DUNEDIN PRESBYTERY

Evening Star, Issue 22891, 24 February 1938, Page 9

DUNEDIN PRESBYTERY

REV. J. A. ALLAN INDUCTED CHAIR OF HEW TESTAMENT STUDIES , / A meeting of the Dunedin Presbytery was held in First Church last evening to induct the Rev. J. A. Allan to the Chair of New Testament Studies, Knox College. The service was attended by representatives of the Knox College Council and city and suburban churches. The moderator (Dr J. D. Salmond) presided. ’ ‘ The Place of Reason in Religious Life ’ was the subject chosen by the preacher, the Rev. H. J. Ryburn. This matter he contended as being of particular importance since it was obvious the church had been unhappy about it for a long time. After elaborating his subject, Mr Ryburn said he looked forward with confidence to the day when a reawakened Christian church would be once more the mainspring, not only ,of intellectual life, but of cultural life also. Such a reawakened church was essential at the present time, and he was convinced that unless it could bring back a vital faith to Europe Western civilisation was doomed. After the customary questions had been put by the moderator and an-' swered, and the declaration had been signed, the charge was given by the Rev. I). C. Herron, who stressed the importance of teaching as a branch of service in the church and emphasised’ the fact that since the first and greatest problems of. the world to-day were spiritual, teaching should have a spiritual basis.