PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23649, 5 November 1938, Page 10

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

;■■ GENERAL ASSEMBLY SESSIONS CONTINUED TRAINING OF MINISTERS The General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand resumed its deliberations in First Church yesterday morning. The moderator (the Right Rev. T. E. Riddle) presided. Roll of Assembly

The roll of delegates to the assembly U as follows: — North Auckland—Rev. J. D. McFarlane, Rev. C. Brierly, Rev. L. E. Brown, Rev, R. C. Lamb, Mr W. A Porter. Presbytery of Auckland. —Revs. G. Budd, P. G. Hughes, R. F. Fish, W. B. Black, W. R. Milne, R. G. McDowall, M. A. Gow, G. A. D. Spence, A. M. Elliffe, J. W. McKenzie, T, H. Cuttle, D, M. Cattanach, Messrs R. H. Mather, E. T. C. Downard, S. D. Algie. A. M. Bell, H. B. Burnett, J. Hitt, J. Cuthbertson, G. M. Yule, J. Findlay; associate member, Mr S. J. Harbutt. South Auckland.—Revs. E. J. Orange and G. F. McKenzie. Messrs J. McFarland and J. More. Waikato.—Revs. H. W. Hitchcock, H. J. Lilburn, H. G. Gilbert. J. H. Combes, G. A. Naylor, R. D. McEwan, S. W. Webber, A. McKenzie. A. Marshall J. C. Young. Messrs R. Kay, T. G. Shilton, D. R. F. Campbell, R. P. Steele, D. G. Stewart. A. Watson A. C. Lane.

Bay of Plenty.—Revs. A. C. Hampton. A. D. Horwell. K. J. Watson, J. G. Laughton. Messrs W. J. McClure and A. W. Every. Hawke's Bay.—Revs. N. H. Finch, S. C. Francis, W. R. Hutchison, H. H. Kedgley, F. W. Robertson, R, B. Waugh, Messrs J. Cumming, J. Peach, A. Fotheringham, S. Parvoir-Smith. A. Leitch, W. McCulloch. Taranaki.—Revs. J. D. McL. Wilson. W. H. D. Warin, A. G. Irvine, E. R. E. Ross, J. Paterson. Messrs E, C. A. Gaw. A. Murray, L. J. Stoddart, G. McGregor. Wanganui.—Revs. 3: Hubbard, C. W. Watt, A. C. McLean, A. H. Norrie. H. Davies, Messrs P. M. Murray, A. Wylie. C. J. Mackay, J. G. Caird, A. McDonald, R. D. Dale.

Wairarapa.—Revs. T. E. Riddle, D. McNeur. R. Byers, Messrs T. Dunn and A. T. Thompson. Wellington.—The Revs. I. W. Fraser, J. S. Murray, W. H. P. McKenzie, D. D. Scott, A. B. Kilroy, J. E. Lopdell, C. G. Wilcox, P. J. Wainwright, James McCaw, J. T. Macky. Messrs Gavin Wilson, C. Dempsey, M. Fraser, G. L. Stewart, G. B. Stephenson, G. T. Jeffreys, John Smith, H. D. Grocott, T. C. Brash, A. D. Thomson, W. A. Patterson, L. B. Mushet. V. C. Chapman.

Nelson-Marlborough.—The Revs. W. J. Davis, A. C. WhitelaW, H. Bloomfield, Messrs, W. McConchie, E. E. Middlemiss. Westland.—The Revs. H. L. Wilkinson, L. S. Dewar, R, R. Seaton, Messrs W. C. Hardie. A. Gunn, A. H. Lennox.

Christchurch.—This Revs. J. H. Robertson, W. W. French, L. M. Rogers, G. L. Taylor, L. F. Gunn, T. Paterson, N. J. Stevenson, A. C. Watson, J. Robertson, G. Miller, J. Tennent, Messrs W. H. Rose, J. E. Tait, W. W. Rowntree, J. C. H. Bush, A. McKenzie, A. Baxter, F. H. Bailey, J. Gillanders, H, A. Brown, A. J. McEldowney, T. Millar. Ashburton. The Revs. D. D. McLachlan, J. S. Freeman, D. B. Ashford, R. S. Watson, Messrs David Shaw and H. E. Lock. Timaru.—The Revs. Wm. McNeur. Arch. McNeur, J. B. Kirk, F. H. Wilkinson, J. Baird, M. W. Wilson, W. Couling, J. S. Young, Messrs A. J. Davey, E. G. Hay, H. Maxwell, C. D Gibson.

Oamaru.—The Revs. J. Freeman, H O. Bowman, W. Lawson-Marsh, J. M. Bates, H. H. Barton, H. T. Blair, John Anderson, J. T. V. Steele, John Badcock, J, M. McKenzie, Messrs H. Archibald, Q. Austing, J. Rodman, G. Gibson. Central Otago.—The Revs. R. A. Chisholm, P. Keene, H. W. West, A. L. Cardno. D. K. Bovd, G. S. King, R. W. Murray, K. T. F. Larsen, D. Heggie. G. Renwick, Messrs C. J. Davies, R. J. Gibson, W. G. Thomson. Clutha.—Revs. A. L. Miller, R. F, Judson. C. Mackenzie, W. C. Comber, T. G. Calder, F. McDonald, R. Blair, S. T. Nicholls, J. Fordyce, F. W. Winton. T. M. McDonald, Messrs Thomas Gage, J. Ayson, .F. W. J. McArthur, M. Girvan, James Lockhart. W. R. Benny, William Sutherland. Mataura.—Revs. R. W. Brown. J. G. Mathews. G. D. Falconer, C, A. Kennedy, J. C. Loan, M. G. Milmine, Messrs W. G. Mackay, A. Speden, A. G. Davidson, D. D. Potts, B. Chittock. Dunedin.—Revs. G. H. Jupp, J. D. Salmond. D. C. Herron. T. G. Campbell, T. W. Potts. J. G. S. Dunn; H. J. Ryburn, J. J. Cairney, E. N. Merrington, C. M. Sullivan, I. G. Borrie. S. C. Read, A. Watson. W. A. Stevely, A. C. W. Standage, S. D. Baird, N. E. Oakiey, H. Hogg, H. A. Mitchell, T. Miller. R. T. Dodds, A. W. Armstrong, H. Graham, W. W. Macarthur, J. Dickie, J Chisholm, D. N. McKenzie, S. F. Hunter, J. A. Allan, J. Cumming, J. Collie, R. Scott Allan, J. Lymburn, R. McCully. J. Pringle, J. C; Harkness, Messrs S. J. Smellie, A. C. Alcock, A. Riach, Gordon Smith, A. Kirkwood, W. H. Adams, D. S. Beath, J. P. Every, John Aitken. W. H. Townrow, Alex, McHutchon, D. R. Allen, J. McNarey. Southland.—Revs. J. McGregor, G P. Mitchell, J. C. Mill, W. J. Robertson, J. A. Thomson, T. A. Speer, W. H Howes, C. J. Tocker, A. Macfarlane. J. Newlands, T. Tweedie. I. R. Poison, E. B. Stevenson, A. C. Wedderspoon, N. F. Sansom, E. Gardiner. J. H. Thomson, Messrs W. B. Hopcraft, P. Sinclair, J. Smith, T. W. Richards, W. L. Russell. L. irwin, R. H. Waddell. W. A. McCaw. Colin McLeish.

Theological Hall Committee The Rev. D. C. Herron presented the report of the Theological Hall Committee. The report disclosed that this year there had been 36 men in the hall, including some home missionaries in suburban charges. In addition there were another 36 at various stages of their University course. Eight men finished this year, but with four pursuing their studien further in Great Britain, only four men were available to fill vacancies. The report also referred to the assumption - of his duties as Professor of New Testament Studies by Professor G. A. Allan, md congratulated him on his scholarship, enthusiasm and teaching ability, Moving that the report be received Mr Herron said that the church was in need of more men if its work were to be maintained. The mover referred to the scholarship fund and commented on the Helen Keir Award, which comprised the interest on a sum of £2OOO which was available to students from the North Island only. While the committee was grateful for every legacy for scholarships it would prefer bequests to have no restricting conditions. Mr Herron also spoke of the practice of some men taking postgraduate courses in Great Britain, and said that the committee 1 would like to make it possible for all men to gain the wider experience and training which such courses provided. He suggested that those who contemplated bequeathing money to the church in the future might bear this matter in mind when determining the purposes to which legacies were to be devoted. A motion receiving the report and thanking donors of scholarships and prize funds was carried. It was also decided to approve of the principle of professors in the Theological Hall from time to time being given leave in order to further their studies abroad if and when the Synod of Otago and Southland was able to finance such a project. Glendining Bequest The Glendlning Bequest Committee submitted the following suggested regulations to the assembly for approval:— In the meantime this fund to be confined to home missionaries and ordained ministers whose salaries are not more than £3OO a year.

Applications be called for annually and the recipients to be decided by ballot according to the amount available. The report was adopted. Bible Sunday It was decided to set aside the first Sunday in May each year as Bible Sunday. Board of Education

The report of the Board of Education stated that a summary of reports received from the church colleges indicated a continuance of the progress reported during the last few years. The number of scholars showed a further increase on last year, bringing the total roll to 1458 (last year, 1333), of whom 549 were boarders (compared with 371 in 1935). Scots College reported a roll number of 214, which was the highest in the history of the college. Solway also reported a record roll, and the prospects for 1939 were good. The' accommodation for boarders at Queen Margaret's was fully taxed, and the school was at full strength with a roll of 253. The roll of St. Cuthbert's stood high at 301. The annual reports, on the whole, made encouraging reading and disclosed that the ideal of the church, "to develop strong Christian character on the basis of the common faith of the church " wa.s being increasingly realised in the lives of many, who now held positions of influence in the life of New Zealand and overseas. This year marked the twenty-fifth anniversary of the foundation of lona College and the twenty-first anniversary of St. Andrew's. Chnstchurch. John McGlashan College would celebrate its twenty-first anniversary next yar. The assembly was briefly addressed by Miss Ashworth. principal of Columba College, and by Mr■ R. G.C. McNab, principal of John McGlashan mST"Ashworth said thai, although she did not wish to decry the excellent work of the State schools, she considered that church schools could give many things which the State schools could not give. . Mr McNab, while stating that he thought . that religious instruction should be given in church schools by regular members of the staff, acknowledged the valuable assistance received from ministers associated with John McGlashan College. He emphasised the devotional spirit of the masters, some of whom, he said, could have gone elsewhere under much more lucrative conditions had they wished. The report, which was presented by the Rev. J. G. S. Dunn, convener of the board, was adopted Speakers urged church members to make greater use of the church schools. Charge Transferred It was decided" that the charge of Strath-Taieri should be disjoined from the Presbytery of Central Otago and joined with the presbytery of Dunedin. Moderator's Luncheon The moderator tendered a luncheon to a large gathering of delegates and their wives yesterday in the Town Hall Concert Chamber. The guests of honour were the Very Rev. Dr Dugald Macfarlane, former moderator of the Church of Scotland, and Mr A. Stewart, of Edinburgh, a commissioner member of the Church of Scotland, both of whom briefly addressed the gathering. Mr Stewart, brought greetings from the Colonial Committee of the Home Church and from the Edinburgh Office-bearers'. Union, and was requested by the moderator to return thanks, together with the good wishes of the New Zealand Assembly, to those bodies. •

Questionable Literature

The convener of the Public Questions Committee moved that the assembly should urge that the Government take whatever steps were necessary to see that the pornographic literature that was at present flooding the country and perverting the youth of the land was no longer admitted into the Dominion.

Mr Mackie said that the less publicity that could be given to this matter the better. He had been given the unsavoury task of making a collection, of questionable literature entering the country, and he would say that not withstanding the publicity the censorship of such publications had aroused, not many members of assembly realised the filth that had been pouring into the country in the past year or two. At present the flood of such literature was to be checked by an agreement among members of the book trade, but should that agreement fail to be effective, ministerial action would be necessary, and the proposal he was placing before them that night simply meant that the church would strengthen the Minister's hand by. its approval in case arbitrary action mignt be deemed necessary. The motion was carried.

Co-operative Principles

Mr Mackie said that the Puolic Questions Committee had considered the matter of co-operative trading While emphasising the principle of co-opera-tion and extending its operation in all business relations, the purpose of the Co-operative Society was to save for the producer or the consumer the profits of the " middleman. The society's capital was obtained by selling shares to members, who in return, received a special discount on their purchases or interest on their money or some other advantages. Goods were sold at a price just sufficient to cover cose andexpenses with a slight margin of gain for safety. Nonmembers might buy at the Store, but only members shared in the .gains. ai\d. their share was usually in oroportion to the amount of their own purchases. The members appointed their own committee of management and the paid employees. The committee recognised that the time had come wnen great and far-reaching changes in the social structure must be made, and 'hat they would be made either by plan and general consent or by violent revolution. It was not for the Church to entangle herself in any economic programme in such a way as she lost her freedom to criticise that and sny other economic programmes; but it was her duty to stand for some defmile social objectives and encourage her members to make constructive experiments where they could be made peacefully. The committee felt that it was not competent to pronounce on the economic aspects of the co-operative movement, but suggested to the individual members of the Church that they should study its claims, believing that in spirit it was not opposed tothe spirit of Christianity. The committee's report and recommendation were adopted. Reception of Refugees The Rev. J. T. Mackie moved, on behalf of the Public Questions Committee, that the Government be asked to adopt a more liberal attitude with respect to the reception and admission into New Zealand of refugees from overseas. The mover suggested that the Church could render valuable assistance in this connection by congregations agreeing to be responsible for a family or a married couple. In fact, he had that day received an offer from the Karori congregation to undertake some such responsibility. The Rev. W. H. P. McKenzie, seconding the motion, said there were many difficulties in the way of the complete fulfilment of the plan suggested by Mr Mackie. In the first place, it would not do for the idea to get abroad that churches in New Zealand were prepared to sponsor whole families. What the church should do was to l let the Government know that it was behind it in anything it might be prepared to do. Unfortunately, the majority of people in New Zealand were not interested in the plight of refugees, but the church could awaken an interest in and sympathy for them. The motion was carried.

The Outlook

Mr W. H. Adams, late publisher of the Outlook, submitted a report as follows: —

"As the assembly appointed me to carry on my duties as publisher of the Outlook to January 31, 1938, I have now to make my final, very brief report. Owing to the accumulation of profits from the sale of booklets and some donations, I was able to pay into the profit and loss account a sum of £193. This enabled us to show a loss of only £36 2 S 4d for the half-year ended January 31. I am glad to say that this amount has also been liqui-

dated, so that the new management was able to begin unencumbered with any debt. In addition, I want to offer the assembly my grateful thanks Tor its generous appreciation a year ago of my work in connection with the Outlook. For about 40 years I had the honour of publishing the church's paper, and in later years that occupied at least half my working hours, so that it was a great grief to me to have to relinquish it. I had had sufficient reward in the happiness of giving the church this service, but it was also most gratifying to receive the assembly's recognition and also very many kind letters that have since come to me, several from people who were quite unknown to me. No one could have been more friendly _ and considerate to the retiring publisher than the new editor-manager, Mr Rogers, and for his sake and in the interests of our church I pray that the paper may become an increasingly valuable force in the life of our Presbyterian Church." The Rev. L. D. Rogers (editor-man-ager of the Outlook) paid a tribute to the work of Mr Adams as publisher of the Outlook. He had served the Church vigorously, honestly and with enthusiasm over a long period of years, and his friendly assistance and cooperation in the transfer of the paper and its establishment in its new home had been greatly appreciated. The report was received.

Sunday Trading After some discussion, during which it was suggested that there was a danger of something like the Continental Sunday coming to New Zealand the following deliverance was adopted:— • , . That the Government be urged to make the necessary alterations in the law in regard to Sunday trading so that—(a) Dairies shall ben open on Sundays only till 10 a.m.; (b) the purchaser shall be made equally liable with the seller when an offence takes P The assembly adjourned until 10.10 a.m. to-day.