MISSION FIELD

Southland Times, Issue 22478, 14 November 1934, Page 8

MISSION FIELD

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH DISCUSSION BY ASSEMBLY BRITISH ISRAELISM (Per United Press Association.) Dunedin, November 13. Discussing foreign missions at the general Presbyterian Assembly this morning, the Rev. M. McNeur urged the appointment of an additional doctor and nurse at Canton, while the Rev. Mr Gray emphasized the necessity for reinforcements in the Punjab. The assembly sent congratulations to the Rev. O. Michelson (Auckland) on the attainment of his 90th birthday. Reporting on the Church schools, the Rev. Standage stated that there was a gratifying improvement in the school rolls, and over 1000 pupils were being taught. The Rev. F. B. Barton spoke of the need for reinforcements for the foreign mission fields. Lack of these weakens the present efforts, and hinders future progress. The Presbyterian Church had not had to withdraw missionaries, but unless further workers were sent out, there was a danger of failure. Gratification was expressed at the quality of volunteers offering for service abroad. The Rev. W. Mawson, secretary of the Foreign Mission Committee, said that the pioneer missionary work of the past century was beginning to tell. The churches in India, China and elsewhere were taking full place in the missionary enterprise. The Rev. J. A. Thomson said the church must visualize the requirements of the years ahead in order to be able to meet the demands of work. Resignations inevitably occur and missionaries grow old. Such gaps should be planned for to-day to prevent work suffering in the years to come. The Rev. G. H. McNeur, Canton Mission, said that only five out of twenty missionaries at work 15 years ago remain on the field. Work in the hospital was hampered by lack of a trained staff. Two doctors and two nurses were not enough to enable the standard to be kept up. In educational work the church was giving a money contribution to the teacher training school which they should be giving the personnel and similarly the evangelistic staff had become too weak to do fully the work offering. A great opportunity was facing the church in China to-day, but the staff was too few in number to seize it. The Rev. J. L. Gray, India, spoke of the need of the Punjab Mission. The missionary should be on the field by 1936 to prepare to replace the Rev. T. E. Riddle. Much itinerating work was done by lady missionaries and they must go in pairs. To this end another lady missionary was absolutely necessary. The Sirmur State was not touched adequately yet, but the people were willing to receive missionaries. The church must remember that two years were required to grasp the language. At present the staff in India was dangerously low in strength, and sickness might cause a serious position. Mr Gray urged cautious but courageous advance. There is, he said, such a thing as faith, and he urged the church to use it. Mr E. G. Jansen was accepted for service on the foreign field. He will be sent out after the close of the financial year, so the burden does not come upon the present budget allocation. The Foreign Mission Committee was empowered to send out a woman worker to India as representative of the Young Women’s Bible Class Union. It was agreed to transfer £2OOO from the Canton sites and building fund to the foreign mission working fund. Negotiations are to be entered into with the Presbyterian Church of Victoria regarding bearing proportion of the salary of the principal of the Tangoa Teachers’ Training Institute, New Hebrides.

Church Schools.

Miss C. M. Ashworth, Principal of Columba Girls’ College, addressed the assembly on the educative ideals of a church school and said that the opportunity in such schools was greater than in others.

Mr R. G. McNab, Principal of John McGlashan College, spoke of the distraction which anxiety regarding the roll numbers caused. Private schools depend on appeal from affection for the old institution. Fathers send their sons and daughters to the schools they attended and the Presbyterian Church schools were too young to benefit in this way. Distinguished atheletic and scholastic traditions will • come into play and help to increase the numbers of scholars in future.

Mr McNab said no snobbery existed in church schools. It could not come into play. Careful religious instruction was given and one of the most interesting and inspiring services was the evening service conducted by the principal of the school. The pity of it was that the chapel had not been made part of the original plans of the schol. The ideal roll number for the school was 250 and the fact that the Church schools were not big was a power for good. The Old Boys Association had a great affection for the school and this was a fine testimony. Mr McNab gave an analysis of the sixth form of 1929, showing that every one of the boys was taking a place of distinction in the community and in scholarship. Speaking to the report of the Board of Education, the Rev.. A. C. W. Standage said the roll numbers of the schools were increasing. In one case the increase was 60 per cent. He paid tribute to the loyalty of staffs in the years of depression when, under great difficulties, they had cheerfully accepted decreased salaries.

Mr Standage paid a compliment to the parents of the scholars and to members of the church who had, by gifts and in other ways, helped to keep the schools at work.

The report of Knox College Council expressed deep regret at the death of Mrs Hewitson who had given inestimable help to her husband, the first master of the college.

Regret was expressed that several students for the Ministry had been unable to reside in the college owing to financial stringency. The fees were kept as moderate as possible, consistent with all the conditions involved. A motion to make the council of Knox College an incorporated body was opposed by Mr A. D. Thomson on the ground that to do so would place the church in the position of having no power to gain information about the property and endowments of church institution. The Church Property Trustees should be the trustees of the property. On a vote being taken, the Assembly decided to allow incorporation. The closing motion following the above caused a gust of laughter. It was to commend the college to the prayers of the church. Rearrangement of the motions avoided the humour of the situation.

The Rev. J. K. MacKenzie moved that the name of the church paper be changed from the Outlook to the New Zealand Presbyterian. An amendment to refer the question to a special committee on publications was carried. It was agreed that the present arrangements for editing the Outlook be continued.

* British Israeiism. The Rev. W. L. Marsh reported for the committee on Jamiesons’ petition regarding British Israeiism in the following terms: The General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand does not recognize the teaching of the British Israel Federation that the BritishAmerican peoples are descendants of the ten tribes of Israel, supposed to be lost. The teaching is founded upon nationalism that threatens to become a menace to world peace and a hindrance to the foreign mission work of the church. It is contrary to the universal non-national conception of the Kingdom of God. It is based on a wrong interpretation of the scripture and on alleged historical statements that are not supported by any recognized authorities in the history of philology and anthropology. While the church allows much liberty of opinion in the entertaining of views that may have little intellectual support, it regards the appeal of the British Israel theory to so many as a disquieting symptom of misunderstanding of the meaning of the Gospel as given in Christ and interpreted by the Apostolic Church. The General Assembly directs the Tract Committee to prepare a statement on the subject setting forth the attitude of the Catholic Presbyterian Church to this teaching. Dr. S. F. Hunter stated that the British Israel theory was in direct conflict with the motions of the Assembly in regard to war. British Israeiism was a menace to world peace. The Rev. J. S. Pate opposed the motion, urging that the promises of God should be interpreted magnanimously. His conscience made him hold the theory. The Rev. J. Paterson moved an amendment that the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand declares that freedom of opinion on the subject of British Israeiism is allowed within this church, but recommends to those who wish information upon the subject, the reading of “British Israel. Truth for exposition of the theory” and Dr. H. L. Gondes “British Israel theory” for arguments against it. The Rev. James Baird urged the unwisdom of any such serious statement as that offered by Mr Marsh, and said that any heresy hunt was to be deprecated. It was not necessary to use a sledge hammer to kill a butterfly. The Rev. Thomas Miller moved in a further amendment that, “This Assembly does not consider that the teaching of British Israel affects vitally either the ethical or doctrinal teaching of the Presbyterian Church and therefore makes no deliverance with regard to it.” After a prolonged discussion, the Rev. W. L. Marsh withdrew his original motion with the approval of the Assembly and substituted the following: That the Assembly, in reply to a question addressed to it through the Auckland Presbytery on British Israeiism, states that it is unaware of any adequate grounds for believing that the British-American people are descended from Israelitish stock, and does not regard the dissemination of such ideas as serving- the furtherance of the Gospel of the free grace of God in Christ in whom there is neither Jew nor Greek. On a division being taken, the motion moved by the Rev. Thomas Miller was lost and Mr Marsh’s motion carried.

Mr Marsh then moved the following: That the General Assembly discountenances the teaching of the British Israel theory from its pulpits and in its Sunday schools and Bible classes and enjoins its Ministers, Bible class leaders and Sunday school teachers to refrain from such divisive courses.

Dr. Dickie asked leave to vacate the chair and the Rev. D. D. Scott took his place. Dr. Dickie stated that there was freedom of parent as well as that of teacher, and it was a pity that in a Bible class or Sunday school class, any teacher should be allowed to teach this doctrine which was not in accord with the teaching of the Presbyterian Church. Finally, Mr Marsh withdrew his motion and substituted the following: That the Assembly discourages the propagation of British Israeiism through the regular channels of the church. So ended a long and involved deb£ The Rev. D. M. Cattanach presented the report of the Life and Work Committee. He said that emphasis during the year had been placed on devotion and consecration in July. Ministers who were broadcasting were asked to deal with Sabbath observance. This was done in most pulpits. Evangelism was not neglected, but the office of evangelist should not be filled in the meantime. It was decided that the Presbyteries endeavour to make special arrangements for evangelistic efforts during 1935, and where possible Ministers be released from their charges to do evangelistic work for short periods. The Rev. L. H. Hunt moved that the Life and Work Committee explore reasons for the decline in church attendance. Those who attended the church twice on Sunday were a diminishing group. , . . Mr Hunt indicated that in his opinion the returns of church attendance presented to the Assembly were fallacious. It was decided to direct the Assembly to give the heartiest approval to his Excellency the Governor-General’s proposal, for the establishing of the Bible Reading in Home League and directed the Assembly’s Life and Work Committee for presentation to the congregations of the church. The Youth of the Church Committee reported 40,000 scholars and 14,000 Bible class members. The Rev. J. Hubbard said that teacher training was the most important conception of unity of the Church’s youth work. Seizing opportunities under the Nelson system was pressed upon the Assembly and the committee was directed to take steps to prepare . a syllabus of lessons to be used in classes taught in State schools. An overture from the Presbytery of Wellington asked that a director of youth work be appointed, an inspector of religious instruction and worship in all colleges under the church’s patronage and that he furnish yearly a report on this aspect of school work. The Rev. D. M. Hercus emphasized that the director’s work was to be a helper, not an inquisitor. The Rev. J. K. MacKenzie stated that really the Assembly had no right to appoint an inspector. The petition of overture was lost. A deputation from the New Zealand Alliance was heard by the Assembly. Mr Herbert Adams spoke of the election next year and said that a tremendous slide against no-license imperilled the very powers won many years ago by leaders of the prohibition cause. Local no license was at stake, redistribution of licenses was at stake, even the right to poll on no-license may be at stake. Mr Adams urged the Assembly to take these matters into consideration, remembering the liquor traffic remains a challenge to the church. The Rev. H. E. Bellhouse, speakmg for a deputation of the League of Nations Union, urged that though the league was misunderstood in many quarters, yet it was the outstanding force in the world to-day, making for peace and amity among the nations. He acknowledged the weaknesses of the past, instancing Manchukuo and the disarmament problem, but stated the League had done work so real as to make it worthy of the support of all right thinking and especially Christian people. Despite weaknesses, the League was an outstanding force against the recurrence of war. Mr Bellhouse,

urged support of the Union by all church members.