PRESBYTERIAN GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1553, 15 February 1887, Page 3

PRESBYTERIAN GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

At the Assembly on Saturday the whole 6 of the morning was devoted to the con- -j sidoration of the “Book of Order” and ( Ru’es and Forms of Procedure. Clauses from Noe. 121 to 215 were passed with * merely verbal amendments. Some discussion took place in reference to clause 216, which proposed that if it appears j after Presbyterian visitation that from ( any minister’s inefficiency, remissness in f duty, or unsultableness to hia sphere, the j spiritual and general interests of his con- j gregation are being sacrificed, the Pres- j bytery should be entitled to dissolve the ( pastoral tie and declare the charge vacant, ( or report the matter to the General ( Assembly for its discussion. The Rev, ( J. K* Elliott moved that the clause be ( expunged. In the discussion which followed almost all the speakers opposed the motion, and on a division being taken the clause was retained, only the Rev. Mr Hogg and the mover voting against it. The next clause provided that if it appeared on Presbyterian, visitation that in consequence of a minister’s imprudence such feelings have arisen as have destroyed his usefulness in that particular congregation, the Presbytery shall be entitled, after the failure of all means ot reconciliation, to declare his connection with the congregation at an end, and loose him from his charge. In no case, however, is the Presbytery to countenance measures tending to sacrifice a reputable minister to the feelings of his session or of a party in his congregation. Similar opposition was offered to this prevision, ! but the clause was carried in its original form. Yet another clause to which objection was taken was that which empowered I the Presbytery or the. Assembly in the i case where a minister leaves hia charge, ■ disowns the authority of the church r courts, or is otherwise contumacious, to s summarily remove him from hia charge, j declare him cut <ff from, or no longer in communication with, the church, or to t suspend or depose him from office. The clause .was, however, agreed to. On , reaching section 224 further consideration ’ of the book was postponed until three o’clock on Monday afternoon.