THE ANGLICAN CHURCH AND THE PACIFIC.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXV, Issue 36, 11 February 1904, Page 4

THE ANGLICAN CHURCH AND THE PACIFIC.

QUESTION OF WEDEB JURISDICTION. 'DISCUSSION AT THE SYNOD. At the afternoon sitting of the Anglican General Synod yesterday, the Bishop of f'hristc-liurch moved the following resolutions:— "1. That whereas on the lltli day : of June, 1001, certain islands were annexed I to the colony of New Zealand, the said lsi lands, by ths constitution of the Church ! of this province, have come under the jurisdiction of the General Synod. 2. That whereas the Bishop of London has requestjed the General Synod to relieve him of whatsoever jurisdiction he may possess in the islands of the South Pacific Ocean, and whereas the Bishops of this province recognise the existence of v very real need for the ministrations and activities of the Anglican Communion in the said are*, tha Synod respectfully requests the Bencta of Bishops to accept the jurisdiction. 3. That tflie Synod further requests the Bench of Bishops to take such steps as may seem necessary to extend the Chnrch work in the islands of the South Pacific, having due regard to the fi-ieudly relations which exist between this Church and otiher Christian bodies. 4. That a copy of these resolutions be sent to the Archbishop of Canterbury, tbe Hishivp of London, and the secretaries of the S.P.G." • Iv moving the resolutions the Bishop of Ohristehtm-h said they were drawn up by a Select Committee appointed to consider a letter from the Bishop of London asking the Bishop of the Province of New Ze-aland to take over his jurisdiction, of whatsoever sort it miirht be. over islands in the South Pacific. The Bishop was awaiting an answer from the Synod. Th.eie were two classes of islands affected, some which had already been incorporated with New Zealand and belonged to the colony, and some which were either independent or belonged to other nations. The question arose as to what their relation should ■be to those islands which were more or less nnder the jurisdiction of the Bishop of London. The Islands not incorporated with New Zealand would have to receive very careful consideration. There was a supposed jurisdiction by the Bishop of London which the Bishop wished to transfer to other bishops, and all that the Synod was asked to do was to approve of an acceptance of the jurisdiction by the Bisfaop of this province. Such nn acceptance would not draw the General Synod into any acts which it would not like to undertake. The question in clause 3 was one of some difficulty. Some islands had been more or less Christianised by other religious bodies, and changes were going on constantly. Bishop Selwyn had drawn up a compact in which said that the islands might be divided and worked by the several Christian bodies labouring for the cause of Christ in the Pacific. He did not think they should interfere with the spheres of others, but there were members of the Church in these islands, and so long a.s these people desired the ministrations of the Church, no compact should bind the New Zealand Church. He moved the first resolution. Archdeacon Harper seconded, and said he thought the proposition was a self-evi-dent one. The first resolution was carried without further discussion. The Bishop of Christehurch tihen moved the second resolution: and Dean Fitche-tt In seconding it.said that if the Bishops took over only the jurisdiction of the Bishop of London they would take over someChing exceedingly small. The essential point was that there was a real need for the ministrations of the Anglican Church in the islands not incorporated in the islands of New Zealand and not included in the Melanesian diocese. I The frimate said the whole question reI stihed itself into two considerations conBtuutlonal and religious. He did not'think that the Bishop of London had anything to bestow, and he did not think the Bishop of the Province of New Zealand could take up jurisdiction over areas outside their province, though, of course, it was their duty to assist in the propagation of the faith In such areas. He could not support the motion while the word jurisdiction was contained in it. Mr Quick hoped that the motion would not pass. Their duty was dei'ned in the constitution, and they could not go beyond it. He did not think that the Synod should request the Bishop to accept "this jurisdiction. The Bishop of Melanesia thought the Church of New Zealand might take care of the Church people in the Islands in question. The Bishop of Wellington said he could noi see that the Bishop of London's jurisdiction in these Islands was shadowy, whtu clergymen in Fiji were licensed by him. Here were people iv distress, and they should do the best they could for them. Archdeacon Harper said the difficulty was iv ike word jurisdiction. The Bishop of Christchurch said he was prepared to accent the words "exercise of spiritual oversight." Archdeacon Harper went on to say that so loug as the word Jurisdiction was not taken in its strict sense tilere was no harm in the resolution, and, indeed, much good. The Bishop of Auckland hoped that the mutiou would pass. The resolution haa been drawn up carefully by" the committee. The word jurisdiction was really defined by the words "whatsoever jurisdiction he may po&sess " The matter had been brought before the House in such a way as to avoid every possible misunderstanding. Mr Upton suggested that the question of extension of jurisdiction by the New Kealaud bishop be lett out altogether, and that the Bishop be simply requested to take such steps as might tJc necessary to i i'itend the Church work In these islands. I The Bishop of Waiauu moved as an amendment that the words, "accept the jurisdiction." be omitted from Clause 'I. and that the words "exercise spiritual ovj ersight of these Islands ' be inserted. The amendment was put iv two sections. I The lirst, deleting tne words "accept the ! jurisdiction." was can-led. The second, J substituting the other words was lost. I Ml- Briftain then moved as an amendmeat that in place of the deleted words, I the words of Clause 3, from the 'words "to take such steps," be inserted instead. The Bishop of Christchurch, in reply, . snid that Mr Brittain's amendment would ! make the resolution weak and colourless. I Mr Briftatn's amendment was lost. i Mr Harris then moved as an amendment "That the matter of the correspondence between the late Bishop o' London and 1 the late Primate be left to the P.encn of i Bishops to (leal with." This was carried without .dissent The Bishop of Christchurch then withdrew Clauses 3 and 4. The Primate, in the course of his remarks, made a statem -nt with reference to a certain action of his iv licensing a clergyman at Tonga, this action being taken while he was Acting-Primate He said that he had acted without consultine the other bishops, and to the best of his judgment. He went on to say that he did not receive the support of the other bishops in the election for the primacy