PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF NEW ZEALAND.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4597, 14 December 1875, Page 1 (Supplement)

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF NEW ZEALAND.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY. (Reported for the New Zealand Times.) The General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand met in St. Andrew's, Christchurch, on the evening of Saturday, the 4th inst. The retiring Moderator, the Rev. McKinuey, preached an able discourse from Psalms xviii, 30, " The word of the Lord is tried," in which he showed how both_ ancient and modern philosophy failed in meeting with the highest requirements and aspirations of the soul of man, either for the world that now is, or that which is to come. The Rev. W. McCJowan, of Lyttelton, was chosen ;ts Moderator for the current year, and in his address very appropriately , dwelt upon the religious revival that has taken place almost in every quarter of the world, and pointed out some of the more important lessons which the ministry might take from that widespread and interesting movement. The roll of the Assembly being made up and read over by the clerk, the Assembly adjourned. MONDAY 3IOKNIN(i SKDEUUNT. After some discussion as to whether the overture from the Synod of Canterbury should be regarded as an overture or petition. The convener of the Committee on Rules and'Forms of Procedure in Church Courts reported progress, and stated that by next Assembly the committee hoped to have their compilation laid on the table in a printed form. On the motion of the Kev. D. Sidey the report was received, and the committee were instructed to continue their labors. The report of the Committee on the Widows and Orphans and Aged and Infirm Ministers' Funds having I been called for, the same was given verbally by the Rev. J. Paterson in room of the convener. It was moved by the Rev. R. McKinney, seconded by the Rev. 0. Eraser, and unanimously agreed to,—" That the committee be re-appointed, with Mr. Paterson, convener, and further that the committee be instructed to advertise in the 'Presbyterian Church News,' and other ecclesiastical periodicals, inviting subscriptions and donations for the above funds." The Assembly also further instructed the committee to carry out the decision of last Assembly respecting the incorporation in the rules for the administration of the widows and orphans' fund, the alterations then adopted. The Assembly appointed the Revs. D. Sidey, J. Douall, and A. Sheppard, a committee to examine Presbytery and Synod records, and report at a future sederunt, Mr. Sheppard, convener. The report of the Committee on Temperance having beeu called for, it was read by the Kev. W. Sheriffs, in the unavoidable absence of the convener. • It was moved by the Rev. W. Sheriffs, and seconded by the Kev. J. Wallace, —"That the report be adopted and that the thanks of the House be given to the committee, and especially the convener, and that the clergymen of the church be recommended to direct the attention of their congregations to the subject of intemperance, on the second Sunday of March, 1876, or any other day more convenient in that month." It was moved as an amendment, — " That the word ' enjoined' be substituted for the word ' recommended.' " The amendment was agreed to, and the resolution as amended was adopted. The House then adjourned until (i. 30 p.m., the sederunt being closed with prayer. EVENING MEDEKUNT. The Assembly resumed its proceedings at 6.30 p.m. The minutes of the previous meeting having been read, the clerk introduced the Moderator of the Otago Synod, the Rev. John Allan, one of the deputies from that Synod to the Assembly. He also called attention to the fact that the Kev. George Morice, who had been acting as the Church's Commissioner to the Home Churches, had returned from Scotlaud, and was present in the House. Both these gentlemen were welcomed by the Moderator, and invited to take their seats as members of Court. The Rev. J. Wallace then presented the report of the committee appointed to consider the practicability of establishing a general sustentation fund. The clerk then read returns from the Presbyteries of Auckland and Wellington to the remit from last General Assembly anent the proposal to raise the standard of ministerial support. These recommended that strenuous efforts should be made to raise the minimum stipend to £250, exclusive of a manse. He al-jo said that letters had been received intimating the willingness of four of the principal Presbyterian Churches—the Established, the Free, and the United Presbyterian Churches of Scotland, and the Presbyterian Church of Ireland—to give such a grant of £l5O for one year towards the support of a travelling agent, one of the principal of whose duties should be to advocate the claims of such a fund, and enlist public sympathy in its favor. He, therefore, proposed that to facilitate the consideration of these various but closely-related matters, the Assembly resolve itself into a committee of the whole House, which was accordingly done. .After an animated and interesting discussion, the following resolutions were proposed by the Kev. C. Eraser: —"1. Tho Assembly, with a view to the establishment of a General Maintenance Fund, instruct Presbyteries to visit the several deacons' courts and financial committees within their rounds, to examine the lists of contributors to maintenance fund, and report thereon to noxt General Assembly; further, authorise the committee to obtain and distribute copies of Dr. Guthrie's ' Address to the Free Church Assembly,' and the Rev. John Koss' pamphlet on ' Systematic Benevolence.' 2. The Assembly approves of the report on ministerial support, formally confirms the resolution raising the minimum stipend of country charges to £250, and of town charges to £3OO a-year. 3. With a view to the acceptance of the liberal offer made by the Home Churches, the Assembly appoints the following committee to consider the same, and if judged expedient, recommend tho names of one or more to the office of general agent of the Church." At the instance of several members, the minimum for town charges was changed to £4OO. Tho committee then generally approved of the resolutions. The House having resumed, tho resolutions were brought tip by. the Rev. C. Eraser, received, and remitted to tho following coramittco for careful revision, and to bo reported upon at a future sederunt, viz., Revs. Eraser, Ross, Ogg, Sidey, Paterson, Hill, Elmslic, Horner, and Crec, and Messrs. West, Grahame, Smith, Cameron, and Strachan; Mr. Fraser, convenor. Tho sedc- ( runt then closed with prayer.

Tuesday, Dkcember 7. MOKNIXtt SEDERUNT. The Assembly met again at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, and being constituted by the Moderator, the minutes were read and confirmed. The clerk laid on the table a letter which he had received relative to the proposal of a PanPresbyterian Council, together with a copy of the minutes of a Conference held iu London in July last. After some discussion, the following- resolution was adopted^: the Assembly record its satisfaction at the meeting of the proposed Pan-Presbyterian Council, to be held in Edinburgh in July, 187 b", and trusts that it may lead to greater union and sympathy, and to some means of co-operation in promoting the general interest of the Redeemer's kingdom. Further, the Assembly resolves, in tho event of any of the ministers of this Church or the Church of Otago, visiting Great Britain, to appoint them representatives of this Church to the Council; further, that the Rev. Peter Barclay, at present in Scotland, be appointed one of the representatives of this Church to the said Council, and that a copy of this minute be furnished to such parties, and be held as their commission; also, that a committee be appointed, consisting of the Rev. J. Hill, R. McKinney, and D. Bruce (convener), and instructs the clerk to forward a copy of this minute to the President of the Council, and also $o the Synod of Otago." Tho Assembly having called for the treasurer's report, the same was read by the clerk. On the motion of the Clerk, seconded by the Rev. C. Fraser, it was unanimously agreed adopted, and that the cordial thanks of the House be given to the treasurer (Mr. McCosh Clark) for the care ho bestows on the funds of the church." Mr. Sherrifl (convener) read the report of the Committee on Statistics and Finance. The P.ev. J. Paterson moved,— " That the report be adopted, and the thanks of the Assembly be given to the committee, and specially to the convener, for the diligence with which he devotes himself to the statistics of the church, and also instructs the committee to carry out the recommendation of the minute of the Presbytery of Auckland, respecting the general distribution among the congregations of the statistical information compiled by the committee." The report on church property was read by the Kev. J. Paterson. The report sot forth the fact that the Legislature, during its last session, had passed an Act recognising the church under its distinctive title "Presbyterian Church of New Zealand." It was resolved,—" That the report be adopted, and that the thanks of the House be given to the joint conveners, with instructions to the committee to continue their labors, carry out the recommendations of the report, and submit to next Assembly the best mode of perfecting the titles of the church properties." The clerk was instructed to see that the several clergymen be gazetted under the provisious of the Marriage Act as ministers of the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand ; and the Property Committee were instructed to watch over any possible legislation in connection with the Marriage Act. The report of the Manse Committee was, in the absence of the convener, given verbally by the Kev. J. Ross, who stated that efforts were being made in different parts of the colony for the erection of manses. The report was received, and the committee were instructed to continue their labors. UNION —CANTEKBUKY OVERTURE. At the close of this sederunt a very keen discussion took place on the overture from the Synod of Canterbury on union with Otago. When the Committee on Bills and Overtures gave in its report at the opening of the morning sederunt of the previous day, it called the attention of the Asfembly to the fact that this document was more of the nature of a petition than an overture ; whereupon, after considerable discussion, it was resolved that, although the Assembly regarded the document rather as a petition than an overture, yet should agree to receive the same as an overture, it being understood that this case should not be taken as a precedent. This document proved a source of pretty keen dispute from the time it came up till it was finally disposed of. Its professed object or request was an incorporative union with Otago on the par-t of the Synod of Canterbury, if the proposals for a more general union., should fail. This, of course, was regarded by many in the Assembly as implying the separation of the Synod of Canterbury "from the rest of tho Presbyterian Church of New Zealand, to effect such a union. After a motion and amendment were before the House, it was proposed by several members that they should meet in conference on the matter. This proposal was agreed to at last, and a conference was held at five o'clock, when pretty much the same ground was gone over by the contending parties. The conference was not productive of so much unanimity as to enable its members to come to a unanimous rinding. At the same time, the discussion then was patiently and perhaps more calmly entered upon, and did much to ripen the matter for decision without further discussion in the evening. EVENING SEUEKUNT. The House re-assembled at 6.30 p.m. The minutes were read and confirmed. The discussion on the overture from the Synod of Canterbury was resumed. The Rev. James Paterson moved, and the Rev. Mr. McKee seconded, —"That the overture from the Synod of Canterbury be taken up, discussed, and finally disposed of before the House take up the general subject of union with Otago." It was moved by Mr. Fraser, and seconded by Mr. Douglas,—"That the overture be considered in connection with the general subject of union." Mr. Paterson's motion was carried by 18 to S. The overture was then read by the clerk, when it was moved by the Rev. AV\ Gillies, and seconded by the Rev. C. Fraser, ■ ithout discussion, —" That the prayer of the m'.-rture be granted." It was lnovecl as an amendment by the Rev. James Paterson, and seconded by the Rev. James Hill, —" That the prayer of the petition be not granted." On the vote being taken, 24 voted for the amendment, and none for the motion. The report of the Committee on Union was then given in by the Rev. Mr. Elmslie. KISrOKT OF COMMITTEE ON UNION. On this subject, your committee have to report that they have learned, so far with satisfaction, that the terms proposed as a basis of union, and submitted to this church at the last meeting of her General Assembly, have been sent down to Presbyteries by the Synod of Otago, but that they are of necessity prevented making further recommendations until the deliverance of the Otago Presbyteries shall have been received by their Synod. Inasmuch, however, as the Otago Synod have not ! seen fit to adopt the recommendation " that ! the General Assembly should be constituted the court of final appeal in all matters of doctrine and discipline," and have resolved. that such matters should be left in tho hands of Provincial Synods, your committee would suggest that this matter should be reconsidered by tho brethren in the South. They are of opinion that even should cases of discipline be I left in the hands of Provincial Synods, the granting to such bodies a similar power iu matters of doctrine might in certain supposablo cases involve the whole church iu some difficulty, if not bring her into a position absolutely anomalous. Your committee, however, whilst they would recommeud a reconsideration of this matter, and would express a hope that as matters of doctrine come so seldom before our churches, it may be agreed .upon that they should be decided on by a court common to the whole of New Zealand, would at the same time recommend that the General Assembly should not allow this difficulty to rise as a barrier in the way of a speedy and incorr.orative union between this church and the Presbyterian Church of Otago and Southland." The committee conclude by stating that tho lapse of time is speedily lessoning or removing the difficulties in the way, and expressing the hope that brethren will do all in their power to facilitate a movement so vitally concerning the highest interests of the whole church. The Kev. J. Elmslie, iu giving in the report, said that such a visible union would bo of great advantage to the church in New Zealand. Brethren of other churches look on Presbyterianism as divided, while really it was not so. Tho union would make us one in missionary enterprise, and would inspire fresh Etisßionary real into tho whole church. As a

united church, they could do more in one year than in a state of separation they could do iu ten. They should also become one in church extension ; and this of itself was of great advantage, the more necessitous districts in this way obtaining a larger share of sympathy anil help. It would also tell advantageously on education. There was no section of the Christian Church so identified with education as the Presbyterian Church, and meeting together as one body, would enable them to bring united action to bear on this important question. But he was not satisfied with the proposal from Otago, that no legislative functions should be left with the Assembly. Ho was willing to concede to Synods the power of final action in matters of discipline^; but he maintained that in matters of doctrine, there ought to be right of appeal for final decision to the General Assembly. This suggestion, he stated, was made to the Synod of Otago ; but that Synod did not see its way to grant this. There was a possibility of our being brought to a position utterly anomalous, if, in the matter of doctrine, the Synod of Otago decided in one way, that of Auckland in another, and that of Canterbury in a third way, on what might happen to be one, and the same case. With such possible variety of doctrinal decision, where would the standard be fouud ? He expected to see the day when a full Assembly like the present should meet for the whole church. As the means of communication improved, they should be able to meet annually ; and for his part, lie would not object though they met at Christchurch. He went iu for this union in the expectation that it would lead to more, viz., one complete incorporated union in one church for the whole of New Zealand.

At this stage it was agreed that the consideration of the report should be postponed till the deputation from Otago had addressed the House. The Rev. J. Paterson and Mr. J Smith, deputation from the former Assembly to the Synod of Otago, reported that they had been most cordially received by the Otago Synod. Whereupon the Revs. Mr. Allan and Will, deputation from the Synod of Otago, addressed the Assembly. Mr. Allan had great pleasure in conveying to them the congratulations of a sister church. He did not believe much in words without deeds. By their deeds iu Otago they had done much to prove their goodwill to the Northern Church. If they wanted the best man they had, they would give him to them. They had given them Mr. Gillies recently, and they should not refuse them the only D.D. in Otago. He did not think if an incorporative union took place their Church should be iu any way contaminated iu the South. Mutual confidence was all that could be desired. Union could not be accomplished without acknowledgement. He deemed the provincial system still the best adapted to the circumstances of New Zealand in political and ecclesiastical matters. General matters might be referred to the Assembly. It was extremely desirable that such a thing as a sustentation fund should be put into operation all over the colony ; but in their present state he could not see how that could be done except by synodic action. Such a course would be a training for the establishment of one scheme over all. In Otago, when a congregation contributed .£l5O it was put on the equal dividend platform. He could assure them that their, deputations from Otago were not fruitless. They came, perhaps, with their doubts to the Assembly, but they went back converted; and as for himself, he could not promise to go back as he came. The Rev. Mr. Will, of West Taieri, said this wss not the first time he appeared at that Assembly. He took the blame of their separation from one another to the South and not to the North. Those who had not been friendly to union in the South thought well of their church in the North. On this matter it was desirable that there should be no misunderstanding ; he would therefore speak plainly. They {i.e., ■ the deputies) came _to express a willingness to enter into the union on the basis accepted mutually. With respect to the suggestion to have liberty of appeal to the Assembly on matters of doctriue and discipline, he thought too much was made of these suggestions. As to church extension, each Synod ought to take the matter up within its own bounds, and there ought to be a general scheme over and above. The report, on the whole, he considered favorable. He would give a word of warning as to the suggestions on doctrine and discipline. He had little doubt this union would be completed. It was the labor of years, the terms proposed were the utmost they could get. More than these they could not have, less they should not care to offer the Northern Church. He thought it undesirable to break up on a mere matter of suggestion. They (Otago) did not want much. Like the seven women mentioned in Scripture, that would eat their own bread and use their own apparel, but wished to be called by one man's name. Thus, they in Otago would depend on their own resources, but would like to be called by the name of the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand. Then iu the matter of theological education they could thus cooperate even on the basis of a federal union, and there could be no doubt that students from North and South, trained at the same Hall, would find their way to an incorporative union. The Rev. Mr. Hill rose to move the thanks of the Assembly to the deputies from Otago. Mr. Will's address was full of practical good sense, given out in an out-spoken way. Mr. Will's view of the matter was correct—Synods would do well to attend to their own respective districts. He liked Otago, but their love for Canterbury was greater still. The union would come in due time. Too hastily got up marriages were not a success. The Rev. Mr. McKinney listened with pleasure to the addresses of the brethren from Otago. He had nothing to do with the basis of union, but saw no difficulty in its completion. The geographical question was no difficulty. Iu Canada the churches assembled from thousands of miles distance. The Rev. Mr. BnrcK cordially endorsed all that was said by the previous speakers. He was sorry that Mr. Will had taken to heart so much what was a mere matter of suggestion. He would endorse Mr. Will's statement that the union being accomplished, the Assembly ought to be representative. The Rev. Mr. Fkasee said it was singular that Mr. Will's original proposal was that Canterbury should be joined to Otago, only that in matters of doctrine an appeal should be open to them. There was no difficulty in seeing that the union could take place without iu any way laying hold on the endowments of the South. This was perfectly understood in Canterbury, where the endowed body was the Anglican Church. It was well known that their endowments were so secured to them by law that they could not be applied elsewhere. It was precisely similar in the case of the Presbyterian Church in Otago. This showed clearly that mere local endowment could not stand in the way of their being united under one supreme judicatory. They had been simply waiting to see what it was that Otago did want, and then arraugemeuts could bo made with Otago as to where tho assembly was to meet, whether at Christchurch or elsewhere. He thought that tho Barrier Act ought to go down to the various Presbyteries of the church, and to the Synods as well. Mi - . Gillies said he did most heartily go in for the union proposed, but that Assembly might banish from their mind the idea of auy modification on the basis of union. The Rev. Mr. Paterson said he did not wish to make a long speech, but desired, iu a few words, to give expression to his views on this important subject of union with the Synod of Otago. Two questions suggested themselves —First, was this union desirable and practicable ? Second, was the proposed basis of union satisfactory? As to the first question, there were no two opinions in this Church. They were all thoroughly at one on that ; point. They wore all thoroughly agreed that the union was both desirable and practicable ; and they were simply waiting for the Church of Otago to come to be of the same mind, and to say what should be the terms and conditions of union. They believed that union would bo a gain to both churches—that if carried out in a right spirit, and on right principles, it would strengthen tho position of each church ; would give greater efficiency to tho working of their schemes and undertakings,'

would give greater weight to their decisions on all public questions that might come before them ; ami would increase their influence in the colony. Ho said there was no doubt in his mind as to the union being both desirable and quite practicable. What was to hinder it ? The two churches were substantially at one on all matters, both of doctrine and "practice. Any little difreulties were gradually diminishing and vanishing. The geographical difficulties were even now not formidable, and every year they were becoming less. Communication between all parts of the colony was becoming much more easy and much more frequent. Therefore nothing should be made of the geographical difficulties by any who were really in earnest for union. As to the second question—the proposed basis of union —he confessed that in his judgment this was far from being satisfactory. He took the liberty of saying so at the last Assembly in Wellington, and he thought and said so still. It was a very meagre thing that was proposed. The proposals came from the Church of Otago, and they were told to-night by the deputies from Otago that these proposals Were the very utmost extent to which that Church would go —that they need not expect that another iota in the direction of a more thorough union would be conceded. Well, on this subject he wished honestly and frankly to express his mind ; and he mustsaythat he wasvery far from being satisfied with these proposals. He would have liked to see a basis proposed that would have made the union thorough and complete. He would have liked to see the two churches approach each other without reserve, and with perfect confidence in each other, and join hands and agree to be thoroughly one. Instead of that it seemed as if the two churches were here approaching each other with suspicion and reserve, and with the greatest anxiety not to concede too inuch, not to make too great a change in their relation to each other. As the deputy of Otago expressed it, they wished " to eat their own bread and to wear their own apparel, and only to be called by their name." Well, after all, that was only a half-breasted union. The proposals made to them by Otago required them to break up the unity of their Church in the North, to form themselves into Synods, which wonld be very little different from their present Presbyteries, and these Synods were to be supreme in all matters of doctrine and discipline, and in almost everything else ; and the General Assembly, which was to meet only biennially, wonld have very little power in anything except consulting about missions, &o. Now, in his mind, this was not true Presbyterianism. It was the very beauty and glory of their Presbyterianism that it implied a subordination of courts, from the lowest to the highest, with appeal in all matters of doctrine and discipline from the lowest to the highest ; and that the highest court, the General Assembly, was supreme and final 'in its decisions. That, in his judgment, was true Presbyterianism ; but that was not what was embodied in this basis of union, which came from Otago. Therefore, he was very far from being satisfied with it. Nevertheless, so firmly did he believe that it was the duty and the wise policy of the two churches to unite and become one that he was prepared, with his brethren there, to enter into the union even on this meagre basis, and he did so in the confident hope and expectation that when the two churches came closer together and got to know each other, and perhaps appreciate each other better, they would throw away all suspicion and reserve, and would heartily enter into a more thorough union of incorporation. And would not that be infinitely more wise and noble than this half-hearted affair that was now before them ? He had his ideal of what the Presbyterian Church in this land should be. As he believed in the unity of the colouy with a supreme central government and legislature in the capital of the colony, so he believed in the unity of the church with its supreme assembly and ecclesiastical legislature meeting in the centre and capital of the colony. That was his ideal of what their Presbyterian Church should be. And however distant it might be he did not despair of one day seeing that ideal realised. Meanwhile, they had to do not with the ideal, but with what was practicable in existing circumstances, and as they had been told that this basis of union set forth in the proposals from Otago was all that was practicable at present on that ground, and on that alone, he fell in with it, and he cherished the hope that it would lead to something better in the future. Mr. Koss said none could be more intent on union than he was, and it was possible he spoke too much on this subject of union ; yet he could not refrain from uttering a few words on that occasion perhaps on the other side. He felt parting with the legislative action of the Assembly, for nothing more than a mere federal union. He thought the Church in Otago might spontaneously concede at any rate an appeal in the question of doctrine as an earnest of more to come. He would not stipulate for it, but he would think it a graceful thing, and a noble thing, if the Church of Otago would freely and heartily make the concession. He felt they were that night in a position in which they were placed by the hand of providence, or at all events by their own honor. He regarded their church in the position of the man spoken of in the fifteenth Psalm, who would not change though be had sworn to his own hurt. It was then moved that the report on union be adopted, and that deputies be appointed to the Synod of Otago, about to meet in Janury next, with power as Commissioners from this Assembly to complete the union negotiations on the terms already accepted, and to arrange preliminaries for the confirmation of the union. The Kevs. W. McGowau (Moderator), C. Fraser, I). Bruce, and Messrs. Smith and West were appointed as deputies to the Synod j of Otago.