THE PRESBYTERIAN SYNOD.

Evening Star, Issue 3401, 15 January 1874, Page 2

THE PRESBYTERIAN SYNOD.

Wednesday, January 14. The annual session the Prerßyteriah'Synod of Otago and Southland was opened in the new First Church last evening, Thbre, was V large attendance of • taembers and .of 'the general public. After a sermon by the retiring, Mode, rator (the Rev. W. Bannermau), wlio ,preached from St. John, c. 17, v< 6, 18, and 22, the roil was called as follows :—. ' - Ministers: Presbytery of Dunedin—-Revs! W-. Wi11,... East Taieri; W. ‘Johnston, Port Chalmers, D. M. Stuart, D.D., Knox Church, Dunedin; J. H. M.‘Naughton, Anderson’s Bay; M.' Watt, 'Green Island; WV Gillies, West Taieri; A. Gfeig, N.E. Harbor ; J. Copland, M.D., North Dunedin; John Gow, St. Andcew’s,Church, Dmiedin; A.. Blake, Kaikorai. Presbytery of Olutha—R,e vs.’ W. ■ Bannbrman, Clucha,; J, HI. Allan* Inch Olutha; •I. Watefs; Warepa';' R. Telferd,’Teviot ; C. Connor, Popotuuoa; J. Chisholm; :: Tok6'niairiro; A. Brett; Tapanui; J. M*Ara, Balclutha; J. H. Cameron, Lawrence. Pres;* bytery of Southland—Revs.” A H. iStobo, Invercargill ; T. Alexander, Long. Bush; A, Stevens, Wallacptown ; R. C, Morrispp/Switzer’s; -D. Ross, Queenstown Riverton; J, M. Thomson,*Winton. Presbytery of Oamarui-Revs/A. R, Todd, Oamaru; J, Ryley, Otepppo ; J. Christie, Waiko.uaiti; J. Clark, Palmetston-; ‘J. : M‘OoSh iiiuith, Naseby; J. Baird,’Paliherston. : M .1. Elders : Presbytery of Duhedih— Messrs Chiirles Moore, . .First Church; J; Christie, East Taieri!; • W. ! Scott, Port Chalmers ; A. Rennie, Knox Church,, Dunedin ;; J. Samuel, Anderson’s Bay ; .J. Runciman, Green Island A. Chisholm, Avesf.Taieri;. W. Allah,' N.E. Harbor : W. Hutton, North Duhedm; J.. Paterson, St. Andrew’s, Dunedin. Presbytery of Olutha—Messrs.'J., Paterson, Clutha; J. T. Ritchie, Balclutha; 1 J. Shaw, Inch Olutha; D. Dunn, Waitahuna; W. Reid, Tokomairiro; J. Poison, Warcpa; J; Stenhouse, Lawrence-; J. P. Miller, Popotunoa. Presbytery of Oamaru—Messrs D. Malloch, Waikouaiti; J. Duricau, Otepupo; E. B. Cargill, Naseby ; J. Falconer, Oamaru ; J Captain’ Vv. Thomson, Hampden., Presbytery of. Soiithlknd—Mr 1 Jas. Smith, Invercargill.; 1 The Rev. James M'Naughton (Anderson’s Bay), the new Moderator, then took his seat and.addressed the Synod. He referred in congratulatory terms to the progress,of the Church since he' had been connected’ with it*. ; It was now a little more than eleven years since he first arrived in this Province.* There *waS ; then bqt pne Presbytery, and no Synod in existence —there were, pew. four Presbyteries and a Synod. Then they had but ten ministers, now they had between thirty andTorty. The Ford had indeed done great things for them, and had they not great cause to thank God for the past, : and take courage for the future? Bufthey should not rest satisfied with their present position. The harvest was great and increasing every year, and the laborers were still few. They ought, therefore, to pray the Lord of the harvest to thrust forth' Looters into his vineyard. He would ask them ; Had they as ministers and people done as much as they could have done to extend: the boundaries of the Lord’s kingdom in this land? Had they. ,used the means within their power to the' utmost? And 'were there no other means that they might have used,' so that none within their boundaries be iguottwlV of thb*'only means given to mer> whereby they could be saved? Wore they not, As ministers. in great danger of* seeking popularity, at the ox* pense of faithfulness, speaking smooth things to their people instead of declaring the holy counsel of God ? laying the • flattering unction to the souls of their hearers, instead of crying aloud and sparing not? Did they not greatly need a revival? During the previous year two of their ministers had visited a number of the outlying districts. This appeared to him to be a step in the right dixeotion, and he hoped it would be continued. ■ i It must be exceedingly refreshing to those ministers settled dt a distauce'from the metropolis to receive a visit*from some of their brethren, and it must at the same time be very gratifying , to many of the people 69 situated,/fcpat' they splctym face of a

altogether another’'Mar all their m|Ußters. Nowttthat were be--80 soon accompfished ; and he /was, sure' that such changes be very fienefifclal both to ministers and ™ , ere Wftivpne dther mentis of grace which they had not ,yet used. ,at least to any ex - teat, or indeed at a Gjtauich. He referred to colportage. > He h’ad/hehh'.for a long time deeply impressed with,. of this woric. He had ao/doubt tbey iiad many men m the Church of ordinary education, great zeal, ana common sense, who'' would gladly offer themselves for this work if any encouragement were held out to them. But while they mourned over their shortcomings as ministers, had not their people shortcomings to mourn -over also ? Were tney doingas'muciras'Jffiey could do by prayer, by personal .effort And by giving of their substance .to were meetings for prayers! so common in thpir natiye lapd ?, and ,hpw„difficvdt.iJLwaa ■ , e^^ n r^-I v ißtog teacherj for their Sab‘bath SchooisV * It was a for the members of the Church to think that it was only mmistfers and offibe-bedrbrS %h6l w6Ml|is be actively in,iserving ithedLond, He had.., great(if<*ith in, ;their - people, provided Ti ere in theirduty.aud privilege ofgiymg aathe.Lprd had prospered,them, to Lqfd s TreasOTy:- / He. fbeir wilimriijwk to /contribute foil agood objedt, vm itopbHyrtihlr before t¥m: somd'to^WhotU 5 ’ Gftd' had r “giW wealtb/’atid p tb iwhbm he' had ’alfb r giVeft ,;i tß'e i grace- of liberality.;: Ihiwas to «bk : them for a subscription towards any good object,’ theygaye So’ willingly,' toPheeVfully, and so generously—m-short.-they-seemed'to-belieyp: the truth of wur Lord?8 r “it is more blessed to give thaii’ to' rCcei've'.” But ' there were whor seemed tot act as, if- it were the great duty ; of-life.toget nch-t(|iay . I? ? ~? r themselves’ Instead orlaying up for tne or <h He .knew, he was - touching on dpljcate ground When lie -referred' to t u ~; // ufc . wa ? not speaking for himself, but for all the ministers'of tfieir'>t3h l tlmm'tonly,. but ’ alsb.fdr thdt itfterests ofithi Church a t large.-Was ifcmOtarfaCtthat plerks la banks and merchants’ offices,, in Dunedin, had, larger’salaries than the’ 'majority of - the • I? that state of things continued, pot only, have p diSasttUukinflfithhe ra the preterit Ministry ofithe but would 10 *' Mto prevedt young meft pf .mromise°firom offering thems6lAf.es to thd-Lerd’seervice in|the 'T ,; the 'ministry ?' ' It’ -kaS a fact, that should be' made kn6wn J 1 tW“length : and breadth of the ' OhutohV that while the ann uai mvidend in * the. JVee, Obnr^-^-.Boot-,an”. had. been; rising for the lagl,"years, until it had reached Ll5O, and was likely to soon rench L2OO, in this Qhurch the, animal divioend had r been 3 dedreaslng instead, of A ih* • riches/ ; but theydid ask, and they had a right. Ib ask their people to enable them at leosVtb keep out - iff x -fhey who prdach the gospel have-a jsfoM- pThdto^we^e/hiaiisS in the ministry to whom great’inju'siate 1 waa done. -A-nxioua, cares, and sometimes pmchihg poverty/distiact -the minds ’ of those who Ihaye, detfotod., themselves to the service pf the Ghurch—to the-great hindrance of their work. They do not jseek the recompeuse. of <their., labor there —their '^ewanitis. pit high -but they , have a; right .to expect that topstgvh© receive spiritual food iafe their hands i should set‘.them above , the ; hydships ,of *pov ’ e l i ; t y* ; The, Province was., at present enjoying ?. prpspdcity; pow was ’the timtii therefore, to !make’ahotuer Attempt t(? i raise this great ’fuhd’to"'wUaf'it Should' r he? After some further remarks, the Modefeldr said he had to apOlbgise for the brevity of his address. . - Him his’ health been in its usual state he iutended -to- haye made his -address adittle longer, and to have other subjects, ; such as the education questign, and misstohsl 1 2?* conclude, by again; thanking the . bynod for. the honor • they had cohfefrro upon,him.’ ” v Dr. Ca.rn.6ron, of St; Kilda, the reptbsentalive of the Presbyterian Church in Victoria*;' the Bevds, J. HiU, and MlKinnonjA-ilteputies. n-om the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Hew Zealand; and the’ Rev. John xaton, ; New Hebrides.Missionary, were introduced and associated. , , /•;.* :. Thubsday,;.Januaet 16.V, MB. LOOAN’s case//',./ ~v \ i Tk®, Cmbk (the Rev. W. Bannerman) stdd’he' had received an application from a person <wKb had-to appear before the bar of the that he should be heard' by counsel! 1 kit such d Ifito®ee(b°B’ would be contraiy to the .practice of. Church, he.supposed We 'would' 'bbi instructod to reply to that effect. : ” T ;It was resolved to infoiin the 1 applicant thUtf his request could not. be complied with;b" i ; VOTES OF THANKS Wore awarded to the Rey, W. Bannerman his excellent sermon,' and tOithe Moderatoif tor admirable address., ’ ’ / ; . ( ’ • ’ ; .ANNUAL JtEETiNS. - , V/ /// , The Rev,,; Dr. BTqAßT.'nioved—^“Tliat"‘the arrangements for the Annual Missionary Meet/ iw g A° f tle S y noibo “ future confideOb the' , d oo ” t w/ !t was resolved to'/substitute “publicfor missionary '“.modordtors.of Presbyteries?’ were put; and; the. Convener of 'ftlle * Missionary, Committee .appointed Gonvener . ofl ‘ the Synod s annual meeting. / • , . . MANSE GRANTS. • Apphcalidris for seoohd manse ' grants were made as follows ;—lnoh> Clutha, L 200; andra and Clyde,,LlßsTapamii,.iL2oo.-, Afte6 considerable discussion, it was resolved ,to grant the application of Inch Clutha, and LIOO to Alexandra ano -Tapanui this year: remainder; when funds; will, permit. ■ S Vit 1 TILEOTION- OP 1 OFFICE-BEARERS.; \ ' r/'V Returns to the overture, auentrthe election of office-bearers,. extending the, tertti ,tb years, Wfere' read. >J ‘ All" the PresbyteriesMls- | approved of the overture, th’e : 'Pfesbyt6fy ''of Sputhland: returning that it -was .‘hvorthy/of the,utmost'reprobation,” The overturo v % ;fallen vom. , v ., //,- ~' , , ADMINISTRATION OP BAPTISM. Returns tp the Synod's overture on 1 baptisai ’Were read. ’As all the Presbyteries disapproved it, the overture was abanddhed. -■ i [ i_ i: EMPLOYMENT OF BTUIIENTB, &{?,;. V ? rlletumsto datura. ;6tt theeinployment of Students and evangelists were read.' The Presbytery of Cluiha disapproved of theoverture m embodying a scheme not demanded by the rebuirements of the Church ; Oatnaru approved of it; and the Presbyteries of Dunedm , and Invercargiß approved of it .generally, ,huli it was held that their retu/ri 'were 1 tantamdhiil to disapproval/ afe 1 the iiil6 bf the Church is mt the overture must be Adcented or rej6bted stmphciter. Discussion on the relbms^M'postponed." ■ ... . Dunedin Presbytery s sitting bn September iL W. C. Johnson, a student of divinity Sbm‘ the Free OhurcK-bf Scotland,- bad Teoei»efl hy.the. Presbytery-as a student;of tbo eoiwad year ; and that on December 3 Mr.David Dome, a student of the Otago tlniverkity. was admitted as a student;of the first' yekr. ITIiS , Beyl i Mr Chisholm reported, that Mr on his third year. i W^ re ff» r BorrieVadmission, t¥e iM. . W. Bannerman inquired if any theoiogicalbx amination of the student had ' bbbh m«le ami -was replied to in the negative.' T In tße dlsfuftl sion that ensued, the Rev. Dr SxDAhT i the opinion, that a diplopia .of f gwluatiiS! should be accepted without examinariomS a course would be some inducement s tb studerila opimou'that a theolbgical examination should be insisted on. Ultimately thb foUowwS?KlThil aS n ed J': ,Tbat ifc ' be feffied Si p to : consider 'andiS poit at the next meetmg of Synod as to^ ex . am Imatloll 1 matloll jor admission to the theocurriculum,.and as tp examination -nrs--paratory to rebemng hcence.” PoWrw,riven to the .CluthaW s bytW ; l^ 8 ® Stevens on trial for licenaePn coSnSlthe prescribed curriculum. :