OTAGO SYNOD AND DOCTRINE.

Evening Star, Issue 21821, 10 September 1934, Page 3

OTAGO SYNOD AND DOCTRINE.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —Reply to Rev. J. D. Smith must bo brief. A full reply would relate history for twenty or thirty years, and some people’s ears might tingle. Suffice it to say that i uni listed in the 1 Blue Book ’ in six words; ‘‘ Minister who has lodged his certificate ” —not even “ honourably retired,” hut after forty years’ service, like some “ new arrival ” sitting on the ecclesiastical doorstep waiting to be received. Is that Presbyterianism? 1 had constitutional right to be associate with Dunedin Presbytery, but when 1 attended i did not receive even the courtesy of typewritten documents handed round to all members. Here is a sentence from the General Assembly’s ‘ Book of Order ’ (1931) : ‘‘ A provincial Synod may associate with itself for the time being, with a right to speak, but not to vote, any ordained minister who is present ” (par. 249). This is the same as United Free Church of Scotland. How true also of Presbytery. Where, then, do 1 come in? 1 have asked Assembly lor no honours. I got all I wanted in 1915, when it conferred on me a decoration of M.C.! (Modernist Censure!) Then, us to my right of petition to the Synod. As to the principle. A standard authority, ‘ Practice and Procedure in the United Free Church of Scotland.’ says; “ Any member or members of a congregation as individuals have the right of access by petition or memorial to the Presbytery. Synod, or Genera] Assembly.” The same is said by the * Book of Order ’ of the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand (1931). “ The courts of the church may receive and judge of petitions or memorials presented to them on matters connected with the doctrine, discipline, worship, or government of the church as a whole.” ‘‘Petitioners must appear, and may he heard before the courts to which their petitions are presented ” (p. 61). Yet I was refused opportunity or right of speech before Synod or Presbytery or any of its committees dealing with this matter. Whether my petition were delivered direct or through a Session or Presbytery, is a detail, a point not affecting the principle; because neither of those is required to give “ approval of its object or concurrence in it,” hut to see that it is regular in form and respectful iu terms; precisely as my petitions wore drafted. But be it observed that the Synod of Otago and Southland, which is the supreme court in this matter, requires no such detail, and simply says in its ‘ Book of Practice ’: “ Any member has access by petition to all courts of the church.” How simple, in the past two years, to have referred the question to the law advisers of the Synod or Church Board of Property, and not to interested and biased parties, determined at all hazards to prevent the church as a whole hearing my voice. What is going on may )>e witnessed from this week’s “ official organ,” edited by the Rev. G. H. Jnpp, where a caricature and mocking report of the Synod’s meeting is given, with refusal to receive my petition, but the whole of my petition is left out of the report. It winds up with -the jeering remark: “ The whole matter was received by the Synod in what might rightly lie termed ‘ a stony silence.’ One member put it aptly: 1 The Synod has said to Mr Fraser, in the language of chess and draughts; “It’s your move, sir.,” ’ ” “A game of chess and draughts!” , “ The faith once for all delivered to the saints!” But recall one or two sentences from Professor R. G. Maciutyre, D.D., ■ 0.T5.K,. of Presbyterian Theological College, Sydney: “ True to his principle of subjectivism. Professor Dickie derives nothing of theology direct from the Bible.” “He leaves us somewhat in the air on the nature of the Atonement,” mid much more. But it is only a ” game of chess,” says the Synod, receiving “ in stony silence ” the representative of thousands of loyal Presbyterians throughout New Zealand. “ This, the greatest crisis the world has ever known,” said President Hoover. “ The greatest intellectual conflict that has ever been waged since the birthday of the Nazarene,” said President Patton. “ Only a game of chess!” says Otago Synod. But “ Wait and sec,” said Lord Asquith.—l am, etc., P. 13. Phaser. September 7.