AMERICAN MINISTER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 18942, 13 February 1925, Page 12

AMERICAN MINISTER.

SERVICE IN THE DOMINION, CONCERN OF PRESBYTERY. DOUBTS RAISED AS TO STATUS. Tho question whether art American minister relieving in Now Zealand could legally marry British subjects, was somewhat warmly debated at .the Presbytery meeting in Wellington this week, when certain opposition was offered to tho arrangement whereby the Rev. Van-der-Las, Presbyterian jninister of Seattle, Washington, will act in place of tho Rov. S. B. Orr, of St. Andrew's Church, who is to leave shortly on an extended holiday. Mr, Orr said that the exchange was quite in order, as the Registrar-General had agreed to it. The Moderator (Rov. J. McCaw): Has the church any law in this matter ? Tho Rov. Dr. Gibb: I think it, best to let, sleeping dogs lie. There is no use in worrying about it. Tho man is coming hero to take charge, and wo have an eligibility scheme, and 1 don't think wo need do more than agreo to the arrangement. The Rev. J. H. McKenzie: I would advise the Presbytery to pause in this matter, as it might have serious possibilities. The visitor is an American citizen, and I question whether as such ho could legally carry out a marriage ceremony over hero. Sir. McKenzie also said that he knew of a case where a fine •had actually been imposed in respect of such a matter, and he wanted to know what would Do tho consequences if a visiting minister was imprisoned for such an offence. It had serious possibilities. Dr. Gibb: There will bo a declaration of war next. Mr. McKenzie: War has arisen out of less. As a matter of fact, he would not be under our jurisdiction at all. Ho may bo a minister according to our standards, and he may not, and we would have no authority over him. At any rate, this has never been dono before, and it would be establishing a bad precedent. You could not truthfully send in his name as a minister of Now Zealand. Tho Rev. J. McCaw admitted the difficulty, that the clerk of the General Assembly could not certify that tho American clergyman was a minister of New Zealand. Tho Rev. S. R. Orr: I never really anticipated that there would have been so much trouble over this matter, but there is another way out. It is only necessary for him to be nominated by ten people, but I thought tho Presbytery would have done the gracious thing. Tho Rev. R. Inglis (clerk of the Presbytery) said that the fact remained that members did not officially know the visitor. Dr. Gibb saw no reason why he should not be shown as a minister of the United States of America "in tho service of New Zealand." Tho Rev. J. Shaw: Can't we set up a committee instead of going on like this '! The visitor is arranging the same appointment for Mr. Orr. . . . Over there they will say we aro a "tin-pot" parochial kind of people. _ Dr. Gibb moved that a committee consisting of the Moderator, clerk., Rev. McKenzie, and tho mover be appointed. Mr. McKenzie did not agree to his name being added, as he wanted to bo free to oppose any arrangement. Dr. Gibb withdrew , his motion in favour of a motion put forward by Mr. McCaw appointing the Moderator, clerk, and Dr. Gibb as a committee to consider the matter and report to the Presbytery. It was stated that Mr. Van-der-Las would arrive in May. At the conclusion of tho meeting, the Presbytery extended the warmest good wishes to Mr. Orr on his extended holiday.