THE TORONTO DIOCESAN SYNOD.

New Zealander, Volume 7, Issue 587, 29 November 1851, Page 3

THE TORONTO DIOCESAN SYNOD.

The Church is springing into new life at both extremities of the British empire. We have now to direct attention to a meeting of clergy and lay delegates at Toronto, during the month of JVlay. This meeting appears to have been called and organized in the simplest and most sensible mariner. The bishop having occasion to summon Ids clergy to the triennial visitation, instructed them to invite the members of their several missions ( being regular communicants) to select one or two of their number to accompany thorn to the visitation. Each Jayman so delegated was to bring a certificate of his election. The visitationwas opened as usual with divine service in the Church of the Holy Tiiaity, Toronto ; after which the names of the clergy, amounting in all to about VlO, and of about an equal number of lay delegates, weie | called over. The bishop then proceeded tp deliver his charge, at the close of which, he proposed the two important questions to which the attention of the synod was on this occasion to be confined. I. Shall the Church of this Diocese of Toronto tako any steps to protect the property and endowments of the Church? 11. Shall the Church of this Diocese apply for permission fiom the Crown to hold Diocesan Synods and Convocations ? Both questions weie answered unanimously in tho affirmative, and a committee having been appointed to draw up the necessary resolutions, the meeting wa3 adjourned till the next day. A large portion of the second day was necessarily occupied with resolutions, ably proposed and seconded by the more prominent clergy and laity, having reference to the means to be adopted for the defence of the clergy reserves against the party which threatens their alienation. The second matter of discussion was the application to the Crown for permission to hold Diocesan Synods. On this most important subject the following resolution was unanimously adopted: — • " That this meeting is of opinion that, for the more effectual exercise of the discipline of the Church, and the more advantageous management of its temporal affairs, it is expedient and desiiable to apply to the Crown, for the establishment of a Diocesan Synod or Convocation, consisting of the laity as well as of the clergy, so as best to meet the requirements of the Church in this Diocese ; and that the committee aforesaid do draft a memorial to the Queen, founded upon the observations upon, this subject in the episcopal charge of the bishop, delivered yesterday." The chief feature that attracted attention in the late legislation of the Australian Church was likewise the satisfactory provision for the laity being called upon to take part in the Ecclesiastical Councils. This, as is well known to our readers, while it appears to have the sanction of that Scriptural pattern in the Acts of the Apostles, when the* apostles and elders came together," — at which assembly, however, " the multitude" were present, and the " letteis" were issued in the name of '* the apostles, and elders, and brethren," — has the positive precedent of the early, and especially of the Saxon Church, in which the believing people ratified with their expressed consent the decisions of the earliest synods. In the Scottish branch of the Refoi ined Church, this element is— we think, unfortunately — wanting. In the Mother Church of the Anglican communion it is whollj {superseded,,^ virtually nullified, by the theory which regards the House of Parliament as lepresenting the laity. The American Church has boldly and faithfully revived the principle, which experience has, we believe, proved to be fraught with vast benefit to the peace and stability of the Chuich. — Colonial Church Chronicle.

Insult to the British Flag, and Kidnapping a Tailor.— At the Whitecbapel County Court, was beard the case of " Jamieson v. Ramsay," in action of tort. The damages were laid at .£5O. The plaintiff is a retired tailor, possessing; a villa called " Labour's Retreat," on the banks of the Thames. The defendant is an old man-of-war's man, who some time ago became possessed of considerable property in Whitecuapel ; but preferring to live afloat, he equipped a yacht of six guns, the Tom Bowling, in which he lives. In the evidence it appeared that on Easter Mondays the plaintiff (Jamieson) holds a festive anniversary, in remembrance of the day on which his wife died, and cannon are let off to announce the joyful tidings. It happened that on the last anniversary the Tom Bowling was cruising off " Labour's Retreat," and when her ciew smelt the powder, all hands were piped for action, and they returned fire. The fire on both sides continued some time, until the landsmen put stoaea in their guns, and riddled " Tom's " duck and streaming bunting. The aggression was resented, and the boatswain, shotting hio guns, seriously damaged the tailor* stack of chimney's. Captain Ramsay then landed his crew, to demand satisfaction for the insult offered to his flag, and having thrashed the tailor's friends, the captain challenged the tailor himself, politely offering him the choice of swordo or pistols. The tailor thinking it safer to faint than to fight, swooned away, upon which the defendant ordered him to be taken prisoner ; and on coming to his senses the tailor found himself under hatches of the yacht, where he was kept the whole night, bewailing the misfortune of being kidnapped by pirates, as he termed his captors. In the morning he wag brought before the defendant and tried, by court-martial, for insulting the British flag, and being found guilty was sentenced to the yard-arm. He beggpd for mercy, however, and, as a last resource, offered up prayers. The sentence was then commuted to the infliction of an operation performed on sailors when fiist crossing the line. In this state be was transported to Hertie Bay, 40 miles from home, without a farthing in his pocket.... Mr. G. E. Williams, for the defendant, contended that the plaintiff deserved the treatment which he had brought on himself. The Judge said that although the plaintiff had acted most impropeily in loading his guns, the defendant had retaliated too severely ; but under the circumstances, he should award only £5 damages, without costs. — Watchman, June, 18. A case, whicb has excited considerable interest, has been decided in the Irish Couit of Exchequer ; Lieut. Arthur Wellesley Williams, of the 12th Lancers, having been arrested at the suit of Henry Page, an English, creditor, on a writ of capias, to prevent him leaving the jurisdiction of the court by going with his regiment to the Cape of Good Hope, applied, several days since, in the Court of Queen's Bench, to be discharged, on tha ground that he was wrongly described as "Charles Wellesley Williams," in the writ upon which the sheriff arrested him. The judges disagreed the Chief Justice and ono of the judges being absent from indisposition, and tha two remaining justices being of opposite opinions on the subject, so that Mr. Williams had to remain in custody. In the meantime, another creditor came in with a writ of detainer, in which Mr. Williams was accurately described ; but an application was nevertheless made to the Court of Exchequer, to order his discharge, on the ground that the original arrest The illegal, and that the detainer ought not to avail, was question was argued during some foui or five successive days, and the court pronounced judgement on Manday week, being unanimous in declaring the arrest of Mr. Williams to have been illegally effected, but refusing to order Ing discharge, as he was the person unquestionably intended to have bean ai rested and as the writ of detainer issued on a fresh case, and was prefectlv valid. — London nuner. Jnnc. 18

Dn. Wiseman and tiiu House or Commons. — The Morning Herald stales that Dr Wiseman was invited by the committee of the House of Commons to give evidence on the law of mortmain, he panied the application by piomising to send his solicitor. The solicitor having refused, on the plea ol piofessional confidence, to give the information rcquiied, the application to his piincipal was renewed. _ Dr. Wiseman however still eluded the committee's curiosity. A peremptory summons has at length been seived upon him, and he will be taught that, in this country ihe ecclesiastical character imparts no exemption fiom the linisdiction of secular com is."