PRESBYTERY OF DUNEDIN.

Evening Star, Issue 2823, 6 March 1872, Page 2

PRESBYTERY OF DUNEDIN.

The quarterly meeting of this body waa held in the First Church to-day; the Rev, Dr Copland presiding. On the motion of the Rev. Mr Gillies, the Rev. Lr Copland was elected moderator for the ensuing six months, A deputation appeared from Caversham to support a memorial praying that the district mighc be declared a sanctioned charge, and receive regular supply. It was urged that a canvass of the district resulted in strong proof being shown that a regular charge was much desired, and that a regular minister would be liberally supported. Forty-eight persons had expressed their willingness to become Church members, and subscriptions amounting to L 125 were promised, while it was expected that seat rents, collection! 1 , etc., would bring the amount up to LlO5. After a slight discussion, a resolution was adopted, expressing gratification at the movement, recommending the committee to continue its effoits, with a view to ripening a case for the Demember meeting of Presbytery, to enable it to make a recommendation to the 83'n0.1; and declaring Caversham a recognised station, under the moderatorship of the Rev Mr Gow, with an instruction to grant an early supply as soon as possible. The rev Mr Alves handed in his resignation as pastor of the Kaikorai church, and, in doing so, said that some time ago he had contemplated such a step, which he had at last been forced to take on account of ill hea ! t 1, and becau ehe found that his ministry in the district had not been so successful as he could have desired. It was agreed to announce the resignation to the congregation in the usual way. Mr Stuart to preach, and the Presbytery to meet on the 19th insfc. to further consider the matter. The Rev. Mr Stuart, on the report of the education committee being called for, said that no meeting of that committee bad been held He mentioned that he had not called a meeting because a number of gentlemen in Dunedin were proposing to do something towards forwarding and securing a national measure : already some steps had been taken in that direction ; and to-morrow further action would probably be taken. The object of the Assoc ation, which had been formed, was to obtain for the Colony a national and unsectarian system of education ; they did not ask that the reading of the Bible should ba enjoined or prohibited by the Legislature ; they wished the decision on that question to be left in the hands of school committees, subject to conscience clauses. He hoped the Presbytery would have no difficulty in co-operating with the Association, which proposed publishing an address to the public, a copy of which he had seen. He thought it was what was needed- short and to the point—and he hoped it would be adopted. Mr Millar had not beard of the Association, and asked what was its character; Mr Stuart replied that- it was of a semipublic character. It originated with the schoolmasters, who were advised to place themselves in cor vspoudence with a public hotly —. he Duued n School Committee.

\ t'ti.T consultation, the School Committee requested two of tiioir number to invite a few gentlemen who were known to take an interest in education to think over the matter wth them, and the result was the appointment of a sub-comniitteo to draw up an address to the public, which, as he had already said, had been done. The subject was then dropped. Synodical extracts relating to hasty legislation, hymn books, etc., were laid op the table. In reference to the extract aueufa hymn books, Mr Gillies remarked that “the Clerk of Synod had felt so very much offended with the extract that he had neglected to sign it.” An opinion was expressed that the document could not be received in consequence; but, after discussion, it was agreed to postpone the consideration of all the subjects until a future meeting.