CHURCH OF ENGLAND SYNOD.

Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2123, 24 February 1870, Page 2

CHURCH OF ENGLAND SYNOD.

Yestkkday. The Dioceaan Synod of tlic Church of England met in the Oddfellows’ Hal], at four o’clock. The Primate of Now Zealand gave an address. He gave as reasons why tdio Synod met without re-election, that all hough elc ted for one year, that year expired in March, and the election of the now S\nod would he postponed unavoidably to January, 1871. The reports of the standim.' coininitttees would bo submitted. They related principally to the management of cemeteries, the formation of several diocesan funds, and regulations for the maintenance of the clergy. There were places in the dioeese capable of maintaining clergymen that yet had not the ministration of the services of the Church, except at uncertain intervals. Missionaries wore wanted for them ; hut a dillieulty presented itself in the unwillingness on the part of chinch members to enter into engagements with clergymen unknown to thorn, as they

might be unable to adapt themselves to the peculiarities of a cohuiial cure. Hutlmught, therefore, in the first instance the Chur dt should guarantee the needful amount for tln-ir maintenance for a term of years. For this purpose his draco recommended a Diocesan fund, and he trus'ed that Die Synod would co-operate with h : m in o-ganising one. Thonuh the Standing Comm tee appoi-itc I by the Syn-al was the Executive bn iy of 'he Diocese, spce/al instructions were n eded f >r its guidance' if it w .s to iii crpos t with effect in the financial arrangem nis between ministes an 1 oougregati' >ns. Endowments us yet were few, and the voluntary sys cm, though in some res ccts ad rant iceous, had a'tendant evils, not the least of which was Hu; uncertainty of payments of the cl rgy. These evils would be mitigated by throe mg the responsibility on the cliurch its' If. Those were plans adopted by the Rural D anery Hoard, 'Phi; Standing Committee dww at'enAn to the deficiency in the clergymen’s stipend in four parishes. It w m oossary exertions should Ire made for their maintenance, as well as for additional clergymen. On the motion of the Rev. Mr Edwards, the thanks of the Synod were given to the Primate for his address. Th ■ Rev. Mr Grainger and Mr Hodgkins were appointed secretaries to the Syno I Several formal motions and announcements were made. The Standing Committee presente 1 a report, the chief points of which were noticed in the Primate’s address. Several notices of motion were given, and the Synod adjourned to four o’clock this afternoon.