PRESBYTERIAN SYNOD AT DUNEDIN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 9351, 7 November 1893, Page 5

PRESBYTERIAN SYNOD AT DUNEDIN.

A STORMY DEBATE.

(Br TELEGRAPH. —JRESS ASSOCIATION.] Dunedin, Monday. At the Presbyterian Synod there was a rather angry discussion concerning commercial morality, upon the deliverance re the state of religion.

Mr. E. B. Cargill strongly condemned the charges of dishonesty which had been made against the farmers and merchants. There was no foundation for them.

Rev. J. Gibb said there were businessmen whose word would bo as good as their bond ; bur. there were those who admitted it was hard to live up to the Sermon on the Mount and be honest.

Mr. Cakgill: lb is false—an unscrupulous falsehood. Mr. Gibb claimed the Moderator's protection.

Mr. Cargill said he claimed protection, Was the whole community to be traduced in this way the thing was utterly false. Mr. Gibb said he was explaining,, that in the face of the keen competition and cutj ting down of prices, ib was difficult for a man to be honest. Mr. Cargill was an honesb man, and he thanked God there were others in his congregation ; but, with few exceptions, business men would tell them it was extremely difficult to bo scrupulously honest. The Church ought to sympathise with these men. There were others who could, if they tried, be more honest. Mr Cargill said he was astonished at such claptrap being applauded. The Moderator said they should discuss the matter calmly. Mr. Gibb said Mr. Cargill was the offender, and he ought to know better. Mr. Cargill said he would leave the Synod. He could nob sib and hear a parcel of people applauding the things they were doing. Mr. Gibb said there were commercial sins which required to be repressed. What was wanted was united action. Mr. Keith Ramsay also objected to the deliverance, and said there was no foundation for the reference made to commercial morality. After further discussion, in which Mr. Cargill said in 50 years' experience he had never been asked to do anything nob in accordance with morality, the deliverance was referred back to be altered in its terms.