DUNEDIN.

Bruce Herald, Volume VI, Issue 402, 24 January 1872, Page 5

DUNEDIN.

(From our own correspondent.)

In one way or other the Presbyterian Church has occupied a onsi lera'nle amount of public atbention here during the past week. First there hns been the meetings of Synod, and then the case of Hunter v. Will and Others, before t.he Supreme Court. As you will have a pretty full report of the Synudical meetings I will not enter into particulars here, and will only refer to the Synod in a remark or two. Ido not think the manner of doing business in the Synod is any improvement on that of the Dun-edin Presbytery. A wise man has said that in the multitude of councillors t'.xeti is wisdom ; but I presume that in this, as in many other cases, there are some exesptiom which serve to prove the rule. I don't say the Synod is a case in point, but I have heard the opinion expressed. However high the opinion, ministers generally would have the laity to have of their class, they do not seem to entertain the best possible opinion of each other. They abuse each other, sometimes, to their hearts content, call each other auything but gentlemen, attribute motives and conduct to one another anything but honorable, and use language, in debate, which, as was said one evening by the Rev. Mr Johnstone, if used in the Hovse of Parliament, would cause the man who should so far forget himself to be hissed down, or out of the House. One minister complained of the erastianism sought to be introdiiced into th<S church by some of his brethren, spoke of a proposal made by one minister, as an attempt to remove an evil complained of, by tlte introduction of a small dose of poison, which was to do incalculable mischief, another said he felt those present must be turninsr with something like disgust from such exhibitions as had been made during the evening, another spoke of the "' vile sentiments" attributed to him, while another complained of " the grave unworthy imputations brought against the Dunedin Prushytery which would be unwjrthy of them as men, but much more so as men who have come uuder the name of Christ Jesus. All this sort of thing is, it appears to me, unbecoming and unworthy > calculated to lower the character, and very greatly weaken its influence,. proving but too surely that, after all, " ministers are but men," some of them too, men who have yet t ) learn how to bridle their tongue, and who require a large infusion into their intercourse with their brethren of that ch;irity which <l does not behave itself nnaaemly seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil." During the earlier sitting*, the Moderator seemed often to be very uncomfortable, to get into a fog, and to ba very uncertain what to do or how to rule, before the close, however, he got better up to his position, and got, t>hall isay, his team better in hand ? though at times they were still apt to take the bit in their teeth and make a bolt. I hear the observations of nviny whose opinion of th>. proceedings of Synod are not likely to come* directly to the ears of the members, and the general impression made on the minds of observers wh<> have been much at the meetings, has not been i calculated to enlarge their conceptions of the dignity, the wisdom, the self command, and moderation of tile ministerial character*

T do not think the action of the Synod in the case of our First Church is likely to give satisfaction to any, or to produce any satisfactory result. I have already expressed the opinion that minister and office-bearers shouM alike be urged to resign, as the. only mode of bringing this vexatious matter to a final issue. lam of the same opinion still, and think it is to be regretted that Mr Ry ley's amendment or some modification of it was not accepted by the Synod. As it is thing 3 have been left by the Synod much as th«y found them, and the end is not yet. Many of the public, I know, while having little sympathy with Mr Sutherland, in the absurd' extent to which he has sought to push his ideas of mimVerial authority and privilege, yet, are of opinion that he has good ground for complaint with the action of the church courts in ins case. Mr Sutherland has a majority of the church artd congregation at his back, and that being so he declines to accept the recommendation of the Synod, and resign the charge. The point raised and so much insisted on by many of the members of Synod, that though Mr Sutherland had a majority in members he has not nearly a majority of the money power of the church, has . been duly noted and is Made capital of by these who are ever on the watch for the halting of professedly religious men. , On Sabbath last Mr Sutherland preached in the forenoon in the tfirst Church,* Mr Stewart appearing, as rtras his wont, in the precentors desk. Mr Sutherland has in this matter bowed lo the ruling of the Presbytery, sustained as it was, by the action of the Synod> arid, in so far as this part of the cisc goes has " eaten the leek," he having declared most positively that he would never allow Mr Stewart to sing while he was minister of the Churohi Mr Sutherland has, however, by this time learned there are some vows more honored in the breach than in the observance. As I have said, the end is not yet, and we want the fuller development of time and circumstincOi

The East Taieti Church was evidently illadvised, in going to court in. resistance of

Hunter's claim. After a weeks trial the jury gave a verdict for the plaintiff in nearly the full amount for which he sued. I heal? that hesHes the amount of Hunter's claim, some L 250. the cluirch will be let in foi? "early L4OO costSi Tt is a remaHcable fact that nearly all the contracts for the erection of churches in Dunedin and many oi fch"sein the country, have resulted in the failure of the contractors, or a row between the contractor architect, and trustees. I understand there are some big items tinsettled on account oi the St. Andrews Chui*ch contract, which will now, I presume, have to be paid. The contractors are now busy with the First Church, and it is toffbe hoped ttie work will go rapidly to completion, the 'unfinished building has baen nowlong enough an eyesore to us. Whoever is to be the coming man to fill the church after it is btlilt, it is much to be desired that the church should be finished and filled by some one.

By-the-hye, other churches thati the Pres^ byterian have their little difficulties. St. Haiti's Church, Episcopal, have had their trouble, which, however, they have managed to fight out amongst themselves without going to a higher court, if they have one, of which, indeed, lam not quite sure. It appeals that at a previous congregational meeting a proposal was introduced to raise $he price of the seats in St. Paul's Church from 21s to 3Js 6J per annual, which proposal was rejected by tho meeting. When the last meeting was held, a week or so ago, it was found fiv.ni the report of the vestry men, that they had taken it on themselves — in f ice of the rejection of the propns U, as above stated — to raise the seat rents. This naturally called forth a considerable amount of opposition ; those who previously opposed the raising of the rents opposed it still, and many of those who had supported the advance previously, now objected that the vestry had exceeded their power in raising the seat lenfcs in op >osition to the resolution of the congregation to the contrary. There w.is a rather animated discussion, and the meeting was adjourned. In the interval between the meeting there was a beating lip all round fur support, and when the meeting again assembled, a series of amendments on the report of the manager's were, I believe, all carried seri-ttim ; but when the whole were put as an amendment on the tepon,, the r -port was adopted by a narrow majority. The public attention was previously and fully engaged over the First Church case, so that this dispute amongst the congregation of St. Paul's did not attract the notice it otherwise would have done.

A leather amusing incident occurred in the course of the trial, Hunter v. Wise. A somewhat lazy witness was put into the box ; he folded his arms, lay down on the front of the box, and from that attitude and position reached forward to take a plan from one of tliß counsel, when lie overbalanced the box, and went head first in among the lawyers, clerks, and others inside the rail. The effect produced may be better imagined than described.

A commencement lias been made towards the renioval of Cargill'3 monument from the Octagon t-> the open ground in front of the Custom House. Very soon a roadway will be opened up right through from Princes to George street, which will be a great convenience for the through, traffic. iMie present deioilr ar >und the lower side of the Octagon is very inconvenient, and in many cases dangerous.

Reichelt's cnse is again before the Supreme Court. This time lie is plaintiff in a c;ise against the insurance comp inies I supposo this will be another week's work for judge and jury.