PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIII, Issue 14, 14 December 1932, Page 8

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.

REJOINED BY MINISTER. Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, Dec. 13. An echo of the case of Rev. A. A, Murray, which aroused widespread discussion in Presbyterian circles 12 or 13 years ago, was heard in the Auckland Presbytery to-night. Mr Murray was for some years'minister of St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, but when he expressed views on baptism at variance with those of his church he was suspended in August, 1920, from the ministry by the Auckland Presbytery. Mr Murray was subsequently instrumental in forming a new church which he called the United Evangelical Church.

Two years ago Mr Murray went to the United States and to-night the Auckland Presbytery had before it oorre'rp'ond-cfiice from tho Presbytery of Chester, Pennsylvania, concerning him. The clerk of that presbytery stated that Mr Murray, had renounced the views once held by him on baptism and had gone back to the historic Presbyterian position. He was applying for admission to the ministry and the clerk asked ns a matter of courtesv that the Auckland Presbytery should give the Chester Presbytery full authority to deal with Mr Murray’s application. The Presbytery discussed the matter in committee and afterwards reported having adopted the following resolution : ‘The Presbytery of Auckland, having been informed that Rev. A. A. Murray is prepared to subscribe to the standards of the Presbyterian Church, authorises the Presbytery of Chester, United States, to assume jurisdiction in the case of Mr Murray who was suspended sine die for some divergence from the views of baptism held by this church, and the Presbytery of Auckland agrees that the Presbytery of Chester may dispose of the case in such manner as to its wisdom it may seem best.”

Rev. A.-A. Murray took a prominent part in the formation of the United Evangelical Church in Palmerston North of which he was for some time pastor.