PRESBYTERY OF CHRISTCHURCH.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 1861, 10 February 1880, Page 3

PRESBYTERY OF CHRISTCHURCH.

A pro re nata meeting of the Presbytery of Christchurch was held on Thursday, sth February, which was duly constituted with devotional exercises. Sederunt the Revs. Messrs Horner (moderator), Eltnslie, Oree, Blake, Hill, Chiniquy, McKee, Cairns, Westbrooke, and McGregor (clerk). The Moderator’s summons of meeting was read. “ A pro re nata meeting of Presbytery will be held on Thursday, sth February, at 10 30 a.m. Res nata —Calls from Sydenham and Rakaia, church extension report, appeal from Kaiapoi session, and appointment of representative in place of Mr Hauxwell to Assembly.” The Moderator’s conduct was approved. Letter was read from Mr Beattie, Moderator of Rakaia, staging that he could not be present to prosecute the call, but that the delegates would be present. There appeared Messrs Orr and Wilkinson as a deputation from the Rakaia. These having confirmed the statements formerly made by Mr Beattie, it was moved by Mr McGregor—“ That the call bo sustained as a Gospel call, and put into the hands of Mr Westbrooke.” The Moderator put the call into the hands of Mr Westbrooke, who intimated that ho believed that it was his duty in God’s providence to accept it. It was then arranged that the ordination and induction of Mr Westbrooke take place on Thursday, the 18th March, at 2 p.m. Mr Blake to preach, Mr Beattie to preside and ordain, Mr Elmslio to address the minister, and Mr Hauxwell the people. Mr Hill laid the call on the table to Mr Thomas Robinson Cains, from Sydenham, signed by thirty members and twenty-two adherents. Mr Burns, delegate from Sydenham, appeared in support of the call, and stated that the stipend would be £4OO, Mr McGregor said it was very creditable to the Moderator to see such a call from a new charge laid upon the table. He moved that it be sustained and placed in the hands of Mr Cairns. Mr Cairns said, as he had just newly arrived, he did not expect to be put in harness so soon, and asked for a month to consider it. The Clerk read the summons issued by the Rev. David Sidey, Moderator, summoning the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church to meet in St. Andrew’s Church, Auckland, on 15th March next, at 7 p.m. Letter was read from Mr Hauxwell requesting that another member be appointed as representative to the Assembly in his stead. Mr Hill moved that Mr McCullam be appointed, and it was agreed to. Pastor Chiniquy was introduced to the Presbytery. The Moderator said—Pastor Chiniquy, we hop - you feel that you are at home when you meet your brethren in the ministry of our Presbyterian Church. Will you pardon me if I tell you what we know already about the woik our Lord has honored you to do for him. I quote from a paper on “ French Evangelisation in Ca ada,” furnished by one of the delegates from Montreal at the Pan-Preaby-tori an Council, hold at Edinburgh in July, 1877: —“In Montreal the Board employs a number of ngents, chief among these is the Rav. Charles Chiniquy, the well-known expriest of Rome, through whose instrumentality thousands of persons have abjured the Romish religion. Mr Chiniquy had r-sided for a number of years at St Annes, in the • t-ite of Illinois, and gathered around him a large number of converts. In 1875 he removed to Montreal, and began a work in that dry which is perhaps without a parallel.” The report goes on to show that in two years nearly 3000 of the French speaking population abjured Romanism, and three congregations formed through your instrumentality. Now that wo have seen you and heard you for ourselves, we bless God for the evident communication of His grace to you our honored brother in the Lord’s vineyard. And we earnestly pray that the richest blessing may rest on your own soul, and on all your labors for our Master in our midst. I am happy to ask you to join us in our deliberations as an associate member of the Presbytery. Pastor Chiniquy replied—l thank God for ah his goodness to me, and feel muchjpleased fir your kindness, dear brethren. I am a Presbyterian, a true Presbyterian, hut I grieve to see so many divisions in the Protestant Church. When I was a priest of Rome I could always point the finger of scorn at the many sects in the Protestant Church. When I was led to the light, of Jesus Christ, and had not joined any branch of the Protestant Church, a deputation waited upon me representing the Episcopalian, Presbyterian, Wesleyan, and Biptist sects, and they urged me to join with one of them. I told them to go and join themselves into one, and then I would join them. I cast in my lot with the Presbyterian Church, not to preach its “ism,” but the Lord Jesus Christ; and I have never had any reason to regret joining that branch of the Christian Church. I again thank you for your kind welcome. The Rev. Mr Hill introduced the Rev. David McKee to the Presbytery. Mr McKee laid his certificate from the Presojtery of Dublin on the table. It was moved by Mr Cree and seconded by Mr Blake—“ That Mr McKee’s certificate be received and ho be welcomed as a minister within the bounds.” The Moderator said—Mr McKee, I offer you, in the name of the Presbytery, a welcome to our bounds. One thing diminishes the pleasure it gives me to do so. We know the position you held in the Home Church as pastor of the most influential congregation in the Irish metropolis, and we fear lost we should not be able to find you work. At the same time, knowing how much we need such men amongst us, I am not without the confidence that the Head of the Church will find out for you the right place to fill for Hi* glory.

Mr JSiii gave in iiia report as convener oi tie Church Extension Committee. He stated that a hall on the north town belt had been bken to commence service morning and evening on the Lord’s Day, and that a request had leen made him to ask the Rev. Mr McKee to supply service there. The report of the convener was adopted, and Mr McKee acceded to the request to commence service there. The Moderator read minutes of Kaiapoi session and documents received from the elders and committee. It was then resolved that the whole matter lo fully investigated. The mooting was closed with tho Beneliction.