OTAGO AND SOUTHLAND-PEESBYTERIAN CHURCH.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2429, 18 January 1882, Page 3

OTAGO AND SOUTHLAND-PEES-BYTERIAN CHURCH.

[PBBSS ASSOCIATION TBtBORAM.I DUNEDIN, January 17. The Presbyterian Synod to-day received the report of the committee appointed in conneotion with the subject of union with the northern Presbyterian Church, that is the Church throughout all other portions of New Zealand except Otago and Southland. The committee reported as follows :—After full consideration at two meetings of committee it was agreed to transmit to the convener of the Northern Union Committee (the Eev. J. Treadwell, of Wanganui) the following document aa an initial statement of the general principles.-—" It is proposed that an intimation be given to the committee of the Northern Church that in our judgment an incorporating union would be practicable if the respective Churches accepted the following principles— First, Basis of union—The Churches shall declare their agreement in doctrine, govern ment, worship, and discipline by the acceptance of the same standards, and of the same formula for the ordination and induction of office bearers. Becond Arrangements for the working and constitution of the united Church :—(1.) The designation of the Church shall be the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand. (2.) The Supreme Court of the Ohuroh shall be called the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand, and shall be constituted by representation of Presbyteries; the legislation shall be regulated by the Barrier Act. (3.) Provincial Synods shall be discontinued as intermediate Courts of Appeal. (4 ) Dunedin shall be the seat'of the Supreme Court, of the theological hall, and of the offices of the Church. (5.) The principles of the snstentation fund shall be accepted as regulating arrangements for the maintenance of the ministry ; the schemes for Church extensions, missions, and widows and orphans' fund and for aged and infirm ministers shall be amalgamated. (7.) The several trust funds availible for Church purposes in the respective churches shall continue to be applied for the said purposes and within the limits already appointed, and the powers of be strictly limited to the administration of the respective trust funds. To these proposals your committee have reoeived no official reply, the convener of the Northern committee reporting that he has found it impossible to obtain a meeting of his committee. Your committee are, however, well informed that no serious objection would be made except to No, 4, namely, the proposal to make Dunedin the permanent head quarters of the whole Church. Although that proposal cannot be understood as forbidding the General Assembly to meet beyond Dunedin, or to make special provision for theological education elsewhere if necessary, yet that the proposal should seem onesided is only natural, and what your committee were prepared to enoouuter, while of opinion that the longer it is contemplated the more it will commend itself, as the only satisfactory solution of a question which the NortherhChurch cannot avoid, as an arrangement made by providential circumstances, and one which will tell advantageously on the whole Church. In the present circumstances, and having no official reply, your committee can only recommend that the committee be continued, that the prepared scheme be submitted to Presbyteries for their consideration, and that your committee be instructed to watch over the question, and bring up a fresh report to next meeting of Synod." After debate, during which a proposal wag made but withdrawn to invite steps towards union with the Northern Church throughout the Middle Island only, it was decided to reappoint the committee, with instructions to transmit to Presbyteries and Kirk sessions the proposed soheme of union set forth in the report, and whatever resolutions on the same may be adopted and transmitted by the General Assembly of the Church of New Zealand, and generally to watch over tho whole question and bring up a fresh report to the next meeting of Bynod.