great many report from 5 per cent, to 10 per cent. Some ministers, the report states, baptise all who apply, and one gives this reason for doing so : ‘On the ground that all children are the objects of God’s love, among the number for whom Christ died and are claimed by Him, and therefore to be sealed in His name as His own.’ Of course ihere is no difficulty if the parent is a member of the church, or a believer. Some baptise the children of adherents if they make a profession of faith; others baptise if the parents attend church. There are cases in which some of our ministers refuse to baptise because the parents do not attend church, or because they are living ungodly lives; and one is sometimes annoyed to find that people of this<kind apply to a minister of another denomination, and the child is baptised without scruple. On the whole there seem to be very few cases in which the ordinance is withheld, but there are a) few who refuse to baptise all and sundry. We feel that in the interests of the Kingdom a line ought to be drawn somewhere, and parents who are utterly careless and godless ought to be refused this ordinance.” The report also dealt with the celebration of the Lord’s Supper, and the procedure in regard to young communicants.

A discussion followed tbs reading of the report, in which The Rev. James Chisholm urged that more attention might be given to children. He feared a state, of decadence in regard to family piety. He thought the report contained much that was instructive and interesting. The Rev. A. Kirkland thought it was a mistake for'pareuts to think that their children should reach a state of , maturity he fore becoming members of the church. 'The Rev. Mr Tennent thought that they should go beyond Sunday school work, and get closely into touch with the children. A discussion on tho question of whether or not it would he advisable to publish the report, seeing that it disclosed a great many weaknessi’s. followed, and it was eventually decided in favor of publication. —Sustcntation Fund.— The following recommendations for bettering the position oi the snstentation fund were submitted by Mr R. Chisholm :—" (1) Education of congregations, especially young members, as to the purpose of the fund, and their responsibility thereto; (2) securing promises of support and collecting (he amounts at short intervals, say, monthly and quarterly; (3) visitation of congregations by’ members of Synod to impress the claims of the fund upon church members.” The recommendations will be considered this evening. EVENING SITTING. —Welfare of Youth. When Synod met again at seven o’clock, The Rev. Mr Clarke read the report i-{ the Committee on the welfare of youth. He said that it was not considered necessary to write to ministers for information regarding the state of the Sabbath schools and Bible classes, as these were sufficiently supc-rvifed by the Assembly’s Sunday School Committee. With regard to the keeping up of the rally,, he said there was a great difference of opinion amongst ministers as to whether this institution should be continued or not. A number expressed the opinion quite freely that this part of the proceedings might be left out. He had m motion to move, and it would be for the Synod to decide after the rally whether it should be continued or not.—The main features of the report were as follow; —If the rally was not successful it was for Synod to consider whether it should be continued. If it was decided that it should be, then it was strongly urged the Committee in future should consist of Dunedin ministers and Sabbath school superintendents, with Mr D. F. Todd or some other active Sunday School superintendent as convener. The Committee desired to thank Mr Todd and the other young men and women for thoir work in the interests of that evening’s public meeting. It was decided that a motion be prepared during the rally and submitted immediately after it, as to whether the rally should be continued in the future. —Young People’s Rally.— An adjournment was made to the church, where a young people’s rally was held. There was a fairly large congregation. After the singing of hymns and a prayer by the Rev. Mr Kirkland, The Moderator, in an address of welcome, said that it was rejoicing to the heart- to see so many young people there and interesting themselves in the work of the church. He had much pleasure in welcoming them, and hoped they would enjoy and be helped by the meeting. He then introduced the Rev. A. W. Kinmont. Mr Kinmont said that he would speak from the Lord’s Prayer, taking as his text the words “ Thy kingdom come.” He would speak of Christ’s kingdom. The Britisher would say that Britain was the greatest kingdom and the American would claim that distinction for the United States, and so on. But they were all wrong. The Kingdom of God was the greatest of all kingdoms. Its place was in the heart, and its King was Christ, who laid down His life for his people. The laws of the Kingdom were “ Love the King ” and “ Love one another.” It was the young who fought for their country, not the old and decrepit, and it was the young who must fight for Christ’s Kingdom. Let the young, then, come forward in their youth and take Christ- as their King. The Rev. J. Chisholm, who was the next speaker, delivered an address on the subject of personal respons.bility. He wanted them to consider the great value of one human being, and how human life could be used to the best advantage. Their nature might be very confused and obscure, but as soon as Christ came he brought order and peace and spiritual beauty and fruitfulness." If the place God meant a person to fill was empty, God missed something. Re urged the melessness of sitting idle longing for something better to do. Christ would make strong and steadfa-t and able those that gave themselves to Him. After prayer and hymn, it was resolved, on the Rev. Mr Findlayson’s motion, to express the thanks of Synod at seeing such a large number of young people present, and its indebtedness to Messrs Kinmont

and Chisholm for their addresses, and to the choir and organist. j —Moderator’s Address.— | After the rally the Moderator delivered an address, of which the following is a condensation During the last few months we have had our attention very frequently and very forcibly directed to the great work accomplished by the British and Foreign Bible Society during the last century. One of the aims of those societies is the placing of the Bible in every home in every land. Is it not the desire of each one here that the Bible should be in every home in New Zealand, not in the form of a handsome Family Bible, well bound but never opened, but in the form of a book well read, earnestly studied, and deeply loved? Would it not be of more lasting value if we had the Bible occupying a more prominent place in the home? It is the home that we must capture, if the fullest victory for Christ is to be gained; and it is possible that we may devote a great deal of time and attention to children and young people and yet not capture the home. Let the Bible occupy the place ws claim for it in the home, and coon its influence will tell not merely upon the home life, but upon the church life also. Then, with regard to the reading of the Bible in the schools of the colony. What would do more to strengthen the hands of those who are laboring to secure this end than the reading of the Bible in the home? To me it seems that even with the Biule in the school but little would be gained unless the home also be reached, but that with the Bible in the home the other will follow, and that right speedily, in spite of the indifference o£ politicians and the opposition of secularists.” In conclusion, the Moderator said: “I have ventured to address you upon this subject not with the thought that it was something new—something to which your attention had never before been directed. My desire, has been simply to bring once more before you a subject of the very first importance to us as Christian workers in the hope that you will give to it a foremost place in your prayers and in your work in the days that lie before us, that, like Scotland, this land may be ‘ loved at home, revered abroad.’ That here also ‘a virtuous populace may rise the while and stand a wall of fire around our much-loved isle,’ that we may still more and more rejoice in the blessedness of that nation whose God is the Lord,”

—John Knox— The following overture was submitted by the Rev. Mr Clarke, and adopted:— " Whereas the year 1905 will be the fourth centenary of the birth of John Knox; whereas that distinguished Christian reformer occupies a unique position in the history of our Church, and took a most honorable part in promoting a spiritual and educated and orderly form of Christian life; and whereas the fourth century, of the hero of the Scottish Reformation affords an appropriote occasion for emphasising the great Christian truths and facts for which he stood, it is humbly overturcd by the Synod to the General Assembly to take this matter into consideration, ‘and make such arrangements there anent as they deem meet for the glory of God and the good of His glory.” —Notice of Motion.— The Rev. Mr Tennent gave notice that he would move—“-That the Synod consider the advisableness of inviting someone suitable to undertake evangelist work in the outlying towns and backblocks previous to next General Election.”