Presbyterian Church.

Hokitika Guardian, 18 November 1922, Page 1

Presbyterian Church.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY. AUCKLAND, Nov. Id Tile jubilee sessions of the Presbyterian General Assembly commenced 10-dav. The Rev D. Dutton, retiring moderator, preached. The Rev W. J. Comrie aws unanimously elected moderator. He addressed •he assembly oil “Sixty Years and Alter,” and briefly surveyed the progress of the Church in New Zealand from the earliest, days. After speaking upon flic movement in ISO! toward the union of Presbyterianism in New Zealand, which failed owing to the fear of innovations, tlie moderator laid special emphasis upon, tlie need for a progics sj vc movement tn-diiy. even at the cost of making many innovations in Church affairs'. He reviewed and ques- . tinned forms of worship as best for i present needs. The moderator suggestl ed that the Church is too conservative in the matter of the position of women in offices of the Church. Tlie address laid emphasis on the need for the Church to understand hotter Labour movements of the present, and to assure labouring men who had become indifferent to tlie Church of the Church’s sympathy with them in all their aspirations for better social conditions. The temperance question and the movmcnt for a large church union with other churches, and the duty of the Church in its relation to war, were discussed in a tone which was full of hopefulness for the future. Coinicdent with the sitting of the assembly the annual conference of the Presbyterian Women’s Missionary Union is being held.