PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

Evening Star, Issue 20135, 27 March 1929, Page 7

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

ANNUAL MEETING OF SYNOD The annual meeting of the Presbyterian Synod of Otago ami Southland was continued in the First Chinch Hall this morning, when the (Rev. J. J. Cairney) presided. .A I ODER ATO I’ NOAIIX A TED. The Rev. H. H. Barton was nominated as Moderator for next year. Mr Barton briefly returned thanks for the honour conferred upon him. CHUHCH EXTENSION COMMITTEE. 'The report of the Church Extension Committee was delivered by the Rev. J. Kilpatrick, and was adopted. FINANCE COMAIITTEE. The Rev. J. Kilpatrick stated that the Finance Committee recommended the application for a grant of £IOO for the Lauder manse and a special grant of £SO for the Waikaia Church.— Agreed to. THEOLOGICAL COMA!ITT EE. In moving the adoption of the report of.the Theological Committee, the Rev. E. J. Tipler said he wished to emphasise the point that an increased number of students hud this year entered the Theological Hall. That affected the church very vitally. They were now nearing what was called in other circles saturation poinl. They _ could easily see what would if that point was reached. It would have effect on tho reception of students and the reception of ministers from overseas amt from other denominations. Some twelve or thirteen men had entered the hall this year, making a total of thirtv-threo taking lectures. J)r Currie thought that all students wishing to enter the church should he encouraged to matriculate and thereafter continue their studies in. Greek. They should also bo encouraged to study Hebrew. Referring to saturation point. Professor Davies said that nt view of the fact that there was a dearth of ministers of tho Presbyterian Church in manv parts of the world, he wondered if it would ho wise for them to call a halt or iu any way to discourage men from entering the church. He had recently boon in and the position oi the church ju New Sonin Wales and Queensland was really serious. There was a dearth of ministers and a vast amount of work to lie. done. It was not a question of money—they seemed to have a superabundance of that—there was u dearth of men. If the l , had men here and the church was rich enough to train them, should they not encourage men to go io Australia P_ He Pad been told that the opportunities in Australia were tremendous. New Zealand had the men and Australia had the opportunities, and he thought that they ,should not discourage young men from entering the church. The report was adopted. SPECIAL GRANTS. A special grant of £l5O for a manse on the Peninsula- was approved. In approving of a grant of Ld to ALGlashau College, various members of the Synod expressed appreciation of the work the college was doing. The Moderator said lie was sure that it must be a matter of salislactmn to the Svnod to know that they had encournoed an institution like ALGlashau College. He was sure that the college would be a great factor in tho hie of the church in days to come, and he hoped the grant that the Synod had given would enable the hoard to carry on nncl further build up the college. CLERK TO RETIRE. The Clerk of the Synod (Rev. A AC Fiulavson) said he wished o the Svnod that lie would retire from the office of clerk at the end of .the present rear. It was thirty years since he had been appointed to the position, and he thought that a younger man should be appointed. It was resolved that them* Her of appointing a successor be left till later in the day CHURCH FUNDS. The Rev. J. Chishold presented the following overture from the Southland Presbytery:— , , , . 4 , “It is hereby overtimed , Presbytery of Southland to the Synod of Otago that whereas endowments under control of the Church Board of Property and the Synod of Otago derived from land purchased and set apart for ecclesiastical and educational purposes in the first 1 reshytenaii settlement of Otago, and now ot great value are used uotu ithstanding changed conditions almost exclusively for building and educational purposes iu Otago and Southland, which comprise only a section of the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand; and whereas the ministry of the church receive directly no benefit from these endowments’; and whereas in view of economic changes the benefits from the bene-

ficiary funds of the church are relatively far below those of public and other services and totally inadequate: it is hereby overtured to the Synod of Otago to take the allocation and disposal of the revenue of the endowments into consideration, and to appoint a committee to investigate, the whole question, take legal opinion, and report to next Synod; first, on the wisdom or otherwise of allocating a* percentage of the revenue to augment the beneficiary funds of the whole church, and, ‘ second, what steps by, way of legislation would be necessary, in order to provide an equitable share of the funds that thereby the aged and retired ministry (men and women) of the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand might be suitably benefited: or, that it determine otherwise as to its wisdom shall deem best.’’ In support of the overture, Mr Chisholm said that it was heartily approved of by the Presbytery of Southland. After tracing the history of the overture, Air Chisholm said that it had become apparent that the time, had arrived for the sharing of the privileges and the responsibilities of the church. For vears past descendants of the church in Otago and Southland had boon moving to north, and were scattered all over New Zealand, and there was no reason why they should not share in the endowments of the church. The overture merely asked that the matter should he referred to a committee, and if it was found impossible, it should be allowed to rest. He moved that the overture b» adopted; and tho Synod set up a committee according to the terms of the overture, and report to next and that the committee consist of two members from each Presbytery within Otago and Southland, the mover to be convener, pro tcm. The motion was seconded by Mr Roy, who said that the overture was a friendly gesture which would help to unify ’ami strengthen the church m New Zealand. A general discussion on the overture followed, the dominant note being objection to the investigation being limited as proposed in tho overture. Air Chisholm said he was willing io amend the overture, the latter part to read; “ That Synod appoint a whole committee to investigate the whole question, take legal opinion, and report to next Synod, special attention being given to beneficiary funds, ’ the rest of the overture to he omitted. Air Chisholm was given leave Li amend the overture, and the Rev. G. Miller moved that the vote be taken, but this was lost. The Rev. J. Kilpatrick moved as an amendment:—“ That the Synod set up a committee to consider the whole question of Synod funds and the ns« to which they might he put.” This was accepted by Mr Chisholm, and on being put to Synod was carried. Ali - Chisholm then moved that the committee consist of two members of each Presbytery in Otago and Southland. Dr Aferrington moved as an amendment that Synod proceed to nominate the committee. The motion was lost, and the amendment carried. The luncheon adjournment was then taken.