CHURCH OF ENGLAND SYNOD.

Evening Star, Issue 3336, 29 October 1873, Page 2

CHURCH OF ENGLAND SYNOD.

The annual session of the Diocesan Synod of the Glu;roh of England was commenced in the ,South’A ustraljaij Hall this afternoon, the Bishop of Dunedin presiding. The customary proceeding of reading the returns of Synodsmsn having been concluded, His LoKD.smr read the following opening address : lAbyktuvso Bmvvimr.s - \XI) DEAR BRETHREN ok the L.urv,Addressing, as 1 do, an assembly which represents a definite section, however small, of Christ's Holy Catholic Church, it appears to nui to be desirable in the first instance to remind ourselves of our connection with that Church in whatsoever part of the world she be found struggling to perform her appointed task. It is a comfort thus to raise our eyes from time to time from our own individual trials and necessities. Witnessing the difficulties of others, w.e grow stronger by the exhibition of their faithhdjp'ss amid dangers greater than ours ; or if tokens of prosperity and subjects of hope meet our view, wb me encouraged in our belief that, though still it is her hit to be militant, the Captain of the Lord’s host has not forgotten ]jis promise to be present to the end ; and thus, delivered from the feebleness of isolation, we renew our strength. The Church in Ireland has been enduring snob High .Suddenly deprived of an arm upon which she hqd Joapned to lean, suddenly invested with powers she had not been trained to use, what wonder that there was at first an onrush of impetuous ones, each with his individual crotchet to ventilate, or theory to force, if possible, into acceptance. There was a danger of the introduction of such changes in her constitution and teaching, as would have rendered the title of united Church of England and Ireland as inapplicable to the question of internal harmony between the two, as it has become to that of their outward relation. I am thankful to be able to add that the danger seems, to some extent, to be passing away. Large numbers, not of the clergy only but of the laity also, are memorialising the governing body of that I rish Church, earnestly deprecating any alterations which might endanger their Catholicity, or tend to interrupt the concord which J.oiild exist between the brandies of the Anglican eomnpniioii everywhere. We ought to pray that these wjser counsels may prevail ; not only on general grounds. but because even we are not too far off to he a’lfeeled hy their action. Bt. Raul lias taught us that “if m*', member suffer all the members suffers with it, amj there are manv ways in which false steps on Midr i,art would be felt immediately by ns. 1 may add too, s,iuce I speak to those who lia\e a voice in Church legislation, that the anxiety u ilh which the progress of events in the I ri-li ( 'hurdi is everywheie regarded, should teach us in New Zealand, who occupy' a similar position and Imre like responsibilities, how very important itisforus to pray fora sound mindand seller spirit,and. to emloavor to bring, not zeal alone,but discretion ami knowledge tobenrnponouraction. A. groat tidal or cataclysmic wave, as it approaches the shore, first draws back the waters from the laud with motion scarcely perceptible upon the surface of the ocean ; but then, with concentrated energy, the mighty mass sweeps on and bursts in scorn the ordinary' limits of its sway. And thus I think that great recoil, so lately exhibited in the Vatican decrees, which was mu'-.- than the natural reaction from modern error for it was also a voluntary' withdrawal from modern light and truth, the opposite extreme meeting in the same sin of selfsufficiency —will issue in the gathering of the waters, i.r.. the people’s deep, in whose consciences still dwells ineradicable truth, protesting alike against human infallibility, whether claimed by many materialistic philosophers, or one privileged individual ; and that thus a force will he generated, which will rise and throw itself beyond the thraldom of the past. But order must ho restored again. The earthquake may in; needful, hut it should be exceptional. Germany is still in its throes, and seeking now alike with wisdom and with energy to combine liberty' with truth. The organisation of the hotly' which bids fair to become the Olmreh of Germany is rapidly approaching completion. Congregations are formed in all the larger cities, presided over by priests Catholic but not papal ; in some cases whole provinces, as Bavaria ami Silicia, seem prepared to assume the designation of Old Catholic, in signification of their desire to he conformed more closely to thf i hj imil ive ('lnin hj. Who ami highly-gil'tod pi oiessiin Mm chief unuer.iilies Ale pointing out to the youth of Germany the pathway gt

Reformation as opposed to Revolution; and one Kuril professor, the learned, modest, and pious Rcinkcns, Ins been consecrated to the Episcopate that the constitution of the body may be complete and its orders perpetuated. 'Hie third annual congress of Old ('atholics was to be held on tile 14th of September last in the City of Constance- Constance, the city in which about 400 years ago a meeting was held, in which John Husk, and Jerome, and the bones of our Wicliffe were ordered to be burned. History repeats itself, say the philosophers ; “ Cod will avenge the death of his Saints,” saith Holy Scripture; the blood of martyrs is the seed of the Church, is the observation of experience. There, met hut yesterday, the Reformers of the ninchcnth century to consolidate and advance their work.

I am tempted to indicate another example of the justification of the ways of Coil to man. Reinkons has been consecrated by the Dutch Bishop of Deventer. The Church of Holland lias been persecuted and excommunicated time after time for 150 years, for refusing to acknowledge the usurpations of the Papacy, and for her independent action. She is now at hand to confer the orders she lias preserved upon her, perhaps, more important neighbors, I will conclude my observations upon the Church at large by reminding the members of our branch of it that it is our duty to supplicate the God of Nations that the political relations upon which wc enter, may he made conducive to the s] tread of truth, and unity by the truth. I say this in special reference to the approaching marriage of one of our Princes with a Princess of the House of Russia. This will at least afford another strand to the many which have of late strengthened the cord which exists between the Eastern Church and omselves. 1 know that many devout Christians among ns shrink from all such communication as a thing to be avoided ; but I know too that the Rnsso-Grcck Church is making rapid advances in tho knowledge of Holy Scripture, by the direct agency of her priests, who encourage the study of the Scriptures and promote their circulation. I know, ton, that the Russians are a devout nation; and we might well learn from them not to lie so much ashamed of our religion. A traveller has said that one scarcely understands what religion is until lie has scon how in Russia it is interwoven with the daily duties of the private person, the family, and the State. An American bishop, writing of this Church after a lengthened sojourn amongst its members, says : —“lt is a glorious Church ; almost as distinct from the Roman Catholic, to the eye of the close observer, as a corpse from a living body ; certainly as distinct as the being lying upon a sick bed, emaciated with a constitutional disease, is from the man rejoicing in his health and strength. That Eastern Church —that llussoGrcck national communion,” ho goes on to say, “ is one of the most important subjects for onr reading ami thought presented to ns in this ago, and out of it are to come, I believe, amazing advances ultimately for the Church of God in Catholic unity, ami in direct restored intercommunion.”

Having ventured thus far to direct your thoughts to the events which seem to be the voice of the Spirit to the Churches in onr day - a course which I do not apologise for, because Holy Scripture ever instructs us to study the signs of the times —I now desire to set before Von some account of our little corner of the vast vineyard, and to indicate what appear to me to be some of the necessities for its cultivation. STANDING COMMITTEE, The report of the Standing Committee will supply information upon the many points of detail which have occupied the attention of that body since Hie last meeting of the Synod. [ would especially call your attention to the suggestion offered as a means of raising a fund for defraying the general expenses of the Church a matter demanding your immediate attention. You will also doubtless discuss the merits of the proposal relative to the future appropriation of a moiety of the amount available for the Clergy Maintenance Fund, to the purposes of a Diocesan Pension Fund. The subject is important, and 1 bog to refer you not only to the scheme put forth hy the Diocese of Wellington, but to that suggested by a Committee appointed at the last meeting of the General Synod. (Rage 195, General Synod Report, 1871.) THE VISITATION OF THU DIOCESE, however, brings the Bishop more into contact with the spiritual needs thereof, and the efforts made }n the several parishes and districts to meet those needs. Since the last Synod, the Bishop has visited almost every parish and ptu-ocVntvL district of the diocese, and has travelled in the performance of that work 1,433 miles, without counting the smaller trips within a short distance of Dunedin. _ Eight continuations were held, by means of which 151 persons (seventy-one males and eighty females) were admitted into full communion.' Of these, several were half-caste Maoris, and two were half-Chinese in blood. All nations shall stand before Him ! In the course of the year four clergymen have been instituted to parishes, special services having been held by the Bishop for the purpose, viz.: — The Rev. Mr Stanford, to All Saints ~ Mr Coffey, to Tokomairiro ~ Mr Jones, to Clyde ~ Mr Smith, to Queenstown. In the course of the visitation, several public meetings were held to welcome the Bishop, and in the "case of parishes, the Bishop mot the churchwardens and vestries, inspected the condition of the church fabrics, and received statenp.mts of the parochial accounts. In the cases of Tokomairiro amf Qucejjstqwn, important conversations were hold relative to subjects reported on by the Standing Committee. Special services were held for the purpose of licensing the following gentlemen as lay readers : Mr C. (1. Sproull, to Ryall Bush. Invercargill Mr John Gilford, to the district of Enfield, Oamaru Mr Jas. Ashcroft and Mr S. Fillenl, to the districts of Papakaio and Kakauni, Oamaru. The Bistiop has been gratified to learn from private letters that in some districts renewed interest has been awakened in Church matters, he trusts promoted hy these arrangements. ORDINATIONS. On Sunday, March 9, and <m St. Peter’s Day, June 3!>, Ordinations were held in the Cathedral Chinch. On the former occasion, John Dewe, and on the latter, Wilfred Ncvill Leeson and < harles Frederick Withey wore admitted to the holy order of deacons. CONSECRATIONS. The new churches of St. Mary, Palmerston, and .St. Barnabas, Warrington, weir consecrated on the 371b of May and 11th of Juno respectively; the churchyard of the latter, also, at the same time as a phipe of burial. The Church of England portion of the north-east cemetery, and the churchyard at Ryall Bush have in like manner been solemnly set apart for the reception of the dead. Another step in the organisation 01. the diocese has been made by the appointment of the Rev. E. G. Edwards, curate of St. hull's, to lie archdeacon of Dunedin; and i Ithough the office is at present a purely honorary' one, and the duties rather thoseof general assistance to the Bishop than such as arc (specifically attached to the office of Archdeacon, yet the time is not far distant when it will be needful for the Bishop to delegate such work as the visitation of vestries and the periodical inspection of Church properties to such officers, and then tile additional appointments must be made and boundaries of their respective districts defined. 1 submit to this Synod the question of the desirability of the immediate erection of the late Province of Southland into an Archdeaconry or Rural Deanery Board, in accordance with the provisions of Stat. 111., General Synod. I may state that the subject was brought before me on the occasion of my last visit to Invercargill, by the vestry of that parish, and the grounds upon which it was based, viz., the distance from Dunedin, both actual and sentimental, are not without weight. A greater interest in the development of the Church would probably be generated by periodical meetings of representatives of the locality, of course in due subordination to the diocesan authorities. The Rev. Edward Williams, late of the diocese of Loudon, was scut out by my commissary in England, and arrived in this diocese in August last. He presented the usual papers, and bore a private note of commendation from the Bishop of London to myself. He lias accepted the charge of Nasehy and the surrounding district, including the townships of J laniilfons, (I ills Cieek, ami Bt, Bathan's. Accompanying Mr Williams to this sphere, I was able to make auangements by which a stipend

of L3OO per annum and the use Of a hoi'se has liocii pledged, and the district is to pay the rent of a house until a parsonage can he built. The enterprise manifested by this district is worthy of all praise, and, I may add, of any help it may be in the power of churchmen to render. The district is not just now very prosperous, and it has just raised a considerable sum towards the erection of a < 'lmrch. A list of the gentlemen who are kindly acting as lay readers, and have been duly licensed to their honorable office, is laid upon the table. In addition to those I have already mentioned, Captain Pitt, Colonel H. Eutherford, and Mr Warden Eobinson have been licensed during the year, and are doing excellent service at Warrington, Anderson's Bay and Xaseby respectively. , I a’so lay upon the table a list of places at which Divine services are now conducted in connection • with our ('lmrch, and I may here state that the increase in the number of the clergy which, inclusive of the Bishop, has been six since this time last year, and the addition to the body of lay readers have resulted in the establishment of additional services every Sunday conducted by elergmen ami lay readers-to say nothing of special services, the conduct of Sunday schools, and parochial work. The districts which, in my judgment, ought to have clergymen sent to them, so soon as suitable ones can be obtained, arc the following, and in some of these preliminary measures have been taken :

Balclutha, including Kaitangata, Molyneux, and Popotunoa. —In this district subscriptions have been promised towards the stipend of a clergyman to the amount of about LISO per annum.

The East Coast District, including the rising townships of Hampden, Otepnpo and Kakanua. —Hites for churches and parsonages have been secured for each of these places; for the two former by the energy of the Eev. the Curate of Oamarn, and for the latter by the kindness of Mr Fenwick, who has given land for the purpose. The English and Native residents in Moeraki would also be visited by the clergyman occupying this charge. The Waitaki plain, to include the Maerewhenua goldfield.—The Mon. Robert Campbell has generously offered IB OO per annum and the use of a house as his contribution towards the maintenance of a clergyman in this district, the needs of which are increasing. The severance of the two districts last mentioned from the charge of the curate of Oaiuaru is a measure which the importance of his parish proper, with its increasing suburban population, loudly demand, and I shall rely upon the parishioners of the Eev. Mr Gifford to make up to the churchwardens and vestry the pecuniary loss which would ensue from the diversion of subscriptions from those districts when the contemplated separation takes place. Eyall Bush and Winton.—Another clergyman is much needed in this neighborhood ; but I have ns yet no information as to tho means available for his support. Caversham, Green Island, and Saddle Hill. — The district of Morniagton having been included in the newly-formed parish for the south part of Dunedin, it will he impossible for the clergyman placed in charge of that parish to undertake regular services outside of it, at all events so soon as the church, now in course of ereorion in Stafford street, is ready for Divine service. Caversham, therefore, being without a clergyman, may either be connected with the districts I have here suggested, or, for the purpose of supporting a clergyman, be attached. The Peninsula.—lt will be known to many that Mr \V. J. M. Laruach, has kindly given a section in the township of Portohcllo as a site for a church, and that a considerable sum has been raised by Mr Laruach for building the same. I believe good friends of the Church in Anderson's Bay are prepared, when the proper time conics, to make similar efforts there. The great difficulty is that of the permanent maintenance of a clergymen, and this district (as do all others) illustrates the need of a central fund from which grants in aid could he given, or, better still, tho provision of at least some amount of local endowment before a clergyman is licensed to a charge.

I propose to return to the subject of endowments, but ere doing so would complete my list of districts for which clergy are required by saying that there are two such, which from the scattered condition of the inhabitants, at least of those who belong to our Church, are of a more distinctively missionary character. I refer to the Western district, bordering on To Anau and Mauipori Lakes, and to the Taieri Valley, not far from this place. With refer ence to the latter, I may record that a gift of land has boon made liy Mr Win. Palmer of Otakiaas a site for a church, and that in a walk from that place to the Taieri Ferry I found no less than thirty-five resident adult church people, who in most cases have families. A cognate question, and one which should receive an early solution, js that of the appointment of assistant curates in town parishes. It is evident such will be required. It is evident that the English conditions do not altogether apply. It will be needful to decide with whom is to rest the authority in the matter of the choice and dismissal of such clergy, the relation which they are to bear to the incumbent of the parish, and hardest of all, who is to be held responsible for the stipend? Though it may be well for us Jo make provisional arrangements, I am of opinion that this is a question more within the scope of the (general Synod than that of a diocese. This subject, as many others, would bo far more easily arranged if tlic payment of the incuinbenis of parishes was derived from'endowments. Without, however, discussing in general the advantages of this 'system, I woujd merely ob : serve that in country districts it seems difficult to see how clergy are to be permanently maintained without at least a small endowment. Not only in such districts are the subscribers few, but their condition liable to much fluctuation, and the subscriptions are correspondingly precarious. I have two practical suggestions to make : First, that the local trustees of Church property should regard themselves as a permanent committee, for the purpose of obtaining endowments for their own district. The existence of such bodies, where known, might lead to more gifts and bequests to the Church. Again, such a body would meet from time to time, with favorable opportunities for the acquirement of properties, in which case they should solicit subscriptions to enable them to accomplish the purpose. The other suggestion I put forth as modestly as possible, yet submit to the earnest consideration of all whom it may concern. It is that those to whom “God has given power to get wealth,’’ and who, when it is obtained, go Homo to enjoy it, should “leave a blessing behind,” which would not only serve to keep their names in pleasant remembrance, but prove that gvatitutc is not always what cynics say it is : the expectations of favors to come ; better still, it would show a desire to provide for others privileges which they"may not have enjoyed for themselves. Another subject upon wlijch this Synod may ho very profitably engaged is that of ’providing for the EXAMINATION OK SCHOOLS IN RELIGIOUS KNOWLEDGE. I do not limit the scope of this question to Sunday schools, although its more immediate application would be to them. 1 should suggest the appointment of a committee to take this subject into consideration. 'The requirements of the case appear to me to be twofold : (I) The methodising of the instruction to be given ; and (“) a subsequent testing of the value ot the teaching. It may be worth while for the Synod to discuss our relation to the day schools of the Province. THE THEOLOGICAL COLLEGE. 1 made an effort during the past year to form a council for the management of this institution, by seeking to obtain members of this body from each of the principal divisions of the docesc. 1 hoped thus to obtain local referees, and to promote the object of the college by the spread of information respecting it. For various reasons this effort was not successful. I have handed over the sum which .1 raised when in .England towards the endowment of this college to the diocesan trustees for investment. The Kev. Mr Penny, as Principal, has given instruction during six months of the year to three theological students, two of whom having already been students'in well-known colleges at Home, have now been ordained. I have been in correspondence with six young men during the past year, who were anxious to become students. 'The want of the necessary means lias precluded some of these from proceeding further in the matter, and I have been loss disputed to make any endeavor to obtain students on account of uncertainties in relation to I

Bishop’s court. In candour, however, I must add that I have no expectation of seeing many candidates present themselves for some time, the avenues which promise to lead to wordly success prove too great a temptation, not only to young men themselves, but I fear at least as much to their parents. I must earnestly commend this subject to your attention, all ye to whom my words may come. The principle under the Mosaic Dispensation was the dedication of the first-born to the service of (Tod. Dan it bo right under the Christian to dedicate every member of “ that heritage of gift that cometh of the Lord” to the service of the world, or at least to mere worldly advancement. I should be very glad if this Synod would take into consideration the subject of the general education of framing of candidates for holy orders, with the view to the establishment of some plan by which fitting young men may be encouraged to pursue their studies for this purpose in general subjects in some university, and afterwards in the special subjects of theology. My dear brethren, both clerical and lay, I must not close this address without expressing to you my sense of that which the experience of the past year has shown me more than ever is tho greatest of all our needs in this Diocese ; I mean grace to cultivate more of the spirit of loyal attachment to tho Church as one body of which we, individuals or parishes, arc but members. In some cases political communities will find their way into religious arrangements ; in others anything of a diocesan character is repudiated, became of something which occurred in the past. I could but too fully illustrate this intense individualism which prevails. Wo must cmacipate ourselves from such littlenesses. Scarcely an enterprise of mine during the year past, but has been sorely hindered by this state of things ; this rope of sand will never make a cord of unity. One spirit must pervade the one body—the blessed spirit of the one Cod whose name is Love. In this spirit may wo meet and speak and act together; and this meeting ended may wo take back a double portion of this spirit to our homes.