MEMORIAL ON CHURCH GOVERNMENT.

Southland Times, Issue 1526, 19 January 1872, Page 2

MEMORIAL ON CHURCH GOVERNMENT.

We have been requested to publish the following memorial sent to the Bishops of the Church of England in New Zealand, praying for ecclesiastical reform : — To the Right Reverend the Primate, and t<> the Right Reverend the Bishops as chairmen of the Standing Committees and Presidents of the Synods of the several Dioceses in New Zealand, this memorial of tho undersigned,, the clergyman, churchwardens, vestrymen, and lay members of the Church of England in Invercargill, Humbly sheweth— That the refusal of the New Zealand church to give Bishop Jenner the See for which he had been purposely consecrated, and to which he had been nominated by the Diocese, has disgraced tha working of our eoclesiastical system. That the General Synod of 1868, while refusing to enter into the ritualistic and financial difficulties which were the only ones put iorward by the aggrieved parties protesting, did by its vote, which requested Bishop Jenner to withdraw his claims for the peace of the church, introduce an argument which might at any time mako government impossible wherever there might be a few active dissentients. That the General Synod of 1871 did, by passing a silent vote on the question of the Dunedin Bishopric, without entering at all into its merits, very clearly show that the Synod as it is at present constituted is utterly unable to deal with any question affecting the honor of the church, when there is any popular excitement. That there has been no fair representation of the church in any of its late discussions about the Dunedin Bishopric, and that personal influence, party tactics, and popular feeling have decided the question about which the real body of churchmen has had little opportunity of either gaining information oc expressing an opinion. That under these circumstances your petitioners would earnestly request your Lordships to bring before your respective Standing Committees and Diocesan Synods the following important questions :—- --1. Respecting the • present local and popular mode of electing Lay Representatives, who have no other qualification than that of churchmembership. 2. As regards the present method of the three orders of Bishops, Clergy, and Laity meeting all together, through which free discussion is greatly hindered, if not absolutely prevented, on anyimportant subjeot. 3. In reference to the power of the Bishop in the Diocesan Synod to veto or ignore the resolutions of the other orders of clergy and laymen. For we believe that on these points especially our By nodical system is urgently needing reform. Dated in Invercargill, 6fch Nov., 1871.