VETERAN MINISTER

Evening Star, Issue 21709, 2 May 1934, Page 2

VETERAN MINISTER

OLDER THAW ARCHBISHOP REDWOOD WELCOMED BACK TO DUNEDIN PRESBYTERY The veteran minister of_ the Presbyterian Church in New Zealand, the Rev. A. Greig, who is eight months older than Archbishop Redwood, wan present at yesterday afternoon’s meeting of the Dunedin Presbytery. Mr Greig is in his ninety-sixth year. In giving him a: hearty welcome the Moderator (Professor S. F. Hunter) said that when he had preached at the recent birthday celebrations at Macandrew Bay he had been informed that Mr Greig had given the opening sermon sixty-six years ago. PROPERTY MATTERS. The, request of the Property Board to. sell sections at North-east Valley was referred to the Finance Committee, Dr Gumming stated that ho was dubious that church extension was required in the district. He also said that the cost of vacant sections was inclined to become heavy. ~ The recouping of the Rev. A. C. W. Standage fur a motor shed which he had erected at his own expense at Maori Hill on a section recently sold was referred to Synod. GRANTS FOR BUILDINGS. On the recommendation of the Finance Committee it was decided to make church maintenance grants for Saddle Hill and Taien Bench to the Green Island Deacons’ Court. The question of a grant for the erection of a new Sunday school at Ocean View township, at a total expenditure of £lO2, was left to the Factor and Property Board. CONGREGATIONS’ LACK OF INTEREST. The assessments for Presbytery were fixed at £9B 13s, the same amount as last year. During his presentation of the Finance Committee’s report Mr Dick rebuked congregations for an apparent lack of interest in the work of the Presbytery. He bad had occasion to address a questionnaire to congregations on the subject of budgetting and the weekly offering system. He had not been impressed by the loyalty of congregations, since, out of over thirty letters forwarded, replies had been received to only nine. After all, the Presbytery was a responsible body and was entitled to be recognised as such. If congregations continued to withhold reasonable loyalty to the Presbytery something would have to be said to them at the end of the year. CHRISTIAN SOCIAL COUNCIL. The next subject to be dealt with by the Public Questions Committee is temperance, stated the Rev. J. D. Smith. The committee would be glad to receive any constructive ideas for an educational programme on the .subject. A meeting was being convened foi Tuesday next at the Vedic at 5.30 p.m. for the purpose of convening a Christian Social Council, reported Mr Smith. Ho hoped that interest would be shown in the attempt to exert Christian principles m the healing of the social ills of to-day. The proposal was to forin a council representative of not only their own interests, but of all the denominations, and corresponding with the Christian Social Council in the Old Country. Although it had been in existence only since 1929, the English body had done a great amount of good work. HOME MISSIONARIES. Considerable discussion took place cm the subject of the Ecclesiastical Committee’s. recommendation that an overture from Southland Presbytery should be disapproved. The overture required that Presbyteries should be given the power of veto in the matter of the appointment and transfer of home missionaries, but the committee considered that no alteration of existing regulations was necessary. The Revs. D. N. M'Kenzic and H. J. Ryburn urged that the whole question should be referred back to the committee for further consideration, but after the Revs. J. D. Smith, R. G. M'Dowall, and D. C. Herron had spoken an amendment to that effect was defeated. The report was approved. ■ INDUCTION OF NEW MINISTER. The Presbytery will again meet in hunc effectual at South Dunedin on May 10 for the induction of the Rev. R. T. Dodds. The Moderator will preside and the Rev. H. A. Mitchell will preach. The Rev. J. Lymburn is to address the minister and Professor Cmlie the congregation.