ANGLICAN SYNOD.

Evening Star, Issue 4270, 2 November 1876, Page 4

ANGLICAN SYNOD.

The first Besson of the fourth' Synod was opened jresterday by his Hardship the Bishop of the Diocese. In the forenoon service was held, in St. Paul’s, when the Holy Com jnunion was administered; in the evening there was full choial service at All Saints’, and at ita conclusion a collection of over LlO in aid of the Sunday School was made. After the service, the Synod was constituted, the roll of members being read over as follows :

Clergy: The Yen. E. G. L Edwards, M.A., the Revs. W. P. Tanner, M.A., A. Giffotd, J. Jonfu, R. L. Stanford, B. A. i ,G. P. Beaumont, M.A., E. H. Granger, M, A., E. G. Penny, M.A.,, J. Dewe, C. J. Martin, L. Moore,M.A., W. N. Leeson, F. Knowles, C, F. Withey, T, L. Stanley, J. Hobbs, T. E. Ash, B. A.

Laityi; D. Haggitt, H. Hardy, St. Paul’s, Huuedm; J, Macassey, A. Lubecki, All Saints’, Dunedin'; J. Anderson, J. P. Maitland, St, Matthew’s, Dunedin,; W, . Bews, D.Macrorie, St. John’s, Invercargill; E. Quick, S. Ashcroft, St. Luke's, Oamarn ; R..K. Jones, S, Brent, Tokomairiro, &c.; J. Manders, R. T. Wheeler, St. Peter’s, Queenstown; E. Herbert, M. Fraer, Tua peha and Waitahuna; H. Houghton;- R; H. Leary, Riverton ; -W, S. Pillans, Balclutha and InchClutha; W, M, Hodgkins, JNaeby; J. Hazlett, Cromwell ; G. S. Brodrick, St. Peter's, Caversham; F. G. Downes, Port Chalmers; W. Fraser, Dunstau; M. W. Hawkins, Hampden, Htepupo, and Moeraki; C. Reid, St. Mary’s, Palmerston ; H. Orbell, Waikouaiti and- Goodwood; W, Conyers, Campbelltown; G. Cook, Warrington and Waitaki; F Wayne, Arrowtown. The President then read a lengthy address, from which we make the following extracts:— I shall not embody in this address statistical details of the condition of the Diocese, as I purpose presenting to the Synod a special report upon that subject, but I may remark generally that there is now. observable in every part of it a desiie to have all Church business conducted in loyal accordance with • celeaiastical order and synodical regulations. This desire, evidenced by letters of inquiry and iu other ways, is bearing its natural fruit in the mere complete and creditable working of our needful machinery.

Til StnnPliT OF MINISTERS 70S THE people. Pew subjects are of more vital importance, or demand more resolute and careful consideration, than that of how beat to provide for the spiritual oversight of a population which is mnltiplyiugitself around.us witu such astonishing rapidity. I confess thaf : this question lies upon me as a heavy burthen day by day!. ■ We fiee with our accusations of the Chur- hj of the eighteenth century. We charge her with alio win.: the masses to grow up around her uuteuded until they become estranged. We know that the Wesleyan Society owed both its origin and its success to that condition of negl-ct, and, alas, that it eventually became a schism instead of a society, very much because the Church lay groaning forth pitiful and petulant lamentations instead of bracing herself .to her G.d-gi*en task. The increase cf the population then was marvel bus and unprecedented 5 the machinery of the Church was stiff and inelastic from a long pro-existing period of little growth. Bnt what it concerns us to ■ realise is the fact that here, under our novel and difflcult position, we are in danger of repeating the mist&ke we so deeply deplore. No doubt excuses can Da mai«._ When was there any difficulty in making « But tho question is not how can we * xcuso ouTk'elves, but how can we supply the need ? If I am cVttged' with ovei drawing the picture, I will tell you, which I am in a position to affirm, that no further oft than the suburbs of Dunedin (possibly I need not eve.? go so far) there are on every hand families, who brought with them letters from the clergy at Home, or from distant parts of oui own Diocese, testifying to' their being attendants ot tbair church, who are no>? settling down into the habit of going nowhere at ail, or at best attending the ministrations of some other body by a member of which they have been visited. course, such persons are blameworthy No doubt, their duty to Qod, to their own souls, and to their families, ought to prevent their falling into such a state of irreligion; but, unfortunately, men—and not those in one rank of life only—do require putting in mind of these things. The question is really one of increasing our agencies; but it isexactly a. this point that the difficulties crowd upon, us; nevertheless, they must be faced, with a view to - their solution. I will lay before yon the result of much anxious thought upon this difficult subject. ■ The first mode of meeting the case which presents itself to the mind is by the formation of new parishes and the appointment of clergy thereto. Thm, however, is the simplest case, and being already provided for by statutes, I need not enlarge upon it in itself, when the circumstances mark out was as the proper course to pursue. It will easily be seen, however, that there are very valid objec- • “**’ multiplications of parishes, With them separate church and clergyman, particuto i reference to the area of a city or town* Besides other obvious objections, I will menWon two which weigh much with me. let. There is likely to ensue a waste of church rescurces, because it may happen that a new church and parish is started only because an addiJ B , re< J,uired; and this plan is adopted as the most feasible way of obtaining the ueoewary stipend. But, then, in addition to raising the'income of the clergyman, there has to be found ttie money to build the church, and the means w« 6 t,uL tte necessary expenses of a separate S!? 0 ’ 8 ”* 00, £ ®ecoud reason is, That by this p!an we perpetuate the ystom of having clergy worfargm individual isolation, and with to a 111 tarn extent, separate interests, instead of the brotherly association, comfort, and counsel which re 2™ rkul S 111 the same parish may have one with another, and the corresponding advantage Bec . ond case, then, which we have to considens that in which we do not re2StorSl^ ierp^sh ' l Sl do stand in need of more JS* 0 ?? 1 supervision. What can be done ? Grave objections surround the establishment of a fond for paying the stipends of additional bold attempt has been made in several dioceses, and m one within our own Pro▼mce, to supply this preat need, by ordaining to tho piemen who are supporting themS«JS. by + Be ‘i ular c? ceu P atloll - 1 have in former adto t;.e Synod set forth my strong conihe importance of making* some sincere efforts for tho restoration of the order of withinthe tej r ° pei ? r ° l ’? rt i olJß “ d ’unctions SSM? Church; and again I will declare that V.*,? fccisely the nrope work of that office witbnnf re s Dlre - 8 doUM ’’* that office is practically Without exercise amongst us. We have but one P lO n eSe ’ and he is executing the § I TfS ; . in 811 r ® s i ?Qts short of the specially restricted fndotionp. I do riot wonder, gentlemen Jhaww™? 8 w h*re the need is so urgent, and the meeting it so great, bishops have been !s^n« hj V onC l U(h^ that v the life ef the Church is more than her laws, have diai egarded alike and . ancient canon, and ad Ttmced to the deaconship properly qualified persona who were wil ing to do what they could to “fs! charge its duties, even though ensured in secular “ d ° r «"* P a?t.l.wffiVen“o so £ ■a to say that there are certain profession*. Gk)d- ---&;^ eß >. minded “ embe - ot ■"'hlch I think aught, in special cases, be admitted to this order 1 wiU enumerate those of medT cine, teaching, and architec nre; but the meat objection remains that these, while actively .S phiyedintbe pursuit ot their sevoal av could devote only a little time, ajd then whll KtX rg TW°w a v °vf k reqUiHi * ’ im 'h strength and study. That which conn s nearest to a solution of this case w that which, on tl.e general grounds of a supply o clergy for our ChiS-ch, is ZTey important, viz., that a fostering h-nd si* uM be generously extended to onr Tlieolopoal CtdWes It m to this quarter we should look; it is here the help should be given for thus two 'of " difficulties would bo solved together ; w.ll explain my meaning in detail. By the sum.lJht Studentships, young men who have been presented from entering on a course of study for the ministrv from lack of means, would thus be enabled to prepare ft 1 ’ Supposing that in this Diocese we were able to obtain (,ur or five such, my proposition wouW be to give to these a period of uninterrupted 0 ?. 0 “® year s duration; after which time I would admit those who were of canonical age and were otherwise suitable, to the order SfTwon cleiy a ®f V Dune t din^n lr T de T g assistance to the ciergy 01 Dunedin in making house-to-house v;sitaunder the scheme of toe Board of T^ 101 '- Studies, which would iuvo ve a furth^ 60 -^ 08 ! have at least the of everyday atdhposal, and of tp-ur the s u „d„v?. i ,* .T poipetuation of this unar-m. m, the grea' r. ' and daugei to which I am cd ing vonr* Will in so t<f» meuismv ho fii t n> t] ,!• provision is 1.-ng m-d« *-e -u. .hj , 1 T Clergy for.onr Chu • hj. 1 J ’’ t ‘ ,vl - 1 ° ' If the Synod will g|v- it* Kan li, v f ne _ v of operations, tl.e way W jU b“ inT? lna - - ' Btacles to its fulfilmeai, and .he district Tn be benefited by it would bo ; tho mea "®;. ri)e 'ynod might eiih r it* lf i ay d l .w' the conditions under which such 1 ,- V; ' ■anuld be held or leave that qur>tii-)n t*. the Coikv Wlll . add that 1 ' av e in tlie con/s 1 Ot the post year held Ct rifegpundcnce wiih lou at this bfanh ha atndents but I

am vox mm eAnsmui.. In the anbjaot jn»t brought before>on, I have lona little more than reiterate the views aet forth ii former addresses to the Hynod. Such repetition ■p pears to mo to be teodfnl; but the seme thing • nnot be said of .i matter upon which I now desire s«y one or two wnWHT 1 hav«, never jet, in the < urse of my five yearn* episcopate, made any public v Union to the importance of taking steps to comleto tlie ecclesiastical organisation of the Diocese by the addition of n Cathedral. My silence has not proceeded from indifference to this subject. On the contrary, 1 attach a very great importance to it; but I was anxious first to see the Diocese reasonably supplied with churches, and the ministrations of religion. over its whole area. I say reasonably supplied, because to wait until .every want is supplied is to wait for ever; and if lam told that it is quite inexpedient to introduce such a subject how, in face of the fact that the Diocese is in financial difficulties, some parishes and districts having failed to pay the paltry sums at which they were assessed, or because fhe Diocese has failed to make good its promises to us Bishop. I s y that the miserable condition : is very mueh because our Church has not learned to put forth her strength. The wealth of her members —alwavs excepting ci-rfain noble examples—is most inadequately represented, end there are portions o' lie iooeso neither poor nor thinly populated, rom which scarcely anything has yet been contrinutcd_ fo>- purely Diocesan purposes.- I know che difficulties our really earnest'workers have in : heir local exertions; but it is because, as a whole, •ur conceptions are too small, our ideas of the Church and her functions-too restricted, our hoar's fio narrow. Tne Cathedral to the Diocese is the heart to tbe holy, the sender forth of life and vigor to the whole. Also, how much do we not lose having Diocesan centre of daily intercession, no recognised example for the Churches of the land, no hope ■f honorable retirement to leas arduous services •vhen the bodily strength can rightly acquit itself -f parochial toils no more ? The question 1 jroul-1 aak is this: Are we never to have these things ? 1 c-u d write volumes on the close connection-which si eta befween the absence of thosea d other atlvau■uereof the awe-s'riHng emples of the old country, .ud the want of sublime conceptions of the dignity ■ u ’ alory of our religion, too often characteristic of Joloninl youth. Do not suppose, however, tbaiu I am ■xpect iug ti > see Durham or York minster. Lincoln, or Lichfield reproduced in this young country in my imo. Nay, I -carcely expect to see any portion of the Cathedral of the future in actual existence; but ■me thing I am sure it is mine to try to obtain, and ‘ hat is a proper site for such an edifice, a siti, that is, which will not only just afford room for the building, sad so make it a witness of nothing so much aa modern niggardliness, but a site which will of itself be an < nd-'wment, and -provide space for the homes of bishop and clergy, and the Theological College, which ought all to be together. It V H l not Ion:; be possible to obtain so much land as This will need within the limits of required proximity to the city, I think a body ought to be called into existence by the Synod to prosecute the necessary inquiries, and if possible to accomplish t his important work. Ido not regard it as hopeless or ill-timed. The .Rev. E. G. Penny was appointed clerical, and Mr Quick lav secretary. The ■ynod will meet ia future daily in the City Council Chambers, -Saturdays and Sundays ■ xcepted, fr >m 4 to 6 p.m., and then adjourn until 7.3 vi p.m.