THE PRESBYTERIAN ASSEMBLY

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2939, 27 November 1916, Page 7

THE PRESBYTERIAN ASSEMBLY

SATURDAY'S SESSION

HON. J. G. IV. AITKEN APPOINTED MODERATOR

Tho Presbyterian General Assembly mot for the resumption of business at 10 a.m. on Saturday,-tlio Moderator (Rev. It. M. llyburn) presiding. Before tho ordinary business commenced a letter was read from tho Now Zealand Alliance asking for the opportunity for a deputation to wait, on .tho Assembly to explain their aspirations and givo expression to their good will. It was decidcd that tho deputation would be received at 12.10 p.m. to-day. Another''-deputation from the Wellington Ministers' Association will be received on the retirement, of tho first. Tlio first business of' the day was tho presentation of tho Tcmperanco Committee's report, which appears under another heading in this issue. A Travelling Moderator. Mr. W. C. Blair, on behalf of the Ashburton Presbytery, moved the adoption of the following overture: — ' 'It is hereby overtured by the Presbytery of Ashburton on to tho General Assembly of tho Presbyterian Church of New Zealand, to consider tho advisability of setting tho Moderator free for a period of three months every year to visit congregations, and particularly those congregations situated by distance from the larger centres, where the sense of isolation" tends to reduce the .idea of unity that should help to strengthen and build up our scattered congregations; or that it determine otherwise as to its wisdom shall deem best." - The Rev. J. Miller (Ashburton) supported the overture, and said, in answer to Dr. Gibb's query as to liow the materialised idea was to be financed, that the Moderator's honorarium could be increased . by £50 to enable him to carry out this new .work. The Kev. Dr. Gibb 6poko in favour of the overture. Ho thought that,the Moderator should bo more prominent in the community than was the case. The Rev. W. G: Comrie said that £50 was too little for a mail to find supply and pay travelling expenses for three months. Mr. M'liidoo (Invercargili) said that this movement was anticipated by the congregation when Mr. Ryburn Was appointed Moderator, and tlicy were quito in sympathy with tho movement, indeed had made tentative arrange*. , mentis to that end. Tho Assembly affirmed the principle, and the question of finance was referred to a committee. Mr. Taylor (Clinton) was. allowed to say subsequently that he was of opinion that the Moderator should bo relieved for the whole year of bis office so that he could go from place to place visiting tho congregations, meeting not only tho influential, but the poorest in tho -congregation. (Applause.) Ho thought ho should be given £600 to dehis expenses, and said that if twenty elders cotild be got to givo £25 each he would add £100. (Applause.) j -Sustenation Fund.y The Rev.' 11. E. Davies, read; and moved the adoptioiriof the'report of the Sustentation Fund of Otago and Southland.- In doing so he quoted figures showing that in some cases Presbyterys drew much more from the fund than, was contributed. The balance was against "Southland and in favour of Otago, and he urged elders t(>; bring this matter before their, own Presbyterians. There were nineteen congregations who were not contributing according to the regulations. He instanced the case of a congregation who had increased their pastor's salary to £260, with a motor-car. If they were able to do that he thought they should make an effort to contribute to the fund they have leaned on for the last twenty or twenty-five years. The report was adopted. HON. J. G. W. AITKEN APPOINTED MODERATOR. One of the features of Saturday's proceedings, indeed the chief event of the Assembly, was the appointment of the Hon. J. G. W. Aitken, M.L.C., of Wellington, as Moderator-Designate of tho Assembly. Tho occasion was liniquo in that the office—the head of' the Church—has hitherto been , regarded as one best filled by a minister, but tho laws of tlio Church impose no such re- . atriction ; and in other fields of Christian activity an elder or lay member of tho Assembly has been elevated to that high olfico. The matter of tho Moderatorship was introduced by the announcement of the candidates. These were: The Revs. J. A. Aslier, J. Kennedy Elliott, Professor Hewitson, and the Hon. J. G. W. ■Aitken. On tho names' being read, the three first-named, ministers promptly but firmly asked for the withdrawal of their names. This only left Mr. Aitken in tho field, and lie was duly proposed as Moderator for tho ensuing year by Mr. John Edic, of Lawrence, seconded by Mr. W. H. Rose, of Oamaru, and imanimously elected with a great show of enthusiasm. After Mr. Aitken was found (lie was at work in one of the committee rooms), tho Moderator (Rev. ,R. M. Ryburn) formally announced his election at Mod-erator-Designate of the Presbyterian Assembly of Now Zealand. He said that Jlis duty was a -unique one in. a way, as it was a now departure for an elder to occupy tlio position, though by no meaus a now thing in the Presbyterian Church. Ho had known Mr. Aitken for 29 or 30 years, and remembered .with gratitude the manner In which ho had helped him (tho speaker) as a young student passing through to tho south, and everyone know of him and Itis works as ono of tho foremost members of tlio-Presbyterian Church in Now Zealand. (Applause.) When Mr. Aitken's candidature became known one of his olders had asked him what Mr. Aitken would do when ho had to tako his place in tho pulpit, to which bo had roplie'd'that Mr. Aitken would do better than a great many ministers. (Laughter and applauso.) Mr. Aitken (who was received with hearty applauso) said that ho sincerely thanked the Assembly for tho very great honour that had been conferred upon him that day. When it was first mooted that he should beoomo a candidate his inclination was absolutely opposed to accepting nomination if it came along, but when it was roprosontcd to him that it would bo wrong for him to dcclino tho unanimous call of the Assembly to occupy tho position, ho had como to tho conclusion that he would accept and do the best he could. (Applause.) Ho would tell them that when the matter camo before tlio Auckland 1 Assembly ho bad voted against it. Ho was of opinion that the Moderator should bo a man who was visible to all, and the wholo of New Zealand. (Smiles.) What ho meant was—ho bad ki.own it said that ho was liko tho side of a house coming down tho street —(laughter) —that the position was ono t.liau should be hold by a prominent clergyman of tho Church. Ministers had, as a. rule, uo outstanding opportunities to occupy high offices, ana seeing that they only had ono Moderator in each year, tbero were many ministers in Hie Church worthy, and m|ore lihan worthy, t-o hold the position. He folt that it would bo interference on tho part of the elders to interfere when they had 1 so many other positions open to them. Ho believed that many should take

positions that were constantly, offering in Parliament, City Councils, Education Boards, and Hospital Boards,, all of which were open to the elders, very few of them being open to the ministers through belonging to the clerical side of tho house. He again thanked the Assembly for the honour it - had 1 done him, and promised to fill tlio position as well as lie was possibly ablo to do.' (Applauso.) . .