THE GENERAL SYNOD.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 1916, 15 April 1880, Page 3

THE GENERAL SYNOD.

The triennial meeting d the General Synod of the Church of New Zealand was formally ope’ed on Wednesday, at half-past four o’clock. Owing to the delay in tho arrival of tho Rotomahana, by which steamer a number of representatives come to Christchurch, the attendance at the opening of Synod was small. Tho Most Rev. the Primate occupied the chair.

The names of those present having been called over,

His Lordship declared the Synod duly constituted for tho despatch of business. After prayers,

Tho Most Rev. the Primate delivered the usual opening address, which he began by an allusion to tho appointment of the Right Rev. John Richaruson Selwyn (in Nelson, 1877) to the Bishopric of the Melanesian Mission ; and that of the Right Rev. Edward Oraig Stuart to the Bishopric of Waiapu, vice tho Right Rev. William Williams, resigned, who had since been taken to his rest, but not before he was permitted to welcome and bless his successor in office. The appointments to which he had referred were, ho need barely say, of tho deepest interest, being tho filling up, in two very important divisions of our provincial Church, of offices which they believed to be essential to its good government and working, and in close accordance with the mind and will of the Great Head of tho Church. This occasion was one which he felt must cause their minds to revert to the first Bishop of tho Church in these islands, now resting from his earthly labors, to whom, under God’s good providence and guidance, they were indebted for the Synodical organisation under which they were now assembled to take counsel together for the furtherance of the o'cjacts for which tho Church existed. lie referred to Bishop Selwyn, who saw that in a colony possessed of a civil legislature tho ecclesiastical laws which obtained in the mother Chur, h had little or no legal force in his diocese, and it was his first great object to provide these laws, and to secure for their enactment the concurrence of those persons whom they concerned, his efforts for this purpose being now matters of history. His Lordship then proceeded to trace the progress of the Church organisation from the time when it was first brought forward by Bishop Selwyn in 1854, after which he spent ten years in perfecting his plan, in making known to tho clergy and laity tho principles on which it was based. From the conclusion of that period to the present period he traced the growth of the Church government in this colony—its divi sion into dioceses. At a meeting of Synod in 185 D some important statutes woro passed, and brought into operation during tho same year, the dioceses then being five in number Three triennial meetings of that General Synod woro subsequently held under the presidency of Bishop Selwyn, and at tho last of these meetings he resigned his office, having completed an episcopate in these islands of twenty - six years. His Lordship dwelt upon the great works accomplished by the first Bishop of New Zealand, saying it was scar-ely possible for thorn to measure the results of his earnest labors during so long a period, alike among his owu race and the native population ot these and of other islands of the South Pacific Ocean. But they could boar witness to tho satisfactory effect of tho system ot ecclesiastical government introduced, and the value of synodical meetings, which had been tested by tho experience” .-f more than twenty years. They had united in common council bishops, clergy, and lai'y, and by giving to each order u distinct voice in tho regulation o( tho affai's of tho Church, had deepened that sense of personal responsibility in whatever concerned its efficiency

.tnd order, which really attaches to all iis members ; and the result bad unquestionably been a more intelligent, active interest in the welfare of the church, and a more hearty recognition of her claims and authority. For all this, ho repeated, they were indebted to I ho first Bishop or the Church in these islands —George Augustus Selwyn. Twelve years had passed since he occupied his place among them, and the constitution of the Church ot Few Zealand, with amendmeu's in some of its non-fundamental provisions which were introduced in 1805, v/ua that under which they were now a semblod. Not for his services in these matters alone, however, would his name be gratefully remembered, but for the devotion of himself and his varied gifts to the fulfilment of hie ministry, to those works of faith and love which, more than any form of government, however perfect, are needful in all its members —bishops, clergy, and laity, for the adornment, stability and growth of the church. The Primate then referred to the

question of revising the Church Constitution, which, he said, it would be remembered, had occupied a portion of their time at the lust meeting of General Synod in Nelson. In connection therewith, he said it must be admitted on all sides that events had occurred since the last meeting of the Synod in Christchurch, in 1865, which seemed to justify some action in this matter. Even in the nonfundamental provisions some such revision might bo thought to bo necessary. A Church Constitution might bo assumed to lay down rules and regulations equally applicable to all dioceses of a Provincial Church; but it is obvious that since the passing of the Acts of the Civil Legislature in 1865 (subsequent to the meeting of the Synod in Christchurch and with its concurrence) in reference to the conveyance of Church property—those provisions of the constitution which related only to property conveyed in trust in behalf of the General Synod by the persons occupying such property, had no application to the property under the control of the Diocesan Synod, though indirectly they may embody principles which every Diocesan Synod would act wisely in maintaining. And as to the fundamental provisions, which had been declared to be unalterable, it could not be denied that events had occurred since its establishment which were never contem plated when the provisions wore drawn up and agreed to ; and that by such events the position of the New Zealand Church in relation alike to the State and Church of the mother country is materially affected. After referring to the disestablishment of the Irish Church, and its separation from the Slate and Church in England, as one of the matters pointed to, he proceeded to remark that whatever value was to be attached to certain arguments adduced in this connection, yet the progress of events had doubtless loosened many of the legal ■■•onds by which the Church here conceived itself to be bound to the State and Church of England, and the position which it now occupied in reference to both was certainly not contemplated by the framers of the constitution. He illustrated his meaning by reference to the discontinuance of letters patent in the appointment of bishops in all the colonies of the British Empire, which had legislative powers for the purpose of civil government, and to the desire of the Crown to avoid interfering with the indepsndency of tbo colonial Church, which, for the purposes of self government, is recognised and accepted by the mother Church, though without any interruption of their union in things spiritual, which he trusted would always be maintained. He (the Primate) continued on this subject at some length, reading from reports of conferences hold in relation to the functions of ecclesiastical government, and dwelling upon the responsibilities of independence, which were unspeakably great. At the same time ho thought any unnecessary assertion of independence was to be deprecated, us it might be taken by some persons to indicate a desire to separate themselves more entirely from the mother Church than we had been through circumstances over which they had[no control. After [considering the question of the power possessed by the Synod under the provisions of their constitution for purposes of revision, ho referred to several matters having a claim upon the consideration of members before attempting to revise the provisions of the organisation. In conclusion, he hoped that should any change be made, the Synod would agree to publish the provisions of tho Constitution, as it now stood, with that which might take its place, among the documents of the Church circulated, alike out of respect to the memory of the first Bishop of the Now Zealand Church, and also that those who might succeed those at present in office, in the government of that Church, or who may profit by its discipline, and the means devised for their edification, might ever be reminded.; by it that among the important objects which tho Church of New Zealand had in view in her first essay to construct for horse’.f a system of government, was the maintenance among her people of loyalty to the Oro**n and attachment to the Church of England. [Applause.] His Lordship then concluded by drawing attention to certain matters that would come before the Synod. The thanks of the Synod were conveyed to tho Bishop for his address, which was ordered to bo printed. On the motion of tho Dean of Christchurch, the Rev. O. M. Nelson was appointed to tho office of clerical secretary. Some difficulty arose as to the appointment of lay secretary, Mr Quick, who was asked accept the office, declining, and tho question was ultimately postponed for a day till the rest of the members were present, the Rev. Mr Hovell being appointed secretary pro to m.

Hr Maude was appointed Chairman of Committees, and Mr J. B. Acland accepted the office of Treasurer.

The hours of meeting and adjournment having been decided on A number of notices of motion were given, and papers laid on the table. The Yon. Archdeacon Harper moved, without notice—“ That a Printing Committee be appointed, to consist of the Rev. Canon Ootterill and the iwo secretaries. ” Carried.

The Synod then adjourned till it o’clock next day.