THE PRESBYTERY.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 737, 9 February 1910, Page 2

THE PRESBYTERY.

u ;. POWERS OF.LICENTIATES./' . A largely-attended meeting-of the Wellington Presbytery was held yesterday, tho Moderator (the. Rev.. W.'.J.' Comrie) presiding. •-,'■ \ ...■.■,.■..;.--;. :

A discussion took place as to whether , - Mr.. J. Rattray, Home Missionary' .at Pongaroa, should have power, to admin-' ister the sacraments.": ; It' was decided to, ■write' to , the Hawke's Bay. Presbytery. for' ! information- regarding 1 ■" :"Mr." ; .Ratffay'r standing..-- :- ,; : :?-' : -; ■'-.- ■ '^:\ : .', v

. The auestion of empowering'Jlr.J J.". B,". M-Donaldi licentiate," to' administer' ,»smvwhile-'acting as supply for the Rev. r A. T. ••. Thompson •■'■ at " Masfcertoh: '• waj ! V brought forward.^..' ;-• ■.•■.'■.-;; ■- /. : -;i i'.'<:-\.'£

h* i v - f,' K-.'Elliott" moved :tharth«i A matter should be considered in commit- ''■ ' ■^ I , J , , s ' a K BO'id'deal-of:feeling:had--beei-. : :-' caused when it was pTeviously discussed.lhe Rev., A. T. Thomson (liasterton) '' saw .no necessity f or taking the : matter* £,'■;■* commi ee Ho-thought .there should be ■' the fullest publicity.' :,: ■ ■ "-.-- ~rhe Rev J. Paterson seconded the mtyV* won, which was negatived. • . v-; : - ■,'lho committee's, report 'was read' re- ; commending that Mr.,. JlDonald : be" em- ■. powereed to administer baptism while acting 'as. supply*;..and that Ms' name be ■''' sant ;tp the olerk:'bf assembly'for iiiser- ■ tioß-..in-:the list "of officiating .minister* " under the -MaiTiage Act. ; .' : ' . ,^ e^ J;, Paterson: and'Al,:Tlibmsoa-:' ;: (mone) said ..they, were prepared to agree to tlie report. -* -''-.■*,■'■• ■•*■'■■■■; - vjt;■■*■■:' . ■:.:■■■■■■ he ; -believed;tliat. the.committee's proposal'wis.illegal '■'■ ana that there, was up. sanction.by "anyi': resolution of.: the.,t!eneral'--.Assembly for' "' Si"us such, authority to a'licentiate.'■ } '■' ; . ine-;Moderator:- It is- : unusual to'heai i: -' a ■ suggestion from.' thVicommittee'--. that : the proposal is,illegal."'. . : > *". .* • '■■■■■ ■"'■; r Dr. :Gibbi. That..is; my;privaW:opimon.- : .r Continuing,- Di-i-Gibb explained that.-dV-'.: spito the legal informality, he , would Hot --t-oppose'.theVactiori-proposed, as tending to.- ■*• tuo' good of the ChurcH.' Later-helwpuld-* ask',the , ' presbytery .ito;.fqrward■! an; over- '■: : Ul ?. to thß ' General- Assembly; asking for/, v a definite: regulation", on' the question; ' It'" ; was.not•right;.that.by.a mere;-resolutioa ■!:. of the: Presbytery/: these sacred . powers: -.' should be conferred, on -aby^ohe,--they ' should- only be ..granted' after.'a ' solemn ti service ■ of:: consecration:, and -dedication.-' ■'■■ '• ■~rne*;Rev.. J.V'K.^Elliott' said-he .iwas ■••' Borry, that the; application: had: comerfori' : ward, and been persisted :in. The* objeo* ■ tionnblo features of-the manner iffiwhicli'v it;, was. first■ brought forward' had- obeea-" removed, but he.considered..it .was ill©;:.' gal, to grant the.-'powers; desired. ,<Thecommittee■ had not reported on 'the ques- "• ; tidns> of. legal' powers ■■• br, precedents. , . ; 'lt ■ - was not 'a case:of-necessity,"the moder-' > ator of ' tho charge,' the 'Eev. C: ■• Thomp- ; ■-■' son,, of;Cartertoni.being near- at : .hani - . ; It was a pity. Mr. Thompson.,had not v thought 'fit -to assume' the ; till' respon-t sibihties. ; :'■' '■■.. '. :•":'■■ .>,■■:■-[;".• ■■>... -^

The.Rev. L.';ll.' Thomson: "I v did-not' ■■ refuse to do eo.'. I think I should express- ' an opinion; here. v My\name" was- bandied : '. about'at tlie last meeting. • ,■'•-.■.;.;...■•;; .V The Moderator ruled Vthat Mr; Elliott ■ was not entitled to state thkt,Mr. Thomj).'!'! son had , refused to ■' assume full tespon- ■ abilities.-.V/.v..;'...■/■■■; '\ : - , '-/-l

i' MiY'Elliott proposed, ."'for.peace sake/':';) that',the Presbytery should give' the p'ow?""V- , ers requested,-; and report' the 'case, : to :'.' he -General.' Assembly. ■.'':■:,,■,:■ ; \K,■.;.■•;.% .'v.;.-

.' An addition embodying this suggestiqi Ms.added- to the. motion-"That;the.com-mittec's report be adopted." .. ..■•■ ■■• ■■; Tho . Eev. J., ':. Gibson' r,Smith • suggested'-, that the General-. 'Assembly \should< -be: asked to.eeoure.that.-in.future- all ; new' v legislation should ■ ba .Telated : to wliktever.' ,, , previous 'legislation'dealt with , , the.fauna,* , : question.' :\i. tho assembly) followed the r Anglican■•systeni' i of;;passing : its , new leg'is- •'- lahonvin .thes form ■.of-.-ibifls.-'-.-and. eetfing - r , out.in .connection .-;vritb,- r each', bill•-Iwhat ■.• '■ : , preyibus: legislation was amended- or sup- '■ - : planted; 'it* wouldVhave a 'clarifying.,in--.'"'.? iluence and , also, put-a-,brake ; on.legisla-...."i' tion. ' -': ':■"-;; -v-. •-.-•■!;: _;, -•v/'. ,, ; - : '•:■'■ ■.i/i.i-'-

■ The. E«y...-Ii Thompson" explained-: that> •' he was : not"unwilling••'.to ■■ undertake the V' full responsibilities of, the:- moderator-,;. to-do; 6o:i if iketahunaVas had been originally pro- : , posedj.was included with-Masterton.-;TJe;'■ ■:•. ferring to the discussion which' took'place j;\ at!.last -meeting,' , Mr.-. 'Thompson, 'urged,i«; that members vpti the^-presbyfery'Vehduldv'. , . not' epeak of .absent. members .in- what \ ■might be thought?a depreciatory, manner. ;. The Rev: J. jK. Slliott suggested, that v , the - Rev. L; Thompson .should .'agree; to > .undertake.: marriages' and 'baptisms'. fop '* '.', Mdstertoh.'.- • \ ',■ ■■"■:•■, ■■'i, ,, ' '■"•■■ ■-;• '.<:■;. : V^'- : Y : .Thompson: (Masterton).;..' urged: that it was not. practicable to do so,-. t ' )The motion-was then'adopted. , .;;'; ,', •. A motion : py'.. the' Rev. ~,8,i jHntsoa. (Brooklyn) .to alter' the;hour^.of/.ineeting ■:,{ 'of. th*r-presbytery' from "10 r a.m,.''till''7.-: p.m. was negatived; • ■', vi.-'^'i'-'fv■'; ; ':» ; ::CV , ; The Evangelistio-Committeee-were- re«i; appointed.-;:;: ~:KwC vs'i ,,, . .•.> n^iii