THE SYNOD.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5481, 21 October 1878, Page 2

THE SYNOD.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE NEW ZEALAND TIMES. . Sir, —I regret very much that more interest lias not been taken by the general public in the proceedings of the Synod of the Church of England, which have just come to a close. have had the advantage during the past week of attending some of its sittings, as I happened to hear—and only by a mere accident—that subjects were to be discussed in which I felt a great deal of interest. I say that it was quite by accident, for you know how very little information you give us of what goes on there; and this rather surprises me, for when I lived in Canterbury the papers gave 'us every morning very full accounts of what had gone on the night before in their Synod. A great part of one evening last week was taken up with a discussion on the possibility of reviving a system of religious education in primary schools, and many of the speakers seemed to think it quite possible to induce the Government to grant special aid to denominational schools. However, in face of the late Education Act, I cannot see how we can expect such a thing ; but I do not see any reason why, at any rate in towns, a wealthy body like the people of the Church of England should not be aple to support schools of their own, as was done some years ago, in which they could teach with tho Bible for a text-book, or anything else they liked. Another night’s debate, which was of much more to my mind, was occupied with tho proposal of two influential city clergymen to canvass the whole diocese, and if possible raise a sufficient fund to build all necessary churches aud parsonages, as well as to originate some scheme for inducing a number of young men to enter the ministry, so as to provide the necessary and much-needed number of clergymen for the diocese. I suppose few people will read this letter except those who feel some interest in the subject, so that I may say that people living in your city, which is well supplied with churches and clergymen,- will scarcely understand how badly off are many of the country districts, some of which have neither churches nor clergymen, while others perhaps have churches aud n© clergymen, so i that the feeling for religion, as was more than once avowed by high authority in the Synod, is fast dying out, aud it will not be long till we come back to the “ paganism" of the country districts in the early Christian times. . * The to which I have just referred was very well sustained, and some good speeches were made by many of the clergy aud laymen present; but I was much disappointed to see that the whole thing seemed to run upon the best method of visiting the 4000 members of the church, and of inducing them to contribute the necessary funds ; while the idea of a theological college for the Diocese, or of scholarships, or how to influence some of the very numerous body of well educated young men in your city, and to induce them to leave the pursuit of £ s. d,, and .d©* vote their lives to what every sensible person will allow to be the highest profession for a man, even higher than the Civil Service, was never even touched upon, but was left for the consideration of a committee. I can imagine a collector, or even a deputation from tho Synod, calling on any member of the Church of England that I am acquainted with, and asking him to subscribe the 2s. a-week to this general church fuud, which was suggested by the mover of the resolution as the minimum subscription, at the same time requesting him, as was suggested by another person; to'sign a piece of (I suppose stamped) paper. I can also imagine this Church member, as he dipped his pen in the ink, asking his visitor where, was the gitidjiro quo that he had heard so much about. What preparations had the Synod made for obtaining or creating a sufficient body of clergy for' the wants of the diocese ? and if the collector or deputation was obliged to answer that the consideration of that point was put off until next year, I am afraid that few persons would be found to support a scheme that was still in embryo. Surely, sir, it is a subject for great regret that the Synod did not devote a night or two before they separated to discuss this third, last, aud most important of the objects of Mr. Harvey’s committee, how “to train young men for the work of the ministry." Its members had gone to their homes without even considering what was over and over again allowed to be of the most pressing importance, and which one would have thought might have been the principal aim and object of its coming together.—l am, &c., D. B. Johusonville, October ID.