DUNEDIN PRESBYTERY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2623, 22 June 1904, Page 31

DUNEDIN PRESBYTERY.

A special .'nee-ting of tiip Dunedin Presbytery, held on Monday afternoon, was attended by the Revs. J. J. Cairney (Moderator), Dr Watt, W. Will, W. Hewitson, A. Findlayson. D. Borrie, E. C Tt.n;^nt, D. Duttou. J. M. M'^errow, A. Don. i. K. M'lrtyre, R. R. M. Sutherland, A. Cameron, R. Maokie, L. Thomson, J. Chisholm, Messrs Adams, Johnson, Pryor, Begg, Thomsoa, and others.

The special purpose of ihe meeting was consider the question of conducting evangelical services in the more remote parts of the Synod of Otago and Southland, and in this connection it was decided that the offer of two students to undertake this wort should be accented, and the carrying out of the work was remitted to the Church. Extension Committee.

Tho Rev. Mr Sutherland introduced the Rev. H. J. Fletcher, Maori missionary, who is at present in Dunedin, and is to speakon behalf of the Maori School for Girls, and arrangements were made to give Mr Fletcher opportunity of speaking in several of the ci+y pulpits.

The Rev. Mr Hewitson explained thnj; the committee set up to inquire into the question of the health of the Rev. D. Borrie had met the office-bearers of his church at NorthEast Valley. They recommended that their pastor be granted permission to rest entirely from jjis duties for six months, with the clear tmderstanding that he might or might? not be able to resume his duties at the end! of that time. The office-bearers undertook to do the visiting, and they asked Presbytery to undertake voluntary pulpit supply. ' Mr Hewitson pointed out that Mr Borrie< had done as much for tho Church generally as anyone in it, and he thought it was only right that they should undertake supply work. — Th© Presbytery agreed to provider pulpit supply at the North-East Talley Church for- six months.

DEtfOMINATIOXAL CONTBOVEHST,

Dr Watt mad^ outspoken reference to the controversy which has been going on in the press between the Primate (Da> Nevill), the Rev. Dean Fitchett, and tue Rev. W. Hewilson. He said he thought Alv Hewitson had taken the right course, and that no one would be found in the Church who would dissent from him. He regretted that anything had to be said on the subject. There was a time when the relations between the two Churches were oit a very good footing. At the time of the* Reformation the Anglican Church accepted orders of the Presbyterian Church, and there was a great deal of good feeling between them then. They could not forget what the Presbyterian Church in Scotland! owed to the help of Queen Elizabeth m a time when ite very existence was threatened. And it was only latterly that the Episcopalian Church had taken up a very much stronger attitude, and refused to accept Presbyterian ordination. Even after they had ceased to recognise it Tit Home they accepted it in regard to ministers who were* sent to preach the Gospel to foreigners. They were all indebted to the Anglicani Church and to the scholarshin of her

ministry and bishops. And they would all like to recognise that she was the first daughter of the Reformation, and rally round her. But they had long felt thafc the attitude she had taten up in this diocese was intolerable: it was impossible for any, other body to work with her. In. the -caset of the minister who was suspended and tinder discipline, he thought it would. have been only common courtesy for the bishop to have consulted the Church to which thia man belonged, and to have aoked why ho was being disciplined. He thought the bishop's action in ,this ease had been a gross case of inter-denominational discourtesy, and he felt that no self-respect-ing Presbyterians ought to do anything in. the way of giving countenance to the Anglican Church in the preseut movement. He was cure that no conscientious Presbyterian could do aii3 T thing to support her, and that their duty under tho present circumstances was just to stand alcof. Perhaps in the providence of God the time would come again in which better relations would exist between the two Churches. lie did look forward to the time when that should take place, though there waa no indication of it at present. The High Church party was -trengthening, but notwithstanding this lie expected that beforo the end oi tho present century they would leturn to better relation*. He was sure thaf the bishop would not h-ive acted as ]ip had done without consulting the Anglican Church if the suspended minister had been Anglican, and ho f< It that h;<s action had 1 been a Flight and an indignity on the Presbyterian body — a Church of Christ standing side by side with the other, and outnumbering it. He thought that Mr Hewitson had voiced the sentiments of the Presbyterians respecting themselves, and which they felt compelled to cherish. The Rev. Mr Hewitson said that he did not want any discussion on the matter. He valued very much indeed the remark^ of Dr Watt, because lie spoke as the

Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand, while h& (Mr Hewitson) had written as an individual member of it. He also valued it because of Dr Watt's personal character. Next to himself he thought the doctor was tho most peaceable man in the Church. He (Mr Hewitson) was not one who loved controversy in the Church courts, in the papers, or in his Dwn congregation. He took up his position feeling that something should be done. Dr -Watt had spoken strongly, and his were the words of their head, and of a man whose name stood for oharact&r and scholarship. Ho believed there was no business firm who would take a man who had been suspended by another business firm without consulting such firm. He was pleased to feel that, though he had acted in a way largely upon his own responsibility, he had done so in a way that had met with theiT approval. „-,,. * Dr Watt intimated that he did not want any resolution about the matter, and there was no further discussion.