OAMARU PRESBYTERY.

North Otago Times, Volume CV, Issue 13859, 20 April 1917, Page 1

OAMARU PRESBYTERY.

bi-monthly meetcnq. Tlio -bi-monthly meeting of the Oamai'u' Presbtciy was held at St. Paul's yesterday..- The Moderator (Rev. J. Lawson Bobinson) presided, and there' woro present: MinistersRevs W, Nichol (clerk), S. F. Hunter, 1 CI. AV. Hunt, P. C. Ronnie, Alex. Watson, and II.• T, Blair.: Representative Elders: J. D. Grant, R. Jackson, Pat-, terson. Chapman, and Craig. Apologies for absence were received from the Revs W. Wright and J. Craig. The Rev. W. V. Milne, one of the church missionaries from the New Ilobrirtes, was present, and was associated with the Presbytery, ami was cordially welcomed by the Moderator. The Rev S. F. Hunter, M.A., 8.D,, was elected Moderator for! the ensuing six months. Mr Hunter returned thanks for the appointment, and took the chair on its vacation by the Bev J. L, Bobinson.

The position of tho Waiarcka parish, owing to tho calling up of tho Rev A, G. Irvine for military service was explained by the Rov A, Watson, who reported that' congregational meetings had been held, and that the general and unanimous opinion of the peoplo was that the Presbytery should be askod to grant Mr lrvino six months' leave if absence, rather than to accept his resignation. Messrs Patterson and Pnton were present as commissioners from "Waiarcka, and urged the course indicated. Tho Rev A. Watson moved that the Presbytery grant Mr Irvine six leave of absence as- from Ist April, the position to be again renewed at the end of that period. Tho motion was seconded by the Rev J. L, Robinson, and carried. The Moderator thanked tho commissioners from Waiareka for their attendance, and assured them that the Pres-y bytery would afford the charge all the help desired. The Rev A. Watson was appointed iuterim-Moderator of the Waiareka parish.

The Rev A. Watson moved in accordance with notice given, "That the Presbytery, recognising the need of increased liberality on the part of all our people, towards the Sustentation Fund, appoint a committee to formulate and present to a future meeting, a plan for placing the financial position before members and adherents of the churches within our bounds." Mr Watson referred to the increased cost of living and the diminishing preaching power of the sovereign, and sugested that ministers felt the pihch as much as • other people. He pointed out that .the- working of the Sustentation Fumitwas little understood by the ofiicers, and that very few of them realised that in accepting aid from the general funds of the Church they were actually asking some other Church to assist, in paying the minister's stipend. He suggested that if such a committee as he indicated was set up and the position fully explained to tho Presbytery and to the Churches within the Presbytery the position could be made very much more clear to congregations, and morn satisfactory generally. The Rev'o. W. Hunt seconded, and supported the motion, stating that in his own parish ignorance of the nature of the Sustentation Fund 'was admitted, and that when the matter was po'rf":! out, the officers and members agreed to become an aid-giving instead of an aidreceiving congregation, lie desired, however, that commissioners from the Presbytery visit the Lower Waitaki parish for the purpose of explaining the working of 'lie Sustentation Fund to the congregation.

The motion was carried unanimouslv

The following were appointed a committee in accordance with tho motion: The Revs S. F, Hunter (convener), A, Watson, P. 0. Rennic, and Elders J. 1), Grant and R. Jackson. The Rev G. W. Hunt then moved that a commission consisting of the Rev S. I l '. Hunter, J. L. Robinson, Messrs J. D. Grant, and R. Jaeksou bo appointed to visit the Lower Waitaki charge in connection with proposals lo augment the Sustentation Fund, and that the Presbytery invite the Rev R. E, Davies (Knox Church, Dunediri), to accompany the commission. The motion was seconded by the Rev A. Watson, and carried. The Rev Mr Blair also asked that arrangements be made for a commission to visit tho' Dunback charge.

The annual balance-sheet of the Presbytery was presented by the treasurer (Rev G, W. Hunt) and adopted.

A letter was. read from the convener of the Home Mission Committee of the Assembly dealing with the annunl effort on behalf of the Home Mission work of the Church, and pleading for more liberal contributions to the fund than in previous years.

The letter was received ou the motion. of the clerk, seconded by the Rev Mr Ronnie, and it was decided' to'impress the mattor on the various congregations in the Presbytery. . • I The clerk of the Auckland Presbytery forwarded a copy of n resolution passed, dealing with the Presbytery's attitude towards the Church's Home Missionaries and military service, and isked for.the Oamaru Presbytery 'a supiort. The resolution adopted, on the notion of the Revs J. L. Robinson and I. T, Blair, was. as follows: "The s resbytery of Oamaru resolve that to ecure equality of treatment for the [iffereiit churches under the ballot it, is iccessary that the Home Missionaries if the, Presbyterian Church should not ie treated as , laymen; that our Home Missionaries give their whole lives .to lie work of the Church, and are 'paid or it; that they receive a training-for heir'work, and most of them are set iside by ordination for their work, and re really-the ministers of many of our ountry districts, Prom this it is clear hat .they are an important part of the ninistry of the Church, and should be ml 011 the same level, for the purposes if the Military Service Act as the urates; of the Anglican Church and the iflicers of the Salvation Army,". ■ It was decided, to forward a copy of lie Tpsolutioii 'to the Minister of De ence. A, letter. was>,received .from the' cdr ■ener ofthe .Susteutatior,:l'und. Con

mitte'e dealing .with tlie ratings-of'-tho j charges in the Presbytery for the current year. t ' . Ji'hc Bev H. V T. Blair pointed out the unfairness of tlio assessment levied/ on Iho Dunback charge, and said the congregation had resolved to protest against tho increase asked for, and also nsjccil.tlio. Presbytery to protest as well. It;was pointed out that tlio district lmd sustained-such losses through removals, and that the drought of the past, three years has been so severe that it had beeir impossible to. hold harvest thanksgiving.services.

Members of the Presbytery supported, the statement of Mr Blair, and it was decided to protest to the Sustentatlqn Committee on behalf of the Dunback charge. A similar decisjpn. ivas made' also on behalf of the /Hampden parish against the increaso levied by the committee on that district. \ ■