THE SYNOD OF OTAGO AND SOUTHLAND.

Southland Times, Issue 1204, 1 February 1870, Page 3

THE SYNOD OF OTAGO AND SOUTHLAND.

« Thursday, 13th January. The Eeport of the Committee on Return of Overtures, to the effect that the overture on representative elders was approved by one Presbytery and 11 Kirk Sessions, and disapproved by two Presbyteries and 11 Bark Sessions, was read. It was thereupon agreed that the overture be fallen from. The Rev. Mr Stobo brought up the following overture :— " Whereas the present regulations regarding the Commissions of Elders to the Synod are very inconvenient in the case of the more remote congregations of this Church, it is humbly overtured by the undersigned to the Synod of Otago and Southland, now assembled, to take such steps as to them may seem meet, so that the Elders from remote congregations may be enabled to take their seats in this Synod by simply presenting their commissions." The Rev. Mr Bannerman proposed the following amendment : " That the present regulations anent elections be rescinded, and that it be resolved that Kirk Sessions may elect their representatives to Presbytery and Synod any time prior to the meeting of Synod." The amendment was accepted by Mr Stobo and Mr Gillies, and adopted by the Synod. The Rev. Mr Stobo brought up the report on Sanctioned Charges. The Rev. Mr Sutherland moved, " That hereafter it shall be the duty of Presbyteries to nominate a member of this Church for the office of Moderator of Synod at least three months before the meeting of Synod in each year, the majority of Presbyteries to decide iv case of the choice falling on different individuals, and this failing, the number of actual votes received by one individual in all the presbyteries." After discussion and the rejection of an amendment, the motion was carried. Mr Cargill read the report of the Committee in connection with the appointment of a professor to the University : — *'The Church Trustees, in accordance with recommendation of Synod, resolved to appoint Principals Candlish and Fairbairn, and Professors Calderwood, Veitch, and Cairns, to make the selection of a professor, and the Factor has also written to those gentlemen intimating their appointment." The annual Missionary Meeting in connection with the Presbyterian Church of Otago, and which is held from year to year, during the sitting of the Synod, was held at 7 p.m. The Moderator (the Rev. Mr Johnstone, of Port Chalmers), occnpied the chair. The proceedings were opened with prayer and praise. The Rev. Dr Copland (Convener of Missions), addressed the meeting on the frabject of missions, detailing the progress of the missionary cause in the province, and urging the meeting to further and more earnest endeavors to promote the cause he advocated. The Rev. Mr Blake addressed the meeting on behalf of the Maori Mission, in a feeling and eloquent speech. The Chairman said that there was, he regretted to say, a feeling in many persons against the attempts to convert the Maoris, but it was their duty to neglect no opportunity to bring them, as well as others, to a true knowledge of the living God. The Rev. Mr "Will spoke on the subject of church extension. The Rev. Mr Stobo addressed the meeting on the subject of church extension, particularly with regard to Southland, including Stewart's Island, where a teacher, if only a godly layman, was urgently needed, but to which" place the church in Southland could not send one for lack of funds. Mr Bannerman moved a vote of thanks to the gentlemen who had addressed the meeting, which was carried by acclamation. The meeting then closed with praise, and the benediction pronounced by the Chairman/ Friday, 14th January. The Rev. Mr Sutherland brought up the report on the State of Religion and Sabbath Observance. The following "considerations" were deemed -worthy of recommendation to the Synod : — "First. — In respect to the Sabbath observance. As Sabbath desecration still continues in steamers leaving port on Sabbath, traffic on the main highways, sales of goods in the retail shops on certain goldfields and elsewhere, private work in gardens, a Sunday coach to Port Chalmers, not to speak of excursions for pleasure, it was thought that a small circular pointing to the law of the Sabbath, and the duty of observing it, would tend to preserve our own people from sharing in this guilt, and might induce them to •use their influence in their variouslocalities for the suppression of the evil. " Second. — For the revival of religion. It was proposed to recommend to Synod to appoint two or more brethren to visit different congregations as they might be invited in their own or adjacent Presbyteries, with the view of awakening deeper interest in the great concerns of eternity, the Presbyteries to which these brethren belong, or in which they labour, to supply their pulpits, if required, during their absence. Various beneficial effects might accrue, under the Divine blessing, from such evangelistic operations judiciously carried out. The Committee also notice with pleasure that the invitation of the Evangelical Alliance to united prayer during the first week of the year, for certain special objects, was responded to with encouraging results in certain parts of our bounds. And they would recommend a compliance with the invitation to universal prayer on the 7th June of this year, for the object mentioned, and any other claiming special notice in any particular locality." A discussion ensued, and the following deliverance was unanimously adopted : — "Adopt the report, record the thanks of the Synod to the Committee and Convener, and instruct the Committee to

prosecute the matters entrusted to them. Further: Instruct the Committee^ to arrange for the several congregations being visited and addressed by members of Sjnod on the subject contained in the report. Approve of the recommendation anent the observance of the 7th day of June next as a day of special prayer for the young, as proposed by the Evangelical Alliance, to be observed by the Church universal, and recommend the several ministers to address their congregations on the Sabbath preceding on the important obligation of seeking the conversion of the young and their early dedication to the service of the Lord; and further, iristruct Presbytery to take into consideration the matters referred to in the report at some special diet of Presbytery." Thereportof the Committee on returns, to the effect that the overture on Psalmody was approved by two Presbyteries and fourteen sessions, and disapproved by one Presbytery and ten sessions, was read. The Eev. Mr Stobo moved the adoption of the overture, which he did in a lengthened speech. -He and his friends were seeking to level down to the true Scriptural freedom of praise ; their opponents were seeking to reach the narrow limit of mere Scripture words, regardless of the spirit and idea. He repeated that the question was as to whether there was anything in Scripture that, either directly or by fair inference, restricted the liberty of praise. The onus probandi rested on the opponents of himself and friends. The Eev. Mr Stuart seconded the motion pro forma. The Eev. Mr Gillies then moved an amendment, to the effect— '[ That the Synod declare, upon the question raised by the overture on the use of hymns in the public worship of God— that the use thereof was neither unscriptural nor contrary to the standards of that Church ; but that they should, in the meantime, defer any decision upon the question of the expediency of adopting any collection, or giving permission to congregations to authorise the use of such hymn book, and appoint a Committee to examine and report." After some remarks from Mr Gillies, his amendment was adopted by the Eev. Mr Stobo. The Eev. Mr Bannerman moved — " That under the present circumstances of the Church the overture be fallen from." This amendment was seconded by the Eev. Mr Eyley. A long discussion ensued, in which most members of Synod took part. The Eev. Mr Todd expressed his intention of voting on the same side as the Eev. Mr Stobo, but said he admired the psalms, and was not in favor of the exclusive use of hymns in public worship. They did not put hymns on the same level as the inspired psalms, and, for his part, he was quite willing to wait until they saw what the Free Church was prepared to do ; but there was no doubt that the young, at least, were very much in favor of the hymns, and there might be danger attached to a refusal on the part of ministers to introduce a change. The Eev. Mr Stobo having replied, A vote was taken with the following result :— For the Eev. Mr Stobo's motion, 25 ; for the Eev. Mr Bannerman'a amendment, 13. Mr Bannerman then submitted the following reasons of dissent from the motion adopted on psalmody : — " I. That the motion adopted does not affirm that hymns are authorised, and therefore required by the word of G-od. " 11. That the motion therefore is not in accordance with the requirements of the Confession of Faith, chapter xxi, section I, and of the Larger Catechism, question 109, and of the Shorter Catechi3m, question 51, all of which affirm that G-od ia not to be worshipped in any other way not appointed in His Word. "111. That as a court of Christ's Church, the functions of the Synod are only ministerial, i. c., they relate only to the carrying into effect, not what is not unscriptural, but only that which is scriptural, i. c., prescribed by the Word of God. "Wm Bannerman, minister ; George Sutherland, minister; John Waters, minister; John Duncan, elder; Eobert Murray, elder ; George Poison, elder ; James W. Thomson, elder ; James Smith, elder." Messrs Todd, Gillies, Will, and Stobo, were appointed a committee to answer these reasons ; Mr Stobo, convener. The Synod adjourned. Saturday, 15th Januaey. The Theological Committee reported that arrangements had been made to render available for the Church the legacy of the late Mr Lang. The Committee was discharged, and the matters under their conduct remitted to the University Committee. The Deliverance on the Eeport of the University Committee was given in and adopted. The report on Forms of Procedure was adopted, and the Committee continued, Mr Waters taking the place of Mr Todd. The report of the committee on the Eevision of Eecords was adopted, and it was stated that they were well and regularly kept. The report of the Finance Committee was read and adopted. From it we gather that the Sustenation Fund has increased by £413 7s 4d on the previous year. The Mission Fund started at the beginning of the year with a credit balance of £407 17s 9d, and the contributions from the congregations for the year amount to £417 18s 7d. The outlay for the year was £553 2s 4d. As connected with missions, we may next report upon the Dayspring Funds ; first, the Insurance Fund. — The Treasurer reports having received for this fund £166 14s Id ; but this represents only a small portion of the amount collected for this object during the past year in the Church, being only what was passed through the hands of the General Treasurer. Tour Committee would only ex-

press their gratification that through the success of the appeals made by the Rev. Mr Inglis and the Rev. Mr M'Donald, this fund has been completed, and will no longer appear among our annual accounts. The total collected for the year is £209 Is 6d, with donations amounting to £2. It should be noted, to the credit of the children of our Sabbath Schools, that the greater part of that amount was collected by them. As to the Passage Expense Fund, there was a balance from 1868 of j £89 12s 4d ; and the 22 contributing congregations have sent in £116 Os Id, of which, after deducting the outlay for the year, there is now in hand £154 10s 2d. To the Church Extension Fund there was a credit balance at the beginning of last J year of £35 lls Id ; and the 16 contributing congregations sent in £107 14a 5d ; and the congregations receiving supply in connection with the Church Extension Committee contributed £525 3s lOd, making a total of £668 9s 4d, of which there is still in hand a balance of £86 0s 2d. In the Widows and Orphans Fund the balance at the beginning of the year was £611 7s 3d, to which there was added for the year £184 17s 4d, leaving a balance now in hand, after deducting necessary expenses, of £783 6s 2d. With regard to the Manse Reserve Fund, there was, on the 30th September last, an accumulated sum of £9614 9a Id, which is now increased to more than the sum of £10,000 allotted out of this fund towards ! building the First Church. It is therefore now a question for the Synod to ( determine what is to be done with the j annual income hereafter. The Synod then adjourned. Mokday, 17th January. The Mission Committee presented to the Synod their third Annual Report, and they had much satisfaction in being able to record continued progress in the im portant work committed to their care. The report embodied accounts of the New Hebrides Mission, the Maori Mission, and the Chinese Mission. The Rev. T. Norie, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand, and deputy from that church, then addressed the Synod. The Rev. Mr Stuart moved that Dr, Copland and Mr Duncan be named as representatives of the Church to the j North during the ensuing -General Assembly. The Rev. Mr Todd seconded the motion, which was carried. Tuesday... 18th Jantjaey. It was decided that the Popotunoa; congregation should receive its full share! from the Manse Building Fund before any: other application would be entertained. The Rev. Messrs Will, Gillies, and Copland, and Messrs Smith and Hepburn, were appointed a Committee to confer with the Church Trustees as to the sites on goldfields for manses and glebes ; Mr Will to act as convener. Mr Stobo gave in the following answers to the Rev. Mr Bannerman and others — Reasons of dissent from the resolutions of the Synod on the question of hymnology :— I. This reason of dissent is irrelevant, because it objects to' the motion not on account of what it does affirm, but on account of what it does not affirm, and also because what the motion does affirm is not inconsistent with the further position that the use of hymns is authorised by Scripture, which the supporters of the motion maintained as the ground warranting them to take the lower position they did in the motion, of simply saying that the use of hymns is not unscriptural. 2. In answer to the second reason of dissent, it is therefore sufficient to affirm that the motion is in perfect accordance with the standards of the Church, which agree with the word of God, that God is to be worshipped in praise by " Psalms and hymns, and spiritual songs."— Eph. v. 19, and Co.L, iii, 16. 3. The Synod acted only ministerially in passing the motion dissented from, because it simply affirmed a position authorised by Scripture. — Eph. v. 19 ; Col. iii. 16. The following were appointed members of the Church Extension Committee : — ! The Rev. D. M. Stuart, convener, and Messrs Watt, Johnstone, M'Naughton, Sutherland, Cargill, Gillie 3, Mollison, Smith, and Hepburn. A grant of £3000 was voted towards the erection of the Oatnaru manse. The following minute from the proceedings of the Deacons' Court of the First Church was read: — " The Court having had under consideration the progress made in the erection of the new church on Church Hill, resolve to report to the Synod that said church is making rapid progress towards completion ; that its completion is expected to be reached before next meeting of Synod ; that the amount placed at the disposal of the Deacons' Court towards the erection of the church has been well nigh exhausted, and that it will therefore be necessary that the Synod make further arrangements for placing additional funds in the hands of the Deacons' Court for the completion of the building." ' The Clerk was instructed to forward this extract minute to the Clerk of Synod. The following motion was proposed and carried— That the Synod having been informed that the sum of £10,000 allotted for the building of the First Church has now accumulated, and having before it the request of the Deacons' Court of that Church for a further grant, remit to a committee to consider, and report at next meeting of Synod, upon the whole matter of the further disposal of the Trust funds arising from Manse Reserve site. The committee to be empowered to take, if they see fit, legal opinion upon the matter. The Rev. Messrs Copland, Will, Watt, Ryley, Gillies, and Messrs Smith, Hepburn and Duncan were appointed a committee to consider and report upon the subject. The report from the Temperance Committee was read and adopted. The Moderator then delivered his closing address, after which the 133 rd

psalm was sung, and the Synod Was adjourned till Wednesday, January llth, 1871.