Presbyterian Assembly.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIV, Issue 1930, 12 November 1906, Page 3

Presbyterian Assembly.

PISESS ASSOCIATION. Dunedin, Saturday,

The Presbyterian Assembly adopted the report on Babbath school examinations. It was resolved that the “ Pilgrim’s Progress” should replace “ Man of.tho Covenant ”as tho subject of essay. Tho report on the training home for missionaries was adopted, and Messrs G, Bishop, J, A, McKenzie, Thomas, F. Rule, and j. Lop-

dall were declared missionaries in full standing. The church property report, enumerating a number of bequests and donations, and tiic Row Century fund report, notifying loans granted, were adopted. It was resolved to express sympathy with the Bible and Tract Society in tho loss sustained by lire in its premises. The report of tho Bible in Schools Committee stated, inter alia, tho hopes entertained a year ago that tho general election would advance the cause of Bible in schools by bringing tho Plebiscite Bill within measurable distance were unhap pily falsified by the event. Very few of the members of tho new Parliament favored any form of Bible teaching in na tional schools, and only some 30 of them naVD piuLUlobd to SUpputS a tptClul rotecenduin ef iho ques.iou to the sieofora. In f„oe ut this the Executive of She Referendum Lsugue eouid only oouoluda that the tune was inoppuituns for a contiuuuuoe oi she campaigu, which they had

been eiruuuously oanduciiog up to the day ol election. Very regretfully iboy reuoivtd lu auoonsiiiue the bhcvicb of the

ugsnt and to cicsiss lot tho present from iho various other activities iu which they hod hi on engaged. Tho following dolivtranee vva: adopted : "Tho Assembly dot ply rogtess that tho eG.-rlg put forth to secure from Parliament a plain unambiguous reference of the question of Bioie tn schools so tho electors tot their decision have not yet been suooesaiul.” In instructs tho Cntmntiseo to eo operate with the exacntiva of toe Referendum Loagoa with a view to ob tainiug lrgisltuioa necessary to eflect this object, nd to take euch osher steps as may seem expedient for tho furtherance of tho mo'/omont. It enjoins Ministers to impress their people with tho paramount importance oi tho restoration of she Bible

to the publio schools, and the danger to tho moral well being of the nation from tho purely eeeulariatio ebaraoter of She present curriculum, mud commends to Ministers tho great desirability of their oouuuoiing classes for Bible reading and study in every school into which aeoass cm be obtained under conditions that afford soma boos of a profitable result.