PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVIII, Issue 19953, 10 November 1934, Page 6

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

ANNUAL ASSEMBLY j i ‘ * i YESTERDAY’S SESSION j! By Telegraoh -- Press Association jj DUNEDIN, November 9. t The Presbyterian Assembly con- | \ sidered a resolution from the Auckland | < Presbytery recommending that an | 1 official statement should be prepared making clear the church's position i with regard to British Israelism, this ; 1 resolution proceeding from an Auck- j land petitioner’s request for a full i ' investigation of the claims that the Anglo-Saxon people are God’s ancient j people, Israel. It was finally resolved to appoint a j committee to prepare a resolution, reporting to a later sederunt of the j Assembly, but there was considerable | discussion. The Rev. James Milne mentioned j the desirability of toleration, and the j Assembly Clerk said the Church was | prepared to tolerate the views of these j people, but were they prepared to I tolerate the church’s views? The Rev. Steele (Duntroon) de- ; dared that it would be regrettable if j an impression were given that the | church regarded British Israelism as a | serious danger. It was a danger to j only a few cranks and disaffected i minds. No person of intelligence could | entertain its teachings. In presenting the report on the ! Theological Hall, the Rev. Herron said ! the committee was jealous of the doctrines preached, and had no misgivings about Dr. Dickie’s teachings. The type of criticism levelled at Dr. Dickie tended to become an obsession. Wherever he was known or heard. Dr Dickie reassured the people, and in future his work for the church would be fully recognised. An echo of the dissension at St. Andrew's, Palmerston North, in which the Assembly reversed (on the appeal of the minister), the decision of the Wanganui Presbytery, was heard when that Presbytery presented an overture seeking a revision of the present procedure of appeal, giving congregations direct representation at appeals. It was decided to submit the overture to the Judicial Committee to prepare a report for the next Assembly. The Rev. H. H. Barton presented the report of the Women's Missionary Training Institute. A superannuation fund had been established but was not yet very strong. Of £SOOO capital required only £BB4 was in hand. The public questions committee report was presented by Rev. F. H. Wilkinson. Regret was expressed that the Government was not alive to the menace of gambling. A film committee was working in Wellington and efforts were being made to support a better class. The matter of freedom of speech was one to be safeguarded vigilantly. The Rev. D. M. Martin spoke of petition in process of signature asking for fuller rights for the discussion of matters over the radio. It was agreed to urge Presbyteries ro safeguard the rights of freedom of speech. The Rev. J. R. Blanchard moved the Assembly’s unswerving opposition to any proposal calculated to spread ar.ti intensify the gambling spirit i"d exhorting all members to cultivate the Christian principle of stewardship of money that the spirit of gambling may pass from the hearts of men. It was decided to set up a committee on marriage and divorce. The Rev. F. H. Wilkinson moved that a statement on Christianity and war be read in churches on the last Sunday of November. The statement called upon the church to humble itself before God, confessing national pride, selfishness and blindness to His will with a prayer that His way be made plain to all. It was decided to direct that the statement be read in churches. The Rev. Lawson Marsh, moved that Assembly feels that the time has come to make an urgent call to the nations of the world to stand by their solemn obligations as defined by the League of Nations and the Pact of Paris, and the Assembly further appeals to the constituted authorities of the various churches in Christendom to urge members to refuse participation in any war unless endorsed by the League of Nations. A wide cleavage of opinion was evident but the motion was carried by a majority.