GENERAL SYNOD.

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 410, 17 April 1937, Page 3

GENERAL SYNOD.

ATTITUDE TO WAR. Protest By Archbishop. Hamilton, April 17. / Resolutions of the Auckland Dio cesan Synod in regard to war were approved by the sessional committee on Eocial service in a report submitted by Bishop West-Watson (Christchurch) to General Synod. “There is a danger lost the Church should be swisyed. from the consistency of its witness against War,” the committee stated. “The mere fact that organisation for peace has been for the time being submerged by the rising tide of rearmament does not jhange the essential contradiction which is offered by war to the teaching of Christ. It may be that it is 1 menace to peace for one country to remain under-armed when others are rearming. We can only that suich rearmament may be the lessdr of two evils.” A discussion on the 1928 Prayer Book took place when Mr J. G. Appleton (Waiapu) tabled a motion expreEsing the appreciation of Synod of the action, of the Bench of Bishops in allowing the use in part of the new book. Mr Appleton said' he was a Low Church man, but he recognised the need for revision of the 1662 Prayer Book. He suggested that an extension of the bishops’ permission would be welcomed. Archbishop Averill said it would be far wiser to leave things as they 'Were and people become accustomed to those portions c\ the new Prayer Book that were in use in New Zealand. After several others had spoken the notion was withdrawn. Ordination Candidates. The desirability of improving the system of training candidates for ordination was emphasised by Archdeacon Bullock, of Wellington. He considered there should be one well staffed college in New Zealand for the training of ordinands. He did not think any of the existing institutions were satisfactory. Archbishop Averill -.aid he regarded Archdeacon Bulock’s remarks as an unwarranted reflection on the wardens of St. John’s College, who had not been given an opportunity of answering any of the criticism levelled against the college. A proposal to appoint a board of governors was Supporting a proposal that General Synod should consider meeting annually instead of triennially, Bishop Williams (Waiapu) said that of the 175 clergy elected to the Synod since its inception 59 had attended only once, while of the 328 laymen elected not quite half had attended once. He thought the membership might be reduced and that much more effqctive work could be done by more frequent meetings’, A motion to appoint a commission to investigate the question raised by Bishop Williams, and o consider improvements to the constitution, was l adopted.