THE PRESBYTERIAN ASSEMBLY.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1603, 21 November 1912, Page 6

THE PRESBYTERIAN ASSEMBLY.

"THE SPREAD OF ROMANISM." THE STOKE ORPHANAGE. The General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of 'New Zealand concluded its sittings yesterday. Tho Moderator, the Rev. A. Cameron, presided. The first business was the receipt of tho- report of the Special Committee set up last year, entitled "Tho Committee on Romanism and Ritualism." ■ Tho committee had mado inquiries among Presbyterian ministers \as to the spread of Romanism, and especially as to (lie working- of tho Ne Temere decree, and the committee's report was in effect that there was need for more active opposition to Romanism on tho part of the Presbyterian Church. Finally the committee- urged that children and young people should be instructed in the principles which found expression in the Reformation, and that something might be done by offering prizes for essays this year on Reformation subjects to all the youth of tho Church. The committee mado the following recommendations-.— "1. That tho committee be- authorised to appeal for, say, .£IOO Prize Fund, from which prizes will bo awarded to: (1) Our senior boys anil.girls; (2) our young men and women; (3) our students for the ministry, for essays on: (a) Martin Luther (boys and girls); (b) John Knox and What he did for Scotland (young men and women); (c) Calvinism as a Force in the Life of Nations (students). "2. That the committee be authorised to arrange for tho publication in the 'Outlook' of a-series of papers on 'Tho Heroes of the Reformation and tho Principles of Protestantism.* "3. That the committee bo instructed to nolo tho political encroachments _ ; of Romanism within our Empire, and report on same. "i. That your committee be authorised to got a legal opinion ns to the legality nf f',3 issuing of certificates to parties already married to. go through a second marriage ceremony." Tho report was adopted on the motion of the"Rev. R, Wood. The Rev. 3. Mackenzie (Nelson) moved 'that the Assembly respectfully call upon the Government to change immediately the conditions now obtaining at the: Stales Industrial: School, so that Presbyterian children should no longer be brought up in a Boman Qatholic atmosphere. The Rev. F. Rule (Christchurch) said that he had just learned from v tho Education Department that a circular had bsen issued giving instructions that thesg objcctionablo features of the Stoke School should be removed almost at once. In view of this, Mr. Mackenzie did hot press his motion. THE GOVERNOR. . A. FAREWELL MESSAGE. . The Assembly, on the motion of the Rev. Dr. Gibb, agreed to transmit the following message to his Excellency the Governor. All the members stood and joined in' singing a verse of the National Anthem:—"Tho General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand, now in session in Wellington, desires to express its profound loyalty to the ancient throne of Britain nnd his Majesty King George, on whom -it prays the richest blessing of Almighty God may' ever rest. The Assembly, further expresses its warmest appreciation of the manifold services rendered by your Excellency to tho country, arid the strong and salutary influences you have exerted in the affairs of the nation during your sojourn hero as the King's representative.- It is with, sincere regret that the- Assembly bids your Excellency farewell; Its prayers ascend to the Most High that in all your futuro career its' in all your past, your labours may make for the promotion of that righteousness which alone exalteth a, nation, and so for the strengthening of'the-'Empire nnd the furtherance of its high-destinies." ■ The Moderator (the Rev. A. Cameron), Dr. Gibb, and Mr. J. G. W. Aitken waited upon the Governor and delivered the address to him. ■'.'•' His Excellency expressed his thanks, and promised to communicate the message it contained to his Majesty, : , A Question of Boundaries. Tho Rev. R. Inglis (Khandaljah) moved that the parishes of Levin and Shannon bo disjoined from the Wanganui Presbytery, and attached to the-.'.Wellington; Presbytery.. . The R-ev. J. Paterson (seconded the motion.. The scheme, was . opposed by a petition from the Shannon;parishioners. The Rov. P. B. Fraser moved aa an amendment that the matter be referred back to the Presbyteries for further consideration, with a view to the setting up of a conference with power to act. ■ The Rev. A. C. Banderspn, (Eevin) moved a further amendment, to the effect that Levin be attached to Wellington, and that Shannon be left in tho Wanganui Presbytery. 'i Mr. Fraser withdrew his, amendment in favour of this compromise, and Mr. Inglis withdrew his motion. Thereupon Mr. Randersou's motion was carried unanimously. THE. LABOUR MOVEMENT. The Rev. J. Erwin (Southland) moved that a small committee be set up to investigate tho bearing of Social and Labour movements upon the work of the Church. Mr. A. H. Grinling (Dunedin) seconded the motion. Speaking to tho motion, the Rev. W. White (Waihi) said it was not true, as was so frequently asserted; that Labour was altogether outsidotho Church. It was not borne out by his own experience; rather he-would be inclined to say -that the class of. men sometimes dubbed ,canitnlists" were moro , often outside the Church. Tho duty of ministers of religion was to speak those, grand truths \vhich regulated men's lives, whether they lib Labourites or Capitalists. If- the .Labour movement was to be controlled by the Church, it would never 'bo done by ministers entering the movement as agents to control it, from within, but rather by the teaching of tho principles whicli should regulate tho lives of men. He cautioned the Assembly against rashly passing any motions on tho question. . The motion was lost. , . - FINAL BUSINESS. Mr. J. W. Jack was appointed auditor of the Church's accounts at a remuneration of 30-' guineas per .annum. It was resolved that tho Assembly meet next year at Christchurch. Tho Assembly closed at 1 p.m., with tho usual motions and votes of thanks.