CHRISTCHURCH PRESBYTERY

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5462, 14 January 1896, Page 3

CHRISTCHURCH PRESBYTERY

ORDINARY MEETING. j ' An ordinary meeting of the Cliristehurchi Presbytery was held in St Paul's schobl,ropm at- 10.30 a.m., to-day ; presentr-the; ■Revs •. W. : . Grant . (moderator),; Gordon Webster, W. J. G6w, D. D. Rodger, ,E. Erwin,P.R, Monro, A. M; Wright, W. Scorgie, J. MaxweU, ' J." Mackie, A. H. Treadwell (clerk), G. B. Inglis,R: S. Allen and J. Skinner, Messrs A. Ritchie, D. Duncan, C. Young, W. F. Conway and J. Anderson (elders). ' ; The .Revs N. M'CaUum and G, K Stowell.were also present. . ■ The Rev W. J. Gow was appointed moderator of the Presbytery for the ensuing year. . ' ■ The Rev- G. B. Inglis read the, report of .the commission which, visited the congregation of Southbridge. The report showed that there was only one church connected, jwith the charge,, and the minister conducted two services every Sabbath. • There was a Sabbath school and.- two; schools! at other centres in which members of ,the,con : . gregation took; an interest. Attention; was given to", temperance work, but no special meetings had been held during the year for the' promotion of morality and religion in the district. There were five elders in the session. There were 65 families connected with the charge, and an average attendance of 220 at the services. The communion was observed four times a year. There were 156, members ,on the roll, and the average attendance was 105. The state of religion might be regarded as' satisfactory. A donation of .£so' had been left to the congregation by Mr W. Graham. There was no debt . on the church property, and the finances were in a stable condition. On the motion of the Rev W. Grant, seconded by the Rev Gordon Webster, the report was adopted. The Revs P. R. Monro and W. J. Gow and Mr Conway were appointed a commission tovvisit Waikari. , . ""The returns prepared by the Clerk for the' information of the General Assembly wereread. . ' l i. : .A letter was read from Mrs M'Gregor; acknowledging receipt of the Presbytery's expression; of .sympathy with her and her family on the death of her husband. It was decided to recommend/the Church Extension Committee to make thefollow- : ingr grants :— Halkett £20, Cheviot .£2O, Mayfleld . A letter was read the Rev D. D. Rodger, resigning his position as moderator of the charge of Waikari. • The resignation was accepted, and the Rev Rodger . was accorded the thanks of «the Presbytery for his services. ■■..*. The Rev P. R. Monro was appointed moderator of the charge. The Revs W. Grant, R. Erwin and W. Scorgie and Mr A. Orr were appointed a commission to visit Mayr field and gather information regarding >the condition of the district and the Rev A. Blake's relation to it, and report to the Presbytery. The Rev R. Irwin reported that matters were now in a moire satisfactory state in the Sefton charge, and the Rev R. M'Cully had been appointed to • conduct services there for three months. The Revs Gordon Webster and R. Erwin were appointed a committee in regard ' to the settlement of the Sefton charge. : The Rev W. Grant brought up the case of the Rev P. J. Riddle, of Rakaia, who was suffering from ill-health, and who desired to employ a student to assist him for three or four months. The Presbytery expressed sympathy with the Rev Riddle, and agreed to the proposed arrangement. The Revs A. H. Treadwell, A.M.Wright, W. Scorgie, R. Erwin, D. D. Rodger, and W. Grant were appointed delegates to attend the annnalmeeting of the Presbyterian assembly, to be held at Wellington next month. Elders' commissions were granted to St Peter's, Lyttelton, Lincoln, St Andrew's, St Paul's and North Belt. The Sunday School Teachers' Association wrote pointing out the unsuitability of the time at which the examination of the schools was held last year. It was resolved to recommend that the Assembly's Sabbath School Committee revert to the original dates for the examination. The Presbytery then adjourned.