DUNEDIN PRESBYTERY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22021, 2 August 1933, Page 12

DUNEDIN PRESBYTERY

MONTHLY MEETING The monthly meeting of the Dunedin Presbytery was held yesterday afternoon. The moderator (the Rev. T. Miller)-pre-Sided " DR GIBB'S MINISTRY. The Rev. Dr Dickie moved that coneratulations be conveyed to the. Rev. Dr Gibb on the attainment of the jubilee of his ministry. Dr Dickie stated that Dr Gibb had formerly been minister-of * iret Church, and had been the first Stuart leeMr' W. H. Adams supported the motion, which was carried. NEW MODERATOR APPOINTED. The Rev. H. J. Ryburn was appointed moderator, in succession .to Mr Miller, who was thanked for his work during his term of office. CALL SUSTAINED. The presbytery decided to sustain a call from the Roslyn congregation to the Rev H. A. Mitchell, of Clutha Valley. It was stated that the call had been signed by 262 of the 325 members Dr Merrington said that Mr Mitchell was to be congratulated on the opportunity of filling such an important sphere. He was a recent student of Knox College who had been president of the Otago University Students' Association and had hau fine administrative experience, beside? having personal qualities which had made him extremely popular. Dr Merrington expressed the hope that Mr Mitchells ministry would be crowned with suc- ' ORDINATION CEREMONY. It was decided to recommend to the General Assembly that the preamble questions, and formula, as used by the Church of Scotland in the ordination and induction of ministers, elders, and deacons, be adopted by the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand. The sub-committee of the presbytery set up to report on the matter had proposed a variation from the motion as finally carried, but Dr Merrington secured the support of members in urging that the procedure of the Church of Scotland be adhered to. He stated that there was now a wide- range of thought, and if they followed the Church of Scotland they could bring in as elders men who could not pass the stringent tests that applied to ministers and who could not altogether endorse certain doctrines. GENERAL. On the motion of the Rev. J. Douglas Smith, it was decided to ask the Finance Committee to investigate the method of conducting the presbytery and to develop means of securing greater efficiency. The Finance Committee recommended that special grants to First Church, the Chinese Church, Purakanui, and Opoho be approved.—The recommendation was adopted. It was decided to award a teacher's lonu-service diploma to Miss Isabella Naismith, of East Taieri. The Youth Committee reported that it was proposed to hold during the Christmas holidays another summer school, ou the lines of that conducted last year. i