PRESBYTERIAN ASSEMBLY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 61, 13 November 1907, Page 2

PRESBYTERIAN ASSEMBLY.

Per Press Association. Wellington, Monday. At the Presbyterian Assembly the report on the proposed amalgamation of the beneficiary funds in the and southern sections of the Church was ordered to lie on thf table till next year. A committee of ten business men is to go into the matter in the meantime and draw up a scheme of amalgaThetloreport on the training of home missionaries stated that nineteen presented themselves for examination, ana all save one passed. The committee reported against the decision of last Assembly by which the Becond stage of the studies was abolished. After some discussion this matter was referred back to the committee 011 the training of 1101)10 missionaries to revise the regulations m regard to home missionaries, send thcni down to Presbyteries, and mature a scheme for next Assembly. The annual report on temperance stated that steady and well-directed efforts had been made in a quiet way all over the Dominion. The Ministers Total Abstinence Association had lUa members—an increase of 11. _ There were still quite a number of ministers who had not joined. Ministers 111 nolicense districts were unanimous :n reporting great and lasting benefits qb having resulted from no-license. Legislation was advocated in regard to hygiene and scientific temperance instruotion, the presence of beer depots on the confines of no-license areas, the existence of the "locker" system, and the existing system of packet licenses. A deliverance oil the lines of the report was adopted, with a recommendation 111 regard to the curtailment of drinking facilities in the New Hebrides. The Bible-in-Schools Committee's report stated that advantage was being taken of what was known as the "Nelson system" to give religious instruction in (state schools. The aggregate attendance of scholars was about 9500. Wellington, Tuesday. At the Presbyterian Assembly to-day a report on general and financial statistics was read. It showed that there were on 30th June last 208 charges and 58 home mission stations. A sum of £23*246 had been raised by congregations for buildings on property. Of this sum £15,941 had been' raised by Northern Presbyteries and £7305 by Southern Presbyteries, and this while the North was burdeued with debts on building* amounting to £45,803, the debt in the South being £15,134. More than half of the total sum contributed for buildings in the South was raised by one congregation in Dunedin. The total building debt on congregations was £00,097. A return was taken of amounts standing on credit of building funds in different congregations, and reveals a sum of £14,813 to the credit of these funds. The gross congregational revenue for the year amounted to £114,798. The total number attending services was 70,124 ran increase of 2322.

Wellington, Last Night. The report on Church forms referred j to the present state of chaos into . which "our Church services have sunk," ■ and urged that a new book should be written with' special reference' to the [ Church's law and practice. 'Consideration of this matter Was referred to the ' Presbyteries to make overtures to the [ next Assembly if they think desirable. , After much discission the Assembly I adopted the recommendation made ; week by the' "Youth of the Churclj" committee, that there should l>e two young people's agents, anil that the ' committee be authorised to 'appoint sucty ' agents as so,on as their support is reasonably assured. | It was resolved that fl|e regulations of tl)e aged and iiffinn ministers fui|J ; and widows and orphans funis lie amended so that no minister be considered connected with the fund till he has paid his first annual subscription, and that failure to pay for three years shall debar ministers from joining the funds without special resolution of the l Assembly. The report on the sustenation fund, which was adopted, covered the following points:—The fund to be based on the principle that the strong should help the weak; the fund to be administered by n committee appointed by the General Assembly; tljat every congregation should aim at lining selfsustaining, and aid in giving so that the Church shall aim at raising the minimum stipend for ministers to £250 exclusive of house; that the minimum contributions required from congregations to the central fund before participating in equal dividend shall lxs £175 per annum froin cpm}try congregations and £2OO frpm town congregations.'' ! fj|e I report of the pominittee on applications {for recommended that the i Rev. V. IM:am Trotter be received; that the application of the Roy, A. V, G. Chandlers be held over for another year, and he be requested to give a written statement of tTic reasons which have led him to change his former views on baptism to those of the Church; that leave lie given the Dunedin Presbytery to ordain the Rev. E. A. Axelsen, agent of the Presbyterian Social Service Association; that Mr. Oscar Blnndell be admitted to the Theological Hall; that leave lie givei) the Waugai|ui Presbytery to ordain Mr. J. E. Ward, Sl'aori missionary; that as the Rev. lij. Culliford has not arrived in the Dominion, nor his complete documents, consideration of his application be held over. These recommendations were adopted. The Auckland Presbytery was authorised to ordain Mr. James Lowrie, who is going to Denniston. It was decided tnat ,£">110 of the, Manson bequest be at the disposal of the Church Extension Committee for the purpose of initiating and encouraging the establishment of not less than five new mission stations.

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