CHURCH APPOINTMENTS.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18231, 15 November 1924, Page 13

CHURCH APPOINTMENTS.

ASSEMBLY DEBATES METHODS.

(puss assocutiok raxxosut.)

PALMER6TON NORTH, Nov. H

Members of the Presbyterian General Assembly took notice this morning when the Eev. 0. Horron (St. David's, Auckland) presented the report of the Supply and Appointments Committee as follows:— • ■ ■ t.

The first year of the now, committee had not been an easy one. It had taken the Presbyteries and interim moderators time to realiso the changed mode of procedure. The greatest difficulty had lain in the fact that there was no definitely recognised minimum stipend for self-sustaining charges north of the Waitaki. Unless 1 the Assembly was prepared to name a minimum over the j whole church, the work of the committee could not be carried.out effectively. At present there was no means of preventing a congregation from offering a lower stipend without- asking aid from the Augmentation Fund in/ordor to retain the right of call. The committee had decided not to attempt to function' south of the W*M*ki until the Assembly had. given ■ some ruling on the question. ' In 'Otago and Southland the equal dividend stood at $275. As a congregation in this area, raising 5370, would l?e aid-receiving, and therefore deprived of the right of call, while a 'congregation in the northern section of the ehureh, offering £270, might,.be classed as.. seK-wpporV ing and rotain the right, it was obviously unfair for the committee without further direction of act in the southern section.' Tho committee was of opinion that it would be better if it wore empowered, after consulting the Presbytery concerned, to make the appointment in terms of Regulation 4, the appointment to bo confirmed by Assembly. Tho present arrangement did not tend to attract a man to leave a regular charge for an appointment under the committee, as he had no surety of tenure beyond the next meeting of the Assembly. The activities of the committee had boon somewhat hampered in that,it had no funds at its disposal to help to pay, removal expenses when attempting to secure a suitable minister for a struggling charge. Notwithstanding, the difficulties, some progress had been made. Three ministers seeking new spheres had been helped to that end. and three temporary appointments had been made to aid receiving charges. Several charges previously' receiving aid had retained their privilege of the right of call by putting forth a little extra effort and becoming self-sus-taining.

In. tho interests of the self-respect of the Ministry, Mr Herroa besought the Assembly not to give, countenance to a system of preaching competition* for filling vacancies. Assembly -would be told that continuance of the com.' mittee's present powers was a violation of Presbyterian principles. The glory of their church government was that it was not sufficiently rigid to crush' the life of- the chureb. It could be adapted to new circumstances, Jfo one would accuse John Knox of violating Presbyterian principles, yet in hia day the church had a number of superintendents who made the' appointments of ministers. The same practice was followed by the Jlome Missions Committee, . and there was. no difficultythere.

Mr Herron maintained that grants from the Sustentation Fund ought to be looked upon as a temporary thing until a charge got on to its feet* The result of the getting up of the committee had been that during the year several charges, which had been resting upon tho funds of tho church for years, in order to avoid coming under his committee, had made necessary effort and become self-sustaining. > The Bev. A.B. Kiiroy (Biccarton) an* the Bev, T. H. Boscvear <r«p»fO«<W were heard in support of overture* *W» the Christchurch and Auckland « byteries, limiting the faiMtWM •* «« altered regulations, .JjftMjW overtures, d ™? mlttee to report to W«e The Mc . adopted :-To yeare, Jarlane *» for four Bev. £5. K»g'%*% Sutherland to