SYNOD OF OTAGO AND SOUTHLAND.

Southland Times, Issue 632, 15 February 1867, Page 2

SYNOD OF OTAGO AND SOUTHLAND.

♦ I The following is a summary of the proceedings of the Synod of Otago and Southland held during the past month : — The second annual meeting of the Presbyterian Synod of Otago and Southland was opened on the 10th ultimo, the members of Synod assembling in the First Church, Dunedin. The following is the roll of Presbyteries included in the Synod: — Dunedin Presbytery — The Rev Messrs Burns, D.D. ; Will, Stuart, Johnstone, M'Naughton, Watt, Christie, Connor, GUlies, Davidson. Clutha Presbytery — Rev Messrs Bannerman, Todd, Kirkland, Wise, AUan, Copland, M.D. Southland Presbytery — Rev Messrs Stobo, Clark, Alexander, Stevens. The members of tbe Synod present were — Dr Burns (Moderator), and the Rev Messrs Bannerman, Todd, Kirkland, AUan, Copland, Waters, Stuart, WiU, Johnstone, M'Naughton, Christie, Watt, G-iUies, Davidson, Stevens, Clark, Alexander. Commissions of the foUowing elders were also given in and sustained : — Messrs Buchanan, GUlies, Smith, Crawford, A. Todd, Sherman, Thomson, HiU, D. Anderson, E. B. Cargill, Rait, Johnston, Anderson, Adam. The Rev. Dr Bttbns having dehvered an eloquent sermon from Luke i., 78 and 79, took his seat as Moderator, and nominated his successor. Following the order estabhshed by the selection of the Dunedin Presbytery for the first meeting, it would, he said, have been his choice to have named the Rev Mr Bannerman, senior member of the Clutha Presbytery. He was, however, Clerk to the SynoQ, and the Rev Mr Todd, whom he would have next proposed, was precluded by the state of his health, from undertaking the duties. Mr Stobo, of Southland, was not present, and next in seniority was the ftev Mr Stuart, whom he proposed. The Rev Mr Sttjabt dechned, and proposed the Rev Mr WUI; and the proposition having been seconded by the Rev Mr Todd, Mr Wili took the chair as ' Moderator, and delivered a short inauguratory address, in the course of which he suggested the propriety of the method of electing the Moderator being so altered as to admit of the member elected being to some extent prepared for the honor conferred upon him, and for the proper discharge of tbe duties of the office. Notwithstanding the faults and shortcomings which might have necessarily characterised the early progress of their Church, he congratulated the Synod upon the amount of effort which had been used to plant Churches throughout the bounds of the Synod, and upon the cheering fact that those efforts had been rewarded with so much success. They had not, however, reached the point at which they could contemplate standing stiU, if ever that could be reached ; and he did not doubt that the Synod, during its present meeting, would be called upon to devise new measures for carrying on more extensively throughout Otago and Southland the great work to which they had been caUed. He prayed that, in that matter as in others, tbeir meeting might prove useful to themselves, and profitable to the Church. The minutes of the last meeting of Synod having been read by the Clerk (the Rev. Mr Bannerman), it was agreed that the Rev. Messrs Campbell and Scrymgeour should be associated with the Synod during its present meeting. The Synod then proceeded to appoint committees on bUls and overtures, a committee to examine records of Presbyteries, and standing committees. There was afterwards a discussion as to the reading of the answers of the Committee of last Syuod to reasons of dissent which had been made to the resolutions of the Synod relative to the Basis of Union. It was agreed that it was irregular, at a subsequent Synod, to read answers to reasons of dissent ; but, in the circumstances under which the answers had been brought down last year, it was pleaded by several members that it would be but justice that they should be read ; ana, ultimately, a motion to that effect was adopted, with the proviso that it was not to be received as a precedent. The answers having been read, and hours of Committee meetings appointed, The Synod adjourned until 11 a.m. nextday ; and it was arranged thafc the meetings should extend davy from the same hour untU 3 p.m., and from 5 p.m. untU nofc later than 11 p.m. SECOND DAT. The Synod again met on Wednesday at 11 a.m. ; the Moderator (the Rev. Mr WiU) in the chair. ' -- After devotional exercises, the minutes of the previous sitting were read and adopted. The Clerk (the Rev. Mr Bannorman) read commissions in favor of Mr W. Mackay, Anderson's Bay, and of Robert Mackay, Oamaru, as elders; explaining that 'Ihe commission in favor of Mr Shennan, from Oamaru, was a mistake. The commissions were sustained. TBTJST DEEDS. Mr GrcLIES, as convenor of the. Committee for the preparation and printing of model Trust Deeds, laid on the table printed copies of the same, and it was agreed to approve of the dUigence of the Committee, and to remit to a Committee the duty of ascertaining the probable expense of preparing deeds for property according to the model adopted, a report to be made at a future diet. THEOLOGICAL STUDENTS. The Rev Mr Todd read the report of the CoUege Committee, which was appointed at the last meeting of Synod, to consider what means were within the power of the Church for encouraging and preparing young men to undertake the work of the ministry. The Committee reported that they had communicated with the Church Treasurer, Mr Edmund Smith, and found that no funds would be available for CoUege purposes for sometime. The Sohcitor's account for passing the Church Lands Ordinance would amount to £500, a-third of which would absorb the CoUege 1 funds for this year. In the meantime the Committee recommended to the Synod the immediate I formation of a fund to assist young men in study- ' ing for the ministry under the superintendence of

Presbyteries. They had great pleasure in infofßh ing the Synod that the late Mr Joseph Lang, Little Tokomairiro, had bequeathed a wm of £200 for tbat purpose. The foUowing was quoted as the extract from his will :— " And should a society or fund be formed or raised in New Zealand, within five years firbm my decease, for educating oi*^ assisting young men to enter the Christian Ministry of the Presbyterian Church, I give and bequeath to such society* br fund the sum of two hundred pounds. (Signed) — Joseph Lako." For the regulation of Presbyteries, whUe superintending the studies of young men, the Committee recommended to the Synod the fixing of a curriculum, to extend over a period of six years at least — three Uterary, and three theological j and tbe report specified studies in humanity, logic, moral phUosophy, and history for the first three years ; and the theological, linguistic, historical, and oratorical studies for the second three — the Presbyteries being left to prescribe such additional subjects as they might deem necessary. j The report concluded by , suggesting that, .before* "an applicant should be admitted to" stiidy for th". ■ministry the Presbytery should examine hini id respect to his qualifications and attainments, and determine in what year of the prescribed coiirse his studies should commence. -.•■■.- The Rev. Mr Stttabt congratulated the Church upon the apparent earnestness with which the matter of the report was being taken up, and he referred to three instances in which young men had proceeded to the Home country to prosecute their studies for the Ministry. Another, on the recommendation of the Examining Committee, had gone to Melbourne to prosecute his Uterary studies, and he hoped they would be able to obtain a large amount of encouragement to young men desiring to proceed for such objects either to Britain or the Colonies. Mr E. B. Cabghel hoped the day would come* when all fche facilities for the training of young men for the Ministry would be found in the Prd* vince, but in the meantime, the eacduragemerit of students to go either to the colonies or hoipe, which was least costly, was an object deserving the utmost support. In reply to the Rev. Mr Watt, he said it was not contemplated, nor was it advisable, to include in the scheme the encouragement of students at home not emanating from the colony. The Rev Mr Copiand reviewed the three points which, in connection with the subject, it was expedient for the Synod to consider. The first was the plan upon which the fund was tobe instituted, and that included the question whether it should not be made a regular fund of the Church for which collections Bhould be made, and to which donations and subscriptions might be converted. The second was the method of administration. Two courses had been proposed — the assistance of students under the direction of the Presbyteries, and the assistance of approved colonial students at home ; and another had been suggested — the offer of bursaries to students avowedly preparing themselves for the colonies. The last, he considered, was outside of the purpose of the proposed fund, which he highly approved of as encouraging a Ministry associated with the country, its interests, and with the manners and feelings of the population. The chief question was how to raise the fund to which one bequest had already been Becured. The Rev Mr Watebs recommended the appointment of a Committee for the purpose of directing attention to the matter, and of promoting it by urging the Überality of friends of the ' Church, in favor of the objects contemplated. Mr J. Gihges and the Rev Mr CoNNOB suggested further, the pubUcation of a report by a Committee, referring to the fact of the bequest, and explaining the object of the" fundi and the benefits to be derived to the Church by such a fund. It was ultimately agreed that the report of the Committee shoukl/be adopted, and that, in the terms of the report, a fund should be instituted for assisting young men while prosecuting their studies ; and, further, that the report be recorded, and the Clerke be instructed to transmit an extract of the same to the several Presbyteries. The Rev Mr Wait, on behalf of the Committee appointed to direct and superintend the studies of Mr John Ryley, student in theology, reported the Committee, on a conjoint review of the several examinations, felt warranted in recemmendiug that Mr Ryley be taken on trial for Ucense. The Clerke also reported, that in the Presbytery of Clutha, they had Mr Stevens, Waihola, progressing satisfactorily as student of theology. EVENING- SITTING-. The Modebatob resumed the chair at five o'clock. •NEW HEBBEDES MISSION. The Rev. Mr Sttjabt "supported an overture from the Presbytery of Dunedin, recommending that the Synod should make provision for Bending to, and supporting in, the New Hebrides, a missionary in connection with the Presbyterian Mission in those islands. He gave an interesting account of the history of the mission^-of its success, and of intimate relations to the churches of the colonies, and particularly to the church of Ofcago. The annual expense of a missionary, he stated, was from £120 to £130; and after the knowledge they had obtained of the character of the mission, through the Rev. Mr Copeland and Bishop Selwyn, he reUed upon there being, in the Church of Otago, sufficient energy and liberahty in the direction of missionary enterprise to encourage them to send one missionary to these islands. "A lengthy and animated discussion tookplace on three separatemotionsbasedonthe overture, each of these motions having the same object in view, but differing in the suggestions they contained as to the steps to be taken towards the adoption of a Foreign Mission Scheme, and the appointment of a missionary. The majority of the members addressed the Synod,* and an amended motion to the. following effect, was at length agreed to:— "That the Synod having considered the overture, it be resolved to support a missionary in connection with the New Hebrides Mission, and to appoint a coUection on behalf of this object, to be made by associations or otherwise; and further appoint a Committee to take charge of this matter, to be caUed the Foreign Mission Committee ; and authorise this Committee to endeavor to secure the ser; ices of either Mr Copeland or Mr Inglis as first missionary of the Church, and should either of them accept, it be held that their appointment is hereby made ; and failing either of them, the Committee be appointed to gather information as to where another can be obtained, and to report to the next meeting of Synod." CETOBOH: EXTENSION. The Rev Mr M*Natjghton read the foUowing report: "The Church Extension jCommittee have to report that, in accordance with the decision came to at last meetiug of Synod, they made appUcation to the Colonial Committee of the Free Church of Scotland for two ministers fbr the goldfields, and they are happy to inform the Synod that the appUcation has been successful. One of the two, Mr Robert Telford, probationer of the Free Church of Scotland, arrived in Otago last week; and the other, Mr W. Munro, also a probationer of the Free Church of Scotland, has arrived to-day. Having received an earnest request from Queenstown for a minister, and having considered the pressing wants of the Lake Wakatipu district, its destitution of means of grace, its great distance from any of our settled, charges, your committee resolved to send the first minister who arrived. Mr Telford left for his destination on Monday last, and it is hoped that by the blessing of Go J upon his labors in that district^ he wiU be the honored instrument of gathering into the fold many who are now as sheep without a shepherd. Your committee have agreed to send Mr Miinro to the Maniototo district. On his arrival, he wUI occupy the pulpit of one member of the Church for two Sabbaths, that minister halving consented to go before Mr Munro to the Moniototo to prepare the way. for him. Of course, we have had no special request from that quarter, and the committee have made no promise to send Mr Munro there ; the Synod may make some other arrangement. At the. same time, we must state that so far as our knowledge goes, it seems to us, next to Queenstown, the most neces-

■sitousof the Goldfields. Mr M'Nichol, at the request of the Presbytery of Clutha, has continued to labor at Popotunoa during the past year. Although the arrangements for Mr Beith were made by the Synod itself before the" appointment of your committee, they may state that for the best part of the year he has supplied St. Andrew's Church, Dunedin, either personally or by taking the place of ministers of the Presbytery of Dunedin who were officiating there. Daring the last quarter of the year, Mr Beith has been supplying Balelutha, a new station within the limits of the Presbytery of Clutha. In drawing this report to a conclusion, your committee would respectfully suggest to fche Synod tlie propriety of sendinghomeforatleasttwootherministers;fornot■mthstanding the large number of ministers that have been added to our Church during the last four years, we may stiU say, " The harvest truly is great, whUe the laborers are few.' " A discussion arose as to the appointment of Mr Munro. The Rev Mr Connor urged thafc the Waipori, CromweU, and Wanaka Lake districts had greater need of a minister than the Manioh>to. The Rev Mr Copeland stated that the districts named had been to some extent suppUed ; whUe the Teviot and MUler's Flat had been almost without ministerial visitation, and the inhabitants of those districts were desirous of obtaining a minister, and willing to contribute to bis support. EventuaUy the report was adopted, and the arrangement as to the employment of Mi* Munro was remitted to the Committee.