Opening of the Synod.

Auckland Star, Volume XI, Issue 3195, 18 October 1880, Page 3

Opening of the Synod.

The third session of the Ninth Syaod was opened at three o'clock iv the afternoon at Parncll with the usual address by the Bishop. His Lordship commenced by referring to the recent legislation of tlie general Synod of the ecclesiastical provmco of Now Zealand, held at Chriatchurcli on May 4th, in whoac deliberations seven Bishops, twenty clergymen, and twentythree liy representatives took part. Ho said : "Our own diocese had its full complement of representatives in the Synod, but of our Lay members two were residents of another diocese. The liberty possessed by our people—of electing their representatives in the General Synod from any part of lNu»v Zealand—is one to be retained ; but so long as wo are obliged to go bcyoud our own diocese to obtain representatives, for lack of men of our own—able as well as qualified to attend tho Synod on our behalf, our diocese will not bo properly represented therein, and thorc will bo ground for doubting the competency of tho Synod to legislate! wisoly for all the dioceses of the provmce. This defect in our system of representation will be partly remedied when fuuds are provided from which to defray tho travelling expenses of tho Lay members, who are now taxed heavily for their work, when it involves a voyage of more than 1,5'j0 miles by sea, and a month's absence from home, as was the case with our Auckland laymen who attended tho recent Synod at Christchurch."

New and Altered Statutes.—The new Statutes passed provide among other things that 'there shall ba kept by the Churchwardens of each parish a book, to be called the Churchwardens' Book ;' and that ' every man of the ago of twenty-one years or upward', resident iv any parish, and who shall have been registered for a period of not less than two months in tho Churchwardens' Hook' . . . ' as having made

and subscribed' the required declaration of Churchmnnship ' shall be entitled to attend and vote at Parish Meetings, and to vote at the election of Synodsmen for the pariah' . . . . and of Lay representatives for tho district in which ho resides. Statute No. 21 is 'for adopting a new table of Lessons,' namely, that which has been adopted by the Church of England, with the consent of tho Crown anil Convocation, aiulis printed at the beginning of tho newest edition of the Prayer Hook. ' Every portion of a diocese not duly constituted as a parish shall be divided into parochial districts, in such manner as the Bishop and Standing Committee may deem most convenient.' Churchwardens are to be ' taken out of the parishioners, beiug communicants.' The iirst appointment of Parochial Nominators for a parish newly constituted uhall vent with tho Diocesan Synod ;' and that ' when a parochial district is formed into a parish, the. cure eliall bsheld to bo vacant.'

Mbmorials Presented to the General Synod.— The Synod did not comply with our petition respecting tho election by this Synod of three additional Governors of St. John's College.—ln reference to our memorial concerning the legality of marriage licenses, the Synod resolved that, "Inasmuch as the issuing of marriage licenses has been the law and practice of the Church of England, at least since tho XIV century, the Synod is ot opinion that the system can be legally maintained."

khugious Instruction in Primary SCHOOLS.—In accordance with our memorial on the subject of religious instruction iv the public primary schools, the Synod have requested tho Most Reverend the Primate to petition the Legislative Council and the House of Representatives of the colony, on their behalf, that the Education Act may be "so amended that provision may be made for the ornmu'iication of religious instruction in the public schools by ministers of religiou or persons duly authorised by them, to the children belonging to their respective communions witbiu school hours." The Synod also recommends that "grants in aid" may be "made to schools set on foot by any religious denomiuntion, provided that the attendance aud secular instruction in such schools shall come up to the required standards, and satisfy tho Government Inspectors-"

Church of England Temperance Society.—Of other Resolutions affecting this diocese I would direct your .attention tp the following, namely, that ' the General Synod earnestly recommends tho Diocesan Synods of this ecclesiastical Province to take auch steps as they may deem necessary for tho fostering of the temperance movement, on principles similar to those adopted by the Church of England Temperance Society in Great Britain.' State of this Diocese.—Tho Bishop then went ou to make hi 3 usual statement of ithe condition of the diocese. In conicquence of his absence from the diocese in Anvil amY May, ho liad uot yat beeu able to hold his aunual visitation of the Waikato Bud some other districts, but hoped to do so before the end oE the year. Tho licensed clergy of the diocese are two more in number than they were at the time of our last, meeting, one Maori and one English deacon having been ordained by him during ■ the interval. In May ho had the pleasure of instituting to the incumbency of S. Matthew's Parish, Auckland, the Key. William Tebbs, M.A., of Queens' College, Cambridge. He was happy to inform the Synod that the Vestry of S. Matthew's have guaranteed for a year tho stipend of an assistant minister for the parish, whose special work will be in connection with S. Thomas' Mission Chinch. By this arrangement the religious instruction of the children of the parish will be more effectively cared for, and the pastoral visitation of the people more thoroughly carried out, than could otherwise have_ been the case ; and he was thus enabled, in the case of the deacon last ordained, to act in accordance with the resolution of the General Synod which declares it to 'be desirable tha', a3 far as possible, every yo.ong clergyman, before being appointed to a separate Cure, should first hare gone through a courno of training in parochial work under an incumbent.' The advantage of such training for our young clergymen is of the greatest importance; though i* may postpone tor a time the provision of pastoral ministrations for some newly formed con- '" relations, that arc desirous oi having fclergymen resident in their midst. Of such districts there are at present in the diocese some of great extent, almost entirely without the ministrations of our clergy, viz., those extending trom Kawakawa to Hokianga, from Pahi to Waipu, from Para, wai to Kati Kati, from Drury to Mercer (including Tniikuu and the country between ihfr- Great South ltoad and Miranda), from Kaglaa to Huntly; the Cororoaiidel Peninsula; and part of the Archdeaconry of Taranaki The Hokianga and Kawa Kawa districts, with somo of tße intervening settlers, are at present visited from Russell by the Rev. J. H. Hawke3, 8.A., whose Zealand energy are greatly to be commended; Jbut it is much to be desired that our people should, as soon as possible, enable me to relieve Mr Hawkes of a portion of his present charge, fflae extensive district lying between Fahi and Waipu (iucludio" Paparoa, Mungaturoto, and Waikiekie), it visit;d quarterly !by the Key. F. Gould, whose ministrations are very highly valued by all the people resident in those settlements; but the Church's work there is much retarded by tho want of a resident clergyman for its cherishing and direction. He hoped to supply this want before the end of the year, by the appointment of a youns clergyman whom he was expecting shortly to arrive from England. Our people thought the district should, therefore, lose no time in erecting a parsonage house, on the site which Captain Colbeck has generously provided for the purpose. The want of a parsonage house, in the extensive district between Drury and Mercer, is still the chief obstacle to the appointment of a resident clergyman, to minister to our people living on or near the Great South. Road. Until such an appointment is made he would not be able to relieve the Rev. W. Taylor, of Mauku, of part of his.at present, too extensive charge. There was much need of a suitable clergyman for the district extending from Raglan on the West Coast to the Huntly coal mines of the Wa'ka'o river, including the settlements of Whata Whata and Ngaruawahia. The Huntly coal mines, Taupiti, Ngaruawahia, and Whata Whata still form part of the charge of the Rev. W. Calder, whose headquarters are at Hamilton. It is quite time that he was relieved of this part of his responsibilities. Ho hoped' to be enabled before long to relieve the Rev. W. N. de L. Willis of part of his too extensive charge. As the result greatly of the faithfulness ot his work at Cambridge,his people there have resolved to erect a church th it shall be more worthy of its purpose, and of their prosperous district, than is the present St. Andrew's. He bad not been able to appoint a clergyman to the charge of the Kati Kiti district, since it became vacant nearly a year ago. He had not visited the Archdeaconry of Taranaki since the last meeting of the Synod.but he proposeddoingsoin the month of February. He hoped by that time to be able to appoint a clergyman to the charge of the district which comprises Inglewood and the neighbouring settlement", and thus to relieve the Venerable Archdeacon Govett, and his two zealous and indefatigable co&djutators, of soxe of their responsibilities. In the absence of clergymen, very valuable work in Connection With our churches continues to be done by the Lay Readers of the Diocese. Since our

last Session, licences have been issued to Mr Blytli, of Kussell, Mr R. Hogwood, of Mangonui, and to Messrs Kcatly and Marshall, of Kawa Kawa. Good nnd important work of tho same kind haa also been done for 119 by others, to whom a formal licence has not yet been issued, namely, by Mr J. K. uavis, of St. John's College, who at present conducts service at Woodside on three Sundays, and at St. Matthias', Panmure, on one Sbnday of each month, besides superintending tho Sunday-school of tho latter settlement; by Mr Hitchcock, of St. John's College, who, until his rocenc ordination, acted as Lay Header in the churches on tho Great South Road ; by Mr Herbert Maclean, of St. John's Colleg«, who has succeeded Mr Hitchcock in those duties; and by Mr Tuke, of St. John's College, who has given much help on Sundays to the clergy of the Waiuku, Devonport, aud other districts. Mr G. 1 Inseldcn, ot Te Arai, who has held a licence since 1872, has during the last year conducted Sunday services at St. Michael's, Mangawai, involving n lon;1; rido on each occasion ; Mr l'\ E. Evans, of St. John's College, haa recently undertaken regular Sunday work in the outlying districts of the Key. J. Bates' charge beyond Devonport. Tho Synod will bo gratified to hear that the theological students of St. John's College are thus continuing to lit themselves for ministerial oiliccs iv tho Church, by practical experience, as well as by the pursuit of learning. Since August the students have been lodged in Pnrnell or with their friends, and have received tuition from the Rev. R. Kidd, LL.D. and the Rev. W. K. Mulgaii, M.A., whom tho Governors have temporarily appointed tutors of the College '1 his arrangement was rendered necessary by the unexpected resignation of tho Mastership of the College by tho Roy. J. Kinder, D.D., who hail discharged tho duties of that oilice for nine years, with faithfultiess aud cllicioncy, as the results of his labours, as seen in liis pupils, abundantly testify. To one of them, still at tho College, a scholarship for Latin was recently awarded by tho University of Now Zealand ; and those who have been prepared by him for the theological examinations, conducted under the authority of tho General Synod, have, in almost every instance, gained distinction. Ho was happy to inform the Synod that the Dioceso is not about to loso the valuable services of Dr. Hinder, and that he has accepted tho oflicc of one of the examining chaplains. In consideration of the multiplicity of subjects required to bo taught at St. John's College, in tho preparation of young men tor commercial life, for tho Civil Service and University examination!), and for Holy Orders, tho Governors decided in July to appoiut a warden and two tutors, instead of a master, 119 before, to bo looked to for all tho teaching desired by tho students. Tho wardenship of the College had been offered by the Governors to the Roy. JohuStill, M.A.,ofCaiusCollege,Cambridge, formerly of the Melanesian Mission. church Grammar School, Paunkll. —In the beginning of this year tho Hoard of Governors of tho Church Grammar School, Parncll, accepted the resignation of Mr James Adams, 8.A., who had been Head Master of the Grammar School for eight years, and nndcr whom tho number of hoys rose (in 1879) to ninoty-two. Tho vacancy in this important oflice was filled by the appointment of Mr A. de Lislo Hammond, Scholar of Christ's College, Cambridge, and It. A. of the University of Sydney. Under tho direction of Mr Hammond we believe that our youth will receive a liberal education of a high order, including careful in»truction in tho truths of Holy Scripture, according to tho system followed at all the great historical schools of England. The number of boys' how on the boards of the school is ninety-four; and the Governors have, at tho request of Mr Hammond, attached to the Head Master's house a building capable of accommodating a larger number of boarder?, besides adding two class rooms to the schoolhouse, and making considerable improvements iv the premises generally. The Orphan Hume, Parnell, continues to deserve, and to receive, the support of those interested iv the well being of fatherless and motherless children. As a proof of tho care bestowed on the religious teaching of the orphans, Hih Lordship nicu' tioncd the fact that one of the boys has agaiu taken a high place at the annual examination of tho Sunday-Schools of the Diocese. The number of children in the Home during the past year was larger than ever before, and is at present sixty. Ho would remind the Synod of our need of an endowment for a. Chaplaincy of the Hospital, the Jail, and the Luuatic Asylum of tho Province. Faithful and constant ministrations are given to the inmates of those institutions by some of tho Auckland clergy, especially those of S. Sepulchre's parieh aud the Uev. B. Y. Ashwcll; and by Lay brethren to whom wo are much indebted, namely, by Mr Kensington at tho Hospital, and by Mr Ewingtou and Mr Larkins at the Jail. The Bishop hoped to be able to lay before the Syuod, at its next meeting, a full report of the condition of the SundaySchools of the dioceae. Of those who3e scholars attained the highest places at the last annual examination conducted by himself, ho had the pleasure of mentioning S. Mary's School, Parnell, and Trinity School, Devonport, to each of which were awarded by the examiners seven of the prizes for the year, together amounting to nearly one half of the number merited by the schools of the diocese. The school for Maori boys continues to prosper, the number of pupils at present being forty-fivo. Oencral Goaset and Mr Sheath have kindly allowed the Trustees to associate them with a sub-committee of the Board of Trustees, to superintend the general management of tho school. The Rev. B. Y. Ashwell visita St. Stephen's on one day of each week, for the purpose of giving special religious instruction. The behaviour of tho native boys has been nniformly eood. The work of the native clergy ot tue diocese continues to progress satisfactorily. Their number is now thirteen, having increased by one since the last Sossiou of the Synod. The new deacon, a promising young man of the Karawa tribe, after a course of preparation in Auckland, was ordained at VVaimate on January last. In proof of the vitality of the Maori congregations of the Northern Archdeaconry, he mentioned that they continue to raise endowments for the maintenance of clergymen of their own race, and to erect and enlarge churches in the centres of population ; and that they Bhew a care for the progress of the Gospel amongst others, as well as amongst themselves, by contributing to the lunds of the Melanesian Mission and the Selwyn Memorial, For this hopeful condition of our Maori people of thb North we arc mainly indebted to the caro of tho Yen. Archdeacon Claike, who was unfortunately prevented from attending the Synod by the serious illness of Mrs Clark, whose exertions for the moral, social, and spiritual elevation of the Maories of VVaimate have bsen unceasing and very effectual.—Confirmations have been held during the year at Waimate, Parawai, and Matakohe. The Maories iv the neighbourhood of the last of these settlements, namely at Pariran, are much indebted to Mr Ovens, their school-teacher and Lay Reader.—A suitable church has been built at Oromahoe near Waimate, and another is being erected on the island of Waiheke.—The Rev. William Pomare, minister of the Ngatiwhatua tribe, has been appointed one of the Bishop's chaplains. Mbl»nesian Mission.—Tho Bishop then proceeded to speak of the progress of the Gospel among the islands of the Southwok Paoißc, ond the self-denying and noble work of the missions there. From the many encouraging events of a year's work he selected the following, as grounds of thankfulness for the past, and of hopefulness for the future work of the Mission :— Florida.—ln October last Bishop Selwyn baptized fifteen adults and two children at Gaeta in the Floridas (S. lat. 9deg. 20min. ; E. long. 160deg. 15min). This was the result mainly ot two years' teaching—by word and deed—of a Native of the island, Sapibuana by name, a former scholar at S. Barnabas', Norfolk Island. Only three years before, the Rev. A. Penny, the devoted missionary in charge of that part of the Mission field, had been warned by Gaeta scholars not to sleep on shoro there, and only two years before Sapibuana's own life had been in dauger, on account of his refusal to attend a heathen sacrifice ; whereas, in 1879 Mr Penny spent seveu weeks happily on the island. There is now a congregation there of fifty adults assembling daily for morning and evening worship, the order and discipline of the people is remarkable, and the knowledge of the school children is making great advances. My last letter from Bishop Selwyn is dated August 20, and was written at sea, on his return from the Sinta Cruz Group (S. lat. lOdeg.; E. long. 165deg). Eanta Cruz.—The Bishop had at last succeeded in re-estublishing friendly relations with the people of those islands, where it was the late Bishop Pitteson s chief desire to elFeet an entrance, and in his attempt to accomplish which he lost his life. If is now sixteen years iince two of Bishop I Pattesou's companions—Edwin Nobbs and Fisher Young—were killed on a large island of the group; and since that time there had : been scarcely any intercourse between its I fierce inhabitants and the members of the Mission. Bishop Selwyn landed on the north side of the island on August 8, about eight miles from the place where Com- ! modore Goodenough was shot, and about the same distance from the place at which Bishop Patteson's boat was attacked m 1864, and, with the appioval of the DeoDle

;' left there one of his Melancsian clergy, Wadrokal by name, together with his wife. Of Bishop Sclwyn's courageous and discreet management of this great missionary feat the Hey, K. H. Oodrington writes, "The present success is, I think, the greatest in that way that remained to be accomplished ; for there is no other place that was anything like so difficult of access. We can not "je too thankful for this event; and the people who did not do the work can not make too much of it."— Deo lavs sit. The Southern Cross.—The Mission vessel is expected to reach Auckland early next month, and to leave agaiu not later than November 20th, on a special trip to Norfolk Island, to convey those of our people who have accepted Bishop Selwyn'a invitation to be present at the consecration of the memorial chapel of St. Barnabas, in the end of November or the beginning of December. Conclusion. —In concluding the Bishop referred to the fact that new and suitable churches have been built at Ohaupo, Okuihau, and Woodsido since the !ust meeting of the Synod. Ho had appointed Mr Robert Browning, Barrister-at-Law, to be Registrar of the Bishop's Court, for tho trial of ecclesiastical offences. Key. T. Skcltoo, M.A., Principal of St. Paul's Mission llouso, Borough lo Marsh, Lincolnshire, has kindly consented to act as his Commissary iv England, conjointly with tho Kcv. A, R. Tomlison, M.A. His Lordship concluded : " 1 pray that God may enablo us, in all our deliberations here for the advancement of His glory and the good of His Church, to ' sorvo Him with a quiet mind,' lotting no privato interests or prejudices or passlouß frustrate our endeavours."