THE PRESBYTERIAN SYNOD.

Evening Star, Issue 4955, 20 January 1879, Page 2

THE PRESBYTERIAN SYNOD.

Mondat, Jasuart 20. The Synod resumed Its sitting at 1 o’clock this afternoon. . Tnß chair. The following report of the committee appointed to inquire into •* reasons of dissent Iron, mid protest against the mo’ion carried by the Svno . institufng a second professorship in the University of Otago to i e designated the Chair of Morel Philosophy and Political twonomy” was brought np by the Rev Mr Rvley ;- rirst reason—’ Because the Synod has already made - or °* menta l and moral'science In the University of Otago.' Answer to first reason : The state of this question is here incorrectly repreinaa,nuch as (I) The Synod does not interfere, with the subject of mental science; and, although it is true that the teaching of moral science has been provided for in the '-hair previously endowed by the h'uod, it is not true that it is adequately provided for, inasmuch as mental science includes psychology, ontology, the history of philosophy and logic subjects for which a two years’ course is' assigned in the University of Edinburgh (2) A main mrt of the subject-matter of the proposed chair just instituted has been entirely lost sight of, viz ; Political Economy, for which no chair has as yet been appointed in‘the University ; the increasing importance of which has now been forced on. thn nttenton of every civilised country in the world Moreover, when both thesubjects of thenew chair-moral philosophy and political economy—are taught in the same University, they are either taught from the same chair. 0~, in a few exceptional cises. each lias a separate charaot r devoted to itself Second reason: Because the trustees whose concurrence is required by Act of Parliament ar * un-.nlmous in their approval of » chai- of English language and literature, and further that the University Council niso unanimously recommended a chair of English language and literature. Answer to second reason; The concurrence of the trustees is not by Act of Parliament required fertile institution of any chair, but only in the appointment of the Professor who is to All the chair when instituted by tho-Svnod. in whom alone the power of institution rests. ‘The rec m -md. dations of the University Council and truste< s, white cnimng too late to exercise the amount of influence u u otherwise have d«ne—a fact for wh ch the»e bodies are alone response le —vet received full and fair consideration anH hud due weight ss i rned to them in the detenni- ation to wb(nh the a nod came. The Synod, in duly and respectfully o' ns ’ering the aforesaid recommendations, and having the dutj f emit upon them of determining on their own responsibility the chair that should he appointed, have followed the on'y course which they could reaeombly have been ex iccted to follow.' Tlrrd ’eisr.n; Beomso wo arc convinced that ‘he chair oI English lansmago and literature w, uld ee m< San accordance with tho purpose for which the i md was originally set aside, and would benefit the largest number Answer to third reason :It would be wrong not to give the dissentients credit for the sincerity of their convictions, but as they do 'net state th • grounds on which these convictions rest, this rea»«m admits of no reply. On the ether hand the Synod is as strongly convinced that a chair o.’ moral philosophy ani political economy would bo as much 'in accordance with the purpose for which the fund was originally set aside as a Chair of English Language, Litera’ure, and Rhetoric, because the fund was oririnallv designfor elementary schools; but. instead of so applying it the Synod sought for and obtained an Act of Parliament, under which tho destination of the fund was changed to the extent of applying it solely to the endowment of a Iltetary chair or chairs; so that any closer approach to the original destination than is allowed by such power of endowment is ulfva eires of tlie Synod, and, therefore, it is irrelevant to suggest that the establishment of any one qhair is closer to such original destination than is another.” THE CLIKTOK CASE. The Rev. Cuas. Conxor wished to present a petition against the action of iho Clutha Presbytery in forwarding its.reference re tho Popotunoa case and tho disagreement with its minister to this Svnod. It was decided, however, to hear the Presbytery's reference first, and this was presented by the Revs. Chisholm and BorrSe.