ANGLICAN GENERAL SYNOD

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2776, 20 May 1916, Page 12

ANGLICAN GENERAL SYNOD

SUMMARY (OF PROCEEDINGS. The following matters were dealt with by the Anglican General Synod, held at Chrisbchurch, which concluded its sit tings on Tuesday last:— Wanganui Church Acrc. ' Archdeacon lieeve moved that the resolution passed by General Synod at its sitting lit kelson in the year 1913, relating to the leasing of portion of the Wangunui Church acre and the building of a new church or churches within the parish, be rescinded, and that the following motion be passed in its place That this General Syriod hereby directs and empowers the Wellington Diocesan Board, of Trustees to apply for and obtain an Act of Parliament vesting all that part of -the Wanganui Church aero not included in the \Vanganui Church Acre Act, 1910, in the saiil hoard, upon ' the like trusts, for the like purposes, and with the like powers as are provided by the last-mentioned Act in respect of tho lands therein mentioned, save and except that the provisions of Sub-sections (a) and (b) of Section 10 of the Wanganui Church Acre Act, 1910, shall be omitted from the proposed Act, and in lieu thereof it shall be provided that all rents received under the proposed Act shall be applied as per purposes set out by Synod. The motion wjis carried. Mission Board. The Bishop of Auckland moved the second reading of the Mission Boards Bill. He said the underlying principlo was to set up a. Provincial Bpard of Missions. The Bill was of a, tentative nature. It was not wise to formulate a canon at the present time, but rathei that the matter, should be allowed to grow. Later, when the value of tho Mission Board was realised, improvements could be made. There was danger of a limited horizon.oil missionary work. Ha referred to the importance of. the Mjiorl and Melanesian mission, work,-but considering the Church's great interests support could not .be limited to those two ' only. ■ The Primate said that he was keenly interested in mission work, and he hoped the Bill would be carried before Ms term of office expired. He felt that the General Synod's work would not be completo until the passing of such canons as made missions part of its work constitutionally. Ho had made the American system y study. ..There, one day—the third of the Synod session, he thought—was set. apart for. the consideration of. mission work. .- ■ : The Bill; was passed. • ,Bishop Williams. Archdeacon M'Muiray. moved:—"That Synod .learned, with regret that Eishop -Williams was unabite, 'through infirmity of body, to be present." The mover referred to the fact that Bishop Williams had grown to niao's estate when Bishop Selwyn arrived, in. -Sew Zealand, and that Bishop Williams'si life was contemporaneous with the rise and extension.of Christianity in New Zefdnnd. Bishop Williams was to-day the -most' venerable and picturesque figure, in . .the Church of -New Zealand - , 1 ' ' : Mr. J. B. Fielder seconded the motion, and said that the Church owed a deep debt of gratitude for the - Bishop's «or» vices ,to it. The motion was carried, amidst'applause.

Standing Committed The Bishop of Ohristchurcli moved tho second'-! reading of a bill to amend Titlo ' B,; Canon I, providing for-' the establishment of a Standing Committee, to con sist of the bishops of the province and of one clergyman and one layman, from each, diocese in New Zealand, members to I be .nominated by diocesan Standing Committee, the Standing. Committee :to meet at least once a year, at Wellington. . The Bishop said that very great. Harm 'had 'been .-done in tho iivtervals, 1 of tho triennial. Synods through the.Clu-i'ok having'no voice as a province in any crisis that\ might arise. : The proposed St-ind-ing -Committee would havo the: power to make inquiries in various dioceses when occasion . .demanded, and >wuhl have power to act on behalf, of the General Synod, in such matters demanding prompt and united action. The Primate said that he was. not/conviiced of the desirability of the proposed committee. If.! very ;,big question? arose, he would hesitate to'commit them to such a committee. Thsre'.was always the power to call a special meeting of the General Synod. The bill was passed. Board of 'Theological Studies, The Bishop of Auckland : ;hoyed:—(l) That in order to meet the necessary expenditure of the Board of Theological Studies, the dioceses bo.assessed for tho next three years at <£110 per annum; the assessments to be made iii the samo -proportions as those for the expenses uf General Synod. . (2) That for each of the next three years the sum of .£BO bu set aside .by the General Church lrust t« provide exhibitions, if required, for can-, didates.for holy orders who shall pasy Grade 111, subject to regulations drafted by the board. (3) That the following persons be. nominated as members cl! the Board of Theological Studies:—Archdeacon KichaTds. Arohdeacou Williams,-Canon'H. T. Purchas, the Bev. C. A. Tisdall, tho Rev. A. M. Johnson, and the rtev. Dr. Weeks. The motion was carried. Melanosian Mission. Tho Bishop of Christchurch. moved: "That this Synod desires to express its sympathy with the Bishop and staff of the Melanesian-Mission in the losses sustained by . the . mission in 'the 'death of three members, of tHe staff and the retirement of others owing to ill-health and other causes. ■ With a staff so reduced it is difficult to maintain and impossible to extend'the work of the mission. The Synod therefore appeals to the Church both for men and means, that the work committed to ns be not hindered." The Bishop of Melanesia stated : that at the outset of the war they had decided to rely on God and not make a public appeal. ' T'he result was that those wno believed had given larger donations for the ■ use of the mission. The contributions during last year —tho first year of the war—had been the largest on record. Nor was New Zealand alone. Australia was only .£lO below its previous record, and" England, despite its numerous trials, had sent only «£2OO less. There was a difficulty in getting men— .not in point of numbers—but in physical fitness. The motion was carried. A Communicants' Roll. Archdeacon Williams moved the second reading of a bill to amend Title B, Canon V, clauses 9 to 14 inclusive. Tne amendment had reference to the formation of "The Communicants' Iioll" and the entry therein of the names of all communicants in a parish, and enacted that every man of tho ago of twenty-one years or upwards .whoso' name should be. entered on the commuuion roil of a parish for not less than one calendar month should be entitled to attend and .vote at parish meetings, and to vote at tho election of synodsmen for such parish. .

Archdeacon M'Murray , proposed as an amendment that the. bill should bo referred to the Diocesan Synods for consideration'. The bill threatened to limit tho franchise, nnd it should have full'consideration by Diocesan Synods before being deliberated upon finally by the Gen-.' eral Synod. . Archdeacon AYilliams said that his bill was probably of a revolutionary nature. He was in sympathy with the amend-' ment moved by Archdeacon M'Murray.. The amendment was carried. Tbe Primate. Mr. W. B. Scandrett moved, without notice, a motion that this Synod congratulate the Most Rev. the Primate cn having that day entered the eightiei/h year of his life. He heartily'congratulated His lordship oil this event. .Donii i'itchett, as from the president's diocese, hail the greatest pleasure in offering his felicitations to his Bishop oil tho attainment of so great an age, and hoped that he would be spared for many years to occupy his exalted position. The Primate thanked the Synod for its greeting, and said ho. much appreciated lit, as in the course of nature it was

hardly likely he would again preside over, its deliberations. Parochial Districts. Mr. i\. W. Williams moved t'he third reading 'of the bill amending Title B, Canon V. The bill conferred on parochial districts the rights and privileges of parishes as far as practicable. The third reading was carried, and the bill passed. New Dioccse of Taranaki. The Bishop of Auckland moved that the boundaries of the proposed new diocese of Taranaki should be .those stated in the schedule attached to the report of the commission appoiuted by t'he Synod to reconsider tho boundaries of the proposed diocese of Taranaki; and that the creation of an endowment fund for the proposed new diocese should be commended to the prayerful interest and financial support of the churc'hi peonlo of the province. The mover said that the matter v:ns not within tho region of practical politics at present,* but it would be in time. The** areas vrero growing considerably, and t.liey would have to be considered in futuro in regard to control and general working purposes. The boun'l.a.|',«s been carefully considered. While the district.'could be administered under the control of the Bishop of Auckland to-day, it would be impossible for him to do so ill five years' time. It had been suggested that Wanganui should be the centre of the new diocese, but as tne railway frojii Stratford had tat>ped the central areas so advantageously "it might !>e that another centre mora* suitable might be suggested. 1 The motion was agreed to. ■ Pensions Fund. Mr. James Henderson moved in the direction of securing actuarial assistance fund chenic' 1 " 01 * satlsfactol 'J r Prions Archdeacon M'Murray said ho was of opinion that the question, of clergyman's pensions had never been faced with tho earnestness that it should. He contonded that any pension i'und which did not pro. vide ior compulsory retirement at a fixed a n® would fail in its function. ■ t the Bishop of Melanesia said ho hoped w se c a provincial fund established. Ac. tunries should be asked to draw out .a, sehemo upon the lines of the working of successful funds in Australia, Mr. Henderson's motion was carried, with slight-alteration. ; Metropolitan of India. The Bishop of Christchurch. I'ead tho following message to the Metropolitan India and Ceylon:— ..... \our Grace, —We, the bishops, clergy, le Church tho Province of New Zealand, now assembled in General Synod, desire to express our gratitude for your gracious and loving words spoken to us through tho address sent to the Bishops of the piovineoTon tho occasion of the Marsden centenary by yourself, acting on behalf of the Bishop's of the Church of the Province of Ceylon and India, It is particularly interest ing to learn from you that , in the same month wo and yourselves were keeping centenary celebrations, and to recall how in December; 1814, God was working in conspicuous manner in His Church oh earth, to this land introducing the blessings of the Gospel Message, to you grant 6 S'ft of the Episcopacy'which bv iiis Appointment is tho vsrrift iding Channel of Grace, whereby the Divine Life if communicated to His children." The Primate proposed that the address, winch he had signed,;, should be adontedL The motion'-.was earned.

Licentiates in Theology. On the motion.of the Rev. A. M...Johnsou, it was decided -.that, the hood, or tippet, of theological students should be granted ; :only, to .licenliatas in theology. : A number, of other-matters dealt with! have been reported in Press Association' messages which havo been published in : The Dominion. '-.