PRESBYTERIAN ASSEMBLY.

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 126, 21 February 1919, Page 6

PRESBYTERIAN ASSEMBLY.

YESTERDAY'S BUSINESS.', By Telegraph—Press Association Christchureh, February 20. At the Presbyterian Assembly to-day the Chaplains'* Committee's report • was presented. Three returned chaplains (fievs. H. W. Burridge, E..S. Watson, and J. D. Wilson) wero present, and were accorded a most cordial welcome by the assembly. Speaking to the report, tho Rev. W. J.- Comrie;6nid that the war being now over it was up to them to do something for those who had achieved much, and at such a price. It wns up to them to do something for their men who were returning in placing them in avocations, but they ought to be doing more than giving a military and civic welcome. Thpre was no one from their church to give them.a friendly hand. They wanted some organisation to let those men feel they had a living interest in tlicni.

. Major K. K. Catherwood,' in dealing with last year's epidemic "Visitation atthe military camps, refercd to the great work of Mrs. Page, a real heroine, who got together a band of women, who cooked for a thousand men. There were two graces they needed to pray for to help the"* returned men, ana these were a bright face and a kind heart. It was the "white man" (as they called it) who could get along with the soldier. Their language might not be printable at times, but he heard worse in the assembly at timfs. If they did not say it, they meant it when they' got at one another. It was decided to add to the deliveronce an expression of thank;; to 'Mrs. Page and the ladies of Feathcrston for (heir work in the camps.

-The following clauses of a scheme for supplying'pulpit vacancies were adopted: —To endeavour atf'soon as the war ends to 6ecui'e from the colleges and the ministry of Scotland, Ireland, and England a supply, of at least -twenty .ministers (probationers .or ordained), , and twenty home missionaries; to guarantee to the said a stipend, of at least' .£230 and. a manse (or house reiit) for a period of two years after their arrival in the Dominion, and to home missionaries if married men, ,£l6O and manse (or house Tent), if unmarried $150,. the cost of the -passage also to be defrayed (second-closs 011 New-Zealand steamers) ;"the age limit fur ministers and' homo missionaries to be thirty years; to raise a fund for de--1 fraying these costs, tho fund to lie supplemented out. of the home mission fund and the special home mission fund.