BAPTIST DISPUTE

New Zealand Herald, Volume 81, Issue 25048, 11 November 1944, Page 8

BAPTIST DISPUTE

THE UNION'S VERDICT COMMENT BY DR HODGE The view that reconciliation between the Auckland Baptist Tabernacle and the Baptist Union of xN'ew Zealand had become very unlikely was expressed by the Rev. Dr Alexander Hodge, minister of the Tabernacle, in a statement yesterday on his return from.the union s assembly at Christchurch. The union had accepted his resignation and removed him from its list of ministers, but had invited the Tabernacle congregation to reconsider . its decision to secede. _ "I expected no other verdict," Dr Hodge stated. "The issues were prejudged. The Baptist Union executive half already improperly secured a vote of confidence from various Baptist bodies in my absence and in circumstances where adequate consideration was not possible. .Many of the delegates wore therefore already committed. Prolonged Session "The assembly's support of its own leaders was a foregone conclusion. My detractors, who have been disciplined by the Tabernacle membership for their activities, were there in force, having secured delegate rights from other sources. "On the official programme the discussion was scheduled to occupy only the Wednesday morning session. Ihe union executive took almost the whole of that session in the presentation of its case. In consequence the discussionscontinued for five hours after 1 was compelled to leave. There were serious irregularities in the procedure, which may be the subject of further inquiry. "1 am happy to be back with my own church, which has recently given me so encouraging a demonstration of affection and confidence. The prospect of reconciliation between the Auckland Baptist Tabernacle and the Baptist Union of New Zealand is now very remote indeed. As a church have great plans for advance in 1045." Charges Against Minister Dr Hodge added that the charges brought against him before the union wore the original eight, namely: (1) Determination by the minister to dominate the life of the church at all costs; (2) intolerance by the minister of criticism and difference of opinion and requiring 100 per cent loyalty to himself; (3) policy of eliminating from church work and office those who differ from him; (4) grossly unfair chairmanship and control of church business meetings; (6) repeated misrepresentation of facts by the minister; (6) vindictiveness toward those who oppose him; (7) sectional discrimination between members in pastoral relationships; and (8) an attempt to remove from church roll members of long and honourable standing in the church, and callous indifference to the spiritual wounds and suffering inflicted thereby. The secretary of the Tabernacle, Mr Ernest Eady, who also returned from Christchurch yesterday, stated that the verdict of the assembly had been expected, but it did not accomplish the original aim of the union officials and leaders. This had been to induce the Tabernacle congregation to expel Dr Hodge. If the attempt had succeeded, union officials would have gained control of the church._ The resolution suggesting reconciliation could have no effect while the union remained under its present regime. INDIAN'S OFFENCE PRACTICE OF MEDICINE • MAGISTRATE IMPOSES FINE A charge of practising a branch of medicine under the title of "Indian physician," implying that he held a diploma or degree, or was otherwise specially qualified to practise medicine, was preferred against Muhammed Ali (Mr Leary), before Mr J. H. Luxford, S.M., yesterday. He pleaded not guilty. Detective-Sergeant Aplin produced a certificate which had been sent to a woman in which defendant, on a letterhead, described himself as "Hakim M. A. Sunni, Indian physician and herbalist." When interviewed by DetectiveSergeant Baylis, defendant stated that the matter was an accident, and he had made a special point of emphasising in a newspaper advertisement that he was not a doctor, but a "hakim, which meant "healer." The letterhead was an old one, printed before a previous prosecution in 1940, and since then the words "Indian physician had been cancelled out. Defendant was quite a respectable person. Defendant gained a diploma at an Indian college of medicine, said counsel Ho had always employed a Euroneari nurse in practice in Auckland, and she"wrote out diet sheets Counsel produced sheets in which the two words complained of had always been struck out The breach, he said, was entirely one of omission, and was not a grave °" "It is quite clear that defendant wishes to go as far as he can within the law," said the magistrate. When a person steps close to the boundary he sometimes steps over. That is what 1 think happened in this case." A fine of £5 was imposed. SYDNEY FLYING-BOATS The following passengers left for Sydney by a Tasman Empire Airways flving-boat yesterday:— Messrs C. S. Butt, K. M. Garner. H. N White. A. Wachner, J- H. Marlow. Mother D. McGuiness, Sister B. A. Gillespie Mesdames M. L. Haydon, B. Gurr, I. White, J. Benton, Misses N. Harris and A. A. Wells. . , , The following passengers arrived from Sydney bv a Tasman Empire Airways flying-boat yesterday:—Mesdaraes V. Andrews, E. A. de Launay E. C. Forde, L. P. Gerity and infant, G. M. A Mason and infant; S. W. O'Sullivan, Misses Z. Brock, D. Bradley, Messrs K. Boyce, A. B. Braden, E. A. de Launay L. P. Gerity, D. H. Hanson. E. M. Hunt G. H. E. Mason. R. G. McComas, G. .Normal). R. J. Webster. PERSONAL ITEMS Sir Albert Ellis left for the south last night. The Hon. W. E. Parry is at the Tokaanu Hotel for a few days* fishing on Lake Taupo. Mr A. C. Morton, a member of the staff of Massey Agricultural College for the past ten years, has retired. He is well known as a judge at agricultural and pastoral shows and at dog trials. Dr John Henderson, professor of theology at the Presbyterian Theological Hall, Dunedin, who has been attending meetings of the Presbyterian Assembly in Hastings, will arrive in Auckland this afternoon. Mr D. S. Robertson has arrived at Pukekohe from Blenheim to succeed Mr R. J. Wilson as social security officer at Pukekohe. Mr Wilson is taking up a position with the State Advances Corporation in Auckland.