PRESBYTERIAN ASSEMBLY

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12604, 15 November 1926, Page 6

PRESBYTERIAN ASSEMBLY

MODERATOR-DESIGNATE ELECTED REV. JOHN AITKEN, OF GISBORNE. The Presbyterian General Assembly sat again on Saturday when 'the following business was transacted:— The Revs. W. 1,. Marsh (South Africa), G. Renwick (Canada), .T. W. Potts (Congregational Church, Timaru), and T. H Burton (Methodist Church) were admitted as ministers of the ohurcli. The position of “Minister Emeritus,” with power to sit in Church Courts was granted to the Rev. Dr. Gibb, and the Revs. J. Kilpatrick, P. Ramsay, D. IC. Fisher, and D. S. Mason. As the result of a ballot which was taken on Saturday, the Rev. James Aitken, of Gisborne, was elected Mod-erator-Designate of the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand. There was one other nomination, that of the Rev. A. Bruce Todd, of Wellington. The result of the ballot was as follows i Rev. James Aitken, 113 votes; Rev.- A. Bruce Todd, 90 votes. Subsequently, tho election of Mr Aitked was unanimously confirmed, and he was formally introduced i to the Moderator (the Righ Rev. J.‘H. McNeur), who congratulated Mr Aitken on his election. The election was a tribute to the very fine work which Mr Aitken had carried out in the interests of the children, and lie ventured to say that if the matter was left to the children Mr Aitken would be elected Moderator every year. Mr Aitken sincerely thanked members of the Assembly for the honour they had conferred on him. In honouring him they had honoured the children of the Dominion. If he was spared, he would endeavour to carry out worthily the duties of the high office to which he had been called. Mr Aitken has been in the services of the Church of New Zealand for a period of twenty-eight years, during which time he has occupied four charges—Wyndham, Mosgiel, Khan f dallalt, and Gisborne. He has nlwnys taken a keen interest in work amongst the children, especially in bis capacity as founder and editor of the magazine “Break of Day.”