GENERAL SYNOD.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XII, Issue 33, 7 February 1877, Page 2

GENERAL SYNOD.

The Synod met yesterday at 4 p.m. i The Primate announced that Mr Browning had resigned his seat in the Synod. The Rev B. T. Dudley moved—" That this Synod respectfully requests the Most Rev the Primate to give to the publishers of the New Zealand Hymnal twelve months' notice terminating the assignment of the copyright of that compilation, as provided for by the deed of assignment of the said copyright." He explained that he took this step in accordance with the wish of the Auckland Diocesan Synod that such a course should be adopted in the event of the General Synod refusing to make jhe alterations and improvements suggested jn the resolution on the subject which had been negatived, Mr Rous Marten seconded the motion, which was carried unanimously. Archdeacon Harper then moved — "That this Synod does not deem it expedient, for the welfare of the Church in New Zealand, to give its formal authority to any hymnal." He thought one common hymnal a good thing if practicable, but experience had shown that a large portion of the New Zealand Provincial Church had taken and would take its I own way in this matter, and that where this had been done there had been peace. Still there remained a certain imputation against the South Island of disloyalty in having taken this course, and he wished something done to remove this implied stigma. Mr Rous Marten seconded the motion on the ground that as it was evident a large proportion of the church province would not accept any one hymnal, to attempt to force it on the whole church would be simply to court dissension and division. The Dean of Christchurch asked whether this motion were to operate ex- post facto The Synod already had withdrawn its authority from the New Zealand Hymnal.

Mr jPickering aske^ >yheiherr nevertheless the authority of the Synod Vould^ot still be retained on. the title pag^.of the j^ok. Archdeacofa Stock that' the title page of course .^puld. nojt be altered until the eipirati<^of the yea^s no^pe, v The Rev Mr Harvey fi 'did not see how the resolution would withdraw any stigma on those who had disregarded the exDress recomraendatiou of the Synod in this matter. It amounted only to this — that the power of the Synpd was not sufficient to compel obedience,, and therefore the, was to he hushed tip". He did "Wot approve of this course. If we found we had been running our heads against a stone wall let us give it up, but if would be cowardlyonrfche parfc-of-the Synod to leave a question it did not like tofacejto beTfoiight put in ev^ryl fparish jjv New Zealand, possibly compelling "a clergyman to fight against strong popular opinion, Churclimen looked to the Synod to take iip ,such a large question as this. ,Mr Carleton "denied that there was any ; cdwardice in ab^taibing from too much legis- ' lation. People in rdiffierent parts of the , colony held very different views on. Jthe Hymnal question, but it would beujvrpng ' to alienate any ghur.c.tfmen on such ajma^ter ■ as this. There f wasjWy little diffen3nc*e", in his opinion, A»et^een!!one hymn and another. : 3 ; MrfJCup «om the last speaker. He tfiougßfi that hymns had^ipre elEeclb in^ the long^curi than sermons! was as idesirable t to SSve afi§?c§riimorfs66kiof praise as ope dommod book of prayer. -^ -»-..^ -r[ Th&Blsnop of Aucklan^still hoped ,-that« the New Zealand Church' 'would adofi^one" 'large and compr^tefisive Hymnal. ' '*'<:[ . t: i The RevyMr ta}u4ley though t,it a "serious | matter for the Synod to throw- the re§gorsi- f bilit^— properly its own— jon^^acjicle^yman.y: Archdeacon i Maunsell'_.complam^d*:7lhat Archdeacou Harge^ was' flaunting (-.tjje ' redp fag ;beforej th^ni! wE Tbat jdoughtyi^-young champion having thrown a stoMiat the giaut and slain him, now was standing on the carcase^ andlcutting oflE, its head *'&nd iiiduTginff his triumph generally;. \..\J j-~-^ | ! The.: JBishop v of. Dunediri i ■'moved ftnaS the. Synod proceed 'to the'next order of iihe^dayjp whick.was carried on the voices, thus'-shelv-*' ing the motion: ;•- >„»" ?-, 1 On the motion of Mr Hunter Brown it' form of declaration '\ for Maori churchmen^ was adopted after lengthy discussions!;' |: The Bishop of Auckland's motiofi Nb. 4^' and that of Mr Lusk's No. 5, were-poste; poned.' ; , ,' The Dean of Ghristchurch moved, " Tha^ 1 a Select Committee be appointed to consider the best course to be taken for- forming, or~ preparing the way for the formation of a body of canons for the church of this prcn. vince; such Committee to consist of" the 1 Most Reverend the Primate, the; Right Revs the Bishops of Wellington and Dunedin, the Yen Archdeacon Williams, Mr , C. vHunter Brown, Mr Carleton.and the rinpYeiv^and to report on Friday, February 9. ';,.,' , <;i *" The Rev Mr Tanner's motion " That-Chan-of Dioceses have, ex officio r sea.t§ in^the Synod," was negatived, ' . , ; ' : .; ' f u On the motion of the Bishop of A ; ucklanil ? it was resolved that it be an instruction to the Printing Committee to have appended, to the report, of the Synb'd the Acts of the Colonial Legislature on the subject of leasing Church Lands, passed in 1871 and 1872. 4 On.the mqtiorof theDeau of Christchurcha bill "to amend Statute No. 10, to defia'p.' ecclesiastical offences and the punishmentlthereof" was read a first time and the second; reading made an order of the day for Wednesday. The Bishop ,pf Dunediu moved, " that YhTs" Synod of Bishops, Clergy, and Lay" Corn'mik.' nicants of the Church of the^ Province of New Zealand, having heard with deep interest the progress of the Old Catholic movement records its appreciation of the devoted efforts of the leaders of that movement to bring about a return to primitive doctrine, discipline, and unity; and respectfully requests the Primate of this church'toforwafd ' this resolution to the Bishops of the 01d.., Catholic. Communion, and tpDrtVon JDqllinger, as an expression of Christian regard/ : The Right Rev prelate was speaking to this motion when the Synod rose at 6 p:m., and on resuming at 7 30 the orders of the day were proceeded with. ; . . 7, , , The following Bills were introduced and read. a first time:—" A- 'Bill to atdehd 'Statute No. 1 "—(Rev E. A. Lingard) ; " A Bill to repeal Statute No. 4, and enact other provisions in lieu thereof "— (Hon Mr Acland) ; "A B.UI to. interpret arid eipjain certain words and expressions in the'- Constitution Act, the 'Statutes; -and other ; the church as to which .doubts have arisen"— (Key J. C. Andrew). : "A Biil intituled « A Statute fdr making certaiii necessary regulations with regard to the* status of deacons in the ecclesiastical province of. New Zealand' " ,' Mr Harvey) J (< A'.' Bilk to interpret and shorten the language of the Statutes in certain cases "—(Hon. Mr Acland).. : The Synod ' went into committee bh the; " Nominators Bill," introduced by the Dean 1 , of Christchurch, and, each], clause was discussed at great length, the chief debato being on clause 13— "It v shall be competent fori'thd ' ;Bishop when calling on the Board of Nominators to noniinate ;ia .clergy inan^tp, a parish, or at any time previbus : 'fo'the <4n^miflatioh 1 being made,»Ktb layibefgi-e^thera]iu.y.: ;inform«ation he may< think fit relative to the appointment, ,being * made." To this clause Archdeacon Harper" ' moved the following amendment— " It shall be competent foc;the Bishop to attend the (Board* of {Nominators;, for the purpose of proposing ifco' the Boards the name of a clergyman for auy vacantparish, and of stating his objections to any clergyman ! who may .>:be proposed 'hyjijthe Board previous to the final ..d&minat\onJibe*jypg made by the Board. '.'.-, ;,- ; ■■ ■ i. .. ; The discussion continued . until U^p.m., when, c the amendment being lost, progress was reported, and theiSynojd adjourned.