PRESBYTERY OF CLUTHA.

Otago Witness, Issue 3003, 4 October 1911, Page 65

PRESBYTERY OF CLUTHA.

The Clutha Presbytery met at Milton on Wednesday, when there were present the Rev. Mr Tylee (Moderator), and Revs. S. W. Currie; Ponder, Brown, Williams, and 'Cuttle, and Messrs L>*-klu.rt> Russell, Stenhouse, Rose, M'Kee, and Tait (elders), also Meters Richards and Crockett (home missionaries). . The Presbytery examined the balance sheets of several of the congregations within the bounds and in each case came to a finding. The status of Tuapeka West Church Extension Charge nas,"at the request.of the Church Extension Committee, considered, wriien it was agreed that, owing to the vacancy in Lawrence, arid the absence in consequence of the ■ interim Moderator, the condition of thiiigs r at. Tuapeka West be allowed in the meantime to remain unaltered. Th-3 Clerk reported that the Church Extension Committee had made the usual grants to the home mission stations of the Presbytery requiring aid—viz., to Ratanui, Clydevale> and Beaumont. The Rev. S. W. Currie submitted the resolutions and recommendations of the Assembly Committee on the New South Wales system of Bible instruction in schools, and moved that the Presbytery agree with the main principles of the scheme. — Seconded by the Rev. Mr Williams and agreed' to. ... ;.' Mr Richards, home missionary at Clydevale, requested the Presbytery to recommend the Assembly to appoint him a course of study with the view to his qualifying for the ministry.—The Rev. Mr Williams moved that the request be forwarded to the Assembly with the recommendation that an adequate course of study be arranged for Mr Richards with a view to enabling him to qualify for the ministry of the Church.— Seconded by the Rev. S. W. Currie and agreed to. The following appointments wore made to the Assembly committees:—Bills and Business: The Rev. Mr Dalrymple; Expenses: Mr Russell; Records: The Rev. Mr Williams.

Mr A. E. Stewart, of Milton, convener of the Laymen's Missionary League Committee for the Presbytery, was present by invitation, and addressed the Presbytery at gome length on the working of the league, and on ite importance. It was now a worldwide movement, and had already accomplished great things in America, England, Germany, and Australia. After full consideration by t.lio Presbytery the Rev. Mr Ponder moved that the Presbytery coinmends the Laymen's Missionary Movement to congregations, and urges this Presbytery's Executive to send deputations to each congregation within the bounds, with the view to having branches established in all the charges of the Presbytery. Seconded by the Rev. Mr Brown and agreed to. Mr Lockhart moved, and Mr Rose seconded, and it was agreed to, that in each congregation a committee be formed with the view to deepening the interest of the congregations in home and foreign mission work, and that the local secretary be instructed to arrange With the executive about a meeting at a convenient date.