AMOS AND PROPHETS

Hokitika Guardian, 4 December 1928, Page 2

AMOS AND PROPHETS

STOIIM AT GENERAL ASSEMBLY

A U( K LAND, November X)

Peace—tiial is, world peace—was the subject of discussion in the calm atmos.

i-phere of St. David’s ( lmrrli tliis morn - ; iiip; by tlit* delegates to tlio Presbyterian j General Assembly. Suddenly a storm 1 ruse. 11 was short and sharp and ; most destructive, as it razed to the 1 ground the elaborate manileslo tlial : had been erected by a Peace Committee j and placed before the Assembly by the | Dev. I)r. (lihb. of Wellington, whose views on war and armaments tire woh I K.r.wu. | Dr. Gibb has a strong dominant per.‘•cnality and it was another strong (liaraeter that pot to grips with him It he I ’ev. Ur. Erwin. of ( hrisfchnreli. who tit the outset wished to boon i whether the inanif".- 1 > wtts really the ; production of the committee 01 of Dr i 1, himself. I lie language of the | report ptive him the impression that it j was the latter. j Dr. Gihb said the committee had pro- | v’sionally agreed to the lmmilesto. j Dr. Krwin, who spoke with great i feeling, said Dr. Gibb evidently claimed | to be" in the secrets of the Almighty j when lie stated that war was utterly | opposed to the mind of Christ. Ihe ; manifesto was ultra-paciiie. ! Dr (Jilil) rose .and approached the si caking cl in s and confronted l)r It wi i. : ohjecting vigorously to the expicssion j used. j The atmosphere wtts electric lor a ' few moments and ilie assembly assni.i ed more the guise of it heated pohtna meeting than an august Church 1 gathering. |)r Gihli appealed to the .Moderator (Professor Hewitson). M its it appropriate. he said, for Dr Krwin to sit that lie (Dr Gibb) was in the set rets • the Almighty. It was utterly nnhecoming. ; TJnperturliod and with ;t happy sntiiC Dr Erwin stood iiis ground.

Professor liewitson said tiieie was a passage in Amos to the effect that the prophets were in the secrets of C hrist. He could not quote the passage literally. Dr Gibb heatedly appealed to the Moderator to rule in regard 'to tin withdrawal of the words spoken by l)i Kr'win.

Cries of “No” came from all pot t ions of the church.

The Moderator: 1 won’t rule

Professor Hev.itson’s announcement was greeted with loud applause, am when quiet was restored the-.Moderatoi

said the remark made by Dr Erwin wat not one that anybody could take ver.x seriously. No bad spirit was shown i Prolonged applause.) When the Assembly settled down Di Krwin said the language ot the manifesto was extravagant and had caused the opposition. There was a Reeling hat it was an expression of paeiiiism. The manifesto was rejected with ap plause, which lasted a long time.