PRESBYTERY OF CANTERBURY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XXIV, Issue 1431, 14 July 1865, Page 2

PRESBYTERY OF CANTERBURY.

A meeting of this Presbytery was held at St. Andrew's Church, on Wednesday. 12 inst., at I p.m. ' . The following members were present : Revds. C. Fraser (Moderator). W. Hogg, J. D. Fergusson, W. Kirton, G. Grant (clerk) j Mr. Gavin (elder). , The Presbytery having been constituted with devotional exercises, the minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. The Rev. W. Kirton handed in the sum of £2, as the contribution from the congregation at Kaiapoi towards the Assembly expenses. Mr. Gavin announced the following contributions from the congregations at St. Paul's Church, Christchurch, viz. :— Presbytery Expenses ... £& B'l Church Extension Fund 618 9 Assembly Expenses, to be supplemented to the required amount .... ... 414 0 He mentioned that the amounts would be handed over to the treasurers of the respective The Rev. W. Kirton announced that a mortgage of £150, at 15 per cent, had been effected upon the manse at Kaiapoi. The building was nearly finished, and would probably be ready for occupation in a very short time. . The Rev. W. Hogg moved the resolution standing in his name—" That this Presbytery cordially approves of the resolutions of Assembly anent union with the Presbytery of Otago, and respectfully overtures the Assembly to enact in terms thereof conditionally on the said resolutions being accepted by the Presbytery of Otago." The Rev. W. Kirton seconded the resolution. The Rev. the Moderator gave his views upon the question, expressing his regret at the withdrawal of the Presbytery of Otago from the proposed scheme of union of the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand, as he was sure that the measure, if carried out, would have been productive of the most beneficial results upon the general body of the Church. He hoped that the meeting of the General Assembly in Dunedin would prove conducive in bringing about the union which was so desirable. For his own part, he hoped and trusted that it would have such an effect. The resolution was carried unanimously. The Rev. W. Hogg gave some account of a pastoral visit recently paid by him to the Peninsula. He mentioned that a great willingness appears to exist among3t the population with reference to assist in having a Presbyterian church established there. Some subscriptions towards a church and manse had been either promised or received. Messrs. Grubb, Wright, and Pitcaithly were introduced ns a deputation from Lyttelton, with reference to some proceedings which have lately taken place in Jhe Presbyterian church in that town. Mr. Grdbb, on behalf of the deputation, stated that the voice of the congregation in Lyttelton was in favour of having an ordained minister. The church was at present in a very divided state. Nearly one half of the congregation had left the church. Now, as he, for one, had taken a great interest in the establishment of the church, he deeply regretted the circumstance, and was anxious that measures should be adopted, with a view to healing the unhappy dissensions which now prevailed. The Rev. G. Grant stated that the meeting held at Lyttelton was merely a preliminary one—it was held solely in order to give the congregation an opportunity of bringing the matter before the Presbytery. He concluded by moving the annexed resolution :— "That the Presbytery having heard the deputation of the congregation at Lyttelton, in support of their memorial, and learned with regret the unhappy division existing among them, meet with the congregation in the church at Lyttelton, on August Bth next, to adopt such measures as may tend to the establishment of harmony and the settlement of a minister among them." The resolution, having been seconded, was carried unanimously. It was decided that arrangements should oe made for conducting Divine Service in St. John's Church, Lyttelton, for one month, the officiating minister to inform the congregation of the intended meeting, according to the resolution. The Rev. the Moderator undertook to conduct one service on Sunday next, and to intimate the decision of the Presbytery to the congregation. The resoluton, having been seconded, was carried. The Rev. the Moderator moved that the Presbytery cordially accept the tender of the services of the Rev. J. D. Fergusson of service within bounds, and appoint him to supply the pulpits of ministers officiating in Lyttelton. The motion, having been seconded, was carried. There being no further business before the meeting, the Benediction was pronounced, and the Presbytery broke up.

The following letter, addressed to the Rev. the Moderator, was read :— Lyttelton, July 11, 1865. The Bov. Charles Fraserj Moderator of tho Presbytery of Canterbury. Rev. Sir, —Circumstances make it necessary for mo to come before the Presbytery, to request their interference in matters pertaining to the congrefation connected with the church in Lyttelton. •uring the recent proceedings, the people among whom I have laboured for tho last iive yoars, are Slaoed beforo the public and the Church as in a ivided state, and this division I am represented as the innocent cause of. I hesitate not for a moment to accept the credit of having done much for the Church and the School in Lyttelton, each of which is now in a following state. The congregation is provided with a comfortable church which cost nearly £2400, and the debt remaining is a mere trifle. The attendance on Sabbath is, perhaps, double what it was at this time last year, and the income from all sources available for the support of a minister (taking the first quarter of this year as a basis) would amount to well nigh£3oo per annum; and, with a light offort, this amount might bo considerably increased. The High School, of which I am still nominally the head, and of which I was until February last the actual principal, has, from its second quarter in 1860, numbered from 70 to 100 pupils por quarter. It now ranks with tho superior sohools of the province, supports two teachors, and its total inoomo, including tho Government grant, cannot be less than £450 per annum. On the school buildings and site there is no debt. All this work has been under the management of a local committee, of which many of tho members have beon active and libornl. Wo have beon materially assisted too by members of our own and othor churches not resident in Lyttolton, in visiting whom I always met with great encouragement. It would appear from what has recently transpired that some have thought it to bo a settled thing that I was to bo pastor of the congregation in this town. I mysolf havo opposed this opinion, and stated that whilo I hold mysolf froo, tho raombers could call whom they choso. Notwithstanding this, a feeling has got abroad since I was liconsod, that thero is somo influence at work in order to intrude mo on the congregation. An iniluontial minority eutortains this fooling, and henco tho congregation—as appeared at a recent thinly attondod meeting—seems divided. I therefore request the Presbytery to look after the charge, and, in order that my friends may not insist upon maintaining any position which might keep tho congregation in a "disunited state, to givo them distinctly to understand that, under present circumstances, I would decline to accept a call to the pastorate of the congregation in Lyttelton, even if it wore presented to rae. As it is probable that I may reside in Lyttelton for the present, I place my hurnblo services at tho disposal o£ the Presbytery, desirous to preach tho

irloriouii Go«pol of tta.graco of God m often m there « wh«»ff«r,<be» >• an Your sttri' obWient servant, ! Jamm D. Fbbocmoit.