DUNEDIN PRESBYTERY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2240, 4 February 1897, Page 24

DUNEDIN PRESBYTERY.

A meeting .of the Dunedin Presbytery was held in the hall of First Church yesterday, when,. there wera present — the Revs. J. M. M'K-irrowCmoderator), W. Will, J. KirkUnd, A. M. Finlaysoo, R. R. AI. Sutherland, J. Christie, D. Borrio, A. Cameron, E. J. Pocfcer, I. Jolly, I. K. M'latyre, &. C. Te»n»nfc (minuters), Meser* '£. Somerviile, W^ Scott, D. Thomson^ A. C B«»gg, J. Peterson, and Captain Thomson (elders). AH ASSOCIATE. The Rev. Mr Chapmm, fromGympie (Qaeensl&nd), being present, ws* introduced by Mr M'lntyre, welcomed by the moderator, and «ssocioted with the preibytery. THK CJUESTIOV OF UNION. The Rev. Mr Porteh moved — "That tho presbytery meet en the first Tuesday of March foe consideration of the remit of synod on BDion."" A CANDIDATE FOB THE MINISTRY. Mr Robert Mackie, a candidate for the reinistry, was present, »nd handed in tha appainted discourses, which were reportftd ou by the Reys. Will, M'Kerrow, Porter, and Cameron. — The trial wait sustained with approbation arid Mr Mackie granted bis license. THE INDUSTRIAL SCHOOt. The RftT. I. JoLi-T re*d » report on th* Bnn3ay school in connection with the Caversham Industrial School. — The report was adopted, the secss of ihp presbytery's thankfulness expressed for trcwork dons by the -teachers of fc&e school, acd Messrs Datton and Porter were Appointed a committee to consult, along with 4he teachers, for the 1 w,elfara of the achool. THH NEW HEBRIDES MISSION. The Rev. Dr Paton wa» introduced by the Rev. Mr Will, welcomed by th? moderator, fend associated with the presbyter j . Dr Paton conveyed the frat*Tr! , .r. e'lirifrof the Victorian Churoh to the presoyur*, an-: referred to the Bucctfs* that had att ended tL« labours of the missionaries of the Otago Church in ihe'New Hebrides. Island after island" hhd befih co'nver^e'd to Christianity, but there wero still some 50,000 cannibals in the group, and there w»i every need that the effortt for the propagation of the Gospel amongst the«e people should not be^relaxed. but rather increased. By the next meeting of the synod 24 cenfcrea would bo engaged as mission sta.tion». The wreck of the Daynpritig was a very geriou* less to all concerned. The day after the loss of the veaselfwas made known a lady in England cabled out an offer of £1000 towards the building of a new vessel. Another person h»d »Uo, jtist the other day, made an offer of £1000, provided a new reasel wag built. There wig now altogether £3000 in hand fora new mission vessel. One thing he desired to bring before the Presbyterians of Otago wa« that the French were making preparations to annex the New Hebrides group immediately. This would undoubtedly bo a very sad thing for the natives, as the ssmo thing would take place as had occurred in Madagascar and other islands annexed by France. The cruelfcie* and enormities that were* practised in those places were tuch as could not be referred to in public, but they were of a very revolting character, and be therefore would like very much if the presbytery would use their best endeavours to induce the New Zea'aod Government to unite with tho Governments of Victoria »«•? New South Wales in petitioning thf HrH <-r- Q vernment to prevent the New T7 > be rtg annexed by the French. The Moderator said the presbytery had listened with great satisfaction sad pleasure to Dr Faton's address, and if they could do anything in the way h« sagg»s'sed it would be a great gratification to the church to do no. * MISSION STATION AT PUHAHANOI AND MOTTNT CAHGII.L. A report was brought before u.n presbytery by the Eev. A. M Finlayson winii rtfrrence to the creation of Fur*k*nni and Mou:it Cargill yto a mission «totij»ii ucder the supervision of toe preubylery. — 16 was resolved to receive the report, aud to sanction the arrangement proposed — " That Mount C*rgill and Furakanui ba a mission ctatiou ucder zha session of Port Chalmers ; the concurrence of the presbytery to be necesjary to the appointment of the missionary." MOSGIEL. The sum of £50 was granted to the Mosgiel congregation for the - maintenance of the manse. HYDE. The Byde Chnrcb./ Committee applied for permission to purchase sections 1 and 2, block VII, township of Hyde, as a site for a church. — The application was granted. FUENCH ANNEXATION OF THE NEW HEBBIDFS. Mr A. C. Begg said in view of what the presbytery h&d been told that day by Dr Paton he thought they should pass a resolution culling upon tfce Government to protest against tbe French b-Mug allowed to occupy the New Hebrides. He would move — " Tn&t tbe attention of the presbytery having b-en drawn to tbe report* d preparations which were being made- by the French to annex the New Hebrides, request the Govtraroent^to take such steps as they may consider necsssary to bring the matter before the Home Government with a - viflw to prevt-nt such annexation ; and also point ont to the colonial Government the larg* interest which this church has in mission operations wh : th h»v b en. and are being, carried en hi that j."» '■ «'.rs " The motiiiir iruobd-d bj the Rev. R. R. M. ScriHEtir.A><D, aud carrifid unanimously. BIKLE-RKADrxa IN SCHOOLS. The Rev. Mr Sutueeland brought up tb.B question of Bib'.e-reading in schools. He said the presbytery tried to make a good deal of stir prior to the general election. The question w&s whether tht>.y should keep that stir up or let it die ont and try to revive jfc when the next general election c&nie touod. Ho did not

! think they were likely to do anything worth 1 doing if thsy allowed the agitation to die out * between one election and another. List electiou a considerable number of members were returned who were more or less favourI able to the re-introduction of Bibla reading ' I into the public schools. He believed tbat taking New Zealand all through there were not j a very large number who were favourable ; but i in the South Island the number was consider- [ able. Ho had a communicatioa on the I previous day from Major-general Shaw, secretary of the association in Wellington, and he said thst the devil had got iv amongst them there, and caused a division. The result was that they would not agree to take any steps to try aud secure the return of members who were favourable to Bible-reading in schools. The writer of the letter was speaking of Wellington, bat he indicated tbat in the north they had not been successful in returning members who were in favour of the reintroduction of the Bible iuto the public souools, and he thought that steps should be takon to get a bill introduced into ' Parliament next { sesiion, and have the matte; kept alive in that j way. The Boy. I. Jolly aUo expressed the opinion that steps should be taken to get a bill intro- j duced into Parliament. The discussion of the matter then dropped, without any action being taken in regard to it by the presbytery. The presbyfcerv (hen adjourned till the nrtt Tuesday in M&rcn.