DUNSTAN PRESBYTERY.

Dunstan Times, Issue 1230, 25 September 1885, Page 3

DUNSTAN PRESBYTERY.

The regular meeting of this presbytery was held at Opbir on Wednesday, the J6th September. Prosent-The Revs. Henry (moderator), T othian (clerk),M ‘Cosh Sm'th, Telford and Biaekie (ministers); and Messrs William Thomson and James Paterson (elders), ’’’he'minutes of previous meetings having been confirmed, the ■ clerk laid on the table the order paper which : wss, adopted.'- -.yV-i'" * . TIME OX SYNOD MEETING. ' i The Presbytery then, tookup the remit; of the Synod regarding the proposed alter-; ationof time of Synod meeting, when it was moved, seconded, and carried—present date of Synod meeting be adhered to : and that in future, as recommended by the committee, the sacrament of the Lord s -sapper be dispensed at the opening of the Synod.” REGULATION 3 ON VACANT CHARGES.

On this remit it was resolved unanimously to adopt the following regulation in Hen of regulation No. 1. “That as presbyteries lave already the oversight of vacant charges within their bounds, and are required to appoint moderators for the kirk sessions or districts, the moderators so appointed shall •obtain pulpit supply as much as possible in accordance with the wishes of such congregations, and mainly through the Church Extension Committee.” INTERIM ACTS OF SYNOD. The following interim Acts of Synod ■were considered and approved of t—l, Interim Act founding a new chair of Natural Philosophy in the University of Otago. 2. Interim Act providing that a giant not exceeding LSO (a nenled to L 100) be given for ordinary repairs to church buildings at intervals of not less than (Be years, provided that the congelation applying for -such grant shall have raised a sum equal to that appHed for for the same purpose. widows’ and orphans’ fund.

After consideration on this subject the following deliverance was adopted unanimously—“ That the scheme-proposed by the Synod’s Inquiry Committee on the ■Widows’ and Orphans’ Fund of the church be approved of, and that the recomraendatinna.as to annuities by Mr William Wood, of Edinburgh, ah actuary of great experi--ence, be inserted therein ; farther, the presbyte y attach great importance to the augmentation clause in the scheme proposed by, i;he committee. biblk is schools A letter from Dr Copland, convener of the Synod’s committee on hible-reading in the public soh >oU, requesting the clerk to bring that matter before the presbytery, -was laid on the table and it was agreed to receive the same. MISSIONARY TO THE CHINESE. It we s unanimously agreed to send the following deliverance to the Mi sion Committeet—“ That, this presbytery desire respectfully to cad the attention of the Synod’s Mission Committee to the proportionately large number of Chinese resident within the bounds.”

REPORT O v WANAHA AND HAWEA DISTRICT.

Mr Blaukie, moderator of this district, reported that Mr Johnston, divinity student had successfully labored there till October, ■when he ha 1 to resume his studies at the Divinity Hall, and that the district had "willingly contributed their share to his support while stationed there, so .that only a ’Small sum of about LlO hid been required from the Churou extension.fund. He also •reported that as yet suitable sites had not been acquired, but that arrangements would he made as soon as possible.- The clerk also read a letter which had been forwarded to ?nm from Dr Stuart, convener of the 'Church Extension Committee, which stated that at a m-eting of the committee, held on the 20th April last, it had been resolved to give a grant ot £25 to the district in response to the previous request of the presbytery. After consideration, the following deliverance was unanimously adopted : ■“That the presbytery are highly gratified •with the report of the moderator of Wanaka district and the liberality of the people there as regards the mission ; also they recommend that a glebe and sites be secured and a cottage m tnse built as soon as arrangements can he made, and that a prove naia meeting of presbytery beheld to approve of sites and manse plans when the matter is ripened and that in the meantime pulpit supply he secure I as early as possible for the district, more especially in •consideration ot the likelihood of a large influx of population at Criffcl, in the vicinity of Pembroke 5 and further, that the thanks of the presbytery he tendered to theChuich Extension Committee, through its convener, for their grant of L 25.

KEPORT OF COMMITTEE ON LADDER MANSE. Mr Smith, on behalf of the moderator of Lauder, laid on the table the report of the committee appointed to look after the erection of a cottage manse at Lauder, and with it the key of the new manse. After hearing the report the following deliverance was adopted That the thanks of the presbytery he accorded *o the committee for their exertions in carrying out the instruc tions of the presbytery and securing a ■comfortab T e manse for tho district of Lander, with an excellent piece of land as glebe around it; and further, the presbytery are glad to learn fiom the report that there is every prospect of the whole building being handed over entirely free of debt at an early date as the congregations of the district are now taking steps to collect the sum promised for that purpose, MISCELLANEOUS. Attention was called to the' Synod’s returns on the state of religion and statistics to be given in Nov mber. It wns reported from the interim session of Cromxvell through its moderator that steps were being taken to have the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper dispensed in the congregations cf that, parish The presbytery then adjourned to meet at Alexandra on the third Wednesday of March next. .1