DUNEDIN PRESBYTERY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14000, 5 September 1907, Page 9

DUNEDIN PRESBYTERY.

Tho ordinary mooting of tho Dunedin Presbytery waa held <m Tuesday at First Church, tho . Moderator (the Rov. D. Maclonnan) being in tho chair. Thore was a good attendajico of ministers and elders. ' , • GENERAL. The Moderator, tho Rev. A. W. Eminent, and Mr R. Chfeholm wero appointed to represent the Presbytery at tho opening of tho new church at Waltham on September 25. .... Mr W. Todd waa appointed convenor of tho Management Committee of tho Dunedin Sunday Schools Association in place of tho Rev. I. K. M'lntyre, resigned. THE CmiUI,'.ASSEMBLY. The Rev. R. R. M. Sutherland reported on tho proposed amalgamation of the Beneficiaty.Fund, reeommonding that consideration of tho matter by tbo Presbytery bo held over meanwhile,, and that a small committee be set up to confer with a 00mmittoo from tho assembly to dismiss the matter, and, .formulato , definite proposals, whfch might bo laid before till} Presbytery for its .decision in the future.—On the motion of Mr. Sutherland, the report was adopted, and he moved further—" That a committee consisting of tho Revs. Cameron, Borrio, Sutherland, and Mr P. L. Clark bo appointed-to confer with tiho sirb-oomraittee appointed by tho assembly.''—Agreed to. With regard to the remit from Assembly as to payment of expenses of those attending Assembly, the Rev. Mr liorrio moved— " That the agree to things remaining_as"they are, 'but-recommends that a committeo bo 6ot up 'by the Assembly to go into tho matter and obtain all tho information available' regarding, it." Tho committee ■ was agreed as to this course being adooted, the mover said, and thought that thore was-hot sufficient information to warrant it coming -to any conclusion at present.—The Rev. Mr Chidiolm seconded the motion," which was carried. , Teh following ministers and elders were appointed io attend t.ho General Assembly at "Wellington on November s:—Ministers: Revs; R. R. M. Sutherland, '<T. Chisbolm, A. Cameron; A. Don, W. Hewitson, W. Scorgio, Dr Nicolson, J. .T. ■ Cairney D. M'Coll, Dr 'Nisbot. J. Kilpatrielc, J. Aitken, J. Envin,' W.' T. Todd,- R/ Wood, A. M. Findlayson, and D.. Borrie. Elders: Meesra W. H. Adams, W. Thomson, P. L. Clark, A.'H.'Grinlinp, P! White, P. Anderson. G. M'Laren,' D. 4- M'Nicoll, W. Kettle, A.' Ch'isholm, W. Leslie. The Rev. Mr Ilewitson moved—"That it be an instruction .to the clerk to find out by corresponding whether, those whose turn-it Is by rotation do attend Assembly aro willing, to go'or'not."—Agreed to. KOTICE OF .MOTION. The Rev. ;"\V. Soorgie gave notice to move at next mooting—''That tho Presbytery take tho method of. appointing representatives to tho Assembly into consideration, to^' devise ■. a methbd inoro , equitable and -fair, by appointing one-half of tho ministers and also.onc J ha!f.;of the'elders on the toII, thereby putting, an end to all choice by vote of the Presbytery." , , . ' " Tho Rev. R. Wood gavo,notice to mover"That tho Churoh.Extension Committee bo recommended' to. frame. now regulations and submit same to .the' General Assembly for its ' approval with a view, to getting authority; to give help to Homo Mission stations in tha northern, section of the Church," •

•. BAPTISM. (The Rev. Mr Erwin addressed' -the Presbytery on " Baptism " at considerable length, stating that he thought the subject was ono tho Church sljould deal with in a strong' manner. Ho . pointed out what he termed, weaknesses ,the Ohurch had fallen into in regard to tho coremony. In tho book-of order ho said there was a hedging in regard to ' tho_. sacrament of boptism. Ho dealt fully with its administration in tho homo,, and pointcd.-out that tho Church of England- in its regulations laid down very defined rules and lines in regard to thp ceremony in this respeot. Under the«> lobulations it was stated that baptism should not be administered in tho home except in cases of absolute necessity. He thought it ■was desirable that a baptism certificate should be drown up for the whole Church, and ho favoured a. conference with other churches with a, view to co-operation over the ■ wihole i matter.' In' conclusion, ho moved the adoption of the following overture and its transmission to the Goneral Assembly for consideration:—"lt is ovcrtured by tho Presbytery of. Dunedin to the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand, appointed to meet at Wellington on Tuesday, November 5, 1907, that, whereas baptism is a sacrament of the Ohurch; whereas in tho observance of the other sacromont of the Church a special rule is laid down in case (not frequently' recurring) of its observance in tho home, while none such exists in regard to baptism, while, moreover, tho observance of tho other sacrament, of tho Church may. 1)0 said to be uniform in lime, place,, andmanner,'the impression lias thereby been oommonlv created that equality, is not subsisted, /botwoen tho sacraments of tho Church, or that t.ho time, place, and manner o! observance of , tho'ono is of material \ moment, while these a,ro immaterial in'the other; whereas there is reason to beliovo that such, or sudi-lil;o, causes _ have tjeeri largely instrumental ,in producing, the lack of uniformity that is believed to exist in regard to tho time, •place| and manner of observance of this sacramonf, of baptism, and are seriously tending to lower tho dignity and lessen tjho value of 'baptism' in tho eyes of tho Church members, and! thoreby 'to diminish the means of grace—the General Assembly tako the premises into consideration and institute such inquiry or i provide 6uch regulations it may ..deep] expedient,, or that it determine otherwise as to its wisdom shall seom best."

T3io Rev. j., CJhisholm seconded tho motion, wliioh was • carried unanimously.