PRESBYTERY OF CLUTHA

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22544, 11 April 1935, Page 13

PRESBYTERY OF CLUTHA

81-MONTHLY MEETING The bi-monthly meeting of the Presbytery of Clutha was held at Balclutha on Tuesday. The moderator (the Rev. J. o. Strang) presided, and there were also present the Revs. A L. MUler. A Morton, T. Tweedie. _ A. M IS eur, Robert Blair, C. MacKcnzie, J. J. Bates, T. M. M'Donald, A. R. Chisholm, and H. H. Barton,, and Messrs D. M. Mawson, i. 11. Russell, D. Carson, I. Dent, M. L Clarke, Thomas Gordon, J. i. Suther land, A. H. Tweed, W. Leslie, and N. M'Corkindale (elders), ‘he Eev, L M'Donald (in charge of South Clutha), and the Rev. S. T. Nicholls (in charge of Waihola-Milburn Home Mission). The Revs. W. Mawson (Foreign Missions’ secretary) and J. L- Gray (Indian Mission) were welcomed and associated. Resolutions of sympathy were passed in connection with the deaths of the Rev T B Bannerman, the Rev. E. Bandy (a former Minister of Waitahuna), Mr JTait (Port Chalmers), and Mrs W. Kay (Balclutha). , , Reports were submitted of the successful celebrations in connection with the seventieth anniversary of the presbytery on March 13, and the jubilee of the Owaka parish from March 16 to The Home and Maori Missions Committee reported that the following grants had been agreed to:--Ciutha Valley, £2O; Gatlins, £55, and £lO towards car allowance; Popotunoa, £3O. The committee did not agree to the presbytery’s proposals in connection with South Clutha, proposing instead a grant of £4O, and asking for an increase ot £o for the car allowance.—lt was agreed to recommend the South Clutha congregation to accept the proposal so far as the minister’s salary was concerned, and to communicate with the committee, pointin'* out the reasons for maintaining the car allowance at the figure originally proposed (£4O). The interim moderator (the Rev. R. Blair) reported as to the prospective settlement of the charge,_ and a commission was appointed, consisting ot the Revs. R. Blair (convenor). J. S. Strang, A. L. Miller, and T. AT. M’Donald, and their representative elders, to take the necessary steps and carry out the induction of the minister. The Rev. J. J. Bates, interim moderator, ot Kaitangata, gave a favourable report of the vacant charge; the Rev. A. Morton had been appointed as supply for three months. The Rev. A. M‘Ncur (moderator) reported that the Rev. S. T. Nicholls had made a good start at Waihola-Milburu. It was agreed to give the necessary authority to have Mr Nicholls’s name placed on the list of officiating ministers. , The Rev. H. H.- B;irlon (moderator) reported that since Sir A. Shaw’s serious accident on February 22 the work oi the Beaumont Home Mission bad been carried on by voluntary supply. Mr Shaw would probably be out of action for some months yet—The presbytery expressed its sympathy with Mr Shaw, and authorised the moderator to make arrangements, after consulting the local committee, for the appointment of a suitable. agent after Mr Shaw’s term expired. The Rev. R. Bain, convener Youth Committee, reported that the Y.W.B.C. Easter camp was to b'e held at Warepa, and the Y.M.B.C. camp in May at Lovell’s Flat. A King’s Birthday rally was being planned for Owaka on June 3, and a youth institute in Balclutha in June. The Rev. A. M’Neur, convener of the Life and Work Committee, reported that, in accordance with proposals already agreed to, la students of the Theological Hall were to be available for evangelistic

missions throughout the presbytery in the month of June.—The committee was empowered to make the necessary arrangements with ministers and sessions desiring such missions. , The Rev. A. R. Chisholm, secretary of the Missions Committee, reported on the arrangements for the foreign missionary campaign of information and inspiration to be held throughout the presbytery during this week and closing ofl Sunday.— The Rev. W. Mawson stated that the experience of the missionary speakers in the other presbyteries of Otago and Southj land indicated that much interest had been aroused and that the effort was well worth while. The Rev. A. R. Chisholm, on behalf of the Missions Committee, reported on an assembly remit dealing with the right of call in the ease of aided charges, and on his motion it was agreed to approve of the proposal in the overture from the Dunedin Presbytery, with the exception that the congregational salary _ quota requisite to qualify it for exercising the right of call should be £270 instead of £250. MISSIONARY CAMPAIGN. A highly successful missionary rally was held in the afternoon and evening. About 100, including members of presbytery and P.A. and other church workers, assembled for luncheon in the Crown Hotel, the moderator of the presbytery (the Rev. J. S. Strang) being in the chair. _ Brief addresses, instructive and inspiring in character, were delivered by the Revs, J. L. Gray (on the Indian Mission), J. M. M'Kenzie (on the Chinese Mission), and by the Rev.' W. Mawson (foreign missions secretary). An open meeting under the auspices of the Clutha P.A. was then held in tha Sunday School Hall, presided over by Mrs H. H. Barton, president of the P.A. Devotional exercises, conducted by the president and vice-president (Mrs Black), were followed by most interesting addresses, which held the close attention of the large audience. Miss A. N. Yansen (the educational work of the South China Mission) and Miss M. Findlay (the hospital and medical work of the mission) were the speakers. Mrs Strang rendered a solo during the interval, and Mrs A. E. Chisholm expressed the thanks of tha audience. Afternoon tea was supplied by the ladies of the Balclutha P.W.M.U. In the evening a public meeting was held in the Sunday School Hall, when addresses were given by Messrs M’Kenzi# and Gray, and during an interval ‘ items, including a brief dramatisation, were rendered by Bible class members. The members of the missionary _ party have a week full of engagements in tha various parishes of the presbytery, and will occupy a large number of pulpits on Sunday.