ASSEMBLY SESSION

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22580, 19 November 1936, Page 14

ASSEMBLY SESSION

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH REPORTS ON FINANCES DISCUSSION ON EVANGELISM ] Itv TKI.IXrtAPII f'RKS 1 ? ASSOC lATION ] (.'II RISTCIII' RCII, Wednesday The first business session of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand was held today, the moderator, tho Rev. L. H. Roseveare, presiding. One of the chief matters discussed was the report on church finances. On the recommendation of the -advisory board, a resolution was carried urging congregations to restore cuts in salaries and so to put the Church in a lino with the present movement in that direction.

.Mr. V. G. Chapman, tho treasurer, reported a slightly improved position in church finance. The gross congregational revenue showed an increase for the year ol £801)0. I lie assembly s mission enterprises had received £-000 more from congregations than for the previous year, but the amount received was only 7-j per cent of tho amount asked. In mission finance the position disclosed by the accounts was not such as need cause alarm. Use of Legacies There were deficiencies in the working accounts of the principal mission funds, but these were covered by legacy reserves. There was danger in relying too much on legacies. .During the last ten years £68,340 of legacy money had been used to keep thfl three main missions going. r ! ho amount received from all sources was £ii4,lo'3 and the deficiency on tho years working was £1)093. The report of the Church property trustees stated that trust funds held for a variety of purposes had now reached a total of £-1130,000.

The importance to the Church of | broadcasting was emphasised by the Rev. W. A. Stevely in presenting tho report of the broadcasting committee. The report stated that there was soma hope for the formation of an interchurch broadcasting board, with membership ou tho basis of: Church of Knglund, 3; Presbyterian, 2; Roman Catholic, 1; Methodist, 1; Congregational, 1; Salvation Army, ]; Church of Christ, 1. The board would bo concerned with obtaining time for religious broadcasts from the national stations. Memorial Lectureship To perpetuate the memory of tho late Dr. James Gibb, the assembly decided to establish a memorial in tho form of a lectureship in pastoral theology, to be known as the Gibb Lectureship. , The report of the Life and \\ork Committee stated that it had sought a man suitable to undertake the work of evangelism for the assembly, but was unable to find one. Jbo opinion of the committee tended to be that tho appointment of one man specially to the work of evangelism might discourage the wider realisation that this work Wtis ;i definite purt of the pnstoi«il office. It was a matter for regret that more ministers did not make more use of their opportunities for evangelism, both within and outside the Church. Dr. Salniond., presenting the report, said that there was a nominal Presbyterian constituency of <306.000. About 201,000 of these were in touch Avitli tho churches, leaving 1(32,000, or about 44 per cent, not in touch. Most of these people were in the large centres and it was there that the problem must be faced. Itinerant Evangelists City ministers said that the amount of other work they had to do made it impossible lor them to tackle the work, said Dr. Salmond. He felt that in some respects the one-man minister idea was breaking down in the cities. On behalf of the committee the following resolution ou itinerant evangelists was adopted: "The asseniblv directs congregations desiring to hold evangelistic meetings conducted b\ others than ministers of the New Zealand Presbyterian Church, or to share as congregations in missions or campaigns held by other denominations, to report their intentions and arrangements to the presbyteries concerned. The Rev. J. Baird said tho resolution would bo a great protection to ministers. It was known that in certain towns the visits of itinerant evangelists had had a mischievous effect. Social Questions On the motion of Dr. P. C. Davie (New Plymouth) it was decided that tho public questions committee should consider and report to the next meeting of tho assembly on: (1) Criminal abortion; (2) birth control; (!3) euthanasia; (-1) sterilisation of tho unlit. Dr. Davie said they were all vitallv important questions which concerned the Church, as they affected the morals and the economic lifo of the community. The public questions committee was authorised to continue its inquiries into tho uso of films for religions purposes, and to approach sister Churches with tho view to receiving co-operation. Grave fear • was expressed that increased leisure would encourage the growth of gambling, and it was resolved to take every precaution to oppose increased gambling facilities.