Untitled

Auckland Star, Volume XVII, Issue 241, 13 October 1886, Page 6

(Cmtinvtd fiom Page Two).

General Pknbion F\'Nt>. — The Synod resolved that it wei desirable that a Gonoral Pension Fund be established, to whioh all clergymen should eubsoribo j and appointed a Commission to obtain a plan for submission to the several Diocesan Synods, unA to be reported on to the General Synod at Its next ordinary Session, In ISS9.

Parishioner—The Resolution of our Diocesan Syno.l, respecting the exerolslng of a parishioner's rights in a parish other than that in whioh he resides, was not adopted by the General Synod. Thkoloqical Tippbt.—The Synod requested the Primate to grant the privilege of wearing a distinctive tippet to such persons as shall have passed tho Fourth Grade of our Theological •■examination, after the custom of English Theological Colleges. _, , . St. John's College.—The Synod resolved that—(l) a Warden should be appointed to the College, and that (2) the College should return toTamaki, as soon as the buildings there wore Dean and Canons. —A report on the constitution of a Dean and Canons was drawn up by order of the Synod. It is prlntod with the proceedings, and is to bo considered at tho next triennial session, to be held at Dunedln. Cathedral Site.—The Synod authorised the Trustees to apply to the Colonial Parliament for power to lease such parts of this estate as are not required for the actnal slto of the Cathedral; and, by tho promptness of Mr F. D. Fenton In drafting the necessary Bill, and by his efficient help in othor ways, the required Act was obtained at the la.t Session of Parliament. It remains fcr this Synod to prescribe tho conditions on which the estate may bo leased, ~ General Synod Report,—A full account of the proceedings of tho General Synod, the supreme governing body of our Church, will be found in tho report recently published ; several copies of which are laid upon tho tablo for the use of tho Synod. Unity of the Christian Cnußcii —It would be a mistake to suppose that the legislation effected by our Synods, Provincial and Diocefnn, Is tho only result of their mooting. The cherish ing of unity among ourselves Is a definite and practical object of these gatherings. The main purpose of our annual a d trlonnial Sessions genorally is to increase tho efficiency of our Dio008an and Provinc'al organisation, and 8. to extend tho inlluence of Chiletianit. among tho people of tho colony; and one chief hindranco to the extension of thatinfluenco Is, undoubtedly, tho general want of unity among the followor. of Jesuß Chiiat, whose prayer for His disciples was that they might BK (John ivii.. 11) ONE. Belief (John xvil.. 21) In His Divlno Miasion was to bo encournged by tho vlßible unity of those calllngthoiusolvos-yHisnanie Th preservation of unity has accordingly, from tho foundation of the Universal Church of Chi Ist. been accounted of primary importance by those who have boon lod by Ills Spirit. St. Paul dosoribOß <u\e whole Christian brotherhood as " one body,' In which there should be " no disunion " (1 Cor. ..11.-5), and exhortß his conveit.i to "keep the unity (Kpb. Iv. 3.) of the Spirit in tho bond of peace. In tho Eplflllo of Clement, wrltton probao'y about the year A.D 95. tho Christiana of Rome. reprovlrg their breth*on In Corinth, ask of them. " Wherefore are thero strifes and wriths and factions and divisions and war among you? Havo we not ono God and ono Christ and one Bpirlt of Grace that was Bhed upon ii»? And Is thore not one calling In Christ I Wheroforo do we toar and rend aiundor the members of Chriet.and stir up faotlons against ourown body, and reach such a pitch of folly as to forget that we aro members one of another ? Your division hath perverted many; It hath brought many to despair, many to doubting, and all of us to sorrow." (Kp. to Cor. .6.) In like manner, Ignatius, Bishop of Antloch, iv his letter to tbe EphOßlano, written nrobably about the year a.d. 110, says, "Do yo, eaoh and all of you, f rm yourselves Into a oborus, that being harmonious In concord, and taking tbo koy-noto of God. yo may in uniion sing with ono voice through Jesm Christ unto the Father, that He may both hoar you and acknowledge you by your good deeds to be members of His Son. It Is thorofore profitable for you to be In blameless unity, that ye moy also bo partakers of God always." (Kp. to Epb. 1. 4.) Irenceus. also, BUhop of Lyons, writing probably about tuo year a.d. I'JO, says. "The evil of sohism Is so great that no reformation to be effected by thoso who separate can be an equivalent for It." (_r.lt. Cont. Hut: iv. cxxilll. 1.1 It Is In the -plrlt of these words o; Irenoeus that the English nation has recently, with one voice, as it wore, declared that for tbe sake of the Empire, and for the sake of Ireland her-elf, that country sbull not be separated from tbe Unitod Kingdom. "The children of this world are In thoir generation wiser than tbo children of light." (Luke xvL 8.) There aro in our day cosmopolitan statesmen who. In the genulno spirit of Cluistianity, looking "not overy man on his own things" only, " but every man also to ihe things of others," direct their policy to tho unification of all the nations of the world, and not only to that of the parti.ular empire to which they belong. In like manner, every man nnd women " that namoth the name of Christ" should dosiro that all His disciple, may i a one. able and willing to work togother fur Jod's gloiy, and for tho good of all tboso who are Ihe ohjocis of His care. Accordingly, the General Synod declares. In ono of Its resolutions (No X., p. 121), that "It recogniso» tho restoration of tho Unity of the Chrh-tian Church as one principal object to which its droits should be directed;" and '" reqnosis tho co operation ofthos.voral Diocesan Synods towards " this obji ot. Therefore, in directing your attention to this -ul-ioct to day. I am not bringing boforo you a more abst' act principle, beautiful but transcendental, but am hopi'g to gain your serious consideration for a matter of tho highest impot to nee. not only to this Dlocose and to this ccclcslhs tical Provlnc-, but to tic Christian community in general and all otn.r inhabitants of tho colony of New Ze iland ; and to a matter In which nur General Sytod asks for our practical cooperation. lr tno Church of New Zealand Is by hor own life to illustrate tho spirit of this Kesolutlon, It must bo bj cherishing th lovo and piactice of unity umongher own members, and by shoeing all forwardn.Bi to unite with othor i.-hilitians who are at prosont in belief or practise separated from us And as It la with the Province, bo is it nlso with tho several l'locej-es whioh constitute tho Provlrce ; aod the most effectual o anner In which wo con, as a Diocese, comply with the 1.-.BOluti n of tbo General Synod Is by aherifhlng the spirit of unity anion, ours lvei, and by manifesting all readiness to 00-oporete with our fellow Chrlstipns in fll matters of practical bonovclence.

One chief security, for tho preservation of Hie spirit of unity among oursolves. is our constltulional recognition of tho ri.hts of the laity in our Provincial and Diocesan Synods. Thore ought lo bo no ground for any antagonism botween the clergy and tho laity of a Church, in which tin primitive and oa'holio custom of Ch'ls ians in thlH important matter 's preserved j and it is, for tbo most part, a mischievous survivalfroin other times and circumstances toa'siimc that such an antagonltm exists. Wiih ourselvoe no ecclesiastical aw can b. cnactod without the separate concent of tho Bishop tho clergy, and tho laity. In our mo6t ancient Church History weread tbataMtn.lon wasdespatchedto Antioeh when" I tseomod good to tbo atos ties slid tho elders (Acts xv., 22), with the wnole Church," to chooao men out of their company, and send them Inllko manner, it was the consent of the whole Church (Kp. to Cor. xvlv), gays Clement (about A O. 95) that tho clergy in those days wero appointed to thoir office ; and Cyprian (Kp. lxxll., 5) says it was "by tho suirregos of the whole brotherhood" that Sabinua was elected a Bishop of Spain. Rut the chief visible bond c f union, according to Ignatius (Acts xv., 22), was tho Apostolic order of the Christian v inintry. " I advise you," ho Bays, "bo zmlous to do all things in godly concord, the Bishop presiding .... and the Presbyter. . , . with the Deacons. . . . Let there he nothing among you »hi(lb shall have power to divide you. but be ye united with the Bishop, and with them that rr<*slde over you." This Apostolic order of the ministry has, in God'B providence, been preserved to us in our New Zealand Church; and It is a fundamental article ot our Constitution tbat from it, as from the teaching of our Lord's apostles, we shall never do-r-art, " The threefold ministry of the Churoh," says the Jo-rued Bishop Light'oot (of Durham), "is the completeness Of the Apoato'.io ordinance and the historical backbone of the Ohurcb." (Sermon preached at Glasgow, in Ootober, 1885). To tho practical value of that order, as a bond of union and a preseryatlve of the faith "once for all delivered to the saints," ungrudging testimony baa been borne by those who have suffered by reason of Its discontinuance. " There are few wise Preebyterlans," says tho late Principal Tulloch, once Moderator of the Established Church of Bootland, " who do not see weakness In their own system from the disuse of Episcopacy." (" Contemp. Review." Jan., 1872) As the Apostolic Order of the Christian Ministry and the recognition of the priesthood (1 Pet. ii.,fl: " Ye are ... a royal priesthood.") of the laity are among the chief seonritios for the unity of tbo Church; ro, among the principal hindrances to that unity are the setting up ot tbe clergy as a caste, ssparated from the main body of Christians, and the constituting of an infallible human authority for the faith and Eraot'co of Christianity. On tbe former of these indranoes It is not necessary that I should enlarge; inasmuch as it is not likely to meet with much oncouragemontinour own circumstance b, and under a Constitution like that of the Church of New Zealand. A non-oellbate olergy, ho'ding domestic relations with thoir people, and mooting tbo faithful laity on equal terms in our Churoh counolls, wherein all matters of Christian interest are froely disoussed, are not likely to drift into official Isolation, or to load lives out of touch with modern thought and tbe progress of the colony. But against the othor great hindrance to Christian Unity wo need to be continually on our guard, namely, that; which may be palled, for lack ot a more expressive word,iho "popery" of human baturo. As a historical faot it will, I thluk, be allowed by thoso of ye.v who have studied Ihe annalH of Chil'tendom, tbat no ecclesiast'cal institution haß proved so fruitful a source of division, among the followers of Jceus Christ, as tho professed infallitlli'y of the Bishop of Rome. The spirit of popery ia not, however, confined to tho^e who bellovo In that infallibility. It is a spirit pculiar to no one age, nor to any one section of the Christian Church ; and Ir, is found among Ihe laity quite as often as among the clergy—tho tenden oy to assume an infaUib'e authority in ntattors of Christian belief and preotice. A man may reject the claims to ihls possession, ac made by thoßißhop of afirei-jn Church, while his own aotion implies a belief in the Infallibility of himself. It is an insidious spirit; and may have possession of a man's mind without his knowing himself to be Its victim. Such cases aro striking illustrations of the truth ot the saying—that extremes often meet. The evil of which I speak is not the legitimate exer-ci-e of private judgment— which none oan with safety, and tew in faot do, forego; but th. condemnation of opinions because they are not our own. and of those who hold them or do not think as we do. This intilerant spirit, which is the very essence of popery, is a chief hindrance to Christian unity; and should be discouraged by all who believe that It is a " good and pleasant thlDg fcr brethren to dwell to gether In unity" (Ps. exxxiij, 1), that union i a strength, and that our Master'B prayer for His discipleß is " that they may be one " (John $vH.,

It is not only in their treatment of those who belong to other sections of the Christian Phurch that this dislntegiating eplrlt is Bhown, but also —sometimes even moro so—ot those who accept wilh themselves the ancient creeds of the Church. "Brethrer, these things ought not so to be" (James ill., 10. "See tbat j c fall not out by the way" (Gen. ylv., ,_*. ,s'"nd fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free" (Gal. v., l). That liberty involvos of necessity differences of ODinion on subjects on which we have not the definite teaching of Holy Scripture. Quot homines, tot sentential. In matters not essential, is not a Baying of evil portent. Unity is not uniformity. The ancient Creeds of ihe Church, our Scriptural Book .of Prayer, the Constitution of our New Zealand Church, admit of much variety of belief and practice. Let usrcopgniße the faot, and be content to differ. L.et the teaching of our Lo d and His Apostles be reoelved without qualification; let inferences drawn therefrom be recognised, and treated as such; and let love

characterise the speaking of all the truth we know. In rebim necessariis unitas in rebus non nicessariis Übertas, in omnibus caritas. State of the Diocese.—Of the work of tho Church throughout tho Diocese I am thankful to bo able to report hopefully to tho Synod. X think I may say that in all departments of that work Bteady progress being made. The Number of Clergy on the roll is seventyone: of whom sixty-two hold my lloenso. entit'lng them to a seat in this Synod. Of the latter, two have been admitted by me to Deacon's Orders since our laat Sesaion, viz., the Rev. Alexander English and the Rev. William Hoete; and two have come ts usf.om England, viz., the Rev. William Beattv, M.A., and the Key. I-iaao Richards. M.A. Five more clergy are at present needed by us for the work of the country district-, and two or three for Auckland and Its suburbs. Country Districts.—Until resident ministers can be appointed to these districts, they will ba periodically visited by the Organising Clergyman of the Home Mission, and by oth rs who are at liberty to take part In that work; which requires for it, efficient disehargo zealous men, large-heal ted and discreet and possessed of more than avoroge bodily strongth. The Rev. T. P. N. Hewlett.—lt would be Invidious to seloct for commondation soma only of those who, amidßt many difficulties, are ministering faith' ully to our people inha.i ing the poorer districts of the Diocpse ; but none, 1 feol sure, will (.rudge m. naming to you one of our senior clergy, who is engaged In >hls workwork—the Rev. Theophlius P. N. Bowlett who sets a blight example to us all, of untiring energy «ni wholehearted dovoiion to hia pastoral duties Dvi Ing tho most Inclement season of tbo past winter, when the bush tracks were at their worst, and the rain well nigh incessant, Mr Hewlett continued his ministrationin the Northern di.triers of rho Di<-cese. visiting the people in their scattered liomei, and holding public worship wherovor a congregation could bo assembled.

LAY Kkabei'S.— Tho p.iiodi al ministrations of the Homo Mission clergy have in many cases been only supplement''ry t > the rrjular work of tho resident L.y Readers, who conduct the Sunday services In outlying diitricta and l,ive help In or superintend the Sunday-school. Licenses have been iisued by me dm ing the past year to Mr T. J. Anden on of Katikati, Mr A. G. Oover of Kcmn.ra. Mr G. F. Hoiking of the Northern VVairoa, Mr W. F. Hunt of Walorongomai, Mr V. Lirk'-S of R*>miiora, aDd Mr A Morr'son of Avondale, bringing up the number of our licensed readers to 56. fn addition to these, there are Beveral othor readers who are doing oxcellent work In oountry district', by my authority but without a formal llcon.o. Of these brethren, none Is more deserving of the gratitude of the people to whom he ministers than Mr Ozinne, who has, for several years, conducted the HuiuUy survlce", and. with the holp of hla wife, superintended iho Su day School at Morilus vllle—a sottlejient somo miles dl.taul from his home. Lay Readers' Association —Tn the rnon'.h of Sepiemo.r a Lay readers' Association was lormod : by mea_u of which liiere Is lemon to liopo Hint our stair of Headers will bo much ,n----ereased. and the work of the Church set forward. Ono of tho spec'al purpose, of tho Association will bj to oulist the eervicoa of faithful laymen resident in Auckland and our larger settlements, who will t'ts prepared, under the Bishop's dlreoticn, to spend a Sunday periodically in some oountry district wbere no local Reader retldes, to conduct public worship and teach in iho Sunday-school. Religious Instbuction ok tihc Young.— There Is no department of our Church wurk which demands more urgently the consideration of the Synod than the religious instruction of our children. T may asmme that all Christian people aocept the following principles in thia m.ttor, as being of universal obligation, namely (1), that children should be, by their parents "virtuously brought up to lead a godly _nd a Chrli-tian life " (Baptismal Office), and (2) that the Church should aid parents In the discharge of this paramount obligation. This primary duty of parents to their cbildron is but tho converse of what St. Paul describes a. tne

"first commandment witn promise" {Eph.,vl. 2). that "children should honour their fatlier and their mother;" which ia the first religious duty that children can be brought to understand, and is at the very foundation of .heir being broueht up "in the nurture and admonition of the Lord' (Epheslans vl. .). Unruly conduct and disrespectful treatment of parent, aro often .aid to be specially .harazteristlo of young people in thoue colonies, and not only or even chiefly of the chl'dren of tbe poorest and most Ignorant of the community. Whethor these evils are proportionately more pri-T lent in New Zealand than in England, is a matter comernicg which üb'e-rvant men hold dill-rent opinions; bat. that tbey are alur_._n.ly common 1. a fact that cannot be doubted, and it '1 a fact that implied tbe neglect of parents to impart religious teaching to their chlldron. Whether or not It be a 'fatal error" of free education, a* the late Professor Fawcett, a Liberal ot the Liberals, urgeel, that "it diminished the sentiment of parental responsibility ;" It Is tho duty of the Church to provide remedies as far aspos lblo for existing evils, to whatsver cause ihoso evils may bo attributed. Iv consequence of tho di union of the Christian community, and us a ponalty for tho earne evil sta'e, wo aro not allowod to teach our children tho pi inciplea of the Christian religion in our public schoela, during school hours. It la. thin fore, the duty of tbe elorgy to ascertain whoi her religious instruction 1. belog given at home to the cblldron of their charge; and, in cnses where it Is not given, or in given inadequately, wo arc bound io use our beat endeavours to persuade parents to send their children to tho Bunduy-r cho-.u. or tn other cla-ses for religious ins'rnctl n conduct :d b> the clergy. In some districts, 'tis found to be practlcum. still to gather children lr. the l.ovemmentschool', alter school hours f"r ic'Uions Instruction ; and wherosuchteacningisui>S9ible. It Is, lcotslder, the duty of iho clergy, as fur as may be, to supply it. This means of teaching our Child nil tho'ruihs of Hoiy Scripture cannot however, be regarded as moie ihnn supplemental; inasmuch as only a small proportion of iho cbi drer_. at the b.st, can be 'induced to atlond cl»8.08 he'd undersu. h circumstances, ard a local committoo may at any time, as ha-*, ro contly happened in one of our suburban districts, disallow the use ot th<> Government building to a clergyman who wi-tu-s to teach therein.

SUNDAY ScnoOLS.—Accordingly, the Sunday School, and clas.ea held on other days, in Chuich building i or in private houses, aro the chief means Whereby children who are not adequately taught at home na. receive tho in btruction that the; need.

It fo'lows that our vestsiea and parish officers should co-operate zealously with the clergy in rnaklrg our Sunday 3chcols as etficle_tas possible. It is thought by some of or.r Deople that the timo has come for providing salaries for somo of the teachors in these schools, in order io obtain the services of al.rg.rnumb.-rof trained (in-l experienced Instructors ; and I see no himto object to in the principle of this proposed innovation.

Somo of our Sunday Schools aro an honour to the Diocese, and reflect great credit on the olergy and their fellow-teachers who have brought them to their present state of efficiency ALL Saints'. Ponso nv.-The scheol that dl-tinguUhed it'e'f most highly at iho last Diocesan Examination is that of All Saints' parish, foneonby ; to which no leas than c even out of a total of t wenty-fi vo Sishop's prt-es wero awarded by "the Examiners S'INDAY SOHOOL TEACHERS' PRIZES. - This striking pre-eminence, attained by the Rev. VV. Caldor and bis ci-adjutors at All Saint.', is partly explained by tho result ol another Diocesan Examination, subsequently hoi I. na. oly. that for r-unday school Teachers: In which two-thirde of the succc.siful candidates, Including tho c lo gyman's wife, were teachers of that well-conducted school

Sunday-school iNSfKCTOR.—The anpolntmont of a Sunday-school Inspector, in compli anco with a Resolution of the Synod piesed at our last Session his been amply just fled by tho results. The visit, of tho Itev. P. S. Small field have bean highly appreciated by the clergy and teachers whi h.ve availed them elves of his servlo s; and I hope to bo able to n part, on a future oocH_ion, that every parish and fietrlct of the Diooose has had the benefit of his counsel and of other valuable as istanee he is competent to give. S. John's Coi lbok. — The students of St John's College who presented themselves at the last annual examination conducted by the Board of Theological Studios havo obtained oertiflca'es of their several grades, namely, Messrs Boyes and Devenlsh of Grade IK., and Mr Downess of Grade 11. Mr Tobin. also, formerly a Btudent of the Collego, has obtained a certificate of Graio 111,, and Mr A. Morrison, of Avondslo, a, coi tifloito of Grade I.

The Wardensiiip op St, John's Colleoi:,— Tho Rev. Cj. H. S. Walpplp having resigned the Wardenship of the College, the duties of which wero kindly undertaken by him two years ago, aa a temporary arrangement, tho Governors havo appointed the Rev. William Boatty, M.A.. to that office. The Wardenship of St John's College is one of the most roßponsible charges of this ecclesiastical Province ; and Mr Beattv will, wo trust, be enabled therein to make full proof of his ministry, by hell",l".' an increasing number of our young mep, tOflt themselves, by more advanced education, to •• servo God faithfully in Church and State." Higiiek EmjCATiON.-The endowments of St John's College were not given solely for the boneflt o£ candidates for Holy Ordors The Trust Deed of the College estato declares that it is also "for Uie instruction and training of the youth or bo h racos tthat is, tt-e chiluren of European settlers nnd of Maoris) in moral and industrial habits, and for the education of all the students therein in tho principles of the Christian religion." An increase of material prosperity and an ext- ndrd knowledge of tho processes of the physical universe arono substi tuto for the inculcation of" tho principles of the Christian religion," There is no greater delusion than to suppose that wlokcdnoss is mo ely the result of woakno-s or ignorance. "There is a human typo." writes Profo-sor Socley, ■' in which vast in' elligencc is found dissociated from virtue . . To do good," he say's, *'was not Bonaparte s object.'' " Tho pr.omi.e- of no states" mail 'said the late Mons. Thic s, President of the I< rench Republic, " arc to be trusted for one instant after they interfere with the interests or tho wishes of his country -." and, on boo*her occasion, tho nairju trusted loader of his oountry declar. d tha; ' rather Hum see tho Austrian eaglo on the flagstaff that rises abovo the Tiber he would destro- a hundred constitutions and a huiidred religion-." The' learned Professor Max Muller, than whom few men arc better acquainted with tlio condition of Europe at the present time, said in the month of Juno last Of international lovo and esleem we have less than ever. Europe has boeqme like a menagerip of wild beasts, ready (x> fly at each qther whonevor it pleases their keepers to open trie gates. It is humiliating' to think that tho principles of tho Christian religion, notwithstanding their formal accoptanee by the civilisod peoplos of the earth, should, in the qpinion of leading men. havo so little influence qri the polir-v of nations as is the caso at the present time •' for those principles arc as incompatiblo with the waging of aggressive warfare as they aro with tho maintenance of human slavery, or the practice of polygamy. ' Now It is with individuals very much as it is with nations, in the matter of knowledge and the religious fear of God J and it behove?every man who loves his country, and bits a care for the well being of those who aro to conn aftor us in New Zealand, to see that the moral faculties of our children aro cultivated' as well as their t^fi.fi"¥ J*°?! er?! t_ at.they'are taught betimes to loVe the brotherhood "of mankind, to „T.'.S. d' aUe d '>°?,? UF tho King- The special advantage of our Church Collcgos and Schools should bp that " the principles of the Christian religion, are thereat not merely taken foi: granted, but that they aro 'carefully instil ed into the minds and heaits of our youth, as the very foundation of all higher education, and the motive power and guiding force of conduct in every relation of life, The Archdeaconry of Taranaki was visited by me in the month of March last. Arohdeacon Govett, the benefit of whose counsel we shall not have during our prosert Session, I?i_ a 'A. ntly a!ded in the W01"k of that division of tho Diocese by the Revs. H. H. brown, F. T. Baker, and A. S. Fox. Orphan Home, Parnell. — In our Orphan Hoilo there are at present forty-seven boys and twenty girls. Nearly _llthe?e children are very young, and their health and conduct are good. The Girls' Friendly Society -The branch of this Society, whioh was established in the Diocese three years ago, chiefly by the thoughtful kindness of Lady Jervois. continues to do a good work. I hope that before long every parish and district of the Diocese will have the benefit of a local association of the Society.

Women's Home.—Tho work of the Women's hffifcarrleaS. quietly,,»odwl.h greatl ad, « ItST-wSS ss?_ss«?iw .Soy speilal gifts of bopt-fnlne^Persever-ance, and sympathy, and it is .**}{ ,t 0 H*i e'J y t? h °? aide! by much speaking. I will only say iimi our thank, aro duo to toefiUtUttl women who have given thoir time and thought and money to thi- easen-lally Christian and nnsaonary undertaking, bestowl'g their motherly care on some Ot those who moat of all ; need. and who. even by Christian people, are often utter.y nc glected. The cost of maintaining the mstiiution is about £300 a-ycar, and tinea November Uathas been defrayed by private subacriptio. . I trust that our symDathy with this work, aro with tbo_e who are engaged in it, will not express itself merely in wo'ds of approbation, it la essentially a Church work that is being done at the Home, and Church people generally may fairly be asked to contribute to its support. The Hospitals, the Gaol, aud the Lunatic Asylum have been regularly virited by eorno ol our Clergy and Lay Rend rs. SCOIEIYFORTHE PREVENTION OK CRUELTY to animals.—The wirk of ihis Society was commended by the Synol at Ha last Session to the euro of the cleray and laity of the Dlocse; bu' I havo not heard tti'it our Vcstrn-s or Church OlliceiH have taken a y active i a tin rendering . H'-otuKl the woik o: the s-'ooiety. I cannot but think that it would be a ground pf repro.cluo rbe community if UipSoci :ty shruirl cease to exist for lack of suitlci nt sui put ; as kisa ground of reproach to any comrnnnit''. professing itself Chri.tian,th»t i-ui.-li «ri organ Isatlon should ba nwded. That I. is Chi-intl ke lobe kind t'idu.iib animals, and un-i hi'Mian to Buit'or thorn lo be ill-trral d, is obv o-» to ml readers of the Go9pt-l. Our Muster, even when about to entoron hi- great agony, ooulii thlnko. the ass's colt, and dli-eot hi. disciples r.or. to separate it from iis mother, nor tot.ko awuy tho "mollier from her foal" {Matthew xxi„ v. 2.) Ckmeterv.—l would request the Synod to tako i ilo serious consideration the necessity f< r providing a place for tht> burial of our dead, in conic situation more convenient that ihat of the recently opened public cemetery. Itlsinilicting much hardship on busy hi d needy people, to oblige them to convey the bodies of their deceased relations to so great a distance as Walkomiti; and our clergy are not so numerous that wo ran spure any of them from th. ir parishes, for houis at a time, to travel to and from this sett'eraont, and often to bo detained thero v great part of tho day. 1 would recommend that some of our Trustees, holling Church land in the suburbs of Auckland, be recommended to set apart, If possible, a portion rf the name for the purposes of a general Church cemetery Examining Chaplain. I have appointed the flow William Bcatty, M.A., one of my Examining Chaplains. Sow Churches have beenbuill .during the past year at Flat Hush, Long Bay, Mangapai. MuuiiKiituroto, Pehlawiri, Mount Koskill, Parawai, and Te Aroha; and others are now being built. The new church at Dcvonport, of which the chanc.l was erected two y.ars ago, has ben i-oniplet'd. The churches of All Saints'and St. Thomas' paiisbea und St Barnabas district have been enlarged. Ci.EuicAx, Pension Fund —l he capital of thia fund on .lunc 'ill was £9.1.1 .Is 81, having in croaHod by X..",. 18s during tho p-ec.ding twelve months. ___ Some important alterations in the rules of the fund aro recommended to the Synod by the Board of Manageme-t. The Maoris —I am thankful to be able to speak hopefully of tho work of our Maori brethren in the throe northern Arch ieaconrieof tho Dioce.e. A native of Waiheke Island, in the Haurakl Gulf, was admitted by me to Deacon's Orders in .Tanmry last, and a Mao. I Deacon was on the s ime day advanced to the Order of Priests. The annual meeting ot the Native Chnrch Board was hold at Pehiawlrl in March, undtr the presidency ot the Yen Archdeacon Clarki-, in my abience from the Dioceie at the meeting of the Univei.ity Senate. A mon™ the resolutions parsed by the Kotrd was one roc .mmeiidi.g that " when English p.ople and Maoris make übo of the same house of prayer, »he Vestry should be formed of members of both races " Hmdtonie churcbo3 have been built at Pehtaw.'i-i and Parawai. almost entirely at the cost, of the respective congregations; the latter building having also been skilfully erected by the hands of members of the congregation. Tho district to the s mih of the Waikato, commonly known as the Kiny Country, has been vMti d by some of our Maori clergy, who were kindly rec-lved by their ft-llow-countrymen, and requested to to repeat their minis'ratioiis. St. Stephen's School, Parnell.—Our Maori School continues to flourish. There are at present forty-four Bcholar.-. chiefly from tho Waikato district, resident at St. Stephen's, and six apprentices. The satisfactory progress made by the boys is evidenced by the high pc contage of pasßes obtained, namely, 9116. at the recont ex.mination held by the Government Inspector. The Master of the School and the htewatd.report most favourably of the behaviour ot the boys. MtLANESiAK Mission. — Our latest letters from Norfolk Isla.d, the head quarters ot the Melanesian Mistioe, dated September 17, brought a good report of the work or the Mis ion. and of the health of the t.achers and scholars at St. Bernabas College. The Bishop has been staying for some time in the Florida group of islands (S. lat 9*. E. long. 160°), and is expected to return to Norfolk Island in November.

standing Committee.—The usual Keport of the oroinary work of the Diocese during the past 3 ear, as carried on by the Man.ing Cominitlee, will now be laid upon the taulo ; together with a list of the business i hat has to be brought before the Synod by the Committee.

I pray tha'wo may all be enabled to realise our responsibilities as members of this Couocil of our church ; and that by all we do or say, during the present Session, Bis name may be glorified, ond the good of his Church be advanced. Amen,