THE PRESBYTERIAN SYNOD.

Evening Star, Issue 3097, 22 January 1873, Page 2

THE PRESBYTERIAN SYNOD.

EveniNO Sederunt. The Moderator took the chair at seven o’clock, and opened the proc-cdmgs with prayer. The Synod were then occupied or two hours in piivate conference on the state of religion, with closed doors. KAIKOKAI PRESENTATION. On the Synod resuming, it was intimated that the Dunedin Presbytery demurred o the decision of the Synod anent the Kaikorai moderation, and claimed the right o apAfter some discussion, the Moderaior ruled that as the Dunedin Presbyteiy w er ® at the bar of the house they had no ug 10 appeal against the judicial hading of e Synod. EMPLOYMENT OF STUDENTS. The Clerk read tb r e reports fnm the various Presbyteries anent tjie question o cmagency io tfusspm work o the Church.

The Rev. JohnGoW then said he brought up the result of the deliberations of the Presbytery of Dunedin in the form of a motion; ft was as follows : —(1.) That the Synod approve of the principal of employing lay missionaries in the work of evangelisation, when and where they may he re 'ded. (2 ) That such students may bo Divinity, or undergraduate students, or other members of the Church possessing suitable qualifications for the work. (3.) That no such be employed until he has first been examined by one or other of the Presbyteries of the Church, as to his personal piety, acquaintance with the word of Cod, and otherwise his aptitude for such work, and, also, until he has received from such Presbytery a certificate of qualification ami fitness for such work, (4.) That those who shall have been thus found qualified shall be called and known by the n inc of Home Missionaries. [(5.) I hat the Synod authorise the formation of an Association, to be called the Home Mission Association of the Synod of Otago and Southland, having for ils object the employment of missiomiriiM, and the raising and distribution of funds to aid in their support, while laboring in those districts within the bounds of the Synod, whose population are destitute of the means of grace, and are from their situation and means unable to support a settled minist-y. (6 ) That the Home Mis don Association shall, at the solicitation of the Synod, have power to appoint a missionary to any sphere of labor, or remove him therefrom, as they shall see cause. (7.) That any such mis sionary, when thus appointed, sha l, during the currency of his appointment, be under the direction and control of the Presbytery within whose boundary his sphere of labor is situated, and sba'l be associated with and act under the superintendence and advice of any minister duly appointed by his Presbytery to take the oversight of the district constituting his sphere of labor, (8 1 . I hat the duration of the appointment of any sujh missionary shall in no case exceed six months, but at the end of six months he may be reappointed if the Home Mission s;e fit. (9;. That the Synod request that the ministers of the various Prcsby r teries be requested to use diligence iu endeavoring to find ag nts suitable and willing to be employed m missionary work, and to forward the r names and addresses to the Secretary of the Homo Mission Association. (10). That the Synod enjoin th ; Presbyteries to make forthwith a cvrcfulsurvey of the districts within their bounds where such agents might be advantageously employed to ascertain the probable amount of means which might be raised within the several districts in aid of the support of the misionaries, to report the same to the Secretary of the Association, and take any other measures they deem advisable in order to have those districts supplied with the means of grace as speedily as possible. He then read a series of rules for the guidance of the Association, and hoped that the Synod would support the motion. The Rev. Michael Watt seconded the motion proforma. The Rev. Mr Will dissented from the view of the matter taken by Mr (low, and proposed, as an amendment, “That the Synod authorise the Church Extension Committee to employ Divinty students in missionary work during their vacation, and also undergraduates, in any cases wdiere the Committee deem it prudent to do so, and when they find students possessing fitness for the wqrk. (2.) That such lay-agents be employed, in so fsjr as funds for their support can be obtained ; but always in connection with, and under the superintendence of Ministers in settled charges. (3.) That ministers be enj fined to employ the elders of their several congregations in mission work as far as possible, (k.) That the Synod enjoin the Church Committee and the ministers of the i hurch to exercise diligence in looking out for agents suitable for the work contemplated. (5.) That the Synod by it as an injunction mi the Presbyteries to make a careful survey of their several districts, as to where such agents might be employed, giving particulars as to extent of territory, population, probable ■increase of population, and support of such agencies, and report the same to the Church Extension Committee, so that they, as far as possible, may take action thereon. (■».) That the Synod authorise the Cnurch Extension Committee to take steps for augmenting the fund at their disposal for aiding in the support of such agents, by obtaming subscriptions, donations, legacies, and collections throughout the congregations of the O.mrch ; and that the Synod direct the Committee to use all diligence in entering on and prosecuting vigorously this work, so important and necessary for the prosperity and extension of our Church throughout the ProVIIICGS. The Rev. Dr Stuart seconded the amendment.

After a somewhat lengthened discussion, the Rev. John Gow said he had no objection to the farther consideration of the matter being postponed until next session, and that the substance of his motion be sent down to the Presbyteries for consideration and report. _ The Rev. Mr Wilt, then said that if the Synod concurred he would ask leave to withdraw his amendment. Reave was granted, and the amendment was withdrawn. It was then resolved that the motion of Mr Gow be remitted to the several Presbyteries for consideration, and report before next session of Synod. The Synod then adjourned until 11 o’clock this morning.

This Day, STATE OF RELKUON. The following resolution was adopted “ The Synod approve of the report ; record their thanks to the Committee and Convener; express its satisfaction at the favorable symptoms of a growing interest in religion indicated in the report; regret the existence of so much that is opposed to the progress of true godliness throughout the Province ; and in terras" of the report instruct the several ministers to observe the first Sabbath of November as a day of special services for the young, and to address their respective congregations on the first Sabbath of-March on the subject of Sabbath observance, and to continue special evangel stic services during the year ; and further recommend that a deputation be appointed to visit the outlying districts of the Church during the year. ’> Messrs Todd and Ryley were appointed a deputation to visit the outlying districts of the Province. CAVERSHAM. The Committee on Bills and Overtures reporlel as follows Extract minute of Dunedin Presbytery, being a new application for the sanctioning of Caversham as a ministerial charge, haying been laid 1 before the Committee, it was agreed to transput the extract, with the proviso that this proposal to re-open a matter already determined shall not bs he’d as affording a precedent for like procedure in future.” It was agreed to grant power to the Dunedin Presbytery to sanction Caversham as a ministerial charge, provided that that charge be self-sustaining. AO ED MINISTERS' FUND. The Committee on the above made the following recommendations for the establishment of the above fund, which were adopted (1.) That the Synod resolve to institute an Aged and Infirm Ministers’ Fund. (2 ) That each minister of the Church be requested to pay into the fund not less than L2 per annum. ”(ff) That the wealthier mem. bers and friends of the Church be invited to contribute to this fund by donation, legacy, or otherwise, as they may deem best. (4.) That the whole matter be sent down to Presbyteries for their consideration, with instructions that they bring the subject before their sessions and Deacon’s Courts. (5.) That Presbyteries be required to appoint Committees within their bounds for the purpose of obtaining contributions to this fund. (G.) That the following be appointed a Syuoi’* Committee to mature the

scheme and to further the objects of ihe fund, viz The Lev. J. Kyley (Convenor), Dr. Copland, Messrs W. Esther, Jno. Gow, A. Creig, J. 11. and Messrs Millar, Wale*, Rennie, Reith, Smith, and Olendiniug.” TEMPERANCE. The Committee reported that their attention during the past year had been mainly directed to co-operation with the Otago Temperance Alliance in getting petitions signed in favor of the Permissive Bill which was before Parliament. That there was | need for vigorous efforts being put forth in j that direction would appear, when it was j known that public-houses were increasing to I an a'armiog extent. In 1899 their number j was 4U3, while in 1872 they had increased to 571, being an increase of IUB. There were in the Province, including Southland, i2 wholesale licenses, or 1 for every 7*22 persons above 15 .\c rs ; 144 bottle do., or 1 for every *i(>l above 15 ; 5/1 hotel and accommodation houses, or 1 for every 92 above 15 ; 715 lio'el and bottle do, or I for every 74 above 15 ; 787 licenses of all kinds, or 1 for every (>7 above 15 By the returns furnished it was found that 1,077 arrests took place fir drunkenness during the past year, whi’e in 1859 there were 1,091 convictions, showing a d' crease of opo i dnmkennc s. In view of the number of places fur silling intoxicating ' drinks, and prevalence of drunkenness, the c munition urged the Church to bestir itself, and endeavor to create a healthy public opinion on the subject, and seek to help in getting a legislature enactment passed embodying the principles of the Permissive Bill. As an encouragement to greater effort in this direction, the gratifying fact had been stated by the late Premier—“ That never before had so rainy people in the Colony united to petition for any one object.” The committee noticed with pleasure the efforts of the various temperance socie ies, and the Dunedin Licensing B inch’s action iu reducing the number of public-houses in the City ; and concluded their report by suggesting that the Synod should recommend ministers t • preach on the subject during the yea ’, and encourage the establishment of Temperance Societies and Bands of Hope in the districts where they do not exist The report was adopted, and ministers enjoined tojattend to the committee’s lecommondations. PROCEDURE. The following notice of motion was given in by Mr Wa'es I “That, in rule 27, page 9, of the inks of procedure after tin words ‘duly elected' be inserted f r atem of three years, and that an annual election of officebearers take place, o. e third of the elder* and one-third of the deacons to retire annually. In the first election, made under this rule, those who have the lowest number of vot p s to retire first, and that the above be sent down to Presbyteries for their conslderiit ou and to report to next meeting of -Synod.”