THE DIOCESAN SYNOD OF DUNEDIN.

Evening Star, Issue 3067, 17 December 1872, Page 2

THE DIOCESAN SYNOD OF DUNEDIN.

Monday, December 16. The Bishop took the chair at four o’clock ENDOWMENT OF BISHOPRICS,

The Hon, Dr Buchanan moved—“ That whereas the report of the General Church Trust, January, 1871, describes the endowment of bishoprics as one of their principal objects, and they having called the attention of the General Syuod to the subject, the Synod of this diocese is desirous that its claims may ba considered in the next division of any balance accruing from the Trust, and that the lay representatives of the See be requested to draw the attention of the General Synod to the claims of this diocese.” Agreed to. BUILDINGS IN RURAL DISTRICTS.

Mr Lubecki moved—“ That the Standing Committee be requested to place itself in communication with the Presbyterian and other Christian bodies, with the view of their considering the expediency of conjointly erecting buildings m thinly populated districts for public worship on alternate Sundays, or as the case may require. He thought that it was uecessary that a course similar to that suggested should be adopted. In Victoria the people had found it expedient to unite in erecting bflildings for worship, to be used by more than one denomination; and so far as he was aware the practice had worked,well. Be hoped that the resolution would not be opposed. The Rev. Mr Beaumont said there was nothing in existing statutes to prevent the proposal from being carried into practice without further action on the part of the

Synod. He, however, would oppose the mo* tion on other than sectarian or dcnomi* national grounds. It was within his experience that money expended in the way indicated was so much lost to the Church. Buildings erected by united sectarian effort usually ended in some one of the sects be* coming possessor of them Three instances corroborative of this came under his own observation, and, therefore, he would oppose the Synod taking any action in the matter.

The Bishop said the motion was put forward on the ground of expediency, The union of the various sects of Chiistians was a matter to be desired, looked and prayed for, but such U’.ion should be one of heart and mind, and rob one of expediency. During his short sojourn in the Diocese he had found several cases of members of different churches having united in the erection of buildings to be used in common, but not one of these had proved of benefit to the Chuch. He was therefore not prepared to support the motion, and he did not think that the Synod, as a body, would gain much by passing it. The Hon. Dr Buchanan opposed the motion.

Mr Lubecki, in reply, said that where buildings erected by united effort passed into the hands of one denomination, the evil lay not in the practice but in the fact that the buildings had not been properly vested in trustees for the benefit of the patrons. If the Synod agreed with him, it would be necessary that rules shou’d be laid down for the guidance of churchmen in carrying out the object of his resolution. The resolution was then put, when the Synod divided with the following result — Ayes, 4; noes, 6. The motion was therefore lost. AMENDMENT BILL. Mr James Smith moved the second reading of the Synodsmcn’s Act, 1870, Amendment Bill. The object of this Bill was chiefly to alter the time fixed for the election of members of the Diocesan Synod. The motion was agreed to, and the Bill was then considered in Committee, and passed through remaining stages. ENDOWMENT FUND. On the motion of the Bev. E. G, Edwards, the Synod resolved itself into a Committee to consider what means had best be taken to augment the Endowment Fund of this v ec to the sum of L 4.000, in order that the conditional grants of two Societies may not be lost.

The Rev. Mr Grainger moved that the Diocese be divided into four districts, and that a layman he appointed to each district to confer with the clergyman in each district as to the best means for carrying out the purpose of the resolution. After some discussion, the Synod resumed and progress was reported when the report was negatived. The Rev. Mr Granger then moved, “ That this Synod lay before the members of the Church the necessity for immediate personal action for completing the endowment fund, and that for this purpose the diocese be divided into four parts, and a layman appointed to eaeh district by the Standing Committee, to confer with the clergymen in each district as to the best means of instituting and carrying out some organisation in their respective parishes for the purpose of raising the necessary portion of this fund.’’—Carried.

AUDITOR OF TRUST ACCOUNTS. On the motion of the Rev. E. G. Edwarpr, Mr Hardy was appointed auditor of Trust Accounts for the diocese, THE REV. E. H. GRAINGER. It was unanimously resolved that the Synod place on record an expression of its esteem for the Rev. E. H. Grainger, and its appreciation of the many valuable services he has rendered to the Diocese. PRINTING COMMITTEE. The Rev. Mr Grainger and Messrs Baggitt, Hardy, and Lubccki were appointed the Printing Committee. VOTES OP THANKS. A vote of thanks was awarded to Mr Haggitt for services rendered during the session as lay secretary, and also to the Press reporters for their attention. The Bishop then said he had to thank the members for their attendance and the assistance rendered to him in conducting the business. A considerable amount of business requiring close attention had been got through under circumstances which made it difficult and trying to those who took part in it. He had often presided over meetings in England, but that work was different to the duty just concluded, inasmnch as there were forms and routine to go through of which previously he had no knowledge. He could not, therefore, permit the members to separate before expressing his appreciation of the attention paid to him. This concluded the business, and the session was closed with the benediction.