NE TEMERE DECREE

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 48, 20 November 1920, Page 10

NE TEMERE DECREE

VIEWS OF PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH REPORT OF "PROTESTANT PRINCIPLES" COMMITTEE T'lie report of the Protestant Principles Comraittco of tho General Assembly of (be Presbyterian Churctl of New Zealand was laid on tho table at last night's cession of (lint body. "The .Marriage Amend."icnt Bill," ran tho report, "has evoked interest in Protestant principles. Wo appointed the Rev. Robert Wood to represent this committee before tho cotninitleo set up by tho Lower House. \V« ariyfiio Assembly to reaffirm the resolution, passed "by the General Assembly of 11)11. It is as follows:—

" 'That tho Assembly, having considered tho.. N'e Temere i.'ecri'o, which lias been, promulgated in the Dominion, in its historical setting and practical working, niul while recognising fho right of every branch of the Christian Church to formulate its own terms of communion, and to exercise eeelesiaslicnl.Miscipline upon its members In accordance therewith ; but inasmuch as the application of this decree in every caso of a mixed marriage affects a party who is not under the jurisdiction of tho Church of Home, and traverses the law of tho laml and the law of all non-Eoman Chiirchos by declaring invalid a irtarriage duly solemnised nocording to those laws;-and inasmuch as this decree has beon so applied as to disturb the peace of families and breakup homes, the Assembly calls upon the Government to deviso means fpr tho protection. of the sodal Interests and_ oivif rights of all pnrtles affected by this decree; and iu view of the grave risks to domestic happiness and religious well-be-ing involved In mixed marriages, tlioy exhort their faithful people to avoid contracting marriages of that nature. "While asking again that tho last Sunday of October be appointed Trotosant Principles Pay/ we would impress upon ministers, Bible-class leaders, etc., tho value of regular eyslematio instruction. Finally, wo would 'omphasise the positive nature of the work of our conimittoe. Some folk seem to think that any action Hint runs counter to any doctrine or practice of tho Church o.f Home is to be deurecated as either being due to bigotry and lack of Christian charity, or lending itself to such an interpretation. But we must stand ill defence against the absolutist claims of Romanism m every held of human life'-an<l activity, and, ou the '.aggressive side, we must not 'forgot Ihe Reformed ,Ch\irch J has a mission to tho 'unreformed' Church." The report, which provoked little or no discussion, was adopted, and the Assembly adopted recommendations as follow:— '(f) Urging ministers and. Bible-class leaders to undertake or continue systematic instruction in Protestant principles by liienns of history or biography. (2) Eecommending to ministers niul home missionaries the holdiiiK of -the last Sunday of October as P-iotestant Principles Day." ' . (3) Eenffirmins the resolution of the Assembly of 1911. regarding the Ne Temere Decree." A. further resolution was adopted as follows:—"That this General Assembly of tho Presbvterian Church of New Zealand r-cords its npnrovul and appreciation of ■he action of Parliament in anienthug the Marriage Act, so as to secure what the A«semblv asked for in 19M m reference to the Ne Tenure Decree.'