DUNEDIN PRESBYTERY.

Otago Witness, Issue 3148, 15 July 1914, Page 81

DUNEDIN PRESBYTERY.

The Presbytery of Dunedin met in First Church Hall on Tuesday, 7th mst. ihe Moderator (the Rev. B. Scott Allan) preW Th© Presbytery expressed .sympathy with the relatives of the late Mr R. Chisholm, and a committee was appointed to draw up a memorial minute. JUBILEE OF DH WATT. The following minute with regard to Dr Watt’s jubilee was read by the clerk, the Rev. J. Chisholm; —“ On the occasion of the jubilee of the Rev., Michael Watt, D.D.; a loved and reverend mihister of the Presbyterian Church of New , Zealand, and an esteemed member of the Dunedin Presbytery from th. 6 time of ms settlement in Green Island until now, the Presbytery desires to express its hearty appreciation of the sterling qualities of mind and heart which he has consistently inamfested, and the valuable services which he s has continuously rendered, amid the many changes of a young and rapidly-growing community. Along with his pastoral work, which was always characterised by thoroughness and efficiency, he was appointed at an early stage of his career as a theological tutor of candidates for the ministry. For several years after the honorary title of professot had been conferred upon him he continued to discharge the duties pertaining to both pastorate' and professorship. The burden so cheerfully borne had, however, in course of time to be lightened, and his whole time since then has been devoted to the teaching of students, especially in Hebrew and Church history.. The extent and accuracy of his scholarship in these branches of sacred learning, and his evident desire to be helpful in every possible way to the classes under his care, along with his guileless humility, his open mindedness and reverence for truth, his practice of holiness and brotherly love, have won for him the life-long affection and gratitude of his students and the admiration and esteem of all his brethren. The Presbytery congratulates him on his long and useful career, and commends him to God and to the Word of His grace, which is able to build him up and to give him the ► inheritance among all them that are sanctified.”

Mr Chisholm then read the following reply from Dr Watt: —“My Dear Mr Chisholm, —May I ask you to carry my warm thanks to the Presbytery of Dunedin for its words of kindly 'appreciation of me, and of congratulation om my obtaining the jubilee of my ministry. I would have been satisfied to be allowed to continue my work as long as God spared me, and when my call comes to depart quietly without giving trouble to anybody. However, when the brethren took the trouble to record their sentiments in my favour, I am naturally grateful to them. I have felt honoured, to be so long connected with them, and would' like to thank them for their consideration all along. And my prayer to God is that He may continue to bless the corner of the great vineyard over which the brethren exercise spiritual jurisdiction, and that the Presbytery may be a factor for righteousness in our community more and more in the coming years. Kindly express to the Presbytery at its first meeting my regret for inevitable absence, and thanking yourself personally /for all your kindness.” DIAMOND JUBILEE CELEBRATIONS. The Clerk reported that -the proceedings in connection with the diamond jubilee of the Presbytery of Otago had passed off very successfully. ' « The Rev. A. Don then spoke, regretting there had been no mention at the function of the Foreign Mission enterprise of the Presbytery. Two foreign, missionaries were present ,in Dunedin when the jubilee was held—Dr Bowie and the pioneer of their mission in the East,, the Rev. -G. H. M‘Neur. Neither of them had been invited to sit on the platform. The speaker characterised it as an extraordinary omission. He knew, of course, that they were not celebrating the jubilee of Foreign Missions, but it seemed -to him that there should have been some recognition of that part of the church’s work. PROTESTANT PRINCIPLES. The Rev. P. C. Dunvard, convener of the General Assembly’s Committee on Protestant Principles, wrote as follows: —“In the name of the Committee on Protestant Principles I take the liberty of writing to you, asking you to bring before your Presbytery the_subject of Protestant principles and the necessity of Presbyteries and Kirk Sessions taking whatever steps they may think wise to instruct our people in the doctrines of the Protestant Church. Our committee "is of opinion that the work can best be done in the form of Sunday evening lectures on Protestantism and the heroes of the Protestant churches; by making the history of our church a subject of study in our Bible classes, and by Presbyteries or Kirk Sessions appointing such subjects for essays in the junior and senior Bible classes as John Hues, John Calvin, John Knox, the Covenanters, the Huguenots, etc. In one of the Presbyteries of our church several ministers have agreed to write each a special Sunday evening lecture on Protestantism, or on some great, Protestant, and to exchange pulpits for the delivery of these lectures. The opinion of our committee is that we should proceed mainly on positive lines and by way of instructing our people in the principles and history and work of our evangelical churches. I hope that your Presbytery will take whatever steps may seem to it suited to accomplish this purpose.”

A committee, consisting of the Rev. Messrs Fairmaid, MTntyre, Fisher, Gray Dixon, and Finlayeon, and Messrs Henderson and Ross was -appointed, the committee to report to next meeting of the Presbytery. CHUKCH- EXTENSION CHAEGES.

The Rev. A. M. Finlay son reintroduced an overture to the General Assembly in regard to amending the regulations in connection with the appointment of ministers to or the ordination of probationers in church extension charges He explained that the overture should have been dealt with at the last_ General Assembly, but as time was limited he and Mr Fisher thought it would be unwise to press the matter. Ho wished that the overture should bo sent up as the mind of the Presbytery. Mr Chisholm objected, and' moved that it be sent up simplioitcr. Ho indicated that the overture loft open a position not in accord with the spirit of Presbyterian Church polity. I The amendment was seconded by the Kiev. J. Kilpatrick. He said that ’ some

of the regulations in regard to these chargee, which existed only in Otago, were obsolete and could not be revived, Mr Finlay son said he thought/ it would be better to oppose the motion altogether. He did not think the overture should be sent up from a divided Presbytery. He was prepared to withdraw the motion. Mr Fisher, who had seconded the motion, objected to that course. The amendment was put and carried, and on being put as the substantive motion was again car-, ried, only two dissenting.

FOREIGN MISSIONS. The report of the Foreign Missions Committee- was presented. Mr Chisholm said the committee was anxious to give the utmost publicity to its work. He expressed sorrow that Miss A. James had been compelled to return from. Canton to undergo treatment, but hoped that she would be enabled to return before- long. He indicated that Dr Bowie’s medical adviser said that Dr Bowie wa# improving steadily, though it would be a year before he could return to the Islands. While not doing deputation work, however, Dr Bowie was working too hard. The medical authorities have regarded him as a very valuable acquisition on the subject of tropical diseases. He moved that the report be placed on the table. . Mr Kilpatrick seconded the motion, which was carried. Mr Kilpatrick said he had been wondering if it would not be wise to invite Dr Bowie *i to take a seat at the Presbytery. He did not know whether the Presbytery had taken notice of Dr Bowie having taken up his residence within the bounds. If it were the Presbytery’s mind that Dr Bowie should be present he thought it should formally intimate the fact to Dr Bowie. He moved to that effect. • _ Mr Don rose to second the motion, but in doing so, suggested that the resolution should be made to cover the case of all missionaries of their church The mover agreed to accept the suggestion as an addition to the motion, and in that form it was carried.

GENERAL. - The Rev. 0. Murray (Christchurch), convener of the General Assembly’s Committee of (Statistics, forwarded the ordinary schedule for the statistics of the Church. The Rev. H. H. Barton reported with to the site for the new Wakari TJhurch. giving its area and location. An application was made on behalf of First Church for a grant from the Synod of £SO for church repairs.—Members remarked that there was no money for church repairs—it was manse repairs. The Rev. G. H. Balfour': It is all the same—(Laughter.) Plenty of money had been spent on the manse (the church had made no application for years).—The grant was agreed to.