MASTERTON PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9689, 13 January 1910, Page 5

MASTERTON PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.

AN ERRONEOUS REPORT. At the meeting of the Wellington Presbytery held on Monday evening last, some discussion took place in regard to a request concerning supply for the church at Masterton during the approaching absence of the Rev. j A. T. Thompson, B.A. B D. In yes- \ terday's issue of the"Dominion"what purports to be a report of the proceedings was published, but the report in question is inaccurate. In order to gather the real facts of the case a representative of the Wairarapa Age waited yesterday upon the Rev. A. T. Thompson, who courteously made the following explanation : "The Rev. J. B. McDonald, M.A., to act as 'locum tenens' during my absence is not a Home Missionary, nor is he to act in the capacity of a Home Missionary. He is a most distinguished probationer or licentiate j of our Church in New Zealand recent- j ly received from the Union Free Church oE Scotland. Being a licentiate or probationer only recently from the Theological Hall, he has never been 'called' to a church as its pastor, and so remains until such time unordained. and without the power to baptise, marry, or dispense the J Sacrament. These powers art? often j given in accordance With the rules j of our church to Home Missionaries, j who are preachers of a lesser status j andj[the request of the Masterton Church characterised as "monstrous" and so strenuously opposed by certain members of the Presbytery, was simply this, that the Presbytery grant these powers to a distinguished probationer who was to occupy temporarily the position of a fully ordained Minister, powers, as I have j said, granted frequently to men of a lesser and humbler status. The Christchurch Presbytery the other day, without demur, granted almost identical powers to the probationer acting as 'locum tenens' for the Rev. J. McKenzie, M.A., of Christchurch, during his proposed absence in Hie Old Country, so why aa exception should be suggested in the '. case of Masterton, which, unlike St. ■ Andrew's, Christchurch, has no other Presbyterian minister within nine miles distance, does not seem easy of explanation. However, I feel pretty certain that the powers we seek, with the exception of the right to dispense the Satrameiit, will be granted at the next meeting of the Presbytery, when there will be a large attendance of members."