SYNOD OF OTAGO AND SOUTHLAND.

Southland Times, Issue 886, 22 January 1868, Page 2

SYNOD OF OTAGO AND SOUTHLAND.

The annual meeting of the Synod of Otago and Southland,- was commenced last evening, in the First Church.. . The TCev. William "Will, the retiring Moderator, preached from Komans, 1, 16. The Synod was then constituted ; and the roll was made up, as follows: — Ministers: A. IT. Stobo, James Clark, . Thomas Alexander, Andrew Stevens, T. , Burns, D.D., D. M. Stuart, "William Will, William Johnson, James M'Naughton, John Christie, Charles Connor, : Michael .Watt, William Gillies, Robert Scrymgeour, John Ryley, George Sutherland, William Bannerman (Clerk ~of Synod), A l . B. Todd, James TJrie, James [ ICirkland, J. M. Allan, James Copland, - M.D., and John Waters. — Elders : i Messrs A. Law, James Adam, R. A. [ Lawson, A. King, T. B. Nielson, James Paterson, Donald Ferguson, James 1 Wilkie, William Thomson, John Young [ E. B. Cargill, John Williamson, and Eobert Somerville. The Retiring Moderator proposed that the Rev. A. JEL Stobo. of Invercargill, be ; Moderator for the next, twelve, months. I The Rev. Dr Burns seconded the mo- , tion ; and it was unanimously agreed to. The Moderator took the chair, and addressed the Synod. He said that he i could not regard the honor of his, election as intended for himself personally, but 5 rather for the. Presbytery, and the Pro vince of Southland, with which he, was 3 identified: He would need their forbearance in the discharge of the duties of the chair ; but wherever he failed, they might 1 be assured it would be through weakness L and not partiality. He urged on the mem--3 bers-o£-Sjaiodto study at all times to mani--5 fest, in thebustncisajiftheCourt, the spirit of forbearance and BroTtteiijtljiindnesa • which was the spirit of our religion. Jews of old were wont to bind the words of the law as ornaments on their foreheads; let the members of Synod cherish in their hearts this sentiment—" Behold i how good and how pleasant a., thing it ia for brethren to dwell together in unity." , It became them, on this the third meeting of the Synod, to be thankful to God for [ the prosperity with which he*had crowned , their church. With twenty- three members and three presbyteries, their father, . Dv Burns, might well say, " with my staff I entered Otago, and now I am become three bands/ During the past year, they had received aja. accession of two members ; but they must go forward and provide for many places that were still destitute of- religious ordinances, particularly on the Goldfields. Foreign Mission enterprise must also occupy their attention — not only with reference to the New Hebrides, but the Chinese, 1 who by the providence of God had been sent in such numbers to this country. Let the ministers not be forgetful, at the same time, of the spiritual oversight of ' their congregations. He trusted that the Synod would find time for a conference on the state of religion within the bounds ; and would also have a special diet of prayer for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, through whose aid alone religion would advance and bring forth its fruits. """'"" '.""." The Rev. A. Bruce, of Auckland, being present, was associated with the Synod, as one appointed to represent the General ; Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand. The committee on Overtures was appointed, as follows : — -The Moderator ; the Clerk of. the Synod; Clerks of the Presbyteries; the Revs. Dr Burns, and Messrs Will and Johnson (Presbytery of -Dunedin), Clark and Alexander (Southland), and Todd and Kirkland (Clutha), together with the following Elders — Messrs Cargill and Lawson (Dunedin), Adam (Tokomariro), Paterson (Clutha), and Law (Invercargill). The same Ministers . and Elders were appointed the Committee on Bills, References, and Appeals, and to arrange the order of business for the Synod. * The Committee to Revise Records of Presbyteries was appointed to consist of the Revs Messrs Scrymgeour, Waters, Sutherland, and Allen; the Clerks of Presbyteries ; and Messrs Wilkie and Nielson. Leave was granted to the Presbytery of Dunedin to meet at nine o'clock, to-day, to receive a report from the Examining Committee. It was resolved that the Synod should meet at eleven o'clock to-day, and that the first hour should be spent in devotional exercises. The Synod adjourned shortly before ten o'clock. — Otago Daily Time?, loth January. ' %