BUSINESS SESSION

Wairarapa Times-Age, 6 November 1941, Page 5

BUSINESS SESSION

PRESBYTERIAN ASSEMBLY HOME GUARD PARADES ON SUNDAY. IMPETUS TO GAMBLING. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) TIMARU, November 5. The first business sessions of the Presbyterian Assembly were held today, more than 260 delegates attending. A sessional committee, to consist of representatives of all Presbyteries, was appointed to consider the advisability of the appointment of a general secretary for the Church. An overture on the subject from the Wellington Presbytery was supported by the Rev W. H. McKenzie, who said such an appointment should be made by this assembly, as the Church needed a man who could act quickly with representatives "of other churches and with the Government. At present the lack ’of a general secretary placed a heavy burden on the shoulders of a number of Wellington ministers. An amendment that the matter be deferred for one year was defeated.

The treasurer’s statement showed that the Church had again shown, despite the war, that it was determined not to allow missionary enterprises to suffer through lack of funds. In spite of extra demands, congregations gave £39,925 of £40,943 for which they were asked. The finance committee’s budget estimates, which were adopted, set out the amount required from congregations in the coming year at £40,577. The committee suggested that the assembly should aim at £330 as a minimum stipend, but that £3lO be paid all ministers in 1942. After brief discussion the matter was referred to the sessional committee.

Mr L. B. Mushet, acting general treasurer, was appointed general treasurer to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Mr V. G. Chapman. While expressing concern with the growing tendency for units of the Home Guard to hold weekly parades on Sundays, the public questions committee felt that because of war conditions it was not possible to secure elimination of these parades.

Moving the adoption of the report, the Rev J. T. Macky said the parades desecrated the Sabbath, but war was an ugly thing, and it' was impossible to defend one’s country without something having to go. Unless they were prepared to accept an extreme pacifist policy, then they should be prepared to assist the menfolk to do some training. The speaker urged holding parade services which would enable the Church to reach many men who never attended church.

The report of the public questions committee, referring to gambling, said that the fever in this country had been given fresh impetus this year by the way in which it had been used to get money for patriotic purposes. Pressure had been brought on the Government, but nothing had been done. The law was flagrantly broken continually, but this was hardly to be wondered at when the Government broke its own laws on the matter.

“The strongest evidences of the manner in which moral standards are lowered in wartime is the many ways in which money is being raised for patriotic purposes,” said the convener of the committee, the Rev J. T. Macky. He said that art unions had increased, and people who believed they were helping charity by buying tickets in art unions should know that out of their half crowns only 9d went to charity. TotaTisator figures at Trentham recently were a record, and the position was the same in other centres. He did not know what they could do about it, excepting by their own example to help their people combat all moral evils.