DUNEDIN PRESBYTERY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18676, 4 October 1922, Page 2

DUNEDIN PRESBYTERY

Tho regular meeting of (ho Dunedin Presbytery, hold at First Glutrch yesterday morning, was presided over by the Rev. W. R. Hutchison. Moderator. Tho Rev. G. M‘Donald was welcomed back after his absence in the Old Country. ASSEMBLY MODERATOR. The Rev. J. Kilpatrick moved that the .Rev. Dr Gumming bo nominated as Moderator of the 1923 Assembly, and this was sustained by vote of the Presbytery. MISSIONARIES ON FURLOUGH. The Moderator extended a cordial welcome to the ‘‘Rev. H. Davies, who has recently returned to New Zealand on furlough from Canton. Mr Davies returned thanks for the welcome, and said Miss Davies and ho were deeply grateful for the splendid .welcome always accpided to missionaries in New Zealand. He wished to dispel the idea that' the missionaries were bearing any greater burden or putting up with greater hardships than those engaged in similar work in Now Zealand. They did not wish to bo looked upon as engaged in any more difficult work than that which occupied them all. , ..." Tho Moderator also welcomed tho Rev. A. L, Miller, of Canton, and wished him God-spsod at the outset of his return journey to _ the mission field. All joined in singing in the last two verses of iPsalm 121 before Mr Miller had to leave to catch the express for the north. PRESBYTERIAL VISITATIONS. The Rev. J._ Fordyce reported on the presbyterial visitation of Waitati made by the Rev. J. M. Simpson and Mr J. L. Salmond. Ho proposed a deliverance commending the congregation for its seal in seeking to promote the Kingdom of God, for the good state of preservation of its buildings and for its loyal co-operation with its minister. The Rev. A. M. Beattie reported on the presbyterial visitation made to Waikouaiti, and proposed a deliverance rejoicing that the ends of the Gospel ministry were being well served by tho minister, recommending that adequate provision for tho minister’s conveyance bo made by the Deacons’ Court stating that the work in the , Sunday school was most encouraging; congratulating the congregation on its sound financial position, and stating (hat tho church hall and grounds were beautifully kept. YOUTH STATISTICS. Tho Rev. J. C. Jamieson presented the Youth of the Church statistics, and said that the ■ figures were fairly satisfactory. The comWittce ’ adopted four resolutions: (1) That, the cost of self-support of the Sunday school is tpo groat, and that the Assembly’s Youth Committee be recommended to take into consideration tho possibility of establishing a publishing bouse of their own. 12) That there is need for much greater attention being given' to tho senior young men’s classes. (3) That the? schedules - should- give- the returns for the- “ Busy Bees.” (4) That names of Sunday school superintendents and Bible class leaders should bo printed in tho Blue Book. With regard to the first. Mr Jamieson said that Sunday schools of the whole Assembly contributed to their own support £2236 in ,1913. and £4629 in 1921. That was a very considerable increase, and there was no proportionate increase of scholars. Tho second clause should refer to young women’s classes equally with young men’s. As a matter of fact there was slightly greater loss on the young women’s side than on the young men’s. Since 1915 the senior young men had decreased from 355 to 286. and the senior young women from 615 to 432, a drop of nearly 200. He was doubtful of the wisdom of proposing a pubHsh- ( ing house of their own, and personally was not prepared to support the proposal. With that explanation, he moved the adoption of tho report, and it was carried. SUNDAY FUNERALS. The clerk of Knox Church session wrote asking the Presbytery to consider the question of the increasing number of Sunday funerals, with tho object of taking action to cause the discontinuance of the practice. Probably some communication sent to the various undertakers, requesting their cooperation, might have the desired effect. The session , felt ...that Sunday funerals were in tho main unnecessary and were a_ great tax on tho ministers’ time, for meditation and preparation. ' ’ Tho Rev. Tulloch Ynille said the matter had been before tho Presbytery before and nothing apparently came of it. Sunday funerals were in the main unnecessary. He was not objecting on _ any Sabbatarian grounds, but from the point of view of the practical labour entailed. It was not their own people but largely those outside the jchurch ..thajr desired ..to. have, funerals on that day, ‘ partly’•'•because it 'Saved half 'a day’s work and allowed of a large attend, ance. If they all stood together, it could be stopped, as it had been stopped in Mol- , -bourne, Because ministers, cemetery authorities,' and undertakers there were all solidly against it. Grave-diggers would gladly welcome the relief from Sunday toil. It was only on rare and exceptional occasions that a. Sunday funeral was necessary. He had also been surprised to find that the majority of funerals in Dunedin took place in the, forenoon, .which;; was 1 , a most ..inconvenient time for ministers. Tho Rev. W, Trotter proposed the ap pointment of a committee to confer with tho Council of Christian Congregations and the undertakers of the city on this matter. Ho proposed the names of tho Revs. Yuille, R. Fairmaid, G. H. Jupp, and Mr J. J. Clark as the committee. Tho Rev. A. M. Dalrymple seconded the motion. The Rev. W. F. Evans said the Presbytery should first look into the matter itself and arrive at some decision. _ • Tho Rev. H. Maclean said that parish boundaries should be arranged, so that they knew for whom they were really responsible. Tho Rev. J. M. Simpson said the undertakers arranged tho hours and the day before ever tho ministers were consulted. Tho motion was carried.. VETERAN REFORMER WELCOMED-. Mr W. E. Johnson, the American prohibition leader, who is visiting Now Zealand at the invitation of the Now Zealand Alliance, waited upon Presbytery, the members of which rose and gave him a very cordial welcome. The Moderator, in welcoming him, said it was significant that there had been a great bombardment from the “enemy” during the past few days, and Air Johnson’s presence had evidently caused them much anxiety. The Presbytery honoured him as a distinguished leader and one who had suffered in the cause for which he fought. Mr Johnson said that prohibition in America had primarily been (ho job of the church. The church hat] nursed and financed it and was backing it. up to this clay. Apart from the Methodists, who had been still more aggressive, the _ Presbyterian .Church had led the fight against tho drink traffic in America for the past 60 years. ■ The liquor party, instead of trying to show that it had benefited New Zealand and made homes happier here, was throwing a lot of dust in the air and trying to _ con fuse the issue as to what had happened in America. They were advertising (hat ho said certain things he did not say and then calling him a liar, for. saying them. He ad-mitted-there wore people in America who said prohibition was a failure, just, as there were those who said _ tho abolition of slavery was a failure and who objected! to the laws against polygamy and prostitution. While all these wild statements were being made America was going quietly about its business prepaying for the next congressional elections. Tllighty ;pcr cent, of the candidates wore ‘‘dry” and also against a.ny modification of (ho Volstead Act, so that even if every one of tho “wet” candidates were returned Congress would still be 80 per cent, “dry.” _ He referred, to (ho great, reversal of attitude on the part of newspapers 1 ; throughout the United States, which • after being very largely against prohibition were now enthusiastically supporting it. In Now York all the papers had been fighting prohibition two years ago, but now tho New York World was the only groat paper against it. The papers were following the undeniable trend of public opinion. When they attacked the- liquor 'saloons ’ they stirred up the animosity of every sinister interest in the country. . America’s mind was fixed and sot. It had done with experimenting, and had no doubts as to the efficiency of the new legislation. The Church in America had gone out on a bear hunt, and it Lad brought-back tho bear’s scalp’ and it was now reaping the bohelit of that. ’ Tho Rev. J. Kilpatrick moved that the Presbytery thank Mr Johnson for his presence and address, and assured him that tho Presbyterian Church of New Zealand is bound by her resolutions and her determination to do all that in her lies to banish the liquor . traffic from this dominion. Tho resolution, he said, expressed exactly tho position and the attitude of the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand. The Church as a whole was for prohibition and would continue to work for prohibition till it was carried. If anyone had doubted the wisdom of bringing Mr Johnson over hero they would no longer do so after •seeing not only the exaggerations but undoubtedly the falsehoods that were being circulated in the dominion- about America and what is going on there. The Rev. A. M. Finlayson seconded the motion, which was carried unanimously.

The Revs. W. Gray Dixon, D. Calder, F.„ M, Beattie, R. ‘E. Evans, and W. Fairlio Evans were appointed to fill vacancies among the Presbyterial representatives to (ho next Assembly. The following were appointed Presbytery representatives on tho Assembly Committees: Records and Commissions, Rev. D. M‘Cosh; Standing Committors, Rev. J. Kilpatrick; Public Questions, Rev. Dr Cameron, Mr W. Gow. Tho Rev. E. J. Tipler moved that the matter of tho League of Nations Lnion bo referred • to tho Public Questions Committee, and this was agreed to. Applications from tho Chinese Church and Mosgiel for the quinquennial grant for manse repairs were sanctioned.