PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXI, Issue 128, 1 May 1941, Page 7

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

LAYAtEX CONFER. | STIPENDS OF MINISTERS. Furthering the campaign oi the cx- | eculive set up by the Presbyterian I Church of New Zealand at the last General Assembly for the maintenance I ol the ministry, a meeting of laymen was held in Palmerston .North last evening, the delegates being drawn front parishes in and surrounding the city. 'J here was ati attendance ol ova fitly, Rev. J. Hubbard presiding. Rev. T. W. Armour, of Knox ' Church. Christchurch, convener of the committee, gave an outline of tin?] aims ol the executive, which were I moulded on evidence produced before! the General Assembly, that the income qf the chinch had increased materially in the last 30 years, whereas the stip-

ends of the ministry had not been correspondingly increased, nor bad they increased with due regard to the appreciation in the wealth of the community. In certain cases, reductions in stipends undertaken in the depression period had not yet been restored and there was. further, a general condition in that due recognition bad not been taken of the rise in the cost of living. It was pointed out that necessarily lead to the lowering of the finer cultural standard presented to the Church, through a reduction ol the amenities required to maintain the pulpit on a high level.

All' J. C- Young said that the Church was fortunate in having a man of the knowledge and background of Air Armour to present the claims of the ministry. The layman's viewpoint was that the stan lard of the ministry shrould be maintained, otherwise not only the Church but the national life -would suffer. Air J. B. McKinney, of Auckland, who is accompanying Air Armour in a series of visits to the various districts of the Church, pointed out that the Church was undertaking a particularly comprehensive work which had increased in recent years, involving a heavy responsibility lor the ministers. Notwithstanding ,this fact, the comparative stipend over the last 30 years had not been maintained. The soundness of the finance of the 'Church had been shown in recent years by the response made to a number of appeals, among them being the Centenary appeal. by which over £250,000 was raised. This had relieved the Church of a large annual charge for interest, the money for which could now be directed to other channels. The meeting passed a resolution, moved by Air J. Murray, thanking the visitors' for their exposition of the Assembly proposals. approving oi them, and undertaking to make every possible endeavour to secure their fulfilment. A committee was appointed to attend to the area of the presbytery concerned, the following being the members: Messrs G. Ball (conbener). C. Campbell. H. Voss, H. A. McEwen and A. C. BuisL