PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

Thames Advertiser, Volume XXVI, Issue 764, 4 October 1893, Page 3

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

MEETING OF. THE.PRESBYTERY, ACTKJN OF THE,,COMMITTEE.

V •■!!!'! /jjy TELEGRAPH"'"'OWN CORRRBPONDENT ) v •■...'.rif.'i-:; : '\<i'j ••■■- • - ..; , { ; .Auckland,.Octo'.er 3. .'Ai-a- meeting, of tho Auokland Prosbytory to-night, the oase of • tho Rev: :S. J. Neill, of Thames, whose connection; with theThßOsophic'alSooietyliaabeenreceived unfavourably''' in certain!■quarters, was disoussed'atspraelength.,' '"; * • The report of the/committed was read as follows .:,',!{j£ourcbmmit.eo report that immediately afteethe last meeting of the Presbytery ■, they j met, and addressed a letter to : Mr Neill; conveying a reqnest that he withdraw; from:the Theosophical Society. The committee considered Mr Neill's ; reply' - ' , so , vevasive that they addressed another letter to him \afting for aidefitiite reply.,to'the Presbytery's req'tiesji, .to" .withdraw from tho Theosophical thus: "Thejpositibnyou f .have, taken up >~ tyeipg new to. me, it became necessary for me to put myself in communication with at a distance,who may be able to help me as to the right course to ■ 'j ■'pursue," i He also stated it might be conducive to tho interest of justice to re* ,/i fer to the-General Assembly.. The Conntii'iv. oil regarded this as a request for time for ,•! consultation and consideration, and they thought it undesirable to pursue tho matter further until reasonable time had been given Mr. Neill to consider his posi- ,. ,tion. The.,,committee regret to > have j I ; occasidnj|to bring under, the notice of .',' the Prcspytery a.serious departnro from '"<'"' ecclesiastical'proceediire on the part of Mr'Nei'llMn publishing a portion of the correspondence that has taken place be- .,'! tween himself and the committee, and in : ,i!'expressing hia intention of publishing .; thoi other -The' committee feel Mr NeiU's action,is, a yiolationof . • an irij unotion not to follow any "diversiy o h\ • ('courses from ; the church'sdootrine, wor* / • ship,!idisbipline, and government" and ) '?. an injustice to all concerned. The church ii"'»lias wisely enacted that all preliminary i« -'■ investigations •'be in private, lost an in* nocontraan should suffer by publicity. i! The'c'dra'mittee acted in accordance with that enactment. They had. no desire for ! V Bocrecy other than that required by the : ,,; ;i law of our churoh, and they regret exceedingly .that Mr Neill should have so *■•■•' far forgot his duty to the Court as to treat its legislation with indifference."' The Rev, F. Findloy moved tho adop- ■ tion of the report , Mr Ramsay seconded. Mr Jno. Mackay said that it was awkward to deal with the report as the committee was composed of all town and suburban ministers. Hβ believed there was much to justify Mr Neill's action in publishing the letters referred to. The committee had made a mistake in summoning them to come up from the Thames, and this meeting with 7 members of the committee would scarcely!)»called a private one. Such a committee was not in accordance with the teaching of tho head of the church, who said in Matthew, chap. 18, v IS to 17, etc. He did hot think •; .there should have'been any correspon- ■\ .'denceatv alii The committee jought to ,'?■ have found out if there was any foundation for" the report and certainly ought not to have asked Mr Neill anything about it. They should have discovered tho man who had spread tho rumour and asked him what foundation he. had'for .. .tjiera. Instead of this they simply asked Air '' u ! N6ill'to state what his belief was.i This requestwas|beyondtheirpowers.Theßookof Order made it plain in the case of Kama that they should first make anonquiry as to the natwe of tho report. j Tho committee weat far beyond this, and' thus great ill-feeling was engendered, and trouble arose at the Thames with Mr Neill's people. It was serious to interfere with the character, teaching, ,and influence of the minister, aud ho should be protected. It tho matter waa bo serious the person who reported Karma ought to have bad his name recorded,and the committee ought to havo pone into the nature of Karma. The 'committee had acted in a manner not allowed in a Civil < ourt, and the Presbytery ought to bo as jnsfc as one. They had exceeded the powers given to them and done what did not seem to be the practice of the ■ ; Church at Home. The supporters of Mr Neill were numerous, and was shown by r a petition to be presented containing 300 ' signatures.' 1 'He' was admired' by his people, , and his life was beyond question. ! ' The, presbytery' made a great mistake in • v'" mferfefing'with"the harmony and success : '.';•'., whict'had existed for so long a period as 16 years. ■ ." ' ~.*,- Moderator :J think Borne of the rules referred to by Mr Mackay refer specially to cases of immorality rather than to opinions or doctrines. The motion for;the adoption of the ..,. report.was carried,' Mr Mackay recording ; his .dissent. .•

THAMES , PROTEST. A' protest from the Thames against the action of the Presbytery then came up for consideration and read, after some discussion, the Rev. Mr Pindlay '' { 'recording his vote; against its recaption, ' .' 'as it bad not come'through tho proper 1 ' channel.' > Its contents havo already beon /<>;'■ published. y- : - ■ The Rev. R. Sommervillo said ho did nob intend to say much in protest, but it was not respectful in tono. It was necessary for them to express disapproval of . the languugo iised in order to preservo their own dignity. Ho would move, "That tho |ncorrocb statements and dis* ) respectful terms of the letter, considers iboxpedient under the circumstances of tho caso.to receive it ca) mira gratia," . - , The Rev. Oarrick seconded. /i ■'/! :Tho motion, was'carried. i; ' ; ' ; ' COUNTER PETITION. A ■ countef petition containing 101 '•'•' simiaturcs- was then read. ~ ;;■• 'rjijio presbytery then consutcred this, •iind resolved to appoint a Commission to proceed to the Thames, and enquiro into '' -':thechargdbrought .under, the notice of '' : ' ; the court by documents, with f nil power to call for the parties, books, and papers, ''"'!■' and do 'what they .consider best in the . intercst-ofi the church there, tho Commwion to consist of the Revs. MacNicol • J»e. Hill, Murmy,i • -ffilL-Bommervillo, Ferguson, Robertson. ..... rj_'j, c p re sbytery further. nistructctUlio '•' ", ' clr'rk; 'to formally, invitp: iho,-Rov; S. V, ■■ Nf'ill to appear beford'the Commission.