AFTERNOON SITTING.

Auckland Star, Volume XXII, Issue 250, 21 October 1891, Page 2

AFTERNOON SITTING.

The Synod resumed ab 4 o'clock yesterday afbernoon, His Lordship Bishop Cowie opening proceedings wibh pray er. The members present during the afterboon and' evening ,, were :—

Clergy.—Yen. Archdeacons Clarke, Dudley, Govett, Willis, Revs. Boler, Boyes, Calder, H. S. Davies, J. K. Davis, Evans, Fox, Gould, Haselden, T. P. N. Hewlett, Houchen, Larkins, Lush, Marshall, Nelson, O'Callaghan, Oubram, Preston, Purchas, Roper, Sprott, Walsh. Laity.—Babger, C. M. Burbon, Calder, Choyce, Churbon, Clarke, Claybon, Cochrane, Cooper, Crispe, Dewes, Doonin, Ewingbon, Gordon, Hammond, Haulbain, Heather, Hooper, Jackson, Kensington, McCullough, McMillan, Rice, Snelling, Speight, Templer, Upton, Wells, C. J. Wilson, J. Wilson. , Examining Chaplains. — The President notified that he had appointed the Rev. •fames Marshall one of his examining chaplains.

. Petition foe, Arrears. —The Rev. C. M. Kelson presented a pebibion from the Rev. J. W. Allbway, praying that such ' steps should be taken as might ensure the payment to him of arrears due for services rendered as cemetery chaplain. He moved thab the petition be received, which was agreed to. Mr Nelson said he would confer with the Bishop further regarding the pebibion. Diocesan Sunday-school Board.—The reporb of bhia Board was read, showing thab nine meetings had been held during the year. Only one conference of Sundayschool teachers had been held, ab which aboub 50 were presenb. The examination for the Bishop's prize 3 book place in February, when the Revs. Sprott and Davis and Messrs Sloman and Tibbs acted as examiners.

Limitation op Incumbency.—The discussion was resumed upon bhe following mobion of Mr Wm. McCullough :—" 1. Thab in bhe opinion of this Synod ib is desirable thab a new clause be added in Table A, Canon 11., whereby provision shall be made thab bhe nominators'of a parish may arrange with a candidate for bhe incumbency for a term of years, nob greabor bhan seven, during which he shall hold the office of incumbenb of bhe said pariah. Provided thab nothing bherein contained shall provenb or disqualify a clergyman having served one berm as incumbenb of a parish from being chosen for a second or obher term in bhe same parish."—Mr Doonin, as mover of bhe adjournmenb, complimented the mover for bringing bhe matber forward. Thore was a good deal of talk about the one-sided arrangement existing at the present time. Clergymen were appointed for life, but could leave by giving bhree months' notice. Often churches enbered into expenses under a popular clergyman and then he lefb, wibh the resulb bhab the parish suffered. He considered there ought to bo some different system adopted. He considered thab the 'srst terms of a clergyman should be limited to even les3 bhan seven years. At the termination of bhe firsb term, if bhe clergyman proved satisfactory, ho should be appointed for lite. That would prevenb 'one possibility of aged'clergymen being thrown oub of bheir positions. He hoped he would never hear of sbarving oub minisbers. If, however, a clergyman conducted bhe parish in such a way thab bhe income was nob sufficient bo pay his stipend, bhen was ib nob legibimabo to reduce the amounb ? Ab the same time it would be better to have the term limited bo begin. The church must move along as the world progressed. He considered bhe mobion was one well 'worthy consideration. —Mr Heather considered that the motion waa one that was "calculated to do the '"harch much harm. Ab presenb bhe .•/he vesbry could choose bheir minister. The nominators notunfrequently called together She parishioners, so thab bhe people really selected their minister. He believed bhab minister should be bhe servant of God, and nob of hia parish ; not the servant of a mere clique in the church. He considered that if a clergyman knew that his parishioners wished him to resign, he would not remain. He fully endorsed the statement that they should bo careful in the selection of their clergymen. He believed that if the motion was carried it would do immense harm to the Church. — Rev. Mr Gould pointed oub thab under the present regulations there was a very simple method by which an incumbent might be removed. He hoped Mr McCullough would withdraw the motion. —Mr Upton considered that the mover had not quite made out his case. He doubted whether during the lasb few years the parishes had suffered more financially than the rest of bhe communiby. He believed thab some clergymen commibbed error by urging their parishes to go into unwarrantable expense. Ho feared that the success with which a clergyman culbivated 'a clique would depend upon whobher he ran a second term wifch bhe same church rabher than the faithful manner in which he performed his duties?. He hoped bhe mobion would nob be carried. Clause 24 provided bhab where there wa3 exbreme tension the Bishop could take steps bo lead to bhe removal of the clergyman. He denied bhab bhe Church was going back, and considered thab ib was progressing— Mr Gordon considered that the principle of the motion would be affirmed sooner or later; All legislation tended in that direction. Ib was not out of any feeling of disrespect to the clergy thab this motion was brought forward. He could not understand 'how Such a one-sided arrangemenb had lasted so long.--Mr McCullough, in replying, said he musb admit that the Synod had him fairly in dealing with hia mobion. His task had been rather a difficulb one. He regretted bhat so few members of the clergy had spoken upon bhis subjecb. Ib was a mabber affecbing them very much in future appoinbmenbs. Ib only aflected incumbenbs of parishes, and did nob bouch the large body of clergymen under bhe im.mediate charge of the Bishop. He had , never hinted thab his mobion should apply to aged and infirm clergymen. Whoever heard of a clergyman being in actual wanb after a long lite in bhe service ? The pension fund would provide for them. His sole aim was to meeb a wanb thab many talked aboub, and bry and amend ib. He ■would like to see the powers of the Bishop of the diocese enlarged. The town incumbents had the plums of the,. parishes, and ib appeared they were to hold their positions for life. But zeal and bard work was done by the country clergymen. He would like to nee some chance for the clergymen in the oublying disbnebs to geb a posibion in town.—Ab bhis stage the Synod adjourned for an hour.