PACIFISTS DEFENDED

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 840, 7 December 1929, Page 12

PACIFISTS DEFENDED

PRESBYTERIAN’S ATTITUDE DISCUSSION AT HAWERA Special to THE SUN NEW PLYMOUTH, Friday. Strongly opposed to what he .termed “this accursed militarism.” Mr. G Simpson, at the annual meeting of the Hawera Presbyterian Church, took exception to a sessional resolution which protested against admission to the Church as ministers of candidates holding pacifist views. Mr. Simpson expressed surprise that there was no reference to the resolution in the session report. “Will you read that resolution?” he asked. This having been done, lie requested particulars of the voting, which were given as six for and five against. “That means that the meeting was not a representative one, as the session consists of 16 elders,” Mr. Simpson added. “I wish emphatically to protest against sucli a contentious and important matter as this being made the subject of a resolution without the opinion of the congregation being first obtained.” It seemed to him an unwarranted interference with the rights of mi individual to express his own opinions. Mr. A. Coleman said the session had proposed the motion, honestly believing it represented the opinion ot Presbyterian Church people. It had gone to the presbytery and through that body to the General Assembly. It had not been directed against certain divinity students In Auckland, although it was their actions that had prompted its passage. The Rev. R. Evans explained the procedure whereby the motion was sent to the General Assembly, and would be referred back if necessary to all sessions in the Dominion, when opportunity would be given congregations to discuss the question. After this explanation discussion lapsed.