PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

Taranaki Daily News, 2 August 1932, Page 11

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

ACTIVITIES IN NEW ZEALAND. SOCIAL WORK CONSIDERABLE. A brief review of the present position of the Presbyterian Church and some comments on the training of a Presbyterian Minister were given by the Rev. J. D. Wilson, minister of St. Andrew’s Church, New Plymouth, in an address to the New Plymouth Rotary Club yesterday. The Presbyterian Church of New Zealand was really part of the great “Reform” Church, said Air. Wilson. Some people thought it was an extension of the established Scottish Presbyterian , Church, but that was not so. In fact, it might be said that there were more Presbyterians in Czecho-Slovakia and in America than in Scotland. In New Zealand the Presbyterian Church had something over 26 per cent, of the population in its adherents, but in attendances at worship it was the largest of all the churches. The Sunday schools had a membership of between 50,000 and 60,000 children, and there were over 12,000 in the Bible classes. It was hoped at the end of this year that between 500 and 700 young people from all over New Zealand would be attending the national conference of Bible classes at New Plymouth. The church had an annual turnover of over £1,000,000, and between £BO,OOO and £lOO,OOO was given away each year in charities. The church supported missionaries in all parts of the world, as well as church workers in the backbloek districts of New Zealand. The church also supported more orphanages than any other church in New Zealand, including the Salvation Army. When the system of probation officers in connection with the Police Court was first established all the probation officers were Presbyterians. In comparison with the three years and four years courses of training in other churches the Presbyterian Church insisted on a minimum, course of six years for its ministers, continued Mr. Wilson Three years had to be spent at University, the student keeping term* every year, and three years in the Theological Hall, where facilities were provided for the study of Hebrew, etc. In the established Church of Scotland the course was eight years. Referring to the fact that in the early days of Otago a quarter - of the land titles were taken, an eighth going to education and an eighth for religion, Mr. Wilson said that instead of one-eighth being used for purely church or ecclesiastical work it was decided to use the money for paying for three .professors at the university, and since' 'then the salaries of several more professors had been paid. He pointed out these things to show that the Presbyterian Church did insist on its ministers having an adequate education before being turned loose amongst the unsuspecting flock. The speaker went on to describe the work of ministers in charge of large parishes such as the McKenzie Country in the South Island, with headquarters at the Mount Cook Hermitage. The estate owners, would offer, to pay, say, £25 a year for one, two, three or four services iii the year, and the minister would periodically tour the country and hold services in places such as_ woolsheds. Contrasting such a charge with that of a city, Mr. Wilson said that Knox Church, Dunedin, would accommodate over 2000 people, and its communicants numbered about 2000. The highest paid official in the church received £BOO a year and the lowest £3OO, though home missionaries received appreciably less.