THE PRESBYTERIAN SYNOD.

Southland Times, Issue 1528, 23 January 1872, Page 3

THE PRESBYTERIAN SYNOD.

I . I (Abridged from the Oiarjo Times.) CALLING JItNTSTERS FUOAI OTHER CHUHCIIES. The Rev. Mr Stobo moved, and the Rev. Mr Sutherland seconded, " That all due facilities should be given to congregations not having ministers, to call ministers holding charges in other | churches having principles common to j the Presbyterian Church here ; that it be lawful for vacant congregations to call ministers so situate, and for Presbyteries to induct them without waiting for the Synod's sanction." The mover drew attention to the point that this referred to the calling of ministers in settled charges, and not to those who had not a congregation elsewhere, and * who came here for employment. Under this, too, ministers could be called from Presbyterian Churches in all parts of the world. It was better that such authority should be given than that Presbyteries should first receive ministers and afterwards ask for a sort of indemnity, sanctioning what they had done. The motion was agreed to without opposition, and it was also agreed that the Synod should act in accordance with it. STTSTEXTATION FCnND. The Eev. Mr "Will read the Sustentation Fund Committee's report for 1871. It was as follows : — The year 1871 has been a very trying one to the most of our people. Considering the nature of the general depression, a large return to the Sustentation Fund was not to bo expected ; but there was ground to hope that on the whole there might be no falling off, and that the dividend would at least be equal to that of the preceding year. Such hope, however, your Committee regret to state, has not been realised. The standing of the ministry, the efficiency of their ministrations, the success of our congregations, and the prosperity of the Church over the length and breadth of the land, demand that the dividend yearly allocated to each minister should not be less than £200. Some years ago the Church resolved to endeavor to raise the dividend to £250 per annum. Since then there has been a gradual decrease until the present year, when the dividend amounts to only £187 12s. Taking intc account that this ia in many instances the whole income of the ministers of our Church, it must appear evident to all that there is great need for an increase of liberality on the part of those contributing to this fund. Your Committee would call the very serious attention of the Synod to those congregations which have fallen off in their returns to the Suste'-.tatiou Fund from what the Church was fairly entitled to expect. During the flrst half of last year the total sum contributed to the Sustentation Fund amounted to £2699 2s 3d. No return had been received from Pomahaka or Switzers, and consequently they were left out of the division. Both cases have now been adjusted. After deducting from the sum total £50 as the proportion due to St. Andrew's, there remained a dividend to each minister of £9 1- Is. For the last half year the Treasurer received the sum of £2903 6s'3d. From this there fell to be deducted the dividend for the first half year due to Mr Morrison, of Switzers, and the proportion for three months to Mr M'Cosh Smith, of Naseby, and for two months and a half to Mr Grow, of St. Andrew's. There remained a dividend for each minister of £93 11s. The diviiend declared by the Comm'ttee for the year 187 L thus amounts to £187 12s. The Committee took into consideration the case of Hampden, which had not come up to the requirements of Rule 1 of the Synod's Regulations, and agreed, after explanation had been made, not to apply the Rule to that congregation for this year. There are this year ten coiigregations contributing above the equal dividend, viz. : — Knox Church, £41 1 ; East Taieri, £295 6* fid ; West Taieri, £279 2s 6d ; First Church, £262 11s ; Tofcomairiro, £244 3s 6d j Oamaru, £236 ; Invercargill, £220 ; Otepopo, £202 16s 6d ; Switzers, £200 ; Wakatip, £200. There are eight congregations contributing less than the dividend, but upwards of £150, viz .— lnchClutha, £182 17s lid ; Popotunoa, £174 2s; Lawrence (8| months), £165 18s ; Green Island, £164 9s 6d ; Waikouaiti, £159 17s ; Teviot, £152 ; Norl.h-east Harbor, £150 5s 6d ; Oteramika, £150 4s 6J. There are nine congregations contributing less than £150, viz. : — Warepa, £145 10s ; Kaikorai, £139 ; Anderson's Bay, £138 13 6 1 ; Balclutha, £L 37 15s 61 ; Wallacetown, £134 5s ; Waihola, £125 ; North Taieri, £122 8s ; Port Chalmers, £120 4s ; Clutha, £120. Ten congregations show an incroase for the year, viz. : — Knox Church, £34 Is 7d ; Oamaru, £30 2s 6d j East Taieri, £15 12s ; Inch Clutha, £14 18s lid ; West Taieri, £10 12s 61 ; Invercargill, £10 ; Otepopo, £8 16s 6d ; Wakatip, £7 19s 6d ; North-east Harbor, 5s ; Teviot, Is. There is one congregation, viz., Clutha, the same as last year. Thirteen congregations show a decrease, viz., First Church, £98 12s 6d ; Kaikorai, £40 11s ; Anderson's Bay, £33 14s 6d ; Popotunoa, £2'J 18s lOd ; North Taieri, £19 10s ; Green Island, £16 4s ; Port Chalmers, £12 16s ; Balclutha, £12 4s 6d ; Oteramika, £11 19s 6d; Waihola, £7 8s ; Warepa, £2 18a 6d ; Waikouaiti, £2 2s ; Wallacetown, 15s. The following congregations, eleven in number, have not sent in returns of supplements, viz., St. Andrew's, First Church, North Dunedin, Naseby, Oamaru, Switzers, Wakatip, Waihola, Clutba, Balclutha, Waikouaiti. There are eleven congregations giving supplements to the following amounts, viz., East Taieri, Tokomairiro, and Invercargill, make up the minister's stipend to £300 ; West Taieri supplements to £280 ; Knox Chuch gives a supplement of £300 ; Otepopo, £70 ; Anderson's Bay, £20 ; Warepa, £19 9s ; Green Island, £15 ; Inch Clutha, £20 ; Popotunoa, £5 Is 6d. The following nine congregations give no supplement : North East Harbor, Kaikorai, Wallacetown, Oteramika, Teviot, Port Chalmers, Hampden, Palmerston, North Taieri. The Committee acknowledge with thanks a donation from Miss Muir, of Percetown, of £19 12s 4d, and also from Mr J^dmonston of Edinburgh, of £2. It was resolved to approve of the Report, to record the thanks of the Synod j to the Committee and Convener, and recommend this fund to the earnest con- 1 sideration of the Church as the chief '

fund by which the means of grace are maintained and extended throughout the Province in connection with this. Church. DISTINCTIVE PRINCIPLES. Mr Geisow submitted an overture to the oft'ect that ministers be recommended to address congregations in the course of i each year on the distinctive principles of i the Church. A brief discussion ensued. ! The "Rev. Mr Sutherland, as showing why the motion ought to be adopted, mentioned that one younsr man, an intelligent j mechanic, had left the First Church, ami I joined the We^lcyan*, simply on the doctrine of election ; evidently he had been perverted. The overture was agreed to. STATE OF THE FIRST CHURCH. The Eev. Mr Stobo submitted the report of the committee appointed on the previous evening to confer with Mr i Sutherland and the office-bearers of the , I First Church. He stated that the Com mittee had completely failed to secure the object in view, ehiefiv on the ground (hat Mr Sutherland would not admit that he had, in any degree, failed in exhibiting a clue measure of Christian forbearance and meekness. Mr Stobo then moved — • " That the Synod express its deep regret at the state of things existing in the First Church, as disclosed in the papers on the table and in the pleadings at the bar ; find that this state of things is due largely to the course pursued by the miuister ; regret that instead of striving to conciliate those dissatisfied with the course pursued by him, the minister has acted in a way rather to irritate and increase the alienation of those dissatisfied with him ; find that from the statements made by the minister and other parties at the bar, as representing the sections into which the congregation is divided, there is no hope of a reconciliation between the minister and those dissatisfied with him, and that in consequence his usefulness is so impaired as to destroy all hope of his retaining the congregation originally committed to him, and therefore, with a view to the interests of the congregation and of religion, and the good of the Church, the Synod recommend the minister to resign his present charge. " Mr Millar, with a view to bringing about a discussion on a question of such importance, would move, by way of addition to the motion, " That in the event of Mr Sutherland resigning, the officebearers be requested to resign also." He '. did so because, at the meeting of the Dunedin Presbytery, if his memory served him right, the office-bearers had expressed their willingness to resign. In answer to questions, it was elicited that the office-bearers' resignation was dependent on that of Mr Sutherland. In answer to a question, '' In the event of the office-bearers resigning, would the congregation be at liberty to re-elect Mr Sutherland as their pastor ?" a reply in the affirmative was giveu. The Key. Mr Ryley was not satisfied with the amendment nor with the motion ; he was especially dissatisfied with the latter, which was harsh aud severe, in reference to Mr Sutherland ; whilst apparently there wa3 a shield of protection thrown round the office- beavers. He would propose a further amendment: — " That the Synod having considered the reference from the Dunedin Presbytery auent First Church, express its regret that differences should have arisen between the pastor and a large number of his congregation ; find that faults aud irregularities have been committed by both parties ; and resolve for the good of the Church to ask the minister and officebearers to resign ; and appoint assessors to form an interim kirk session." He thought that the strictures coutainei in the motion were unfounded. He did not stand up to exonerate JVXr Sutherland : he had told him that he had been imprudent ; and whether he could see it or not, it was his (Mr Byiey's) firm conviction that he had been so. But Mr Sutherland had done nothing whijh would warrant the Synod asking him to resign his charge, without calling on the office-bearers to do so. Mr Kyley's amendment was put and lost, the numbers being — For, 13; against, 22. Mr Millar's amendment, which was put against Mr Stobo's motion, was also declared lost. There voted, for Mr Stobo's motion, 19 ; against it, 17. Mr Stobo's motion was consequently carried. The following is an analysis of the voting on the motion : — Presbytery of Dunedin — For, ministers, 7 ; elders, 2. Against, ministers, 9 ; elders, 4. Presbytery of Clutha — For, ministers, 2 ; elders, 5. Against, ministers, 2. Presbytery of Southland — For, ministers, 2 ; elders, 1. Against, ministers, 2. PROTEST AGxUNST THE SYNOD'S DECISION. The Rev. Mr Sutherland read a document, of which the following is a copy : — " Mr Sutherland dissents and protests against this finding of the Synod, for the following reasons : — l. Because he has a clear and decided majority of members and adherents of between 70 and 80, one half at least of them being members. 2. Because it lays the blame of past disturbances upon the pastor, which he knows to be contrary to fact. 3. Because it will not heal the breach, but tend to widen and confirm it. 4. Because it seeks to sever the pastoral tie when no moral guilt or heresy has been laid to the pastor's charge, and that on the face of a large and deeply attached majority. 5. Because it seems to bear upon the very front of it the stamp of partiality in attaching no blame to the conduct of the office-bearers, which has been declared by the Presbytery of Dunedin to be unconstitutional, and which was the occasion of the whole recent disturbance." After some discussion as to whether persons at the bar could protest or dissent, Mr Sutherland made the following alteration in the introduction to his reasons — " Mr Sutherland regrets that he cannot comply with this finding of the Synod, for the following reasons." It was resolved not to receive the reasons, nor enter them on the records. The following was the minute made ; — " Mr

Sutherland intimated his regret at not being able to comply with the recommendation of the Synod to resign his charge, for reasons stated to the Synod." A long discussion took place, and after several motions and amendments had been proposed, it was finally resolved — "That the Synod, having already declared Mr Sutherland to be mainly to blame for the present state of matters existing in the ! First Church, and having recommended Mr Sutherland to resign in order to effect the settlement of the difficulties, and Mr Sutherland having refused to comply with the recommendation, the Synod instruct the Prcsbvtery of Dunedin to enjoin Mr Sutherland to act in a more befitting and constitutional manner towards the Session and Deacons' Court. In the event of ! further difficulties arising requiring the intervention of the Synod, authorise the Moderator of Synod, on the request of the Presbytery, to call a pro re nata meeting of Synod to dispose thereof." REPOET OF UNION' COMMITTEE. The Rev. Dr Copland brought up the following report : — Your Committee wai appointed by the last Synod to consider in what way the co-operation with the General Assombly of the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand might be best carried out, si a 9 most advantageously and safely to promote the ultimate end of a union of incorporation when G-od in his Providence shall have removed the present obstacles out of the way, and was authorise 1 to confer with the Committee appointed by the General Assembly, and to report. Your Committee having taken the matter into consideration, are deeply impressed with the desirableness of co-operation on the part of the two sections of the Presbyterian Church in New Zealand, in respect to questions of a public nature affecting the moral and spiritual welfare of the community. Foremost among these stands the question of education. When the Bill providing for a Colonial system of education was under consideration by Parliament, your Committee felt strongly that it was desirable to represent to Parliament the opposition to a denominational system which the Presbyterian Church as a whole entertained, and accordingly wrote to the clerks of the Presbyteries of the Northern Church, setting forth the opinion of this Church (as declared by the Presbyteries) in favor of a national instead of a denominational system, and suggesting the propriety of their petitioning Parliament to the same effect. Happily, the Bill wms withdrawn, but with an intimation by the Premier that he would introduce it again, so that in this matter co-operation on the part of the Presbyterian Ohurch throughout New Zealand as a whole is most desirable. The tendency which has been shown in different quarters to infringe upon the sanctity of the Sabbath also calls for united and vigorous action to oppose this in whatever way it may be shown. Questions respecting the marriage law, which has been attempted to be placed on a footing opposed to what is held by the Church to be scriptural, and also respecting so-called contagious diseases, demand the careful attention of the Churches, and their united expression of opinion to resist the .attempts towards unscriptural and demoralising legislation, which, although hitherto repelled, are certain to be again made, and, if not resisted, made with buccess. Your Committee are also of opinion that the work of encouraging suitable students to devote themselves to preparation for the ministry might be greatly promoted by united effort on the part of the whole Church, by a general fund out of which students from all parts of the country might receive assistance when required ; and that the means of educating and training the students might be best carried on in one Theological Hall for the whole Church. Separate mems of education arc likely to prove less officiant. Your Committee regrot to have to report that tho convener of the Committee appointed by the General Assembly, resigned his charge at Napii-r some time ago, and only li.dd office waiting the arrival of his successor. Probably in consequence of this, little or nothing appears to have been done by that Committee. Your Csmnitteo at least have not had the opportunity of conferring with them. The most satisfactory mode of conferring with the Northern Church on this subject will be attained, your Committee believe, by means of the deputies to the next General Assembly, which will be held in Christchurch this year, who should receive definite instructions from the Synod as to means and modes Of cooperation which the Synod approve of, and to which the consent and agreement of tho Assembly should be invited. The following resolution upon the subject was agreed to: — "That the report be adopted, and that it be remitted to the Union Committee, in conjunction with the University Committee, to prepare suggestions with respect to cooperation regarding the training of students and other matters — to be, so far as approved of by this Synod, instructions to our delegates to the Northern Church — the Committee to report at a future seder unt."