THE "OUTLOOK."

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XL, Issue 13258, 17 December 1913, Page 7

THE "OUTLOOK."

♦ PRESBYTERIAN ASSEMBLY AND THE RED FEDS. INTERESTING DISCUSSION. (Special to Herald.) CHRISTCHURCH, this day. The tone of certain articles m the Outlook, the official organ of the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand dealing with Labor matters, was referred to yesterday afternoon m the General Assembly. When the report of the publications committee was under consideration, Mr R. B. McKenzie (Bulls), said that there had been an upheaval m the Dominion, the like of which had never been seen before. The number of special constables who offered their services showed to wliat extent the country was moved. Was it wise m such times that articles supporting one side, and putting forward the side that a Court of Justice of the country, whatever the Assembly might say, had said was the wrong side, should appear m the Outlook. Most of the special constables came from the country where they had lots of time to think about these things. They thought a good deal. Whether they were able to say what they thought was another matter. In j Wellingon the special constables had sat on their horses like statues while tons, literally tons, of road metal and other i things had been hurled at them, and m doing so had given a splendid example of discipline. | Mr Ewen raised a point of order. I Were these remarks relevant? He thought that the elder should bring forward instances of the views advocated by the Outlook to which he took exception. Mr McKenzie said that he simply desired to illustrate the fact that the special constables were tbe sort of men who could stand this (the Outlook's articles) sort of thing. (Laughter.) He saw some members laughing, but it. was a fact that people m the country districts were not going to support a newspaper which went contrary to them m political matters. If it were religious matters they could stand anything. As an amendment to the. motion before the Assembly, he moved :"That the Outlook should reflect the opinions of the Assembly as far as possible." The farmers' who had taken the acknowledgment of Almighty God as the first plank m their platform would not take the Outlook but wanted an assurance that these articles should be modified, and not give the watersiders, strikers and Red Feds the whole of the paper devoted to their side. Mr. A. H. Griniing, the editor of the Outlook, seconded the amendment with much pleasure. It was his constant endeavor, as editor of the paper, to reflect the opinions of the Assembly, but the great difficulty of doing so would occur to them when they recalled that t'liey had evidences during the present Assembly that the Assembly was somewhat divided m its opinion. It was a very difficult thing to edit a Church paper, especially at a time like the present, when so many questions were m the crucible. They weie living m times of change, not only religiously, but socially, and . tandards wero being examined and an endeavor made to get to the foundation of things. So difficult was his position that for a long time he forebore to express any editorial opinions, but it was represented to him that I m consequence the paper was losing its influence. He had undertaken to provide editorial opinions to Ihe best of his ability. He laid no claim to omnis-j cience. He was as fallible as anybody, ' but he honestly tried to interpret bhe | signs of the time, and to give expression ! to the best that was m him. Like; | many a minister after his sermon was i delivered he (Mr Griniing) thought sometimes how much better he could have done the thing if he could do it again. He honestly believed that thej Church was approaching a great crisis m its history.. There was necessity for great tolerance m dealing with recent] events. He might have overstated the case, and expressed himself unwisely, ( but he asked that they should take into | consideration tho- fact that he had at , heart the real, intetests q ithe Church, and of the Dominion. He had no desire to overstresp one side more than another. His endeavor had been to hold the balance true. Ho certainly held strong convictions on the subject, but he would not certainly take advantage of his position to stress 'that, m view of the opinion of the Assembly. He trusted his explanation was satisfactory. (Applause.) The Rev. W. Georgie remarked that the editor of the Outlook was not a thick-headed Scotsman, but was an Englishman. (Cries of "Oh, oh!") He wanted them to understand that. Mr Grinilng's standpoint was not theirs. Mr Griniing was not born and made* a Presbyterian, and that accounted for something. Ho (Mr Griniing) was essentially a man of the city and not of the country, and was not able to gaugecountry prejudices and opinions. If Mr' Griniing had a feft; thousand acres* of i land and a few thousand sheep ho would know more about gfie farmers' view point. . ( , The Rev. A. Miller expressed the opinion tliat when the* Assembly had not declared its policy great liberties were given the editor to judge what the policy of the Assembly was likely to be. He was of opinion that m regard to the temperance and Bible m schools | question the Outlook would educate the ; people of the Church m the Assembly's declared policy. The Rev. J. H. Mackenzie said tliat the overture from' Nelson was withdrawn. Behind that overture there was no proposal to send the editor to the stake. What was troubling Mr Dickson (appointed to support the overture), who was very sensitive regUrditng Romanism, was that he saw m. tho Outlook several pictures suggesting Rome more than anything else. These, he added, were pictures from old masters, with the virgin and the Child, and some other things that do not belong to us. (Cries of, "Why not?") The old masters would shed tears if they could look down from heaven and see the pictures. The Moderator said he was glad to learn tbat the overture was to be withdrawn. Mr McKenzie asked leave to withdraw his amendment, and .pointed out that his sole desire was to see the Outlook satisfy the Presbyterians of the Dominion. He referred to the fact that the strikers who denied God wero not likely to look m tlie Outlook for the articles referred to. Leave was given to withdraw the amendment, and the Assembly passed on to the discussion of other matters connected with the Outlook.