AUCKLAND PRESBYTERY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVIII, Issue 5995, 3 February 1881, Page 3

AUCKLAND PRESBYTERY.

The ordinary two-monthly meeting'of .the Presbytery was" held yesterday, in St. Andrew's Church, the Rev. Mr. Macky, Moderator, in the chair..; The minutes of the previous sederwit were •; read: and confirmed. ■ j Explanation.—The Rev. Mr. Runciman referred to the report of the proceedings of the last seder unt, in the newspapers, where it was stated. that the people of Alangere and Onehunga had-treated :him in an " underhand " mauuer. What he meant was, that they: had acted "without consultation " with ' him.—The Moderator said some stepswould be taken to.revise the report before publication. - ; New Moderator;— The Rev. Mr. Munro was eleced Moderator for the ensuing six months.

: Lucas' Creek.—The Rev. D. Bruce, in reply to a statement made by the Rev. Mr. MeCallunv respecting the lease or "sale of certain property at this place; said that so long as allotments of this description were unoccupied they were taxable. They were usually entered in the rate-book in.his name, and he had to pay the taxes.—Rev. Mr. McCallum : The - Road Board liad submitted the matter to him. There was a party willing either to purchase or lease.— The Rev. D. Bruce said it was a pity that these matters should not be mentioned in the proper place. The deed was usually in his name.—Rev. Mr. McCallum : In that case, in the eveutotMr. Brace's decease, the property, might be lost to the Church. —Rev. D. Bruce : That could not be,, because there is a proper deed of trust ; they are held in trust. The reason why the taxes were not paid, was that there sometime stood on the Lucas' Creek property a building which served the purpose of a- church and schoolhouse. That building had been removed. He was aiixidus to know how that building came to be removed, and to raise the question properly.—After some discussion it,was resolved to refer- the matter .to. the property Committee. ■:■■■

! Standing Committees of the Assembly. !I— The Rev. Mr. McCalluiii" moved the transmission of tlie ; pyer,tiive of which he had givea notice. He thought that the importance of these standing committees could not be overestimated. Practically they had in their hands the .government of the Church, it was, therefore, of the greatest moment that they should be properly. constituted. I He begged to move the following overture to the General Assembly WJiereas, it "is desirable that the standing committees shall be appointed in the manner best calculated to represeuttheseveralPresbyteriesand to secure !the services on.: the standing committees of all the ministers and members of the Church whose experience and qualifications render them best fitted to act, it is hereby over:tured- to the General Assembly that they shall take the premises into their consideration, and enact that Presbyteries shall nominate such persons, ministers, and elders as they wish to have appointed to act on the several standing committees, and that in. the appointment of standing committees a due regard shall be had 'to the names so suggested by the Presbytery, and the appointment of the committee shall be made at an early meeting of the Assembly, or otherwise, to enact Assembly in its wisdom may direct."—[Considerable discussion took place as to the terms in which the overture was drawn up.] — Uev. D. Bruce objected to certain words which appeared to have the effect of dictating to the Assembly.—The Rev. J. Maoky, in seconding the motion, said that an overture was 'usually transmitted without discussion.— Rev. D. Bruce said that, if certain words were omitted, he would not object to the transmission of the overture. It was quite right to have the matters referred to under consideration from time to time. He thought the present procedure of the Assembly was 'adopted after due consideration.—Rev. Mr. Norric said that some such overture was desirable. He found that his own name li ad been omitted from a committee last session of the Assembly without his knowledge.—Rev. Mr. Runciman thought the overture was a reflection on the procedure and practice of the Assembly. He.would not object to it. (But he thought those who agreed with the terms of the overture might attach their names to it as individual ministers. ~ It would be a pity if overtures were transmitted as the resolution of the Presbytery, when several members of the Presbytery did not agree with the terms of the overture, but at the same time did not care to object to the matter .of.it. R. Somerville was glad that Mr. McCallum had disclaimed any intention of being personal, when saying that some names were to be found six or seven times on committees. He found his name seven times hi the report of proceedings. He believed that was done because he; endeavoured; to do the work.— Rev. Mr. Runciman said the difficulty was to get gentlemen to serve on thosfe committees.—The Rev. J. Mac'ky said the proceedings in the Presbytery that day were unique. Nothing of the kind had taken place before. He could not see there was any desire to dictate to the General Assembly. —[A long discussion took place as to the propriety of omitting the word "early," and other words.] —The Rev. Mr. Macky did not think there was any dictation implied in the overture, more than any other overture. He i had no objection to the omission of the word.—-After some further verbal criticism the resolution to-.transmit the overture was agreed to.

OXEHUKOA and M.iNGERE.--TheEev..Mr/ Rnnciman handed in a call from the people of, Mangere and Onelmnga, to the Rev. James Uruce, signed by 100 persons. He believed .that there was every prospect of this being a very united and harmonious Church. —Mr. JVhite (a Commissioner) supported the call! —Mr... Dnnwoodie also supported the call.—Mr. "'James' : Robinson supported the call. Several meetings'had been held in the district, and those who attended were unanimous.—The Rev. Mr. Runciman moved, and the Rev. Mr. Norrie seconded, "That the call be sustained."—Carried. It was also agreed that a,', citation should be forwarded to the congregation of which'-the Rev. James Bruce is at' pi-escnt minister, to state their views on the matter.

.The, Barrier. Act.—The Rev. D. Bruce said the General Assembly in its last session had agreed to recommend the passing of a Barrier Act, so as to oppose anything like hasty legislation in Church .matters. He thought the resolution thus taken was in .a wise direction. The.measure'recommended, was a transcript of the " Barrier " Act which had been found.to.work so well in Scotland. The Act, of course, would be brought into operation subject to the standing orders. He thought the Presbyterian Church in this colony had. now arrived at that stage in its history when some legislation of the kind was highly desirable, if not actually necessary. He therefore moved, "That the form o£ 'Barrier Act,' submitted by the Assembly, should be approved by the Presbytery\"—The; Rev.'Mr. Maenieol seconded the motion, which was carried without discussion.; ,•■■•■■'

; Church Extension.—-The Clerk of the Presbytery said that. there was another matter remitted to the Presbytery at the last session of the General Assembly, namely, the'committees for this purpose. There was to be,one.general committee. There were to be three " branch committees. The agent of the Church was to be the convener of the general committee. ' Each' branch committee might choose its own convener.— The Rev. Mr..Bruce :;I do:not think tliat it will- be necessary for us to take any action}

The subject'will be dealt with by the General Assembly.—Rev. Mr. Somerville : But the sub-committee in Christchurch are acting.—The Rev. Mr. Bruce: Only in matters of detail. They could uot take the initiative in any important work.—The consideration of the subject was, therefore, remitted.'. ' .' .' ; ; : - > ' ,

Marriage > with Deceased Wife's Sistkr.—The Rev. Mr. McCallum thought that ministers should have some direction as to how to act in cases of this kind. Such cases presented themselves occasionally. He had knowTi of one case. In the 'Westminster ; Confession of Faith it was laid down that " A man shall not marry any of his wife's kindred nearer in blood than her own," and in the case of a widow "A woman shall not marry any of her husband's kindred nearer in blood," &c. —The Rev. Mr. Someryille : Neither the General Assembly nor the Presbyteries of the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand had taken any action in this matter, or expressed any opinion. The subject, /however, had been brought before the Church of Otago. They took.a very Avise course in the matter. It was there declared that no Bill had been received showing that the Royal assent had been given to such a measure. It ■ was even doubtful whether a Bill for that purpose would receive the" Royal assent. At all events it was decided that unless the Royal assent were given to such a measure, marriage with a deceased wife's sister could not become the law of the land, and until it became the law of the land it did not come within the province of the Church to consider the question. They could perhaps have taken no other course, but whether so or riot they could not have taken a wiser course. Representatives at the Assembly.—lt was announced that the General Assembly of the Church would be holden in Wellington on the Sth of March next. The Rev. Messrs.' Macky, Runciman, and Mcßae were appointed representatives of the Church in the Auckland district.

: Call.—The Clerk said the call to the Rev. James Bruce from Mangere and Onehunga had been sustained. There was no doubt that the congregation to whom the Rev. Mr. Brace- had been ministering would ■■■ have something to say to it.—lt was resolved that Commissioners be heard at a special meeting of Presbytery to be held on the 16th ,of February. ■■■ . ■ . •'. : :.

' Deceased Elders.—The Rev. Mr, Nome: mentioned, the decease of Mrl Nisbet, :an elder of the Church. Deceased was an elder of • the first Presbytery held - iii Auckland. Mr. J. Comrie, also deceaseil, had been nineteen years an elder of the Church. He took great interest in forming the congregation at Pukekohe and Pokeno. It was suggested that the Rev. Mr. Nome should draw up a minute referring to the decease of these elders, in order that it might be entered upon the records of the Presbytery. : This concluded the public business brought before the Presbytery. :