EVENING SITTING.

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 10480, 19 October 1899, Page 2

EVENING SITTING.

>Mx W. H. Hargreaves moved—"That- a Committee of this Synod be appointed to act during the recess with other committees or organisations in mating arrangements for celebrating the jubilee of the foundation of the Canterbury settlement, and that this Synod approves the proposal to make the start of the work of completion of the Cathedral a spscial feature of the celebration of the jubilee of the settlement, and pledges to u?a its utmost endeavour to raise the required sum of £7000, or promises to that amount, by November of next, year." «<Hftving apologised for any shortcomings he felt he possessed in moving the motion, which he regretted could not be taken up by Sir John Hall, he said it seemed to him, that on the occasion of the jubilee of the foundation pt the Canterbury settlement, they iQiould endeavour to place in. their midst some lasting memorial of it —an offering of thankfulness for the benefits they had derived from the struggles and labours and efforts of those who left their homes and comfort and luxury to found the Church and the settlement. While as far as reasonable conserving their own interests for thojse wiho were to follow, they met their responsibilities. But about these early settlers there was an erroneous impression that they took the heart out of the lands of the colony for their own aggrandisement. This was a gross libel on the early colonists. Th? 7 paid £3' an acre, JBI of which was for religious and educational purposes, and this should be remembered by all. Since those days many benefits had accrued from tine wise administration of the founders, for which Canterbury had everjr reastm to feel grateful. He fetched upon the 'position Canterbury ojccupkd in relation to the present education system, on £n<r'amount she contributed to the general exchequer upon the abolition of tho provhjpes, and the advantages which had been, gained as much by the forethought of Ijhe pioneers as by individual effort. \' He held that the Cathedral should be completed as a fitting and lasting memorial of those, who founded the .colony—a thank offering to God, and a means of ministering to the spiritual aieeds of the people, which were but a few of the many reasons he could advance in support of the motion. He felt it only needed a properly organised endeavour to get churchmen and citizens to recognise and respond to tOieir responsibilities in the matter. The Yen. Archdeacon Harper seconded the motion; jfcwi pointed outltfiatthe erection of the Cathedral was in the plan of the pioneers in their set up as perfect a diocese as jsossibletwof providing a spiritual rallying-poinfc where, all could feel as one. By the grace ofeiGod this high ideal had been to a great extent, and it was incumbent'ion the present generation to carry it to a He referred to the very low condition of the cathedrals at Homo when the founders of Canterbury came to the colony, m showing their strong faith in the ideal they had , set '; themselves; and. he also spoke upon the I revival in cathedral life which had justified that ideal, and be said he looked upon it as a direct challenge from God himself to the people here to go on with the completion of that ideal in thia dioceae. He caw no obstacle in the raising of £7000 to complete what was the material symbol of the unity of »the work of God.- • - Mr G. Dunnage, who said he arrived here in 1851, supported the motion, and recounted some of the difficulties met with by the ■ early settlers in attending divine wjffghip. j Mr J. M. Hevwood, who came early in 1851, «aid the original Canterbury pilgrim* I were the original land purchasers, and those 1 alive to-day had to thank those pioneers for the provision they had made for religious and other education. But there were others who afiould be thanked for their work, j and no name should be more 'honoured than j that of the Dean. Another to whom tjieir i gratitude was due was Canon Cotterill, and then another name to honour was that of Canon Knowles. He himself remembered how very few of the old Settlers there were with them now, and those he could almost count on the fingers of one hand who had been successful. Respecting the Cathedral, which all would like to see completed, the name of Mr B. W. Mountfort must not be forgotten. The Cathedral had languished, but from that night he hoped a new effort would sprinj? up, and as he sat in the Cathedral the night previous, he felt that had all done as much ac his Lordship, the work would be much farther advanced. But, he believed that now all would make an effort to carry out the work. Mr W. G/Brittan. epeaking not as a pilgrim father, but a pilgrim baby, explained that he understood the ideal of the founders to be to make the Cathedral the parish church of Christchurch, That ideal had been fallen from, and the Cathedral was now looked upon as. poaching to some extent from the other parishes. If we could go back to that principle, and have one centre, working with one object, instead of the other churches, ac it were, working against ifc, great good would be done, and better work accomplished—the Cathedral being the parish church of Christchurch as well as the Cathedral. Mr R. Hill-Fisber said that, put m a nutshell, in the words of some, it was, you cannot livo in a larger house without additional expenditure." It then became a question whether it would be a fitting memorial of the Jubilee. Be mentioned this that it mitf&t, if possible, be moved away. The Very Rev. Archdeacon Cholmondeley said that at the present time there was a, uußun&r of onkuon that the Catfcedxal should be conrpteted, and every parish, he believed, would join, in establishing the most fitting ——"Sil of tfae foundation of the cokey. It VB3 wi&oat doubt the ideal at wMtiUte lunulas aimed. H» motion was afc» spoken to by toe Ben J. E. Bbrfdmrne, A. EL Scott, H. H. MrilMi H. WJHams, jour., and T. A. Hnftm, and F. Knowles, Messrs Blackborne, BU, and Tumbull. ffiaXori*ip4i» JBebop «£» spoke in sup :

j port of the scheme, and urged members of the Synod to make a vigorous and personal effort to carry this monument to a completion, and not to step at the passing of the resolution. The motion was can-led on the. voices. The election of the committee was postponed, and the Synod adjourned.