SELECTING MINISTERS

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 907, 26 February 1930, Page 11

SELECTING MINISTERS

MORE FREQUENT CHANGES URGED VIEWS OF PRESBYTERY Believing that the Presbyterian' Church is not satisfied with the present system of filling vacant charges, the Rev. L. 11. Hunt submitted an overture .suggesting a new method to the Auckland Presbytery yesterday. It was decided to send the overture in amended form to the Assembly, which is to meet in Dunedin next month. The overture suggested the setting up of an advisory hoard to compile a list of all ministers who have served five years in one parish and might benefit by a change. This board would supply all necessary information to the selectiop. committee, which would ultimately choose the most suitable man. The interim moderator would be replaced by a Presbytery Commission consisting of two ministers and two elders, who would advise the church committee. Mr. Hunt considered that not much would be done this year concerning the sugestion, which would probably be referred to a committee for investigation. The need for such a board was well recognised. The Blue Book, by which selection committees were guided, did not give enough information, and the board would be able to supply facts concerning what a man had not done as well as what he had. The church, in common with the rest of the world, is restless today, Mr. Hunt considers, and a change of ministers every five years would be beneficial. By this system every man would be graded, as it were, and this would prevent able men being buried in the back-blocks. A commission as suggested would carry more • weight than a moderator alone, and could give a more considered judgment. The Rev. E. R. Harries questioned whether an advisory board would be able to get more reliable information than the governing body, the Assembly. Me believed churches would not agree to the system which might prejudice their right to call any man they chose. That all were agreed as to the basis of the overture, but not as regard the wording was the view of the moderator. the Rev. W. D. Morrison Sutherland. He suggested certain alterations in phrasing. By a small majority it was decided to send on the overture to the Assembly simpliciter.