FOURTH GENERAL SYNOD OF NEW ZEALAND. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 16.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXIV, Issue 3512, 17 October 1868, Page 4

FOURTH GENERAL SYNOD OF NEW ZEALAND. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 16.

The President took his seat at 4 |».m. P/eseufc: Bishops : New Z aland, Christchurch, Wellington, Waiapu, Nelson, Bishop Patteson. Clergy : The Deau of Christ' hurch, Archdeacons Butt, Brown, Guvett, Hadfield, Harpor, Lloyd, Williams ; Kev. Messrs. Atkia, Blackburu, Burrows, Cotterill, Gifford, Lush, Maunsell, Palmer, Pool©. Laity : Hou. J. B. Acl&nd, Judge Beckh»m, Oolouel Kenny, Sir W, Martm, Hon. W. Swainson, Messrs. Brown, Connell, Feuton, Hanmer, Lusk, Mai tin, McKellar, Kose, Selwyn, Tilley, Williams, Lud brook, Kempthorne, Quick. > 'i he proceedings were opeusd with prayer by the President.

MINUTES. The minutes of the precediog meeting were read and confirmed.

NEW BISHOPS BILL. The following motion standiug on the notice-paper in the name of the Dean of Cnristchurch, w<s withdrawn hy permission : "That leave be given to bring in a bill for regulating the subdivision of dioce-e-i, the constitution of nevt bishoprics, aud the election of Bishop?, aud that the bill be read » first time."

KELANE3IAN BISHOPRIC ?ILL Mr. S\tainson moved, "That the 'Bill to provide for the Appointment of Successors to the Missionary Bishop among the Islands of Melanesia' be adopted, read a third time, and passed. 1 ' — Agreed to.

UOVR OF NEXT SITTING. The Hon. J. B. Acland moved, " That the Synod at its rising do adjourn to 3 p.m. on Saturday." Dr. Maunsell opposed the motion. The Bishop of Cheistchurch supported the motion. Archdeacon Hadfield also snpporfced the motion. The motion was agreed to.

THE STANDING COMMISSION. The Hon. W. &wainson moved, "That the Commissioners appointed by the last Synod under the provisions of the ' Statute for delegating certain < f the Powers vested in the General Synod ' be the Commissioners for exercising the powers mentioned, in the said Statute." The motion was agred to.

OTAGO AND SOUTHLAND. Mr. Martin obtained leave to withdraw the following motion standing in his name :— " That if Otago and Southland at any future time be declared a separate diocese, the nomination of a bishop fchall be decided by the votes of two-thirds of the clrrgy and laity, and that the subdivision of the diocese be deferred for the prtsent."

PBTNTING COMMITTEE. Tbe "Rev. E. Burrows moved, " That a printing committee be appointed, to consist of Sir W. Martn, H. S. McKellar, Esq , and the mover." — Agreed to.

BOOK: OB" FAMILY PRATER. The Dean of o'hristchuroh moved, "That their Lordships the Bishops be respectfully requested < o consider the bent mode of providing a £»nk of Family Prayer for the use of members of the Church in this country, and at their discretion to compile a form, or to recommend the use of some one of the existing compilations." He s<iid he had his Lordship tbe Primate's own authority and approval in bringing forward the motion, aw he had stated in his opeuing aldress to the previous Synod that it was very much needed. archdeacon Butt supported the motion, referring to the excellence of the Scotch Prayer-book. Dr. Maunselli said he did not see the necessity for mich a bonk. The President said a layman could not use our Prayer-book without feeling that be was trespassing upon forbidden ground. Something was required m the way of a family prayer-book, to enable the head of a family to preserve that patriarchal position that had been maintained in early history. The Bishop of Mblson supported the motioa. He could speak with some authority as to the excellence of the Scotch Prayerbook, which was published under the authority of the Established Church. It was peculiarly valuable for its family prayers. The motion was agreed to.

DIOCESAN STATISTICAL RETURNS. The Bishop of Nelson moved, " That in the opi« nioa of this ftynod ibis desirable that returns should be laid before ib at its triennial meetings, in which as full particulars as possible should be given on the following heat! 8 respecting the status and ecclesiastical condition of the dioseses : — 1 : Number of clergy and lay readers. 2 : Number of churches and places of worship. 3 : Number of day-schools, and schools in connection with the Church. 4 : Number of Sunday-s hools and other statistics connecbed therewith. 5 : Number of baptisms, confirmations, aud burials, and uuinber of communicants ; marriages in each of the said periods. 6 : Sums raised for Church purposes in each of the triennial periods provioui to the date of the returns which should be within six mouths of the meeting of the General Synod, such sums t& be ranged under the various bends of offertories, including all objects, missionary collections, support of ihe clergy, alms for the poor, Sunday-schools and general educational purposes." The Bishop of Wellington seconded the motion. The Dean of Chris church thought it would bo sufficient to have a return for one year. The Bishop of Nelson said the last year might not bd a fair criterion. The motion was agreed to. ARCHDEACONRY AND RURAL DEANERY BOARDS BILL. On the motion of Archde»cou WiLMAMS, the bill to amend Statute Fo. 3, " For organising Archdeaconry and Rural Deanery Boards," was read a second time, and considered in committee of the Synod. The Synod resumed, the bill was reported with amendments, and the third reading fixed for today.

THE DTTNEDIIT BISHOPRIC. The Synod then procecde I to discuss the report brought up by the committee appointed to consider and report upon the expediency of eomj'letiug the ecclesiastical arrangements in respect to the proposed diocese of Duuedm. The debate on the first resolution attached to tbe report, to tbe effect that the appointment of .Bishop Jenner be not confirmed, was resumed :—: — "That inasmuch as the sum already raised towards the endowment fund of the proposed diocese of Dunedin is totally inadequate to the support of a bishop : Resolve J—l.J — 1. Tha<; the Synod does not see the way open at present to the completion of the ecclesiastical arrangements in connection with the proposed diocese of Dunedin. 2. That the .Rural Deanery of Ofcago and Southland be formed into a diocese to be administered provisionally by the Bishop of Christchurch." Mr. Beckham seconded. The Rev. S. Blackburn beeged to move, as a second amendment, " That this t>ynod. having carefully taken iuto its consideration all the circumstances connected with the see of Duoedin, is unable to find auy sufficieut ground for withdrawing its recognition of the appointment of Bishop Jenner ; but, while thus acknowledging the appoin<me»t, and declaring that it shall be competent for Dr. Jenner to enter upon the duties of his office, this would urge up m Bishop Jenner the expediency of resigning the Bishopric on the ground of tbe difficulties experienced in obtaining aa adequate endowment fund." This latter amendment was negatived, as was also that of Colonel Kenny, after a very lengthy discussion. A motion by Archdeacon ETabpkr was ultimately carried as follows: — "That whereas the General Synod is of opinion that it 13 better for the peace of the Church that Bishop Jenner should not take charge of tbe Bishopric of Dunedin, the Synod hereby requests him to withdraw his claim to that position." oeverul notices of m tion were given, and the Synod adjourned at 11.30 p.m. We are compelled by the length of the debate to hold over a full report.

Abraham W olfe, a Jewish boy, about 14 yf arc of age,w*s charged, at one of the London Police Courts with haviug stolen a quantity of human bones fn.m the buml-ground of Christchurcb, Btthnal Green. The prisoner was seen, iu company with two other boys, in the act of leaving the churchyard, prisoner carryiug a bundle, which, on being pursued, he dropped. A subsequent examination showed that it contained a quantity of humaii bones, which had. been dug from a corner of the graveyard. It was mentioned that the father of the prisoner kept a marine store shop, and purchased bones. A defence that the prisoner w*s of weak intellect was set up, and he was then ordered to be remanded for the truth of that to be ascertained. It was negatived, and piisouer was sent for one month, with hard labour. The Wedding Eing.— The marriage ring is variation of the subject too well known to admit o much treatment. Everybody tells us that it dates from the most remote antiquity, Its circular form allegorises eternity — of affection, or other sentiment, i >ur knowledge of the impurity of guinea t;old, of which wedding rings are usually made, Spoils the otherwis-e pretty posy of Kofert Herrick. But perhaps the alloy is but a delicate image of the amantium ii» which make the love more durable. — " Once a Wok. "