THE DIOCESAN SYNOD.

Evening Star, Issue 4271, 3 November 1876, Page 1

THE DIOCESAN SYNOD.

The following was the principal businstt i done at yesterday's sitting : i The Standing Conunittee reported, araohra other things, sanctioning the division of tSSL . to IJalclutha, into two equal grants oTT2SF each to Balclutha and Clinton-, and thifc th« grant of LSO had been, renewed to sham on the understanding tnat it might be diminished er withdrawn next- fHup that Mr G. Cook was appointed t>V the Bishop to be Chancellor, vice Mr James Smith resigned. Mr Brent was elncted member of Standing Committee in place of Mr H. J. Gibbs resigned. Archdeacon Edwards, the Kev. Mr Stan2 fora, and Messrs Cook and Howorth were appointed diocesan nominators. On the motion of Archdeacon Edwards, it was resolved to recommend to the oonsi-' deration of the .next general Synod the introduction of the lay element into the Final Court of Appeal, said Court to be put on ft definite basis. . , •

| Mr Hougrtoit asked his Lordship for an explanation of the fblowing passage infhfs opening address to the Synod : "Wither!--gard to the supply ©f ministers for Jiha people, he confessed that the question' fry upon him as a heavy .burthen day by day, and he regretted to say there were on every hand families who' had brought with them » letters from the clergy at Home, or from distant parts of the diocese,' testifying to their being attendants attheir churches, but who are now settling down into the-habit fit going nowhere at all, or, at best, attending the ministrations of some other bpdyi byTa member of which they have been His Lordship, in reply, said: My ; meaning is that people either give up going to any place of worship "at all, or else are lost to our church by being, led away by othte persons to attend the services and meetings with which those persona are concerned. After considerable discussion, thi following motion, by Archdeacon' Edwaiids. was carried:—"That if the 'Alteration of Formularies Bill' be adopted by the General Synod, it is the opinion of this Syqod that it would be most unwise to make any alteration in the fundamental provisions of the Church, but that the General Synod should confine itself to making such formal amendments as may be necessary fromthealtered circumstances of the Church in the Colony."