DIOCESAN SYNOD.

Evening Star, Issue 4898, 12 November 1878, Page 2

DIOCESAN SYNOD.

The meetiug of the Diocesan Synod of the Church of England was opened to-day at •±.30 p.m. in the Oddfellows' 3 Fall, Rattray street, by an address from the Ven. Archdeacon Edwards, after which it was to adjourn for the service at St. Paul's, where the Rev. P. Knuwles will preach. The Ven. Archdeacon, in his addres*, remarked that in the Bishop's absence it would not be advisable to legislate, except where legisl"a*'on was urgently needed. He then referred to Bishop Selwj n's death in these terms :—" For more than a quarter of a century was he the most prominent- Churchman in New Zealand. The services which he rendered to our <. hurch we:e great indeed, and not to us alone—Maoris and Melanesiau", what a deep debt of gratitude do thoy owe him ? His indefatigable labors, his administrative ability, his thorough devotion to his Master's tervioe, will never, I am sure, be forgotten by the member J of the Church in New Zealand, to which he was so devotedly attached. And what wa3 the hidden power which sustained hi? vast labors? Let the reply be given in the words of one who was his greatest lay friend in New Zealand, and who stood by his deathbed and heard him say those touching words which showed that his last thoughts were with the Church and the mission he had founded and loved so well. Sir W. Martin says :—" He was sustained by the conviction that he was the servant of one who had given him a work to dojand'who would never fail to support, him in doing that work. He was mindful of what he used to call 'the grand monosyllables' of BUhop Eul l , 'ln we are. and on we must.' Accordingly he wrought with all hi.4 heart and all his ttrongth. To him work was no drudgery. He was the willing servant of a loving Master. He paid little regard to praise from men; rather hj? turned aside from it. He was always disposed to jjive to others the credit of. whatever ho had done successfully or spoken well. There was no moroseness or asceticism about his religionBeing strong in faith, he was daring, direct, and fearless. Stern, too, when sterness was needed to rebuke or put down evil, yet withal tender as a woman to the sick, the suffering, especially to the penitent, and to children. As he was a true Englishman, so he was a true son of the Church

of Jingland. He favored everything that might add to the beauty or solemnity of worship, yet so not at to mar the simple majesty of the services of the Church. He was tenacious of primitive order, but above all of truth. He nourished his life upon Sciipture." The Bishop had written out to say that he would not be able to leave England till February, and that he was meeting with very little success in his efforts to obtain funds for a Selwyn memorial, churchmen in England being of opinion that the money should be collected in the Colony. After making passing allusion to the loss the Church had sustained in Mr Oldham's death, and that of the diocese in the contemplated transference of MrKnowles, the Archdeacon went on to allude to the decision of the Standing Commictee to draw the Bishop's notice to the inadvisability of bringing out any clergymen with him. "They were led to take this step by the letters which they received from various parts of the diocese, from which it could only be gathered that the financial state of the diocese is most unsatisfactory. It is painful to have to say this, but it is well that the truth should be known, and steps taken to remedy such a state of things. This is the most important question that will be brought before you. In connection with this subject I would mention especially the inadequate stipends the country clergy receive. I venture to suggest whether it would not be advisable that the Church Society (which does not receive anything like the support it deserves) should not, for a time, confine its grants to augmenting the stipends of these clergy. And Ido not see why the three Uunedin parishes, and the parishes of Oamaru avd Invevcargill, should not forego their bhare of the general clergy maintenance fund, in order to increase the amount which would be distributed among those who are in greater need." In respect to the Littleburn property a letter from the Bishop to Sir John Richardson was laid on the table. As it might be Baid, and indeed had been said, that the resolution dis >pproving of the purchase only expressed the wishes of the resident.} in Dunedin, the Archdeacon thought it advisable that the Synod, which represented the Diocese, bhould say whether it appnved or disapproved of it.