CHURCHES AT VARIANCE

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 195, 13 May 1920, Page 5

CHURCHES AT VARIANCE

■' —-—-4- ■ • "LET THE MATTER DROP," PRESBYTERY URGES. The presbytery at its last meeting received a committee' report regarding the dispute that .arose over the attendance at St. John's Church of hoarders from Queen Margaret College. The Moderator (the Rev. W. Day) and the Revs. W. Comrio and J. A. M Kenzie had been appointed to endeavour to brine about an amicable settlement between; St. Andrew's and St. John's. Tin presenting tho recommendations of the committee,' the Moderator explained that St. Andrew's kirk session had been invited to meet the committee, but had replied that the invitation could not be accepted unless tho committee had some definite proposals to make. The committee. however, had no proposals to make, as its mission was first of all <jne of inquiry. The principal of Queen Margaret College, wlulo declining to meet a deputation from the Presbytery, unless directed by the college governors to do so, had given the speaker an answer to this question: "Did anyone in Wellington. minister or elder, 1 influence you as to where yoii should send the children to worship?" Tho reply had been a direct negative. Missßudd had stated that she had acted entirely on her own initiative; no pressure had been brought to bear upon her from any quarter. Sho had understood in taking up her duties that she had an entirely freehand. She - went to. worship at St. John's 1 herself, took some of the children there,, and sent tho rest to St. Andrew's. The committee had arrived at a conclusion in .the form of a motion which it hoped the presbytery would pas?, eo as to bring the dispute to an end—the only-possible ond to which it could bo brought. The Rflv. Robertson Orr had put it that St. Andrew's demanded justice frota the presbytery, which meant that they were to say that all the children shquld go to St. Andrew's Church because the college was in that parish; but they would see that they were up against tremendous difficulties —in fact, that they could not do eo. He moved: That the presbytery is of opinion that it is generally desirablo that, subject to the wishes" of parents, the boarders in our church colleges should attend the church which is in the neighbourhood of tho college, and to this extent it sympathises with the ' session of St. Andrew's Church ,in ' their complaint that girls of Queen Margaret College were being taken' past St. Andrew's Church : to St. . John's. In view of the statement by the principal that she was not influenced by any of tho collego governors. and of the fact that a majority of.the girls.are'now attending St. Andrew's Church, the presbytery feels that no Eood purpose.can be served tv further discussion of this matter. The, Rev. W. J. Comrie seconded the motion, which was carried without discussion.