TARANAKI PRESBYTERY

Taranaki Daily News, 11 August 1932, Page 9

TARANAKI PRESBYTERY

QUALIFICATIONS OF MINISTERS. WORK TN UNEMPLOYMENT CAMPS. The Taranaki Presbytery met at Stratford on Tuesday. The Rev. A. W. Smaill presided over a good attendance of members. Mr. A. Coleman notified the Presbytery of his inability—owing to 'business arrangements—to continue as a Hawera delegate. Presbytery received the intimation with regret and the clerk was instructed to send a suitable reply. The Rev. R. Keenan reported on the triennial visitation of Stratford by the Presbytery’s commission. The affairs of the congregation were found to be in a satisfactory condition and a suitable “finding” to be read to the congregation was agreed upon. Th© Rev. R. E. Evans brought before the Presbytery an overture asking the General Assembly to raise the standard of Greek and Hebrew for students on entering the Theological Hall. The overture was agreed to and ordered to be transmitted to the assembly. Mr. Evans'moved a furthef 1 overture asking that students be required to have a period of two years’ practical work before being ■ eligible for a “call.” An interesting debate took place upon this overture. Presbytery agreed with the principle involved but held the overture in abeyance till next Presbytery for de - tails to be included in line with points brought out in the debate. Presbytery inclined to the opinion that assistantship in large charges' after completion of studies would give the most satisfactory practical training. The Home mission committee brought before Presbytery the opportunity for social and spiritual work in the camps for unemployed. This is being attended to —in co-operation with other Christian churches —in ths camps in Taranaki. . Presbytery agreed that the home mission committee be asked to grant £5O to the New Plymouth congregation for the prosecution of work in the New Plymouth outfields. The Eltham congregation made application for the alteration of its status. It was agreed to send a commission to Eltham to inquire further into the application.