CHURCH AND SCIENCE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20255, 15 May 1929, Page 16

CHURCH AND SCIENCE.

EVOLUTION CONTROVERSY. DISCUSSION IN PRESBYTERY. STATEMENT TO BE FRAMED. TOWN HALL MEETING REVIEWED. 'A reference by the Rev. L. H. Hunt when presenting tho report of tho life nnd work committeo to (lie Auckland Presbytery last evening, commenced a prolonged debate on tho attitude of tho Presbyterian Church to science. It ended with tho setting up of a committeo to express the attitude of tho presbytery. Stating that tho Presbyterian Church had always had an open mind on scientific questions and welcomed truth from whatever quarter it came Mr. Hunt asked whether presbytery would like to make any pronouncement on subjects dealt with at the "recent notorious Town Hall meeting." The Rev. A. M. Aspland proposed that a committee consisting of the Revs. D. C. Hcrron, W. L. Marsh, E. R. Harries, I). D. Scott and L. Hunt bo set up to frame a statement setting forth tho position of tho Church in regard to scientific and other matters. "Not All of One Mind." The Rev. Harries said ho would object to any committeo drawing up a statement of that nature having power to net. Any such statement going out from the presbytery should bo carefully considered by it. Tho presbytery was not all of ono mind on the Darwinian theory of evolution, nor on many other things. Ho was on the platform at the .Town Hall demonstration and wished to dissociate himself from the statements of tho Rev. A. Munay, who apparently said things he did not intend to say. The first two speeches at the Town Hall had been able and reasoned statements. The second was an exceedingly clever and unanswered statement against evolution. Some of them held those views and weie quite content to be in the minority. People who tried to adapt Christianity to tho changing views of science had to be very busy. Somo of them had decided to stick to the old Book until it had been disproved. Rev. Aspland: That is the attitude of those on the other side. .. Mr. Harries said they were going to stick to their views and were nob going to be browbeaten. He hoped the Christian world would never be divided into two camps, modernists and evangelicals. "Christianity Not Affected." The Rev. Herron said Christianity was not affected whether men took one view or the other of evolution. It was not central to the Christian faith, and he thought it would serve a useful purpose if that was made known as the attitude of the Presbyterian Church. He objected to the suggestion that a scientific attitude of .mind was incompatible with evangelistic zeal. The Rev. D. D. Scott said he had been extremely disappointed with the three speakers in the Town Hall, in that they had Riven no Biblical exposition of tho idea of creation. They did not attempt to define what was really taught in the two accounts of creation given in Genesis. The Rev. W. J. Comrie said there was no need to tremble for the Ark of God, and it was not the way of the Presbyterian Church to deal with these matters in the newspapers. The presbytery would be well advised to take no action. Tendency to Divide People. The Rev. J. Pattison said the course proposed would give certairi persons some undeserved publicity, and might be hailed in some quarters as a kind of victory. It might only bring on a further counterblast, and tend to divide their people into two sections. He believed that about half their people would endorse the conservative views expressed at the Town Hall. Members: No, no! ; The Rev. W. L. Marsh said lie had felt for some time that the best service they could render to truth and religion was to keep silent, and they had kept silent under grave provocation. A new situation, however, had arisen. He found that their young people wore exceedingly critical, and he asked when the presbytery was going to have tho courage of its convictions. Tho foundation principles on which their colleges were based were being challenged, and by all means let them have a statement and have it carefully considered by the presbytery. - Mr, Harries moved that presbytery pass to the next question. He said they should do nothing, because he could not conceive of a statement that would carry the •whole presbytery. He asked what would be done about the minority. Mr. Harries' motion was not seconded. Fears of Dissension. Mr. J. S. Fairgray said he saw no reason why the question should be raised. It would only cause dissension. r Mr. Hunt said he was not proposing a statement on highly controversial matters like evolution, but on the general attitude of the Church to truth. He was perfectly satisfied that a statement could be drawn up that would command the. p.ssent of all. The public should be told that the Presbyterian Church was the most catholic and liberal Church on earth, and that there was room in it for everybody. "You had better drop this thing," said Mr. Harries. "You are just courting dissension. What you begin here will spread to other presbyteries." The motion to set up a committee was carried by a substantial majority. The Revs. Comrie and Harries and five elders had their dissent from the motion recorded.