DUNSTAN PRESBYTERY.

Dunstan Times, Issue 1066, 29 September 1882, Page 3

DUNSTAN PRESBYTERY.

The usual meeting of the Punstan Pres'bytery was held in the Court House, Ophir, on Wednesday last the 20lh hint. Sederunt: R-v. Messrs Smith, Telford, Blackie, and Lothian (clerk), Ministers. Commission in favour of Mr Hanson, elder, from Alexandra Kirk Session, was read and he took hia seat as a member of the Pr»sbytery. Mr Miller Smith, Missionary in Lander district, was ■also present. The minutes of previous meeting having been confirmed, the Presbytery re-elected Mr Blackie moderator for the ensuing six months. The Presbytery then took up remit of Synod on Sustentation Fund regulations, •and appointment of a general secretary, Retarns of said remit were received from tho ■congregations of Mount Ida, Roxburgh and: . Alexandra, after bearing which and deliberating tbereon the Presbytery unanimously adopted the following resolution: That the present regulations be amended to the effect that, (1) All congregations •contributing the minimum and over it to the Sustentation Fund shall be upon the same footing as regards the equal dividend. (2) That congregations which do not contribute ■up to the amount of the previous years equal dividend, or thereabouts, shall not grant any supplement. Tn reference to proposed appointment of general secretary, it was agreed ! That meantime no general secretary he •■appointed ; hut that at next meeting of Synod a special deputation from the Sustentation Fund Committee shall he appointed ■to visit as many congregatious as possible. After consideration and expression of opinion the following motion on the union -question was agreed to : That a union of incorporation with the ■the Northern Chur;h is not expedient at ‘the present time. The Presbytery then considered remit of Synod on the law with respect to marriage •with deceased wife's sister. After delibera tion it was moved and seconded ; That the question he left to the indivi--dual consciences of the ministers and mem hers of the church. An amendment to the effect : That the question be left as it is in the ‘Confession of Faith was also moved and seconded : -There voted for bke amendment, 2 ; and for the motion, 2 ; whereupon the moderator gave his casting vote in favour of the amendment ; which was accordingly de ■ dared carried. I- was resolved, seconded, and agreed to : That members of the Synod standing committees be appointed from all tho Pres iiv levies of thechurch and that an allowance of -me pound (£1) be made to members livon the lines of railway,, and two pounds ’(£2) to there. living beyond in the interior, Tor expenses ; and that the committee meet statedly in Dimeifin. The following committees was appointed to select and report on suitable sites for church purposes, and to confer with the people in the various localities •where they will shortly be needed : Messrs IS uith, Lothian, and Blackie. Messrs -Lothian an I Blackie to report on Pemhrone air* upper Clutha, and Messrs S nitb and Lothian to rennet on the districts between Naseby and Alexandra. The Clerk was instructed to write the •convener of the Church Erection Commit! ee an ' tho Church factor, submitting the fo 1 - ■lowing question,— * Can a congregation that desires to enlarge its manse buildings defer applying for the •usual quinquennial' grant for repairs, and receive the-satee along with a grant for enlargement and repairs at a subsequent -date ? The Presbytery having called for report ■of Lander district and financial statement 1 thereof fir past year, the general report of the missionoiy, Mr Miller Smith, as for ■warded to the Church Extension Committee, was taken as read. Mr James Pater son, general treasurer, for Lauder district, : •then submitted the financial statement for past year, from which it appeared that the total contributions somewhat exceeded USO. Members expressed satisfaction therewith, considering the change of mis •eionarios, vacancies, an i want of permanent minister, and believed tk it when the dis trict had obtained a settled minister the ■c ntributions for hia support would increase. A deputation, consisting of the treasures ■oj the sub-distrints, was then introduced to the Presbytery by the Rev, J. M. Cosh ■Smith, as follows ;—Messrs Morgan and Hughes, Cambrians; Mr Shepherd, Matakanui ; Mr James Paterson, Reeks; and Messrs J. Alexander ami J. Smith, Backs. The members of the deputation expressed their views as to the desirability of having tho district made a sanctioned charge, nf having a glebe and manse, and a minis er settled in the district. After consideration the following deliverance was adopted by the Presbytery : Having heard the treasurers of theaeve ral congregations in the Linder district,and the minister of their meeting, held at Becks, on Tuesday, the 19th September.tho resolves to appoint the Revs. Lolhian and McCosh Smith a Committee to act with a general Committee elected by all the congregations in the district, and to take what steps may be deemed necessary for the erection of a manse, and it matters are matured, to forward an application for •auctioning Lati ler as a charge toji special meeting of Presbytery to be held for consideration thereof. The Presbytery further expresses itself highly pleased with the efforts and labours of their missionary, Mr Miller Sini»h, and also with the heartiness of tho people in their efforts to have the Lauder district erected into a sanctioned charge. The thanks of the Presbytery was given to the unknown donor who had sent to each member a copy of the popular volume “The Land and the Book.” A vote of thanks to Major Koddoll, Warden of the district, for

his courtesy in granting tho use of Court •House. After some farther routine business, the I Presbytery adjourned,to meet at Alexandra on the third Wednesday of March next, at ! noon.