TIMARU PRESBYTERY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1978, 5 December 1889, Page 1

TIMARU PRESBYTERY.

A meeting of the Presbytery of tbe Timaru District was held in Timaru on Tuesday last. Present—The Revs. McKee (Waimate) Moderator, Dickson (Terauka), Barclay (Geraldine), White (Point), and Gillies (Timaru), and delegates from various congregations.

On the motion and explanation of the Rev. Mr White, liberty was granted to the Totara Talley congregation to borrow a sum not exceeding £l6O for the erection of a church. Mr White said plans had been prepared for a stone church, to hold about 150, and a tender received at about £220.

The resignation by the Rev. G. Barclay of his charge at Geraldine was then taken. The Rev, Mr Dickson reported the proceedings at meetings of the session and congregation at Geraldine, at which resolutions were passed accepting the resignation, and delegates, Messrs Irvine and Cochrane (Geraldine), and Wilson and Hamilton (Fairlie Creek), corroborated the report and expressed regret at the subject thereof. The Rev. Mr Barclay made a brief explanation. They, no doubt, were all thoroughly aware of his reason for resigning : that it was utterly impossible for him, or for any one person, to perform all the services and work required in so large a district. Besides Geraldine, there were seven stations round about, all of them expecting at least monthly services, Mid one of them, Woodbury, expecting two services each month. There were seventeen services in all, and it was not possible for one man to do the work, unless he could get 48 hours into each Sunday or seven Sundays into each month, i Occasionally a minister can get mors help than at other times. Some time age he 1 had more help than now, the falling off in assistance, being due to removals and not to any unwillingness in members of the congregations to give what help they could. In order to keep things going he had, at his own expense, kept an extra minister, and both of them were fully occupied. If he had been as rich as some of his parishioners he might- have continued that, but unfortunately he was not. On those grounds he had asked to be removed. The Rev. Mr Gillies said he had probably known Mr Barclay longer than any person present. They wore fellowsiudents together in London, now oigbt-and-twenty ye»rs ago. They came to New Zealand about the same time to enter upon the work of the ministry, They wore preaching in Edinburgh before the Colonial Committee on the same Sabbath,

and in the eune church, Mr Btrciay in the morning, and he in the afternoon, and they were before the committee at the same time. For the Inst 15 years they had been co-presbyters here, and it was with a considerable measure of regret that ho rose to propose the j cceptance of his resignation of his charge at Geraldine. The work that Mr Barclay bad done in South Canterbury, he would fearlessly saj had been physically more than moat men could have done. He was the pioneer

Presbyterian minister of South Canter, bury, and the amount of “knocking about " he bad done during his f wenty-five years’ service would make a record of travel second to none that could be produced by any minister in the colonies. It was with great regret that now, after twenty-five yeais of such hard services, he bad had to put in his resignation of his present charge, with nothing fixed as to his future movements or connection with ''another church. The Piesbyfary could do

nothing but accept hia resignation, however much they might desire to take some other course, and in doing so the very least they could do was to place upon record their appreciation of his long and arduous services. He moved—“ That this Presbytery place upon record its

appreciation of the many laborious services rendered by the Rev. Mr Barclay during the twenty-five years of his ministry in South Canterbury, and now accept, with.regret hia resignation of his charge at Geraldine (given in by him on the ground of niter impossibility of any-

one discharging the duties of so extensive a charge with anything like satisfaction and as they ought to be discharged) trusting that in whatever sphere bis future years and labors may be spent the b’essIngot ihe Great Head of the church may ever accompany him ; the pastoral tie to be dissolved from the end of the current month."

The Rev. J. Dickson seconded the motion, and in doing so testified to the good work done in connection with (he Church in South Canterbury, and expressed regret at his resignation. The Rev. Mr White, Mr Stewart (Or-iri), and Mr Hatton (Timaru) also spoke a few words on the subject, and the motion accepting the rss’gnatkn was put and carried. Mr Barclay expressed his thanks for the kind remarks that had been made and the sympathy that had been shown him, and for the many kindnesses he had received from all parts of the district. He would not pretend to say that he took this step without regret—he need not specify the aspects in which it whs a mutter of regret, as these were well known. It was perhaps not so great a matter in tbe thoughts of hia congregation—" Ministers are resigning every day : here to-day, somewhere else to-morrow.” He understood the present system of obtaining a new appointment was by a system ot “ candidating.” He did not know whether this was exactly the same as canvassing, or not, but he had all along been averse to it, and he would probably drop out of the ranks of the ministry if remaining in them depended upon any candidating of his.

The Rev, J. Dickson was appointed interim moderator for Geraldine, to preach there the first Sunday in January and declare the charge vacant.

The separation of the Mackenzie County from Geraldine was discussed and agreed to, the former district to take in Clayton, Sherwood Downs, and Raincliff. The question whether Albury be separated from Pleasant Point and joined to Mackenzie was also discussed at considerable length, and then adjourned for the ascertainment of the views of residents, a meeting to be called at an early data to consider the matter, Mr Dickson to attend and report their views to the next meeting of the Presbytery.