DUNEDIN PRESBYTERY

Evening Star, Issue 16211, 5 September 1916, Page 6

DUNEDIN PRESBYTERY

The monthly meeting of the Presbytery of Dunedin was held in First Church Hall this morning, the Rev. R. R. M. Sutherland (Moderator) presiding over a fair attendance of members.

Before proceeding with ordinary business the Presbytery expressed sympathy with the Dev. 11. H. Barton on the death of his mother, and also decided to send a message of sympathy to Rev. J. Chisholm m his present illness. —Finance.— The report of the Finance Committee was submitted by Mr W. Gow. The committee recommended that the application from Waitati for a grant for church repairs be approved; that in. connection with the Assembly’s remit on beneficiary funds the proposed amendment of regulations, as set forth in the Blue Book for 1915, be approved, with a recommendation to the Assembly to make clear that the intention of the clausa added to regulation 14 is to make any increase granted thereunder payable to beneficiaries at present on the fund, as well as to future beneficiaries. Having considered the Assembly’s remit on women workers’ beneficiary fund, they recommended that the proposals be carefully reconsidered by the Assembly, It might not be desirable to make provision for women workers under the present beneficiary funds scheme, but it should bo possible, by some plan for endowment or otherwise, to secure such stability for the proposed new fund as to minimise or remove the risks attendant upon its earlier years, and thus secure certainty that benefits will be paid as they accrue.—Adopted. —Called to Mosgicl.— The Rev. A. Kinmont (Moderator) reported. on the vacancy at Mosgiel, and said that calls, including one to Australia, had been made without success, hut it had been determined to try again, and this time with every prospect of success, an invitation to the Rev. David Calder, 8.A., of Wanganui, having been absolutely unanimous. The call had been signed by 201 members out of a possible 246 and 55 adherents. He doubted if there Lad oceu a more hearty or unanimous call laid on the table of the Presbytery.

Mr J. R, Pronlice, in presenting the call to the Presbytery, prayed that it be sustained, pointing out that the wish of the members was absolutely unanimous. The Presbytery were also addressed by J. Kogan and W. It. F. Fraser (commissioners). Rev. A. M. Finlayson moved that the Presbytery sustain the call and forward it to the Presbytery of Wanganui. He said it was very satisfactory to kno\v that the call was so hearty and so unanimous. Rev. J. Kilpatrick seconded the motion, which was carried.

—Mission Services in the North End.— Correspondence was received from Knox tmurch Session intimating that they had had under consideration for some time ftc desirability of coutinuincr the mission sei vices in the Albany Street School earned on by Mr Duncan Wright for manv years op behalf of the City Mission, and whicn pad been recently ''dropped. Mr G. M. Thomson _ explained that , uc " was n °t in a, position to establish a separata mission, m view of the tact that they had already certain missions to carry on, but thought the whole matter should be referred "to the Presbytery for them to consider the question oi establishing a mission with an assistant. l,i ve< ® thcT if a proper service were established and a mission hall were secured Knox _ Church might probably attempt to shift its own mission down to the proposed now mission. The mission might prove the nucleus of a good congregation.

The Rev. R, E. Davies suggested the appointment of a committee, consisting of the ministers of First, Knox, and fit. .Stephens Churches, to go fully into the matter.

The Rey. Mr Macdonald seconded the motion, \vhicn -vns carried, several other names being a<l-ded to the committee.