PRESBYTERIAN ASSEMBLY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XCIX, Issue 11503, 14 February 1898, Page 3

PRESBYTERIAN ASSEMBLY.

TPeb Press Association.! AUCKLAND, Feb. 12. At the Presbyterian Church Assembly to-day, the draft of an address to bo presented to the Governor was read and approved. It was agreed that the Moderator should arrange for the presentation of the address to his Excellency on his return to Christchurch. It was resolved —“ That Presbyteries be instructed to appoint deputies to visit congregations wiiiiin their bounds with a view to deepening the interest of our people in the foreign mission work of our church and increasing contributions to the fund, and especially to forming associations.” The Education Committee expressed regret that it could not report much progress since the last Assembly in the movement for the introduction of scripture lessons into State schools. The now Parliament had made no sign, and unhappily the apathy and indifference of many of the friends of the movement referred to in the last report still continued. At present, the subject of religious education in schools seemed to bo regarded very much as a “ bagged badger,” to be lot out for a run once a year in connection with meetings of the supremo courts of churches, and while this state of things continued no material advance was to bo looked for. What they needed in order to stir up tho_ friends of the movement in the churches to energetic action was evidently some agency, similar to the National Scripture Education League of Victoria. One of the most significant things in connection with the re-introduction of portions of the Scriptures into lesson books in Victoria, bad been the determined opposition of the Eomon Catholics. Happily they had not been so successful, but the fact that they had not hesitated to make it an essential part of their policy to help the lowest and worst typo of secularism in the national schools seemed to show that the policy of conciliating them, or working along with them in the matter, was utterly impracticable. But there was unity enough among them without the Roman Catholics to carry the cause to a successful issue. The committee therefore recommended the Assembly, in conjunction with tho other churches and friends, to take such steps an should lead to tho formation of an organisation similar to the Victorian National Scripture League as the best moans of overcoming the present difficulty. The Eov G. B. Inglis moved—- “ That the Assembly adopt the report with thanks to the committee, especially to tho convenor, re-afilrm tho declaration of previous Assemblies regarding tho importance of upholding our national system of education, with the introduction of a Scripture text-book, heartily approve of a recommendation in the report that a National Scripture Education League be formed to arouse and educate public opinion, and so to bring about the time when Christian people throughout New Zealand will demand through their representatives in Parliament that amendment in the Education Act which our own and sister churches have repeatedly declared to be so desirable.” The Eev W. J. Comric contended that they must drop the Scripture text-book taken up to please tho Anglican Church, and insist upon the reading of the Scriptures. They had been trying too Eng to please the Anglican Church, and it was time they took tho lead themselves. The Very Eov Gordon Webster said that the public school was really the only place where they could get tho children together. Tho Eevs Mackenzie and Morrison thought that a bettor plan than State religious education was for ministers themselves to devote, say, half an hour a day to giving a Scripture lesson to the children. The motion, on being put, was carried by a majority. The Advisory Committee’s report on grants to churches from the Church Extension Fund, was read and considered. The total grants for the colony amounted to £690. The grants recommended by the committee were agreed to. Tho committee appointed to consider the applications of ministers, to be received into the Church recommended that the following ministers should be received Rev James Noble Dodos, M.A., Eev Alexander Whyte, M.A., 8.D., B.Sc., Eev E. M’Lean, M.A., Eev William Thompson, M.A. Tho application of the Eev Edwin Eldridge was recommended to be referred to the Timaru Presbytery, to act according to the regulations, with power to receive Air Eldridge, if satisfied.