INDUCTION OF PROFESSOR.

Otago Witness, Issue 3994, 30 September 1930, Page 8

INDUCTION OF PROFESSOR.

THE REV. JOHN COLLIE.

CEREMONY AT KNOX COLLEGE.

To-night a new teacher is being introduced to the students. Does he come as a mere schoolman to instruct men how to analyse and ex eget e in much the same way as an anatomist deals with a bone? Is he to be part of a cramming machine to fill men with knowledge that they may pass examinations? I am persuaded better things of him. The Rev. George Budd (Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church) used these words in the induction ceremony at Knox College on Tuesday evening. The Rev. John Collie, of Queenstown, ■was inducted to the chair of New Testament Studies in the Theological Hall, ren dered vacant a year ago by the death of the Rev. R. Evan Davies.

The Rev. Mr Budd took as the text for his inspiring sermon' Jeremiah, chapter xxix, verses 13-14: “And ye shall seek Me and find Me when ye shall search for Me with all your heart. And I will be found of you, saith the Lord.” The lesson (from Ephesians, chapter iv, verses 1-16) was read by the Rev. J. W. Al'Kenzie (Port Chalmers), moderator of the Dunedin Presbytery. The Rev. E. J. Tipler (convener of the Theological Hall Committee) narrated the steps taken by the committee to fill the chair. A very great shock, he said, was given to the whole community by the sudden death of the Rev. R. E. Davies, professor of New Testament studies, on September 12, 1929. As soon as possible after the sad event, the Theological Hall Committee met to take the necessary action to maintain the continuity of the work of teaching in the hall and to fill the vacancy created. Professor Cumming readily agreed to take over the duties of the chair for the session of 1930. In order to obtain authority from a superior church court to take the steps necessary to secure a permanent appointment, the Theological Hall Committee requested the Dunedin Presbytery to have a meeting of the Synod of Otago and Southland convened on October 29, 1929. In the interval the name of the Rev. John Collie, M.A., was suggested to the committee as that of one very well qualified to fill the position. Synod gave the necessary authority to the committee to set about

finding a new professor, and approved both the conditions of appointment and the method the committee proposed to adopt. After circularising all the presbyteries of the church and acquainting itself • with the names and qualifications of possible aspirants, the Theological Hall Committee decided to submit the name of the Rev. John Collie to the General Assembly for recommendation to the Synod of Otago and Southland. Assembly accepted Mr Collie’s name ■with unique cordiality, and requested synod to appoint Mr Collie, which synod very heartily agreed to do. Professor Collie would take office on January 1. 1931, and this induction service with its vows and declaration of appointment, was to be understood in the light of the resolutions appointing the new professor to the chair of New Testament studies. Mr Tipler added that the chair was being filled for the first time by a man born and bred and trained in New Zealand. The Rev. Mr Budd nut the prescribed questions to the Rev. Mr Coljie, and gave him the right hand of fellowship. The charge to the new professor was delivered by the Rev. Dr J. Dickie (principal of the Theological Hall). The speaker said that for those who knew Professcr Collie well the honour which the church had conferred on him was greatly enhanced by the way in which it came. It was the free, unanimous, spontaneous recognition of what he was by nature and grace, and of the way he had devoted himself to learning and study for the love of them for their own sake and the desire to give intelligent, effective service in the ordinary work of the

Christian ministry. The professorial ideal was a man to whom a chair came in this way. as a by-product of learning and study, pursued for those higher ends. The proceedings closed with the benediction, pronounced by the Rev. Mr Budd.