MARSDEN CENTENARY.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1678, 19 February 1913, Page 4

MARSDEN CENTENARY.

; : 'y. ■. ;-- *— -. COMING. CELEBRATIONS'. \ . ■ '■ The. General Synod of ,the " Anglican Church, which met in' Nelson in January, went exhaustively into the question, ci adequately celebrating the centenary, of the mtroiuctbii of Christianity into New Zealand by the liev. Samuel Alaralcn. 'It was'resolved to hold a series of services in Maori and in English at the foot of the'.cross ' which now .marks tho >. spot where the first Christian service .'was held, during the Christmas week in' 1914. The synod also decided to agree tovthc proposal that a special .Church Congress should be held in connection with the centenary. This is to take place in February, 11)11. in Auckland, and the whole Church of New Zealand will lake. part. Invitations which were sent out by the Bishops' Bench to the heads,Of tho provinces of the Anglican communion .throughout tho world, have been answered favourably'in every case, though most of tho heads of the different churches are not themselves likely to attend, but they will make arrangements for the provinces to bo represented. The Archbishop of Melbourne, in particular, :has accepted tho invitation and tho Canadian House of Bishops will probably appoint a representative when they moot this year. It is therefor© likely that the congress . will not only bo historical as a gathering of tho Church of i England/in New Zealand, but will also be notable as a meeting ©f representatives of most parts of the churches in.communion with, and mainly established by, the Church of England, throughout the world. ' ; To mnko the commemoration even moro enduring in its effects, the synod decided to inaugurate a Marsden Centenary Memorial Fund, which, after some discussion, it was decided to devote to the foundation and fostering of religious education/through the province. Tho original proposal was to provide' a travelling (scholarship for ordination .candidates, to completothe St. John's College buildings, and to provide means for tho general development of the Church as the General .Synod deemed advisable. It was eventually decided to make tho objects, of the fund-as follow:—(1) The contribution of .€SOO a year, if necessary, for thrco years to the Bible-in-schools movement; (2) the- training and payment of a guild of Church teachers for religion in schools'; (3) tho helping to found Church secondary boarding schools for Maoris or pakehns, and (1) for such other purposes as the commission to to appointed should deem to be connected with religious education. : ' One important outcome of tho rosolu-1 tion was an offer of ft donation of .£IOOO from Miss Marsden, of Nelson, on condition'that five others should give a like amount. Tho Bishops of Auckland and Christchnrcli. Archdeacon Williams, and Messes. Birch, Tunks, and Joachim were appointed trustees for the fund till next Oeneral Synod. Tho committee adviwd that a guarantee of -ClOflO was necessary for the cximuses of the, congress, and tho sum of .0320 was immediately offered by Hip members of the General Synod. Mr. Ciilflllnn was appointed to receive contributions to the'funds. and preparations for the' centenary ,-are.. nowproctodim; vow' satisfactorily. It is anticipated, thntalthfluigh the Australian General ; Svnod meets .in 1915. a good attendance preventatives from the Commonwealth will bs providzd,—Auckland "Herald." •'