BRITISH ISRAELISM

Greymouth Evening Star, 15 November 1934, Page 5

BRITISH ISRAELISM

MENACE TO WORLD PEACE? [per press association.] DUNEDIN, November 13. At the Presbyterian General Assembly the Rev. W. Lawson Marsh reported for the committee on Mr Jamieson’s petition regarding BritishIsraelism in the following terms:— “The General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand, does not recognise the teaching of the British-Israel Federation that the British and Ametican peoples are descendants of thp ten tribes of Israel supposed to lost. The teaching is founded upon a nationalism that threatens to become a menace to world peafce and a hindrance to the foreign mission work of the Church. “It is contrary to universal nonnational conception of the Kingdom of God. It is based on a wrong interpretation of Scripture, and on alleged historical statements that are not supported by any recognised authorities in history, philology, and anthropology. “While the Church allows much liberty of opinion in the entertaining of views that may have little intellectual support, it regards the appeal of the British-Israel theory to so many as disquieting symptoms of misunderstanding of the meaning of the .Gospel as given in Christ and interpreted by the apostolic church. The General Assembly directs the Tract Committee to prepare a statement on the subject, setting forth the attitude of the Presbyterian Church for this teaching.” Rev. Dr. F. S. Hunter said that the British-Israel theory was in direct conflict with the motions of the Assembly in regard to war. BritishIsraelism was a menace to world peace. Rev. J. S. Pate opposed the motion, urging that the promises of God should be interpreted magnanimously. Rev. J. Paterson moved an amendment that the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand declares that freedom of opinion on the subject of British Israelisni is allowed within this church, but recommends to those who wish informa-, tion upon the subject to reading of “British-Israel Truth” for an exposition of the theory, and Dr. H. L. Gondge’s the “British-Israel Theory” for the arguments against it. Rev. James Baird urged the unwisdom of any such serious statement as that offered by Mr Marsh, and said that any heresy hunt was to be deprecated. It was not necessary to use •a sledge-hammer to kill a butterfly. Rev. Thomas Miller moved, in a further amendment, that the Assembly does not consider that the teaching of the British-Israel theoiy affects vitally either the ethical or doctrinal teaching of the Presbyterian Church, and therefore makes no deliverance with regard to it. After prolonged discussion, Mr Marsh withdrew his original motion with the approval of the Assembly, and substituted the following:— “That the Assembly, in reply to the question addressed to it through the Auckland Presbytery on British Israelisni, states that it is unaware of any adequate grounds for believing that the British and American people are descended from Israelite stock, and does not regard the dissemination of such ideas as serving the furtherance of the Gospel of the free grace of God in Christ, in Whom there is neither Jew nor Greek.’ On a division being taken, the motion moved by Rev. Thomas Miller was lost, and Mr Marsh’s motion was carried. Mr Marsh then moved the following motion: —“That the General Assembly discountenances the teaching n’ f1 'o British-Israel theory from its pulpits and in its Sunday schools and Bioie classes, and enjoins its ministers, Bible class leaders, and Sunday School teachers to refrain from such divisive courses.

The .Moderator (Rev. Dr. J. Dickie) asked leave to vacate the chair, and Rev. D. D. Scott took his place. Dr. Dickie said that there was the freedom of the parent as well as that of the teacher, and it was a pity that in a Bible class or a Sunday School class any teacher should be allowed to teach this doctrine, which was not in accord with the teaching of the Presbyterian Church.” Finally, Mr Marsh withdrew his motion and substituted the following: “That the Assembly discourages the propagation of British-Israelism through the regular channels of ilie Church.’’ So ended a long and involved debate.

PROTEST CAUSES SCENE. DUNEDIN, November 13. Just, as the Presbyterian Assembly was adjourning foi’ lunch to-day, ithe Rev. P. B. Fraser, standing at the bar, protested against the action of the Assembly clerk in recording the names of ministers who had lodged their certificates, also asking why the Rev. G. H. Jupp, editor of the “Outlook,” and Professor J. Collie had refused the publication to his brief statement of faith which some years ago received the unanimous endorsement of the Assembly. The Moderator (Dr J. Dickie) said the brief statement now before the public had never been before the Church and differed very materially from that approved 25 years ago, containing much of which the Assembly would not approve. If Mr Fraser made himself again a member of the church courts he, for one, would welcome him and any opportunity he desired would be given for the expression of his honest opinion. The whole matter was out of order and he was sorry to see Mi’ Fraser outside the bar looking like a lost soul. Mr Fraser: You know you have put me out of my own church. The ringing of the bell did not silence Mr Fraser and the assembly clerk (the Rev. Mr McKenzie) moved that the police be called , to remove him. A tense situation was ended in laughter when the Rev. Mr Nordmeyer announced, “I have an intimation to make that someone has taken an overcoat by mistake.” The adjournment was then taken without further mention of Mr McKenzie’s motion for direct action.

' . “POISONOUS TEACHINGS.” DUNEDIN, November 14. That Presbyterian discipline was being “trampled underfoot,” and that students from the ministry required protection from the “poisonous teachings” of Dr. S. Angus, whose book, “Truth and Tradition,” has given so much concern to the courts of New South Wales in the Presbyterian Church, were statements made at the session of the General Assembly this morning.

Rev. J. H. Mackenzie, of Wellington, moved that, in view of recent events in New South Wales, the Assembly instruct the Theological Hall Committee that no student of the Church be permitted to attend any lecture at St. Andrew’s College, Sydney. The clerk said that, without wishing to commit the Assembly, he would say that Presbyterian discipline had been trampled underfoot. Dr. Angus had denied the virgin birth, the sinlessness of the Lord, His resurrection and Deity. The moderator, Dr. John Dickie, said it would not be neighbourly to allow those things to bp said at the Assembly. He agreed with much that the clerk had said, but it was not a sisterly act to condemn a member of a sister church. A motion that the next business be proceeded with was then lost. Mr McKenzie added that he was not attacking Dr. Angus, but simply referred to his book. Students required protection from what could only be termed “poisonous gas.” The apparent inability of the courts of the New South Wales Church to deal with the case was distressing to thousands of loyal Presbyterians. If passed the motion would encourage those people. It would let them know that there was one Presbyterian Church in the South Seas which was not becoming Unitarian. Rev. Mr Smith, Dunedin, said that it was not likely that the Theological Hall Committee would permit any student to proceed to St. Andrew’s, even if he made application. Rev. Mr Herron, Dunedin, convener of the committee, said that no requests had been before it. It was sometimes unfairly said that the teachings of the Theological Hall were classed with those of the New South Wales College. Dr. Angus’s book was a crude one. It would, however, have been unfriendly to pass a resolution. A former student of Dr. Angus, Rev. Mr Blanchard, Wellington, said that he had written to Dr. Angus telling him that his book did not fairly and squarely represent his views. It represented the extremity of attitude into which the author had been provoked by the inevitable bitterness aroused. The motion was carried. Subsequently Rev. Mr Tipler, Auckland, gave notice of motion that the motion was not intended to embarrass the Church in New South Wales or to pass judgment upon a case which was still under consideration by that Church.