A FUNERAL SERVICE

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVI, Issue 33, 8 February 1905, Page 3

A FUNERAL SERVICE

■ jfISSIONER OFFENDS THE RELATIVES. ACTION BY THE PRESBYTERY. A most remarkable discussion took ]ace at the Auckland Presbytery meeting last night. The discussion arose out JVcoibplaint from Mr A. McFadgen, Presbyterian nrfs-ionar at Whangarei, of y criticisms iv the "Northern Advocate" - newspaper which seriously impaired his usefulness in the district. ' 2he statements complained of were that in conducting a funeral of a young man t Waipu he made observations which outraged the feelings of the relatives an( i friends who were gathered around the graveside. Mr McFadgen urged that Presbytery should take some measures to have these statements publicly refuted, or authorise him to do so. If the Presbytery could not see its way to exonerate "him from all charges made aaahist him in the paper, he must take some action himself, which would very likely be in a legal prosecution. One or two of the plnces where he had been conduetins services were now opposed to him, thus rendering services impossible. To leave the held would mean "guilt" an d "cowardice," and keep the way open ior similar attacks on cny other person sent in his place. It was imperative that he should clear himself, and the Presbytery must do it, or authorise him to do so." So far as his innocence was concerned, h e was quite willing to face any investigation. While preachers of the Gospel must be prepared to face criticism there was a limit that should be observed, and when that was exceeded the guilty must take the consequences. He therefore hoped that the committee would not allow the matter to pass with out a resolution endorsed by the Presbytery conder_ning in severe terms such an unwarrantable attack as that made through the columns of the "Northern Advocate." He iorwarded numerous letters from residents in the district stating that the incident was very much exaggerated. The remarks made might have been indiscreet or unsympathetic, bat they were taken by the deceased's friends to refer to the deceased in particular, when they were intended to have only a general application. The Rev. Mr Monro said he knew a minister who was such an excellent funeral preacher that a funeral came as a Godsend to him. in Mr McFadgen's ease it was quite tbe opposite: lie didJ not seem to understand the proper words of comfort that it was desirable to speak on such occasions. Another minister said the whole incident was a lesson to the Presbytery not to send out irresponsible agents to take upon themselves the duties ox fully or darned ministers and lecture at funerals. They should be severely confined to reading the Word of God. Several other speakers, however, contended that the evidence before them 6-Owed that the incident was very much exaggerated, and that it was utterly absurd for any editor to base a leading article on it. They could not, however, i los_ sight of the fact that Mr Mci'agd n'3 usefulness in that particular district had been injured by the attack which had been made upon him, and it was therefore desirable in his own interest that he should be removed to a more u_eful sphere in another district. It was unfair to him to leave him there to work under the state of affairs which existed. The clerk, Eev. R. Somerville, moved —"That the Presbytery, while satisfied that the reports regarding the statements made by Mr McFadgen while con ' ducting a funeral service at Waipu have been much overeoloured and exaggerated, regrets that the incident has interfered with his usefulness as home missionary in his present sphere, and asks the Church Extension Committe? to remove him to a new sphere of labour." He mentioned that at the last meeting of the Presbytery a committee was appointed to go into this matter, but it had not met. The Rev. Mr Minro pointed out that the Presbytery could not say if tho statements were exaggerated while they had only one side of the case before them. A committee had previously been appointed to go into this matter, and had not met, and he would move that this committee be asked to fully investigate and report. The Rev. Mr Thompson seconded the resolution. ~T h? Rev - Mr Monro sus-crested that We first part of the resolution should be deleted. If they passed a resolution expressing their belief that tbe statef!i L 1" the nsws Pap p r were ex-agfora-jed, there would inevitably follow fur- ««■ statements in tbe newsoaper rpttfimnmg their accuracy, and th» whole «%*t would be re-opened. This was not desired, and it would be much better t 0 remove Mr MeFad^n withoat F™ig reasons. m3? '-L' 7 " Garland supported Mr Munro «" to the wisdom of not giving reasons. eL-f UDd this out h ? Niter personal experienceJ\l el ! tleman P rese nt. who said he was SIW- 6 °l the yonns man at wh ° se PWea.de the incident occurred, said he katn„i , PreSeDt at the but SSv tbe reia afterwards indLrJ t MeP » d ß™'» remarks were very ™«*t and pained them very much. oarp- ♦ T0 2skecl if anvone'was pre£_l V lgn a « making an actual charge against Mr McFadgen. state t * * f id h? wa * n °* able to «aus tne words used. anifJL ?' £; B ' Monro moved an XuS-h, Ttat the ™>7 Meeting ' DmttCF - and report at the terv K-' *? remarks that tbe Presbv " rem ar ,l not >' et hoard wba * were the from it ft/ 8 0t the ™™y™us letters mem* ™_i V J ' cFnd . , en made stateranter on xhp deceased's chafor Lf) J Ule Watl of his hope r anther world: and also that while the ornaments on tbe all be ™ d + , bow glarl fhev would «a*ed Li 67 l° uld thivk that ' tbe as they l„ a _ appy in an °ther world about L vl -™' Mr S-H-roTle was Cd _ V? d Mr McFadgen's reply, proTlleP S3me P n P er ' this slm-7; 0 ob J Vrte d. saving that did not i wl eft t0 the roi nmittee. He into iJZ nt the matter *<> be bro"*" Panew. t!_ P romine nce in the newstofSiw tbe matter had al ™dy been that th yentilate <3- vrith the result douht „ v We ' re some People who no dMa » ed Tho n - " en were tn,e - Prolong ™ mmer ' ri l]e said it was only Padn-pf " g _, evil b ? leaving Mr McAY™ distri <*. tinr, 1 - Mr Mo "ro amended his moto aJf,'"! t0 # v<? tb <s committee power MkW t f nsfer ™g Mr McFadgen. and J w -s finally adopted by 16 votes to