PRESBYTERY OF SOUTHLAND.

Southland Times, Issue 620, 18 January 1867, Page 6

PRESBYTERY OF SOUTHLAND.

The usual Quarterly meeting of the i Presbytery of Southland was held in the Presbyterian Church, Invercargill, on "Wednesday last. There were present Rev. James Clark, moderator, Rev. Messrs Alexander, Stevens, and Stobo, ministers, and Mr Thomas "Watson, elder. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and approved. The moderator reported that the National Bible Society of Scotland^ is to send the case of Bibles which had been ordered. The contributions from the various congregations for the Sustentation fund for the half-year ending Dec. 1866, were reported as follows : — " Invercargill, £105 ; Long Bush and Oteramika, £109 ; "Wallacetown, £102 ; Eiverton, £65. After some conversation regarding Queenstown, where it was stated that the arrival of Mr Telford is anxiously expected; the Presbytery agreed to request the Synod to sanction Queenstown as a ministerial charge. The Presbytery enjoined that the various records of the Kirk- Sessions and Deacons' courts be examined next meeting, and also that the financial statements of the various congregations be then presented. The Presbytery took into consideration the visitation of the Pastoral districts, when it was agreed that Mr Clark should visit the "Waiau, Mr Stevens the Lake district, and Mr Alexander the Mataura, during the present summer. It was resolved that the Presbytery request the Synod to send home for amimster to be specially appointed to the Pastoral districts in Southland. The Presbytery took into consideration the question of granting the use of the churches in the bounds when it was agreed to defer the matter for further consideration. The various congregations were enjoined to make returns at the next meeting under the following heads:— Firstly.- — The number of members. Secondly. — The number of seatholders. Thirdly. — The number of elders arid deacons. Fourthly.— The number of Sabbath-school children. Fifthly.— The number of Sabbath-school teachers. The Presbytery having taken into consideration the subject of Sabbath desecration, resolved to bring the subject of the departure of steamers from the various ports on the Lord's day, before the Synod, with a view to their bringing the matter before the proper authorities. It was also resolved to memoralise the Provincial Government against running trains on the Lord's day, on the Invercargill and Bluff Railway, when it is opened. Mr Stevens applied for the appointment of Assessors to form a Session, when it was resolved to appoint Messrs Macarthur, Findlayson, and Law, as Assessors until a session be formed.