DIOCESAN SYNOD.

Auckland Star, Volume XVII, Issue 243, 15 October 1886, Page 4

DIOCESAN SYNOD.

Thy. Synod sat again at 4 p m. yesterday, I at tbe library, Bishopscourt. Present : — Bishop Cowio (president), in the chair, and the following members :—Clergy : Yen, Arch.leacon Clarke, Yen. Archdeacon Dndloy, Yen. Archdeacon Mauntell, Yen. Archdeacon Willis, Revs. Baker, Beatty, Biggs, Bolei, Burrows, Calder, CokayneFirth, Cubitt. J. K. Davis, Dv Rieu, English, Farley, Gould, Gulliver, Haaelden, O. R. Hewlett, Hill, Long, Marshall, McFarland. Mulgan, Nelson, Phillips, Purchao, Richards, Smallfield, Tobbs, Walpole, and Wilson. Laity: Armstione, Bolland, Brett, A. Brown, Calvert, Clark, Clayton, Cochrane, Crispe, Ewington, Garland, Hall, Hamilton, Heather, Hills, Hughos, Ireland, Tackeon, Larkine, Lulre, Nolan, Norton, Pierce, Rawlinge, Rice, Sandes, Seth Smith, Percy S. Smith, Snel!ing, Speight, Upton, Vickerf, Watts, and Wilson. Proceedings were opened with prayer, after which the Synod was declared constituted.

Minutes —The minutes of the previous mooting wore read and confirmed THEOLOGICAL Examination.—The President etatod that ho had received tho list of their candidates, all of whom had passed from the Bishop of Nelson. PHOTOOBAI'IIS.—The President also read a letter from Mr Mtrcer asking permission to photograph membora of the Synod, and stating prices. Laid ox the Table.—Copies of the report of the Womon's Home, Parnell, and a list ot lay readers were laid on the table. Home Mission.—The Secretary read the third annual report, showing:—Fortyseven new members have joined the Society during the year. It now numbers 298 members. About half of this nuinbor are residents in country districts. Finance: Tho 6um of £225 ISs. sd. has been received during tho year. £41 8.?. 4d. was in hand at tho beginning of tho year, £255 has been paid to tho Standing Com mittee for tho oxtension of the work of the Church in tho outlyiog districts of the Diocese, and towards supplementing the stipends of the country clergymen. The income for the first year of tho Society'a existence was £120 7s. ; for the seebnd year, £174 178. Bd. ; and for this year, £225 18a. 51

Standing Committee Report. The Rev.C M. Nelson moved, "That the report of the Standing Committee be now token into consideration." The motion was agieed to, and the Synod went into Committee, Mr Upton in the chair. Paragraphs were considered seriatim. The first clause on which discussion was raised was aa follows : —

Homr Mission.—The Committee regret to bava to report that the receipts for the year ending .luno 30th fell short of the expenditure by £348 Is, and the Board found it necessary in Judo last to place the position of the Fund before the vestries, with an urgent appeal that they would take im mediate steps to cause a canvas to bo made of each parish and parochial district, with a view to supplying the great deficiency in the Fund. Tho result of the appeal was the receipt of £35 Is 9d to 30th June last, and of £103 18a 5d since that date (£35 being from members of the Standing Committee)." Mr Etvington suggested that discußsion should be postponed until Monday, when a repot on tho stipends of country clergy was to be submitted, but it was dooidodthatthoconsiideration of the question then would assist tiio Committee in bringing up their roport. Mr Pierce was of opinion that the necessary funds could be mi-tod if they went about collecting in the proper manner, and he explained how the Wesleyans oortributed largely to their Homo Minaion fund by tho circulation oi subscription booke for the receipts of regular donations. He enggoeted that the Committee should adopt gome similar system.— After further discussion, in which tho ability of the country congregations to contribute more than at present was spoken of, tho President responded to a goiioral requoflt that he i-hould giro his views on tho subject. Ho paid that it would not bo right to say that the country clergy woro either loss efficient or lees popular than the town clergy It was a mistake to judge of a man according to his popularity. That n< a dungeroue principle for they all knew that even tho cause of tho Gospel of Christ wue at one tirao very unpopular. Affor an experience of 17 years ho was able to say that he knew and roepccled the country clergy and their lay people in thoßo district-*, and ho wdb convinced that they were willing to asslft. their clergy in every way. The great ditliculty was tho want of some organisation for tho collection of contribution*. Again and again ho had requested the Synod to atk the town parithee what amounts thoy would contribute and what was a fair auwssment for thit great work of the dioceso Tho reason of their failure <n the past was that tho town parishes and others gave according to no system, and allowed their contributions to depend on two fine Sunday* durine tho year. After tome, further discußsion tho clause was a.ioptod.

OiuJAXisist; Secretary.— The next clause was adopted as follows: —In compliance with tho resolution of the Synod, an arrangement has been made with the Rev. J. JJasoUien by which the whole of his services have been secured as orga-iising secretary to the Homo Mission, at a stipend of £250 a year, with an annual allowance of £60 for house renr, and £20 for horse-koep. Endowment Fond. —The Rev. C. M. Nelson moved the adoption by the. Synod of the following resolution; —"That the amount of the logacy loft to the Borne Mission by the lato Miss Hannah King be set apart as the nucleus of an endowment fund for the Mission.".—Carried.

Cathedral Bpudino Fund.—The rSport showed that the amount at the credit of tho fund is now £127 in 9d, on deposit at the Union Bank,—The President stated that a further sum of about £40 was in his name at the Auckland Savings Bank, and asked for permission to pay it over to the Standing Committee, which was agreed to. SpjiDAY School Inspector—The next clanse considered was : "In compliance with the resolution of the Synod, an assessment wos made on the parishes and districts of the .diocese towards the stipend of an inspector of Sunday-school?. The total assessment was £103, but only £40 has been paid. The Committee nominated the Rev. P. S. Sraallfield to the Bishop for this office." This also gave rise to a lengthy discussion on the methods adopted for the collection of money, Mr Larkins moved s "That the Secretary of the Standing Committee report on Monday all particulars regarding the appointment and payment of the Sunday-school fnepeptor." Statutes. — The last clause was as follows: —"To bting the Statutes of the Synod into conformity with tho Canons of the General Synod, as far as any amendments made by the General Synod at its last session render it necessary." On the motion of the Rev. C. >J. Nelson it was agreed, " That a committee be appointed to consider the matter during the recess, to revise tho statutes, to bring them into accord with thoßo of the General Synod, and bring up a report to next Synod, in tho form of canons. That the committee consist of Rev. Mr Smallh'eld, Colonel Hnultain, Messrs Pierce, Upton, Rice, Seth Smith, and the mover, the mover to be convener."

Homk Mission Report.—This report, which was also read, stated : — During the yaai ending June 30th last fifteen clergymen wc.ro partly maintained by this fund : — Tbo receipts of the pas|t • year amounted to £929 5s 2d, including £135 from the Home Mission Society and £50 from the Colonial and Continental Church Society, being more than the receipts of tba preceding year by £93 9a 9d. The report was adopted, after which the Synod resumed Tim Chairman of Committee reported, and the recommendations of the Committee were adopted. Standing Committee. —Mr Rawlings moved, " That the Synod do now proceed to elect a Standing Committee by ballot." The motion was agreed to, and the following were ejected members of committee :— Archdeacon Dudley, Revs. F. Gould, Walpole, Nelscn, Messrs Luke, Rawlingp, Larkins, S. Percy Smith, Kensington, Setb Smith, and Rice. Resolutions op Synod,—lt was agreed, on the motion of the Rev. C. M. Nelson, " (1) That a select committee be appointed to consider and report what resolution of the Synod printed in the previous reports should be included in the report of the proceedings of this Synod (2) Such committee to consist of Archdeacon Dudley, Messrs Pierco, Rawlings, Rice, and the mover." Auditoks —Mr Luke moved, and it was agreed to, " That Mr Vickers be auditor to the General Synod, and Messrs M. Clark and D. 7. Evans auditors of tho accounts of the Standing Committee," Cemetery.—The Rev. A. G. Purchas moved, "That a committee be appointed to consider the question of the formation and management of a cemetery for the use of the Church in the neighbourhood of the city. That the Committee consist of the following members : Rev. W. Tebbs, Messrs G. P. Pierce, Ewington, Cochrane, and the mover. "—Carried.

Cruelty to Animals —Mr Fredk. Larking moved, "That the Synod approves

the work of the Society for tho Prevention oE Cruelty to Animals, and recommends the Society to the support of the clergy and laity."—A general expreesien of opinion in favour of the motion was made, anil it was pointed out that a great amount of good had been done by tha knowledge that such ft Society existed.—The motion was carried. Sunday School Board -Mr F edenck Larkins moved "Thiit the Synod do elect a Sunday-school Board."—The motion was agreed to, and the following gontlemen elected : -Messrs Cluyton, W. H Brown, Seth Smith, Kensington, and Heinery. St. Mark's Parish. —The Rev. Isaac Richards moved, "That a committee bo appointed to consider and report on the petition of the incumbent, churchwardens, and parishioners of St. Mark's ; s-uch committee to consist of Messrs McMillan, Cochrane, Larkins, Archdeacon Dudley, Mr Rice, and the mover." Carried. Cathredal Site. -Mr Theo. Killing moved " That a committee be appointed to report to the Synod the rent or reuts and the covenants and provisions ut and under which the lund referred to it) The Cathredal Site, Parnell, Leasing Act, 1886, shall be eased. Said committed to consist of the IBishop, Rev. R. Burrows, Messrs J. W. Doonin, Kidd, George, Rice, and T. Kissling."—Carried. Kelioiouh Instruction in Schools —Mr Smallfield aunounced that a meeting of clergy would be held at the Bishop's Library on Saturday afternoon to consider the question of religious instruction in public schools. Be.nrvolknt Society. —Mr McMillan moved : " That in the opinion of the Synod it is do^irable that a yearly collection shall be made on some Sunday in tho year in aid of the funds of tho Auckland Benevolent Society." In speaking in support of tho motion, the mover said that hitherto tho churches had not shown the sympathy that might have been expected, and ho quoted the good example set by the JowUh Synagogue in an effort to raise £G0 for the Society.-The Rev. Mr Nelson said Mr McMillan was in error in supposing thut they hi>d powor to go to th • parishes for collections.—Mr McMillan said he feared if he altered the resolution it would be ineffective lie know they had the sympathy of tho Synod, butwbatthey wonted wauassistance. Heat ked permission to ineoi tin theieeolution " in th 6 churches of the dioceae," but thie was disallowed. After some further discussion, Mr Rice moved as an amendment, " That this Synod heartily sympathises with the objects of the Auckland Benevolent Society, and recommends it to the sympathy of all church people within the diocese."—The amendment was carried.