PRESBYTERIAN ASSEMBLY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1700, 18 February 1888, Page 3

PRESBYTERIAN ASSEMBLY.

: >7 At the Presbyterian Assembly at Christchurch on Wednesday the (fierk read a copy of the reply from. Her Majesoy the Queen to the address from the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand. Her Majesty conveyed her thanks and acknowledgements of the loyal sentiments expressed in the address. A petition from the Auckland Presbytery calling attention to certain alterations in the Book of Order, of which the Presbytery did not approve. shey asked that the appendix might be set aside. Eesolved—“ That this assembly is satisfied that the appendices as printed in the Book of Order are what were passed by the assembly of last year, and that there is no ground for the complaint contained in the petition of the Auckland Presbytery. This assembly further expresses regret that the Auckland Presbytery should not have communicated with the parties involved, before making the complaint they have done, and instruct the Presbytery to insert this resolution of the Assembly into their minutes.” The report of the committee on the Book of Order was adopted. It stated that the cost had been £7B and the sales left a debit balance of £lB 7s 3d. Only 606 copies had been sold, leaving 1394 unsold! The report on the state of religion and morals expressed thankulness for blessings all through the church. There had been special evangalisticworkin many presbyteries and this had been very successful. Aggressive work had been carried on in some outlying districts. Eeference was made to the growing vices of social, impurity, Sabbath desecration, gambling, and intemperance, and the earnest hope was expressed that efforts would be made by the ministers and people to check those sins. On the application of the Auckland Presbytery permission was granted to Mr Home to baptize. At the Presbyterian General Assembly on Thursday the report on Sabbath Schools was read, Pifty-one congregations had sent in returns. The number of schools was 99, having 8168 children on the roll, the average attendance being 6171. There were 379 male and 479 female teachers. Of these 858, 647 were church members. The attendance at Bible classes was 1261, of whom 726 were 'female pupils. £175 had been raised for the foreign mission fund and £709 for general school purposes. The report of the committee on the widows and orphans fund showed receipts

£290 15s, and expenditure £167 12s. The amount invested was £3920, to which had to be added £350 14s 9d, making a total capital for the fund of £4170 14s 9d. It was resolved that the legislature be memoralised by this assembly so that power be given to magistrates and judges to prohibit the publication of details of cases which come before the Courts, when, in the interests of mortality, it is desirable that such details should not be published, and that such memorial embody also a request for the suppression of gambling,_ especially the totalisator, and disgusting exhibitions of pugilism, which are becoming common; and that the various congregations of the church be recommended to send in similar petitions. The report on temperance spoke with hopefulness of the increase of energy in the movement, and the rapid progress in the formation of bands of hope.