ANZAC DAY SERVICES

Chronicle (Levin), 7 August 1946, Page 5

ANZAC DAY SERVICES

-Press Association

PRESBYTERIAN ATTITUDE

By Telegraph—

INVERCARGILL, August (i. Tlie attitude of the I'resbytcrv of Houthland to the projiosed cha.'ige in Ihe An/ac Day serviee, lias been delined bv the unanimous passing of the tullowiiig resolutions: — "(1) That the Presliytery of Soutliland noles there, is a proposal ltitder eon sideiation by the Reluriied Herviees Association exerutivo to eliniinate sjierilirally reiigious elexucuts iu the otlieia! Anzae Day services, that is, to eliiniuate iirayers, scrijiture renditig, invoeations and atldresses Itv ministers and ciergy of ihe ehundies. ' ' ( - i Tliat tln; Presliytery of Soutliland joins with the I'resliyterv of Wellington in exjiressing grave co.i-ern ;;t the proposals of the Keturued Services Association executive in recoinniendiiig Ihe eliininat iou of reiigious eleineiits. The Presliytery feels that expressed reiigious elenients in the serviee, prayers, scripture reading and heuedietiou. eon stitute an integral and vilal part of tlie serv iee. Any order of serviee v.hieh excludes these elenients will fall short of that desired by the majorilv of the jieople part ieijinl ing. " C!j This jiresbyterv regrels that if these proposals are acted upon, this chureh will t'eel coiujielled to i-ondo"! its own services of lenienibraiice in co operalion with other ehuivhes in each given area. "(4) That we refer the wliole niatter to tlie National Council of ("hurches (Soutliland brancli > for coiisiderntioii. ' '