DIOCESAN SYNOD.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume II, Issue 112, 10 December 1873, Page 2

DIOCESAN SYNOD.

The Ven. Archdeacon Williams has obligingly furnished us with a copy of the proceedings of the Waiapu Diocesan Synod held in Napier in August last. The Bishop’s address is full of the usual anxious earnestness. We extract the following : — “ It is with much thankfulness that I meet you at the close of another year, and that I am able to recognize a growing interest throughout the community in matters relating to our Church. Yet there is very much required before the Church can be said to be in a healthy state. “ A body of valuable settlers from Norway have lately been added to our community, and are located about sixty miles south of Napier. There is however a serious drawback in that they have a very limited knowledge of our language, and consequently but little intercourse can be held with them, and moreover no provision has been made for imparting religious instruction to them. In a case like this it would have been wise if ministers from their own country had accompanied them.

“ The population at Napier is increasing rapidly, and it has become necessary to make a considerable addition to St. John’s Church.

“ On December 22, 1872, the Rev. W. Marshall was admitted to Deacon’s orders, and was licensed to the cure of Havelock and Clive. Preparations are being made for the erection of a church at Havelock, which is much required. “ At Gisborne there is a prospect of a church being erected shortly, and it is hoped that a resident clergyman may soon be appointed. “ In January last, the Rev. C. Jordan arrived from England to take charge of the Parochial District of Tauranga, a place which increases much in importance by reason of its commodious harbor and its proximity to the Thames goldfields. The community there have come forward with great spirit, and are proceeding with the erection of a church. The energy which has been shewn is well worthy of imitation. In those parts of the colony which have not been long established, works of this description can only be accomplished by a great amount of self-denial and exertion. Settlers for the most part are struggling onward to establish themselves in the country, and yet there is a general willingness to meet all their expenses as they are required. “ It is to be hoped however that the recommendation of the General Synod, which I noticed at our meeting last year, upon the importance of raising a substantial endowment fund, will still be taken up with vigour. If contributions, either in land or money, were now raised, it would enable us to provide with more certainty and satisfaction for our increasing wants.

“ In a speech lately delivered by the Dean of Exeter, there are some remarks which are quite applicable to our position. ‘ln the present day,’ he says, ‘the difficulty of the voluntary system is to meet the wants of the rural districts, which, if it were not for the endowed system, would be to a very large extent neglected.’ ‘ln what manner,’ he ’ asks, ‘ does Nonconformity do its work ?’ He found that the Independents hail 2,880 churches. The Baptists had but 1,771 pastors to serve 3,159 chapels. The small number of ministers was declared to be due either to want of means or want of will. The fact was that the voluntary system did not do the work it had undertaken. ‘ln the rural districts, if the clergymen were left to the support of small farmers aud labourers, he would ask, how long they thought the clergymen would be able to remain there.’ I

“ Referring to the Waerenga-a-hika School Estate the Bishop continues : ‘ This estate consists of a block of land of about 600 acres, given by the natives for the support of a Maori School. ’ The establishment was broken up at the time of the disturbances in 1865, and it has not been possible to resume operations there. The, estate has been let by the Trustees to Messrs Peter and John

Breingan upon advantageous terms, and a part of the proceeds has been devoted towards the support of the Native School at Turanganui, which has been established by the Government.* “ I cannot conclude my remarks without some reference to the general state of religious feeling beyond our own Emits. Those who take an interest in these subjects cannot be blind to the fact that we are living in critical times. Among the nations of the civilized world there is an unusual amount of excitement, showing itself in some countries in the way of internal commotions, and seeming to be a fulfilment of the description given by our Lord of the latter days ; that there should be perplexity and distress of ngtions. In other countries there is a clamour for more political liberty and freedom of thought. The world is no longer satisfied to allow the old order of things to remain, but we are called to witness a continual succession of changes. “ It seems as though we were approaching a time of conflict between truth and error, between the powers of light and darkness. These subjects are viewed in a serious light by our most able men at home, who feel it necessary to come forward in the defence of the truth. It is not necessary for us to enter into these subjects at the present time. Our strength is rather to sit still, and to watch quietly the course of events, holding fast to that form of sound words which has been given to us in the Scriptures, and in the formularies of our Church. We are taught to expect trials and commotions in the Church, but wc know that it is founded upon Christ the rock, and that the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”