The Lyttelton Times.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XII, Issue 707, 17 August 1859, Page 4

The Lyttelton Times.

Wednesday, August VJ-. •WHEirthe General Synod met this year at Wellington, there was but little knowledge of the: work that was likely to be. done during the session, or of the duties that would devolve oh the members of that body. ,' ; But, thanks in the first place to the preliminary; steps taken by the Bishop of New Zealand, and Jn.'the next to the assiduity-of the members of the Synod,^, good deal of important work-was got through during the first session. And the • most important statute passed, after that for the permaneht orgahisation-of the General Synod-, itself, -wus',the .measure; for -organising ..Diocesan Synods. -. ■■; In opening the* "first Synod in tHis Diocese, the Bishop of Christchurch dwelt very justly ; -on the advantages arising'from the previous meeting of the General Synod. • Uniformity of action and co-operation Have been very; much promoted by the General Assembly of the Church- of New Zealand to agree as: to the best means of action" in the several dioceses. 'But as the first assembled General Synodlooked oh itself more ras a constituent body pthenas a formally organised assembly forthe | transaction of ordinary -so 5-the^ i^Diocesan-Synod that has now met in ? Christ-■ church will scarcely be^able"to !do much;more than to lay down rules for the organisation jand guidance of future Synods,- and for the "management 'of :Church 'property in, 'the diocese.., .The meeting of 'the GeneralSynod has .not.-obviated the necessity of assembting constituent Synods in the dioceses. ;It -will probably, be found that the present nneeting, nfter its work as a constituent body/ will not be able to do much more then talk over and ventilate the subjects to be brought' under "the .notice of "the next Synod.;: Public, attention will be arrested, and; churchmen will j learn, vyhat'they had *not an opportunity of: learning ;in England,. the principles under which an active life can be given to church organisation-in anew country. ; ■ -The ! great difficulty that the Synod ;will have to contend with is thewaht of someprb•;pevly' constituted executive body ."to prepare ' the;,'measures io -be submitted for discussion,; and enactment. It "is/true that the Bishop. ; made every . preparation in. his power, in the shape of the full information on all church matters which he has laid on the table ?of 'the "Synod. -No one can read his lordship's address without being enlightened on many points, not generally known, connected with the powers and duties of the : Diocesan Synod. But in the conduct of i business through a House of Assembly there i must be some'persons specially charged with '• with'the preparation and defence of-'the r measures'laid before it; ','..'

.The ;plan adopted—the gorily'plan appa- T rently open under the cii-cumstances-r-is that of the American leg-islafcure ; .every separate, measure or topic for consideration is i-eferred, to, a select 'committee, who ftecomei in fact*; the executive for ■the: purpose of passing" tlie especial,statute "in• question. 'It is 61)viotis; that'-unity of action is irio't ensured by. this means, and "that many practical difficulties must arise; .in the conduct of business. ;In this first session, it will be one of the most important' duties of members to regulate the conduct of 'husinesfi, and to discover the niosf practical means of securing' economy of time. This "may be effected by appointing' a permanent standing1 committee, as was done by the, Ge,neral ; , Synod. Such a committee might, during" the recess, prepare much of the work for the ensuing season. ■:■ The Bishop's address will have given our readers all the information that can yet be'

obtained as to the probable proceedings of the Synod now assembled. The ..members certainly appear to possess the .confidence of ' the churchmen of the province; ibut when we consider the time necessary to disseminate information pn a topic so new to most of us as practical church government, arid the want of "precedents- and rules of action to guide rthem i intlie first instance, we! must look, ls. ; we. said: before, to the meeting- of the first : Synod rather as a means of stirring.up enquiry an I facilitating future proceedings^ than with a hope of a final settlement of difficulties which are springing up* every day in church'management. .