PRESBYTERY OF WELLINGTON.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 4967, 22 February 1877, Page 2

PRESBYTERY OF WELLINGTON.

The Presbytery of Wellington met at St. John’s Presbyterian Church yesterday morning at 11 o’clock, and was duly constituted. Present—The Rev. C. S. Ogg, M.A. (Moderator), ■ Rev. James Treadwell, Rev. J. Duncan, Rev. John Ross, Rev. J. McKee, Rev. James Paterson, ministers ; and Messrs. John McLean and W. McCardle, elders. The minutes of meetings held at Wanganui 15th November, 1876, and at Waihenga on the 21st November, 1876, were read and sustained. Commissions were given in from the session of St. John’s, Wellington, in favor of Mr. John McLean, and from Masterton in favor of Mr. W. McCardle. The Rev. Messrs. Inglis and. Watt, missionaries from the New Hebrides, being present, were associated with the Presbytery, and cordially welcomed by the brethren. CHURCH LANDS. ■ ' The Clerk (Rev. James Paterson) intimated that the site for church and manse at Kakaramea had been secured, and was held by Messrs. Henry Williamson, Andrew Hunter, and James Paterson in trust for the congregation there in connection with the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand. Also that the site at Carlyle for church and manse had been secured, and was held in trust. THE CAUSE AT HAWERA. The Rev. Mr. Treadwell being called upon made a statement regarding the Presbyterian cause at Hawera to the following effect : That he had officiated at the opening of the new church there on the 14th January, when there was a good attendance at both services. There was every prospect of a good congregation being formed. That the place had been supplied for a time by the Rev. Mr. Martin, whose services were most acceptable; that Mr. Martin having, left for Scotland, the charge was at present supplied by the Rev. Mr. Torry, who had recently arrived from the old country ; and that in order to the better organising the congregation, and the dispensing of the sealed ordinances, it would be necessary to appoint a temporary session. The Presbytery recorded their gratification at the prospects at Hawera, and on the motion of the Rev. Mr. Ross, seconded by the Rev. Mr. McKee, appointed the following to constitute the temporary session, 1 viz. : —Rev. Messrs. Treadwell, Alls worth, and: Ross, ministers ; Messrs. McFarlane and David Strachan, elders ; Rev. Mr. Treadwell, moderator. In this connection a long discussion arose on the boundaries of the Waverley charge’and

the Hawera charge, and ultimately it was remitted to the session at Waverley and the temporary session at Hawera to consult together in regard to the division of the two charges, and to report at next meeting of Presbytery. ■ CREDENTIALS OF THE REV. JAMES TORRY, The credentials of the Rev. James Terry, recently arrived from Scotland, were laid upon l the table. These being read were found to be quite satisfactory. They highly commended him as a minister of good abilities, of unblemished character, and of faithful labors. Mr. Torry was cordially received and welcomed as a minister within the bounds. The credentials were a certificate - from the Presbytery of Orkney, dated October 22, 1872, ami a certificate from the Rev. Wm. Brown,-tof Jersey, moderator of the session of Alderney,”'’'' dated April 26,-1876. With reference to Mr. Terry’s stay at Hawera, it was mentioned that previous to his advent there the Rev. Mr. Martin had been in charge, and had given such complete satisfaction that he would immediately have had a call were it not that he wps about leaving for the old country, for good so far as knew. However, before his departure the people at Hawera had made him agree that if he found within six months he could return he should do so, they in the meantime waiting for him. When passing through Wellington he had stated to the Rev. Mr. Paterson that he thought it extremely improbable that he should return, and it was therefore considered by the Presbytery a pity that the people should keep themselves unsettled for so long a time, to the detriment of a minister residing amongst them* and to the inconvenience of the Presbytery, which was short of men, and had plenty of places to which it could satisfactorily send Mr, Torry. Mr. Treadwell thought some time should be fixed within which the people should say definitely what they would do. The Clerk mentioned that he had received a communication from the Rev. Mr. Bruce, of A uc kland, to the effect that some one was wanted there, and indicating that Mr. Torry would be very acceptable. It would be remembered that Mr. Bruce, at the urgent request of the Assembly, had agreed to accept the position of general agent for the Church in New Zealand; but now he could get no one to take his own pulpit. He therefore looked to the whole Church to supply him with a substitute, not merely relying upon his own Presbytery, and he appeared to think Wellington Presbytery thought more of the Hawera charge than the Auckland charge. To a certain extent he (Mr. Paterson) agreed with Mr. Bruce that he had a claim upon the whole of the Presbyteries, and that as the whole of ■ the Presbyteries asked him to take a position which necessitated the resignation of his charge, both he and his congregation had a claim upon the whole of the Presbyteries to supply the vacancy. Therefore, the Hawera people would at once say what they intended to do. The Rev. Mr. Boss urged that Mr. Torry. be appointed four or five weeks longer. After some further discussion it was resolved that the Rev. Mr. Torry be appointed to supply Hawera for five more Sabbaths, and receive a stipend at least at the rate of £250 per annum. PALMERSTON AND FEILDING, The subject of ministerial support was introduced, and a communication was read from the Church Extension Committee to the-effect that on applying for a renewal of the grant to Feilding and Palmerston no statement was made as to what was raised by the people themselves towards the support of ordinances, or what was raised by ' any association in the Presbytery for the same object, and suggesting that such a statement should be sent to the committee.

The Clerk said the Rev. Mr. McGregor a gentleman of great ability, had been induced to give up a lucrative appoint* ment and become minister to the people of Palmerston and Feilding, where he had since labored with diligence and fidelity. His people however would not support him. He was now maintained by a grant from the Church extension fund and by assistance from the Presbytery. He (the Clerk) had met the people of the district, had pointed out to them the nature of their responsibilities, and had obtained a promise that each place would raise a sum of £SO per annum in aid, but up to the present time that promise had not been fulfilled, in fact the least trifle had been given. They had gone round the country collecting subscriptions for their church—from Wellington they had obtained £ l5O • —yet they would uot assist in the support of their minister, who had labored as faithfully and earnestly as any in the Presbytery. . The Rev. Mr. Ross said he believed the main cause of the laches of the people was the neglect to meet together. Naturally Mr. McGregor did not like to do it, and the only way out of the difficulty he (Mr. Ross) saw was to appeal direct, to the managing committees at Feilding, Palmerston, and Sandon, and appoint some one near the district to call them together regularly. If this were done he would undertake to see the money raised. The Rev. Mr. McKee, the Moderator, and others fully approved the suggestion, and, after further conversation, the Presbytery agreed to appoint the following as a committee to visit Feilding on an early date and to ascertain definitely what the people were prepared to do in order to retain Mr. McGregor’s services:— Rev. Messrs. Boss, Treadwell, Doull, and Paterson;; Mr. Ross convener. The Presbytery also appointed the Rev.” Messrs. Ross, Doull, and Duncan (ministers), and Messrs. McAulay and John Murray (elders) a session to see to the carrying out of any arrangement made between the people and the committee.

A LIBERAL OFFER. The Re v.Mr. Lindsay brought under the notice of the Presbytery the fact that Mr. Donald, of Featherston, had offered a valuable site for a church and manse in that township on certain conditions. The land was valued at £l5O. ' The Presbytery, while it regretted that these conditions could not for the present be complied with, yet instructed the clerk to convey to Mr. Donald their hearty thanks for his generous offer, and expressed the hope that the conditions would yet be so modified that the Presbyterians at Featherston might avail themselves of his kind offer. SCHEME OP COLLECTIONS. The Presbytery adopted a scheme of collections, and apportioned the cost of Assembly ex. penses amongst the different congregations. • FOXTON. It was resolved that the committee should wait upon the Foxton people and endeavor to arrange with them for a better support of the ministry. THE MISSIONARIES. The Rev. Messrs. Inglis and Watt, missionaries from the New Hebrides, gave an interesting account of mission work, for which they were duly thanked ; the Presbytery at the same time expressing sympathy with the mission work, and offering congratulations on the success it had so far attained. FUTURE MEETINGS. It was resolved that in future there should be four meetings a year, to take place upon the third Wednesdays in May, August, November, and February, two of which to take place in Wellington, one in Wanganui, and the fourth to be moveable, place to be fixed at preceding meeting. It was resolved that the next meeting should be held on Wednesday, 16th May, at Wanganui. . The Presbytery then adjourned.