THE SYNOD.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 1925, 26 April 1880, Page 4

THE SYNOD.

The following letter appeared in this morning's issue of the " Press " : Sis, —As the only means of communication open to me, I beg a space in your columns for a few words concerning certain acts in the Synod now sitting. There seems to be a desire more and more to restrict the scope of the term parishioner. This will be a serious mistake. It is too narrow at present. The mere accident of residence (in a town which like this is divided into certain arbitrary districts or parishes) ought not to make or destroy one's connection with a church ; the choice ought to be free and open to every one. The case of ohnrohwardens being non-resi-dent has been mentioned in Synod, and spoken of as highly improper! Yet in the oases which are (I believe) referred to, an ■unprejudiced person could surely _ see no objection. A gentleman whoße residence is nearly equidistant from two churches, has always been connected with only one of them, and is now elected ohurchwarden of that one ; yet he is supposed to be a parishioner of another church, to which he never goes, and in which he probably has no interest. A late churchwarden of the same ohurch was also resident in that other parish, and in his case bis residence was actually nearest to his adopted church, yet an arbitrary line drawn a few feet from his house attached him (nominally) to another parish. It is not for me to decide whether it would be better that customary attendance should alone constitute a true connection with a certain church, or whether certain imaginary lines as at present should constitute a basis which should be permitted to stand good if there were no other reason against it; but for the welfare of the whole ohurch I am quite certain that some provision must be made whereby a person can choose his particular place of worship, combined with a system of registration, so that the full rights of membership (such as voting, &c.) may be secured. It would not be difficult either to devise or carry out such a scheme. A series of circumstances which came under my notice the other day are worthy of mention in this place. The organist of S. Michael's Ohuroh resides in S. John's parish ; he of 8. Luke's Ohurch lives in S. Miohael's parish ; and they of Merivale and Avonside Churches reside respectively in the parishes of 8. Luke and 8. John. Here, then, out of five churches in this plaoe, four of the organists and choirmasters (than whom perhaps no laic can be more interested in the welfare of his church) are "non-resident," because of certain arbitrary lines drawn in a map ; and hence are debarred from voting, &c, in matters that concern their church; in fact, are shut out from active interest where their chief interest should be oentred!

Thus I hare shown an anomaly which is a gross absurdity as well as a great wrong. It is absurd that a man should have a yoto at a church in which he has no interest; it is wrong that it should be possible to shut ont one from participation in all the rights of a church at which he is a constant attendant, and to which he may perhaps be a considerable benefactor. Nor will people be content to attend their "parish " church (because it is their parish church) so long as the present custom of sermons maintains. The Prayer-book makes no law for sermons at every service, it only Erovides for a sermon (or an authorised omily) at one service ; yet now it is scarcely possible to go to church to worship God without being practically compelled to listen to a sermon, or a fanciful dissertation (written to order, probably, at the rate of at least two or three a week ; or worse still, not written at all), which too often is destructive of, rather than helpful to, one's sense of worship. Until one can attend public worship without this addendum, it is idle to look for regular attendance at the nearest church, for if we must go to listen to a man, when mayhap we only want to worship God, it is only natural that we choose that church, where we find such a man »i best commends himself to our hearts or understandings. And, until this is altered, it is a right that every layman should demand, and demand with power, that he may choose his own church where choice is possible, and that he shall have every privilege in that church, whether resident within its imaginary boundary or not. Tours, &c, Layicah.