Anglican Church Synod.

Gisborne Times, Volume V, Issue 25, 30 January 1901, Page 1

Anglican Church Synod.

ADDRESS BY THE PRIMATE.

[By Telegraph—Press Association.] * Napier, last night. The fifteenth General Synod of the Anglican Church of New Zealand opened to-day. The Primate, Bishop Cowic, referred to the fact that October 17th of this year would be the sixtieth anniversary of the completion of church organisation in the colony by Bishop Selwyn, adding: “ For many .years before his arrival evangelists of the Church Missionary Society had been preaching the gospel to the Maoris of this Island since the Rev. Samuel Marsden from Sydney in December, 1814, landed at Whangaroa. The reputed savage character of the natives had for two years prevented him from obtaining a vessel at Sydney to convey him to the Bay of Islands, as Augustine in a.d. 597 was for a time hindered by the fears of his companions from crossing the Channel to the coast of Kent. In 1842 Bishop , Solwyn first visited the settlement of Ahurin, where Napier now stands, and on November 16th of that year he records in his journal: I Wo procured one tent, in which the first Chief Justice (Sir William Martin), the first Bishop and,,.the first Archdeacon (afterwards first. Bishop of Waiapu) of New Zealand afid Mr Dudley passed the night in their blankets. ■“ The growth of N apier since those days in matters secular and educational is a sample of the general advance that has been made in the same throughout the islands.”

An eloquent tribute was paid to the late Queen, and the work of the late Archdeacon Clarke among the Maoris was appreciatively spoken of. The Primate, continuing, advocated limited religious teaching in the State schools the want of which ho ascribed to the want of union and jealousy between, the churches, an example of which lie expressed astonishment at the recent utterances -of Archbishop Redwood at Sydney. Referring to the death of the missionaries in China he expressed the opinion that unmarried ladies should not be sent out to convert the heathen outside British dominions. He pointed out that there was ample field for their energies in raising Maori women in New Zealand. He eulogised the work in this direction done at Hukarere native schools in Napier, and hoped to see similar establishments in Auckland. The war in South Africa he deplored, but considered it necessary if tho Empire was to fulfil its mission of truth, justice, and liberty. _