PRESBYTERIAN ASSEMBLY

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXV, Issue LXV, 19 December 1913, Page 5

PRESBYTERIAN ASSEMBLY

RESOLUTIONS AGAINST

GAMBLING

BY TELEGBAPH—PRESS ASSOCIATION. CHRISTCHURCH, Dec. 19. At the Presbyterian Assembly the Rev. John Mackenzie moved: 'That the General Assembly regards -vita alarm the enormous increase in gambling resulting from the J use of the totalisator, and protesi-s againrt the multiplication of racing permits proposed by Mr G. Hunter's Bill, which recently passed its second reading in Parliament. In view of the serious menace to the moral standards of the nation threatened by the spread of tbe gambling spirit, the Assembly calls upon the Christian people of the Dominion to resist steadfastly any attempt to give greater facilities for the use of the totalisator, and' urges Parliain/iit to reject any such proposal yhtmld it he> made next session, and, /further, that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to the Prime Minister and ali members of Parliament." The Assembly adopted the following I overture from the Presbytery ot Christchurch anent international peace: — "Whereas war is a deplorable evil, whereas the Church of Christ is a mighty force in shaping public opinion, and whereas also the Church ha' succeeded in abolishing many social evils and in vastly mitigating the horrors of war, it is.hereby humbly overtured to the venerable General Assembly to take the above premises into consideration and to initiate ay movement through correspondence with the Presbyterian Churches of Great Britain and Ireland, Australia, Canada, and the United States, a* also with, the Lutheran Church of Germany and the Reform Churches mv France, , and through associations in our own Dominion, or in any other way which the General Assembly in its wisdom may deem fit, to create and foster international sentiment, of aversion to having recourse to war with a view to making .'wars to cease unto the end of the earth.'" The following overture regarding armaments from the Clutha Persbytery was also adopted: "That,this Presbytery overture the General Assembly to take into consideration the present growth of armaments amongst Christian nations and the ever-growing preparation both on land and sea for war, and to devise what means ought to be taken by our own Church, acting along with evangelical, churches in this and Other countries, to allay the war fever and to turn ihe thoughts of the people to the attainment of the Christian ideal, 'peace upon earth.' " A committee was appointed to carry the above resolutions into effect. Mr Jas Mitchell, president of the Laymen's Missionary Union, reported that the union had decided to make an effort to raise £20,000 for home .mission work in the month of Augußt, 1915. A hearty vote of thanks was accorded the Laymen's Missionary Union for its' offer. ' An overture from the Clutha Presbytery, that the position of Moderator of the Courts or Church be open to an elder was sent down to presbyteries for their consideration. The Rev. Alex. Don was appointed foreign missions secretary for a period of three years, at a salary of £300 a year.

The Assembly agreed to send a deputation to visit the mission - fields .in China and India, consisting of Professor Hewitson, Rev. P. B. Fraser, and Mr J. G. W. Aitken, and that the Laymen's Missionary Union, in conference with the Foreign Missions 'Committee, be authorised to appoint a fourth representative of. equal standing, to go at the expense of the Laymen's Missionary Union. _ An offer of •a.friend of • the. causevto give, at the rate of £50^ a deputy was received with thanks. The Home Mission Committee presented a lengthy and important report, which stated that there are about 120 mission stations in the Dominion. The work is rapidly growing. __ Twenty-five agents were appointed during the year. The quality of the agents had materially improved. Nine agents were re* ceived from* Scotland; six from other countries. The need for a larger income was strongly emphasised. It was reported that a bequest" of over £6000, subject to several life interests, would ultimately be available, on condition, that a similar sum was raised within the Church. The task of raising the I sum will probably be taken up by the Laymen's Missionary Union. It was also reported that there were upwards of 20 vacant charges. Resolutions were carried authorising the Home Mission Committee to secure, if possible, ten ministers and probationers from !the churches of Scotland and Ireland. A resolution of loyalty to be forwarded to the Governor was also adopted. The next Assembly was fixed to meet in Dunedin on Noveriiber 18 ,1914. The Assembly then closed.