ANGLICAN GENERAL SYNOD.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1653, 21 January 1913, Page 6

ANGLICAN GENERAL SYNOD.

THE CONSTITUTION. HABSDEN CENTENARY PROPOSALS. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) '. . ; Ne|son, January 20. . Tho Primato (Dr. Neviil) presided over tho Anglican General Synod to-day. ' A- petition from tho Amuri parochial district, praying for. severance iroiji the Nelson diocese,' and attachment to Christchurch, was referred to a special committee' to report to the Synod. '■ ' ' . The' Committee,set;.',;up;,to report on Archdeacdn Harper's jnotiti'n ~regarding tho settingup" of a. Social Service Committee reported that such committees were already ,in existence in. several dioceses,, and recommended.'" that all tlioccses'. boj asked to form them with a central committee at Wellington. The committee appointed in 1910 lo consider tho method and procedure for altering the Prayer Book under circumstances contemplated' in Clauso 4 of tho fundamental provisions, of tho Church constitution, reported that 1 in its Opinion it 'is unnecessary to formulate, any ' special' method of procedure.. Tho Bishop of Auckland drew attention to the coming' Marsden centenary, to take place on Christmas Day, 1914. Ho moved that tlie Synod feels that an ovent which commemorates''both the introduction of Christianity and the foundation of the colony should bo marked by a, commemoration- worthy of tho occasion. This was carried., ' Tho Bishop asked the Synod to' ondorso the following proposals of the.Bench of Bishops": _ (a)' That ' a series of services .in Maori and English should bo held at. the Marsden' cross site, where the first Christian seryice was held,_ during Christmas week) 1914; (b) that a" Church congress for all; New, Zealand'bo, held at Auckland in February, 1915; (c) that, a great thanksgiving centenary fund be raised throughout New Zealand, and every' Church member bo v asked to contribute a sum to it composed of . a'coin for every year of life that God has given' them; (d) that 1 an:.advisory committee be' set up for, this purpose. , It, was decided that the proposed Church cojigress be • held 'at Auckland. ' The Bishop of' Auckland detailed tho proposals' that had been amended by the Bench of Bishops for tho disposal of tho. thanksgiving Qon"tenary fund—(l) enlargement of St. John's College,- Auckland, (2) foundation of a- Taranaki Bishopric, (3) formation .of a general bishopHc'fund, (4) medioal missionary travelling scholarship, (5) establishment of a'series of travelling scholarships, ono for each'diocese, which wouldenable tho worthiest divinity, students to visit Europo ;and America t for further theological study, (G) W. raise a fund to advance tho Biblc-in-school'. movement. Tho whole of Clause C of tho Bishop's proposals was subsequently referred back to'the Bench of Bishops.lt. was 'resolved that ah: Advisory Committee, consisting of .the Bishop' and two representatives to be selected by representatives of several dioceses, bo sot'up-for tho above purposes. -".'' ■

Clause 4 of the fundamental. provisions of tho constitution referred to thfi'abovif telegram is as follows■ Ami whereas opinions have been expressed bv eminent legal authorities ill England that tho property of tho Church in Now Zealand might bo,placed in jeopardy, unless provision wero made for .tlio' ' contingency of' a separation of New calnnd from tlio Mother Country, and for that of an:alteration in tho czist : ing relations between Church nnd State; it is hereby further declared that, in tho cvont of a separation of the colony of New Zealand from tho -Mother Country, or of a separation of'the Church from tho State in England and Ireland, the General Svnod shall'have'full power to nialto such alterations in tho articles, services, and ceremonies of this branch of the United Church of England ,v,id' Ireland in New Zealand as its altered circumstances may require, or to make such alterations as it may- Unnk fit in tho authorised version of tho Bible.