PRESBYTERIAN ASSEMBLY.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIV, Issue 75, 21 November 1912, Page 5

PRESBYTERIAN ASSEMBLY.

NE TEMERE DECREE

(Per Press Association.) Wellington, November 20. The report of the committee on Rolanism and Ritualism was read at be Presbyterian Assembly to-day. 'be chief topic in this was the operaion of the ne temere decree. P.csrencc was made to the newspaper ontroversy irt Dunedin, when the Assmbly’s attitude as defined at the athering last year was defended, acording to the report, by sheeting home he following five charges against the 'ecree:— ... ... ... 1) In certain cases it became an inciter or incitement to wife or husband desertion. 2) It is not a law prohibiting mixed marriages, but it makes mixed marriage an engine of conversion by coercion. 3) It pursues with its vengeance those who may leave the Church of Rome and join other churches. i) It discloses the shifting and shuffling policy of the Vatican by making its promulgation a thing of geography and climate. 5) It is the last of a succession of papal meddlings with marriage that have resulted in grave family and social scandals. The report goes on to say: “Our now Zealand Marriage Act, we are a formed, can be used in the interest f the no temere decree. A second ertificatc may he issued to parties who re already registered as married prions to go through a second marriage eremony, and through this seemingly ’gal sanction a Roman priest may declare the marriage ceremony of a Pres■vterian minister to he null and void, die administrating of our Marriage Vet in such a way as to weaken the onse of the hindingness of tlic first uarriage covenant opens the door to he entrance of most dire evils.” Amongst the recommendations made hy the committee was the following “That the committee he authorised to jet legal opinion as to the legality of issuing certificates to parties already married lo go through a second marriage ceremony.” The report was adopted. The (Assembly car-red a motion that-j the retiring moderator’s address at the opening of the Assembly he dispensed with. The Rev. Erwin moved the appointment, of a' small committee to investigate the hearing of the present day social movements in relation to the Church. The motion was defeated. ’file proceedings closed with the usual complimentary vote of thanks.