GENERAL SYNOD.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 1917, 16 April 1880, Page 3

GENERAL SYNOD.

The Synod reßiimod yesterday at four o'clock, the most Rev. the Primate in the chair. After prnyer, the minutes of the first day's meeting, session of 1880, wero road by actingsecretary, the Rev. Mr Hovell, and confirmed. The Rev. 0. M. Nelson and Mr Upton were appointed clerical and lay secretaries respectively, with the understanding that a clerk should be provided. A memorial from the Diocesan Synod of Auckland was read, containing resolutions passed by that Synod, urging an amendment of statute No. 18 respecting government of St. John's College. Arohdeacon Stock, on behalf of the Bishop of Wellington, laid on the table diocesan statistics of Wellington for the year 1878, and other papers. A number of other papers in relation to matters pertaining to different dioceses, were also laid before the Synod. The Bishop of Nelson presented two memorials from the diocese of Nelson. Reports of the Native School Trust, Melanesian Mission, and other reports were presented. A number of notices of motion wero then given. The Right Rev. the Bishop of Dunedin moved — " That a committee be appointed to consider and report upon the existing legislation of the Church with reference to (a) The powers of Diocecan Trustees in the management of properties ontrusted to them, (b) The validity of arrangements made for securing perpetual succession in a body of Diocesan Trustees. And further, to make recommendations (1) As to the desirability of applying to the General Assembly for the incorporation of bodies of Diocesan Trustees. (2) As to any additional provisions which may appoir to be required. Such committoe to consist of the Bishop of Auckland, Arch- ) deacon Stock, Messrs J. B. Acland, E. C. Quick, Hunter Brown, T. W. Maude, and the mover." Mr Quick socondad the motion. After discussion as to the necessity of fresh legislation respecting the administration of Church property trusts, the motion was put and carried, tho natno of Mr Eitzherbert being substituted for that of Archdeacon Stock on the committee Archdeacon Edwards moved—" That in tho opinion of this Synod steps Ehould be taken towards tho amalgamation of all Church of England theological colleges in New Zealand, and tho formation of one central college, which "night well bo called 'The Solwyn College.' " In speaking to the resolution, he pointed to the fact, which ought to be regarded as significant, that a somewhat similar resolution had been almost unanimously approved of by local synods by whom tho question had been considered. Ho then adduced raueone why in his opinion it would be well to amalgamate the theological colleges in the oalony, and said ho had intended to propoe

that the resolution should bo referred to a committee. Ho also remarked that the : question under consideration was one that affected the laymen more than the clergy. In conclusion, he remarked, in connection with the suggestion to call the central college (if established) tho Selwyn College, that it was a matter of rogret that no memorial had yet been raised fro the first bishop of the colony. After some discussion the debate was adjourned till the motion standing in Archdeacon Stock's namo came on for consideration, on Wednesday next. Archdeacon Harper moved cases of burial in which, tho Rubric at the commencement of the Order for Burial of tho Dead forbids the use of that office, it shall be lawful for the minister to use, after the body has been laid into the earth, a service taken from the Book cf Common Prayer, and portions of Holy Scripture, approved by the Benoh of Bishops, so that it be not part of the Order for tho Burial of the Dead, nor of the Order for the Administration of the Holy Communion." Ho remarked that the motion had been before the Diocesan Synod of Chriatehurch, and it was with their recommendation that the motion was now brought forward. The subject was one which perhaps had more interest for the clergy than the laity ; but he asked the latter to believe that it wr.s one which frequently gave clergymen great perplexity; and the object of tho motion now made was the modification of a portion of the church service, which did not meet the cases it was proposed to provido for. Coming to the particular subject of his remarks, he explained the difficulties met with in the conduct of the Church burial service according to the Rubric, owing principally to tho fact that the service in question, appropriate and beautiful though it undoubtedly wag, had been apparently written to meet the special case of those dying in the actual outward profession of Christianity. As giving a practical illustration of his meaning, he stated cases in which clergymen were called on to perform the rites of tho Church over the bodies of tho unbaptiecd, a similar difficulty arising in relation to those who were excommunicato, over whom the Berviee was forbidden to be read. The third case for consideration was that of suicide. In most cases, porhapß, the service in full might be read over such, as there was generally reason to aßSumo that the unfortunate persons were not in their right senses at the time ; but there were cases of unmistakeable, premeditated, and deliberate selfslaughter which presented the difficulty he had referred to. Having alluded to the convocations at which the subject had received consideration in the mother country, he concluded by expressing the conviction that if they could, without inducing carelessness on the part of parents as to their responsibilities, and without interfering with the beauty of the present service, make some such provision as suggested, he thought it would be doing a great service. Mr Hunter Brown seconded the motion.

The Dean of Christchurch was anxious that the Synod should be careful of introducing hasty legislation on a subject so delicate as that under consideration. He felt the atrongest sympathy with the difficulties experienced by the clergy in this matter. At the same time it would bo better to go on a 9 they had been going a little longer, and wait until some solution of the question had been arrived at by the Church of England. He moved an amendment to that effect. He pointed also that the mover of the resolution appeared to provide for a service being read in cases specially excepted by the Church. The individual responsibility of the clergy was another difficulty in tho way of the resolution, as in the case where a man was buried hurriedly the minister would have to decide, from a newspaper report, or hearsay, perhaps, whether the manner of the man's death had been such as to deprive him of the usual offices of the Church. Mr Harman seconded the amendment, and did so because the question was one upon which the laity felt quite as strongly as the clergy, and because of the fact that the Church at Home had been unable to deal with the question up to so late a date as last year ; to say nothing of the fact that any action of the kind on a question of so important a character would seem to indicate an assertion of independer.ee on the part of tho Church in New Zealand. The Rev. Mr Dudley supported the amendment. Mr Grigg opposed any amendment of the service by a body such as the Synod, since it appeared obvious to him that the same difficulties now being discussed must have occurred to those who framed the rubric, and they in their wisdom had done that which seemed best. The Bishop of Melanesia agreed with tho last Bpeaker aB to the undesirability of meddling with the rubric till the mother Church had taken the matter in hand. At the same time, he thought good might be done by submitting resolutions ouch as that proposed by Arohdeacon Harper for the assistance of the mother Church. At this stage the debate was interrupted by the evening adjournment. On resuming, a lengthy debate ensued. Tho Ven. Archdeacon Stock remarked that it frequently happened in Wellington that he was called upon to hold Bervice at the burial of seamen who had been di'owned whilst in a state of intoxication, and it was most painful under such circumstances to have to read the burial service in its entirety over such, it being illegal to do so. Archdeacon Maunsell said he had long been opposed to Archdeacon Harper on this question, and added that he would never consent to any alteration of the fundamental principles of their constitution. At the same time he recognised the mookery of reading over the grave of a suicide, that portion of the service, " giving God hearty thanks that it hath pleased Him to deliver this our brother out of the miseries of this sinful world;" and he submitted that their duty was rather to supply the gap that was wanting in Buch cases, than to attempt any alteration of the service as it stood.

The Rev. Mr Nelson favored the original resolution, in so far as he recognised the necessity for some modification, the only real question at issue, to his mind, being whether they Bhould legislate upon this matter now or wait for some years. Arohdeacon Edwards supported tho amendment. The Bishop of Auckland said, he should neither support tho resolution nor the amendment. It frequently occurred that occasions arose where clergymen had to depart from the letter of the law aa laid down, not only in the burial service, but, as had oeaurred with himself, in administering the Communion service on the field of battle ; and this, he submitted could not be construed into disloyalty to the Prayer-book. The Bishop of Dunedin recognised tho desirability of avoiding hasty action on a question of this kind, which should be approached carefully and well considered; at the same time he did not think it was one which must be altogether shelved, more especially aa the mother Church appeared to acknowledge our liberty to legislate for tho roinovul of impediments which might arise in the working of the Church here, in support of which he read from the report of the Lambeth Meeting. Personally he should be exceedingly glad to see a way out of the difficulty which at one time or other must have presented itself to all members of the clergy. The Rev. Mr Fancourt submitted that there was a way of meeting cases such as had been referred to, namely, by reading from the Prayer-book snch portions of the servica as were not glaringly inappropriate. On the other hand he should like to remark, in relation to the introduction of an alternative service, that if such existed, there might, in nu merous eases, arise in the mind of the clergyman, a doubt as to whether ho was justified in reading the burial service according to tho rubric, and much unpleasantness was also likely to arise. The Bishop of Nelson next addressod the Synod. He was sorry to hear a number of Archdeacons Bay they h:id systematically broken the law ; but with regard to the omission of a portion of the service in the case of the excommunicate, he was of opinion that they kept within the spirit ox the law, though no' following its letter. In conclusion he suggested an Alteration to the Drars's amendment, to the effect that the action in this matter be postponed awaiting tho issue of tho proposal now before the Church of England. Tho Bishop of Waiopu Bpol'c with great eloquence and power in defence of retaining tho burial aervico in its entirety, pointing out that clergymen should bo careful how they sat in judgment, so to speak, on their fellow men. ' In this connection he thought the instruction "Judge not that ye be not judged," must come home to them all with especial force. Tho construction to be put upon tho burial service depended largely upon tho manner of reading it; for instance, who should say that

it had not " pleased the Lord to deliver out of the misery of this sinful world," some poor wretch who was leading a life of drunkenness to his soul's destruction. They should also remember how they were accustomed to argue when attacked on the Bubject of tho Liturgy by Dissenters, who would point out that outwardly pious men might be merely hypocrites after all, and no bettor than tho drunkard —in that case it was customary with the clergy of this Church to appeal to "charity," remarking that they charitably supposed such to bo what they seemed. The Rev. Mr Beaumont also spoke to the question, supporting the amendment. Tho Ven. Archdeacon Harper having replied, The question was put and negatived. The amendment moved by tho Dean of Christchurch, which thus became the substantive motion, waß then put and carried as follows —" That this Synod whilst sympathising with the general desire of the clergy to obtain some relief from the difficulties in which they are often involved by the language of the order for the burial of the dead, as well as by tho terms of the rubric prefixed to it, nevertheless thinks it desirable to wait the issue of the proposal now before the Church of England." The Dean of Christchurch moved—"l. That a Select Committee be appointed to consider (a) What measures, if any, can be adopted by the Synod, or suggested to their Lordshipß the Bishops, for making tho Diaeonate more serviceable to the Church ; (J) By what methoda, and under what regulations, tho ministrations of laymen may be most beneficially employed, both in Divine service and in pastoral work." "2. That the committee do consist of the Most Rev. the Primate, the Right Rov. the Bishops, Archdeacon [Stock, the Rev. C. M. Nelson, Mr Tancred, Mr C. Hunter Brown, Mr Gtrigg, and tho mover." The motion was seconded by the Bishop of Dunedin, and carried. Archdeacon Edwards gave notice that he would ask leave to introduce a Bill to amend statute No. 4. On the motion of tho Rev. Canon Cotterill, it was resolved—" That a Select Committee be appointed to consider and report on tho system of registration laid down in the statutes cf tho General Synod, and to suggest such amendments as may seem to them to be required." Tho Synod then adjourned till the usual hour next day. GRAIN TRAFFIC. The following is an account of the bags of grain forwarded and on band on Wedneßday at the stations on the Christchurch section of railway. The letterß " F " and " H " represent " forwarded " and "on hand" respectively :—Amberley, F 242 ; ABhburton, F 1961, H 2456 ; Ashley, F 209, H 354 ; Aylesbury, H 935 ; Balcairn, F 16S, H 77; Bennet's Junction, F 119, H 24; Burnham, H 305 ; Chertsey, F 1727, H 700 ; Coalgate, F 60, H 182 ; Oust, F 296, H 286 ; Darfield, F 506, H 1583 ; Doyleston, F 271, H 168 ; Dunsandel, F 720, H 1814; Ellesmere, F 220, H 500; Fernside, H 700; Hinds, F 595, H 631 ; Hornby, F 136; Kaiapoi, F 729, H 1090; Kirwee, F 249, H 1600; Leeston, F 222, H 157; Lincoln, F 371, H 254 ; Moeraki, North, F 126, H 264; Orari, F 394, H 636 ; Papanui, F 123, H 268 ; Prebbleton, F 120, H 401; Rakaia, F 2632, H 810 ; Rangiora, F 83, H 190; Rangitata, South, F 507, H 558; Rolleston Junction, F 370, H 259 ; Sefton, H 290 ; Selwyn, F 373, H 524 ; Southbridge, F 257, H 510 ; Southbrook, F 60; Spricgston, F 302, H 271; Templeton, H 547; Tinwald, F 144, H 125 ; Winchester, H 172 ; Winslow, F 180,'H 146; Methven, F 600, H 450 ; Dromore, F 270, H 710 ; total, F 15,342, H 20,971.