THE CHURCH AND THE CIVIL POWER.

Temuka Leader, Issue 5921, 13 October 1910, Page 1

THE CHURCH AND THE CIVIL POWER.

$ Tlm Presbyterian General Assembly Committee on Spiritual Indc )o i louco has presented a report on the position arising out of the case of the Rev. Mr Frackleton, of Brisbane, wherein the High Court had declared that the Civil Court had the right to review any decision of a Church Court ; and that the sentence passed on Mr Frackleton’s action by the Queensland Presbyterian Assembly for appealing to the Civil Court, was null and void. ‘ The Committee has submitted to the Assembly a declaration that it had adopted, setting out, inter alia, that the Lord Jesus, as King and Head of the Church, has appointed government and jurisdiction to bo in the hands of the Church officers, as distinct from the. Civil Magistrate. With this distinct jurisdiction the Civil Magistrate has no lawful right to interfere or assume to himself any authoritative control over the same ; that in all matters coming within the jurisdiction of the Church, the office-bearers and members of the. Church arc bound to abide by the decision of the Church Courts, and recourse to the Civil Court against the decision of the church in those matters, or against the execution thereof, is excluded. A declaration has also been carried affirming that the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Australia as the supreme legislative administrative, and judicial Court of the Church, possesses, an extraordinary jurisdiction inherent in every supreme organising authority, commonly known as Nobile Officum.