DUNEDIN COUNCIL OF CHURCHES.

North Otago Times, Volume CV, Issue 13933, 16 July 1917, Page 3

DUNEDIN COUNCIL OF CHURCHES.

ANNUAL MEETING, ■' ■ ' The eigh'tenth'anuuai meeting of the Duriediii Council of Christian Cluirches was held on Friday evening, the Rev, W, A, Hay presiding, ' The.secretary (the Rev, G, Heigh-

way) read his annual report, the adoption of which was moved by the president. He said there was one significant omission in the. report, which was a reflection on.the modesty of the report, For eighteen years Mr Heighway had given most ungrudging', service, and with his permission and understanding the meeting would be dojng itself an honour by embodying in the report an appreciation of, 'Mr Hoighway's work in connection with the organisation: ■ . -, Mr Kosevcar read the treasurer's report, Which pho'wed a credit balajncc of ,£<lo 13s.—The report was adopted; Cap-

tain Suiidstruni throwing out.a sugges-. tibn that, the services of the seiiretaiy and treasurer should be recognised in some tangible way, The matter came up afterwards and was inferred to the executive,

The Rev. R. S, Gray made a statement as to what had transpired at a meeting of clergy relative to niovj.iiy pictures some time back, and as to what had succeeded ■ that meeting. lie referred in particular to what had occurred when a deputation waited upon the Mintstc( of Internal Ail'airs-aiul to the' fact that the Hon. Mr Russell had said that if any picture was shown that had not passed the censor he would prosecute. ■ Mr Jolilfe, censor, \v : o was present, had said that he 'found it exceed- • t P ingly difficult to supervise films properly. He (the speaker) thought Mr Jolilfe'was overtaxed, On several; occasions Mr Jolilfe had su wended his judgment until he got !iis wife's opinion about the picture, A certain basis of judgment had been called for by the deputation, which the Minister | had approved of, though it had been j reported that lie would further consider the matter. Mr Joliffe had said that four-fifths of the pictures that came before him were undesirable, lie hail said; "If I censored picture dims coming before me -as 1 think they should be censored all picture shows would bo shut up." If he (Mr Gray) had been the Minister he cotfld hardly have said'more'than Mr Russel|. did. He had said that the representations had been so strong that could no longer take the responsibility of refusing to appoint a board (presumably of inquiry), that he would represent the matter, and there was every hope that a board would lie appointed. The Minister had also ref rred to posters, ami had said that lie was bringing in a Bill l to censor those that were objection able* am! would ..prosecute where necessary.- ■ ■

The president, in a few remarks, introduced the■ subject of the amendment of the constitution. The proposed chanjje did not arise from ineffectiveness on the part of the council. The proposal was that representation should be based upon representation from denominations,

The secretary then read the resolutions arrived at by the executive, which 'were as follow;—(1) The Council of Churches shall exist for the purpose of mutual advice and of united action on public questions affecting the progress of the kingdom of God, the welfare of the churches, and the moral and spiritual uplift of the community, (2) The council shall consist of representatives from the following evangelical 1 churches: Presbyterian, Methodist, Baptist, Congregational, Church of Christ, and of the Salvation Army, The representatives shall be appointed annually to the council by their respective denominations in the following proportion—viz.: Ten from the Presbyterian, six from the Methodist, four from the Baptist, four from the Congregational, four from the Church of Christ, and two from the Salvation Army,' (3) The council shall appoint' annually a president, 'a secretary, and a treasurer. (4) The council shall meet ordinarily once a. quarter, but special meetings shall 1 be convened

by the president as occasion arises,

The first resolution was passed, but

there was some dsicussion over the second, so far. as it related to the Church of England, concerning which the' licv, Mr Trotter miiilc somo rc'marks' to'tlio effect that'quite recently he'had received an this religious body was prepared to join. • On the iiiotion of the Rev. W. Saunders it was decided that the Church of England be included among thfe others, and the clause was passed. The question of representation by the Church of England was referred to, and if was!decided, oil the motion of.thei Rev. B. S. Gray, that the number of representatives be six.

1' The remainder of the clauses were | passed. 1 The Rev. Mr Griffiths moved, by way P of preamble, as follows: "That; with a j| view to more effective co-operation on. j| the, part of the Christian churches of 1 Diinciliii, this meeting approves of the 1 formation of-a Council of Churches.on a B denominational instead of a eonjjregnD tional basis, on tlie lines oi the follow- | iiig tentative constitution,"—The'mog Hon was agreed to. 2 The president mentioned' that it was :! liis (ixed belief that there'was not sut'- § ficiei't'intercession dur'nitr war time, ami | uiwd that it be increased. ' S . "It -was resolved 'that- ■ tlie; 'present gj eouncil continue its operations'until the. | lß'xt eouiu'ii was appointed pd took I office. .