ANGLICAN SYNOD. THE ACTING-PRIMATE'S ADDRESS.

Evening Post, Volume LXVII, Issue 24, 29 January 1904, Page 7

ANGLICAN SYNOD. THE ACTING-PRIMATE'S ADDRESS.

[UT TK-EOBAPH — IMtIiSS ASSOCIATION.] AUCKLAND, 28tii Jumiary. The General Synod of thus Anglican Church of New Zealnml mot for tho despatch of business in tho afternoon in Si. Sepulchre \s School room, in the piebenco of a largo number of synodsmen and visitors. Tho Synod wan welcomed by the Mayor (the lion. 0. E. Mitchclson). He said of all the Auckland clerical mcmbei- of Iho (jeneral Synod Avliich last mot in Auckliind eighteen yeiirs ago, only one now luiuaincd (Canon Nelson), mid but two laymen, ono of whom wus> a. member of the present Synod. Bishop Novill, in replying, said all recognised tho great men of former dny*, and felt that thcro were giants in those d;i3 - .i, but Clod raided up men to do Tli& work from timo to time, and they were not all pigmies at tho present, day. The true life of a community was its spiritual and moral characteristics. Bishop Novill concluded by heart ily thanking tho Mayor for his welcome on behalf of the city. Tho Acting-Primate, in his opening address lo the Synod, made feeling referonco to tho death of Bishop Cowio. Hfl suid ho (Dr. Nevill) was the oldest bishop by consecration in tho Anglican Church of Australia, and within four or five of being the oldest in the Anglican communion, no proceeded to welcome the Bishop of Aucldund as a. new member, and thon wont on to deal with constitutional questions, specially referring to what are known as tho fundamental clauses of this coim.itution. The Church of the Province of Now Zealand, he said, wns not a branch of any other church, and its description as such in tho fundamentals was a fundamental error. The Church of New Zealand was autonomous, and its relations wore with tho Catholic Church, and not with the Church of any particular country. Bishop >>cvill also referred to tho Bishop of Wellington's recently expressed vionw on this question, and said tho Church had already altered tho name under which it wns known under the fundamental provision?. Therefore, in view of the inherent rights of tho Church, nnd tho fact that tho Legislature nlrendy recognised the continuity of the Church, notwithstanding tho above-mentioned alterations, ho doubted whether it was necessary to apply to the Legislature. If to guard property beyond nil doubt it was felt necessary to apply to tho Legislature, groat caro should be taken lest tho Church should seem to derive its authority from that source, and they should merely request of tho civil power a declaration that no amendment of terms of fundamental propositions, nor even deletion of them altogether, would bo held to affect tho rights of property or discipline, but he had great doubts as to their obtaining such a. pronouncement. Bishop Nevill wont ou to deal with matters of administration, and reminded the Synod that tho islands recently added to the colony, of course, extended the sphere of operations of tho Church of the Province of New Zealand. The care of the people of these islands, which hitherto hnd been under tho London Missionary Society, would now havo to be consiuWd hy Wjo Church of New Zealand. Perhaps some arrungcment could bo made with Ibo London Missionary Society in this matter. Dealing with other matters, Bishop Nevill desired that tho Church •hould corivinco her&elf that she had only to otir up tho gifts of God which are within! hor to accomplish f<y more than Bho\ bad ever yet attempted or even thought of attempting. As regards tho reunion of Christendom, tho Bishop stated that it had been said amalgamation was only to take placo between self-styled evangelical Churches*, but how long could so unreal a line of demarcation be maintained? Thoro could bo no new creed. Tho old creed sufficed. It was "tho Apostle's doctrine," and when the divino Spirit had still moro ardently moved thoir fellow Christriana to yearn for unity, doubtless thoy would seek the " Apostle's fellowship " also. Tho subject of Maori missions was thon referred to. Bishop Nevill asked in this connection whether tho4imo had not com© for doing away with tho present duplex system which beemed to establish a church within a church. A« regards general church work, ho warned them lo be on guard against utercqtyped conceptions, and against being too much influenced by conditions which bad passed away. They must go forward— yos, forward into tho untried deep if need be, nnd, emancipated from tho thraldom of falso tfadilions or faithless habit, thoy must prow forward in the Christianising of tho hoalhen, in the restoration of lost truths, and in the healing of divisions. Binhop Novill was heartily applauded and thanked for hia address. Archdeacon Harper gave notice to move that on Monday ovening tho Synod proceed to tho election of n Prhnato. Archdeacon Harper introduced a Bill to amend tho fundamental provisions of tho constitution in such a manner as to provide for tho uecessary autonomy of tho Church of thc'Provinco of New ' Zealand.