THE ROYAL VISIT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 11537, 23 November 1900, Page 5

THE ROYAL VISIT.

A PRESBYTERIAN ADDRESS.

' STORMY " SCENE " BETWEEN TWO MINISTERS. By Telegraph.— Association.— Melbourne, November 22. There was a stormy scene in the Presbyterian General Assembly when the report of the Public Questions Committee came up.( The committee recommended the presenta-* tion of an address to the Duke and Duchess of York on their arrival. Professor Rentoul, of Peace Humanity So* ciety fame, who is convener of the commit-' tee, in a speech bristling with loyalty, pointed out that the responsibility of drafting the address rested upon him. The Rev. Dr. Marshall moved for a special committee in order to prevent the responsi-i bility resting on one man, and especially on Professor Rentoul, who, on the Boer War, was hopelessly out of sympathy, with the church, and had grossly.' misrepresented it. A man who had spoken about the National Anthem as Professor Rentoul had done made it look as if the church was making professions of loyalty with her tongue in her cheek. To accept Professor Rentoul's proposals would do gross and serious injury to the church.

Professor Rentoul replied that the present was the most extraordinary state of things ho had ever known in the Presbyterian Church. He felt ashamed of being a Presbyterian at all. The trouble arose out of a wholly unnecessary attack flung at him rashly, rudely, and ignorantly. Dr. Marshall had done more harm to the church on Mafeking Day, when, if reports could be believed, all that could be seen of him was a big red fist in the midst of a mass of half-drunken cor fusion and great disorder.

Eventually Dr. Marshall's amendment wal lost by four votes.

Dr. Marshall announced that he had no alternative but to resign all connection with the administration of the Assembly.