WELLINGTON DIOCESAN SYNOD.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 11, Issue 858, 16 July 1867, Page 3

WELLINGTON DIOCESAN S YNOD.

(From the * Independent/ July 9.) The second session of the fourth Synod .of ' the Diocese of Wellington was opened on Tuesday July 2. The members having attended Divine Service at St. Paul's, Chui'ch and partaken of the Holy Communion there, assembled in the Diocesan room at 2 o'clock. There were present: — The. Bight Eev. the Bishop of Wellington, President; Clergy — Yen Archdeacon of Kapiti, Eev. H. W. St. Hill, Eev. A; Stock, Eev. W. Eonaldson, Eev. J. E. Herring, Eev. P. H. Maxwell, Eev. T. Abraham 1 , Eev. F. Fancourt. Laity — Messrs. Pearce, Ludlam, Hunter, Bannatyne, Braithwaite, Kebbell, Barraud, Kelham, Battersbee, Hon. J. C. Crawford. Theßishop read a letter from Mr. Hart resigning the lay secretaryship, and asking for leave of absence. , THE BISHOP'S CHAKGE. The Bishop then delivered his charge, which was of considerable length, and too long to be printed by us in* extenso. A summary of it may however be found interesting. After stating that His Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury had invited him to attend a Greneral Conference (not summoned him to a Synod), of the Bishops of the Church of England and Ireland and of all churches in common with it, and that he had felt at liberty to use his own discretion in the matter, His i,^. Lordship said that although he did -ipt'^% think it necessary to attend the Conference, |§| still he -felt -iVto be,: His duty to set' forlh ■*'■ ' his viewed on; subjects that were likely to - be discussed at the Conference. He then stated that he would lay on the table a sermon by the Metropolitan of Canada, with an appendix containing in pp. 18 to 31 two Addresses of the Provincial Synod of the Church in Canada — one to the Archbishop of Canterbury, and the other to the Houses of Convocation of the Provinces of Canterbury and York. From these it would be seen that the special subjects on which they desired the counsel of their brother Churchmen are, Ist, the strange and erroneous opinions put forth by the authors of the notorious " Essays and Eeviews," and by Dr. Colenso, the Bishop of Natal ; and, 2ndly, the decisions ■ of the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council thereupon; and, 3rdly, the perplexity and confusion into which the Coloi nial branches of the Church of England are thrown in consequence of those and I subsequent decisions. His Lordship then made some remarks condemnatory of the Essays and Eeviews, and afterwards proceeded to criticise the doctrines pSt forth by Dr. Colenso. THE BISHOP OF NATAL. His Lordship says " I think that, the time has come for us and the Eepresentatives of the English Church who will meet, D.V., in conference, to join in condemning the heresies which Dr. Colenso is charged with, as we find them set forth in the' judgment pronounced by his Metropolitan and his Assessor Bishops. Ours will be no hasty condemnation : we have waited and observed. Yet I think the time has now come to proclaim anew the Truth of G-od as we have received it ; and further to express our sympathy with the bishops, clergy, and faithful laity in South Africa, who are striving to cast forth such errors from the bosom of the Church." After reviewing several of the principal charges upon which Dr. Colenso has been condemned, his Lordship says : "No one could find so much fault with Dr. Colenso if, in his search after truth, he had been led to doubt (as he says he was) the Inspiration of the Scriptures, or some of the facts of Scripture affirmed in our Prayer Book. But after having sworn to assent to and use the Prayer Book, I cannot see how a man can remain in his position, if he does not assent to or use the Formularies as they are found. Unhappily, he seems to have adopted that most dangerous of moral delusions, against which I trust the Conference of Bishops will protest, " that a man's legal obligation is the measure of his moral obligation, and that he may hold or deny any doctrine he likes, so long as he cannot be legally punished for so doing." He concludes this section of his address in the following words : — " Feeling as Ido that the Church of England is the great bulwark of religious morality, I watch with jealousy anything like a breach of the first principles of* Truth, Honour, and Justice. If we allow ourselves or others to assent to Articles in a non-natural 'sense, or to teach anything repugnant to them, after having sworn to the contrary, merely because we cannot be punished for it by the law of the land, then the salt will indeed have lost its savour. In that case, as a French bishop lately said — Revenons sur l'ordre nature). But I would rather use the noble language of the author of Ecce Homo : — In the Christian commonwealth the sense of duty gave birth to laws : but the laws themselves are not so important as the sense of obligation from which they proceed." STATUS OF THE COLONIAI, CHURCHES. His lordship goes at length into matter, and quotes various legal decisions which have been given in England and the United States bearing upon the matter. The gist of his advice is this : — " But now while this uncertainty prevails, we had better hold our hands, and await the result of the ' Pan -Anglican' Conference and Imperial Legislation. I lay on the table an excellent pamphlet on this subject drawn up by our friend Mr. H. Sewell, the late Attorney- General of the colony. I should advise your appointing assessors again as in the past year, passing a resolution that will require them and me to act (if necessary) as near as we can to the letter and spirit of the 9th and 10th permissive statutes of the General Synod. I have compared them with the Church Discipline Act, of 3 and 4 Viet, c, 86, and I find that they are not very dissimilar — so that we could not be doing wrong in acting accordingly. By that Act of 3 and 4 Viet., the bishop has to issue a commission of five persons (our assessors might form the panel) and they have to advise the bishop — and further, he may refer the case to the Court of Arches, (the Provincial Court) ; just as the Colonial Bishop (in our statues) would refer points of doctrine to the Metropolitan and Bench of Bishops. This Imperial Act of 3 and 4 Viet., c. 86, was passed before August, 1840— -whereas this colony was proclaimed on the 16th of November, 1840. Consequently the Act may to some extent apply to the colonies, even though it specially excludes Ireland. — The converse of the rule oxpressio unius est exclusio alterius, may be true of Imperial Dependencies. And the same may be said, of the Imperial Act establishing the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, whi6h excludes Ireland." THE BISHOP OF LONDON'S CIBCULAK. As our readers are aware, last October the Bishop of London sent round a circular letter to the Colonial Bishops and Archdeacons asking their opinion on the following points : — " First. — The desirableness, or otherwise of all Bishops in British Colonies receiving their mission from the See of Canterbury, and taking the oath 'of canonical obedience to the Archbishop. " Second. — Whether it is desirable that there should be an appeal in graver cases j from the judgments of Church Courts or v j;? 5

decisions of Bishops or Synods in the Colonios to any authority at home ; and, if so, (i) to what authority P (2) under what restrictions ? . "Third. — How far the royal supremacy, as acknowledged by the United Church of England and Ireland, can be* maintained in our Colonial Churches. " Fourth.— What seems the best guarantee, for maintaining the unity of doctrine and discipline between the different scattered branches of our Church in the Colonies," On these points, his Lordship remarks : — With, regard to the first question, as I state in my reply, I have not formed any decided opinion, having no data to go upon, I need! hardly observe that there pc two widely different points involved in this one question. A Bishop may receive mission from Canterbury, be consecrated by the Archbishop, or under his letters dimissory, and yet be in no way subject to him and his' See. This was the case with all the American Bishops, except Seabury, wHR was consecrated by the Bishop of the Scottish Church. But the swearing homage, and taking the oath of canonical obedience to Canterbury involves much larger consequences ; inasmuch as the appointment to the See of Canterbury is a political one, and indirectly the Ministers of State might in- > duce the Archbishop to refuse his letters for the consecration of Colonial Bishops elected by their Diocesan and General Synods. In many other ways the nonestablished Colonial Church might' thus be impeded and fettered by its connection with an establishment. As an English churchman, I should desire some close connection with the See of Canterbury, but I am afraid of the political element and its possible effects upon us. Not that t mean to say a word against the union of Church and btate in England. It is only of the effects of that union upon the branches in the colonies that I speak in terms of doubt and distrust, and I think Lord Romilly's language gives a warrant for my so speaking. . " Secondly. I gave some answer to the second query, but it was because I have been misunderstood in some quarters as if I had approved of the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council being the final court of appeal in questions of doctrine. I therefore said that (as a noble passage of F. W7 Robertson's, 1 Cor., vi., 1, bids us be guided by arbitration rather than law) I would prefer a tribunal of appeal in England consisting of churchmen only, and lay, some of the latter being lawyers. Still, I know that j the idea*is chimerical. The Imperial Parliament would' never allow of such a tribunal. I think, however, that churchmen have some grounds for disliking the present court of appeal, when even on secular subjects Sir Roundell Parmer '(Guardian, Feb. 27, 1867) said in the House of Commons that " the Law Lords in O'Connell's case were thought by some to have determined it in accordance with their political opinions," and "on occasions of that kind general principles have a considerable influence even over judicial minds." Much more, then, may we expect, without (as Sir R. Palmer says) " casting any imputation on the character of the Judges," that Law Lords who are not members of our Church would take the view most in accordance with their own -interpretation of general principles. " Thirdly. The Bishop, of London, asks how far the royal supremacy can be maintained in the Colonial Churches ? I suppose that most persons will answer, with Lord Kingsdown, just as far as it prevails over other religious bodies, and no more. That is to say, the Supreme Courts of the colonies can alone give effect to decisions of ecclesiastical tribunals whenever any question of property or contract is involved. " The Crown officers themselves have abandoned the issuing of Letters Patent *» Colonial Bishops, and (as appears likely) the royal mandate for consecration. (1.) " Here, in passing, I would try; to remove a misconception from the minds of any 'persons who ' have thought that the New Zealand Bishops offered to surrender their Letters Patent without consulting the wishes of their clergy and laity. •'As far back as the" General Synod of 1862 the subject was mooted. You will find a passage in the proceedings of the Diocesan Synod of Ohristchurch in 1863, which shows that the clergy and laity of that Diocese were aware of the unsuitableness of our Letters Patent to the condition of the Colonial Church. # # # # # # # # "I wish the Bishop of London had stated in the House of Lords who the New Zealand Bishop was that had written to him to express his regrets at our having signed the petition offering to surrender the Letters Patent. Perhaps it was one of the newly appointed Bishops, still in England, who has not felt their inconsistency with tho Church Constitution. " I can give no other answer to the 4th question than my written reply contains. Let the Mother Church (and the Parliament, too) look- at our voluntary compact, and see how, ten years ago, we bound ourselves to her in all filial confidence. Let her, and all men, judge for themselves whether our own good sense and Christian principles have not held us firmly attached to the Church, of England. We have no need to hold meetings in the colonies to enquire why the Church has lost its hold over the people that once belonged to her. We are stretching out her cords in all direction, and yet live in peace and good will with our fellow- Christians of other denominations. I believe that Archdeacon Hadfield is strictly within the mark when he says that he thinks that the members of the Church of England in the colonies are much more attached to her than the people of England are. If anyone pan persuade himself that the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council has sue- ' ceeded in maintaining unity of doctrine and discipline in the Churcn of England, he will have to believe that all the members of the Church of England hold the opinions of Dr Colenso and the Essayists and Reviewers. Legislation and judicial decisions may bring about union and uniformity but never will they secure unity. (2) ' EITUAIiISM. On the question of Ritualism, his Lordship says .—-"What I deplore in the Ritualistic, and similar movements in England, is that it is left to any one clergyman, or at the best, to him and his congregation, to set up for themselves any new development of doctrino or practice that pleases them. We are not likely to bo troubled with these matters, for wo have (unless Lord Romilly and the law courts forbid us) bound ourselves not to initiate any new systems or ceremonies without our three-fold consent. Neither the Bishop, nor the Clergy, nor the Laity, will do anything separately. But in England Parliament has manacled the action, if it has not gagged the mouth of the representatives of the Clergy. The Laity of the church have positively no representation, except in Parliament, and that they ■. hold in CQmmon with members of other ■communions. The consequence is that every clergyman, and every parish, is left •mIiMS?-'" Bttxiier>s .Autobiography, WorOsworfch,

I to itself to adopt or clamour against any I mnoval ions. The ' Church' is ignored in the sense of St Paul iv his Ist Epistle, Cor. xii. Thereforo Ido not blame the particular clergyman or laymen for their use of ' private judgment.' lam rather glad to see the result of this Erastianism, and I have not the slightest doubt that it will eventually lead to Diocesan Synods' being called into life in England, on the primitive type and in the same form as it is in the American and Colonial Churches, that is to say, with the order of the Laity duly represented. Then we shall hear no more of extravagance, or of laches." . The Bishop considers the Ritualistic movement weak because it has no intellectual leader ; and points out that if Ritualism primarily involves doctrine, and is meant to symbolise some great idea, then if that idea is false, and the doctrine is repugnant to the Church's teaching, no amount of zeal or work for the good of others can counterbalance the wrong done to God's truth 5 but at the same time, if the Ritualists only mean to express the language of the Church catechism or liturgy, the movement cannot of course be condemned in its' doctrinal aspect. DIOCESAN AITAIES. - The address concludes with the following review of diocesan affairs : — " The most important event in the diocese that I have to record as having been arranged since I last met you, is my having secured the valuable services 01 the Bishop of Waiapu, as my coadjutor and Commissary, for the Province of Hawke's Bay, and more especially for the native population of the Ahuriri district. I need not tell you how, after forty years' work in his Master's cause in different parts of the island, he was driven out by the Hau Haus from his own home and. work. After giving himself time to consider whether he could return there to any advantage, he ■ concluded that he could not. . While he was looking about for some ' 'pointd'appui" to revive his work from, his nephew, the Rev, Samuel Williams, and myself, were casting about for the means of starting a native school on the Te Aute estate, which Mr. S, Williams has been bringing into a state of cultivation for some years past, with the view of establishing a school for natives, without having to depend on the precarious and limited doles of the Government. He had not yet got things to the point of entire self-support, when the Bishop of Waiapu offered to bring his strong teaching-force to our" locus standi;" and now, before long, we hope to see two schools started, one for Maori boys and young^ men, the other for girls, under the superintendence of the Bishop, with his family, and the Rev. S. Williams. I take this opportunity of stating openly that the Rev. S. Williams, to my certain knowledge, has in a most public-spirited manner, risked his own personal means to bring this school, estate into its present excellent state of cultivation. The Church had no means x>f improving the property, and it would have lain idle for these last eight years, had it not been for his risking his own private resources for that object. I think it due to him to state this, because I was once told by members of the General Assembly that there was a demand for an enquiry into the accounts and state of that property. I have always expressed a wisn that such a public enqiiiry should be made, on the one condition, that I was called as a witness, as I could prove that Mr. Williams had spent his own private money in improving a public estate. While I am on this topic, I would further add that the Church Trustees of the Wanganui Industrial School Estate have never shrunk from publicity or enquiry inßb the affairs of that property. In the year 1865, a report of the Trust was read out to the General Synod, and an abstract printed in the published report, appendix p.L, which is circulated through the whole country. There liad been either a native or an English school, on the land from 1852 to 1859, when the house was burnt down, not being insured. The Trustees had husbanded their resources during the war, while no action could be taken for Maori school purposes, -and now they maintain two native scholars as boarders, at the St.' Peter's school, Te Aro, and have started a good grammar school for English children at Wanganui; we did this the very first moment we had sufficient funds in hand — and here I must express the thanks of the Trustees to Major Durie, for his great prudence and zeal in managing the estate, investing the funds, and at length getting the master's house built, and putting the school-house into an available state for its purpose. I thank him for the time he steadily devoted to this work, for the pecuniary liberality which he displayed in order to prevent the estate losing anything, and I congratulate him on now seeing an efficient school at work, under a zealous master, with nearly thirty boys in the first half-year. And, once more, while on this topic, I may say that Archdeacon Hadfield has been at length in some way rewarded for his perseverance in keeping up his school at Otaki, throughout all these trying times, by seeing the boys and girls improve under his eye, and under the care of the Rev. D. Desbois, and a capital Maori master, Rapana te Waha. " Perhaps the Archdeacon may not like my saying in his presence, or at all, what, however, I will venture to say, that as in the case of the Rev. S. Williams, so in his own, it might be proved that he risked his own personal means to work that school, and bring the estate to the high state of cultivation it is in. I have publicly stated all these facts, because adverse rumours have been flying about these many days ; I know of no other way of overcoming the prejudices of some people than by an outspoken challenge to them to prove their charges — and now " liberavi animam meam." The persons who have been misrepresented have never cared to blazon their own good deeds. I have done what they would never do for themselves, and now I await with confidence any application (such as we have often heard of) to the Supreme Court, or a Parliamentary enquiry. " But while speaking of Otaki, I cannot forget the loss the Native Church has experienced during the past year by the death of our dear friend, that excellent man, the Rev. Riwai te Ahu. In every respect I found him during the fifteen years I have known him, a highminded yet humble Christian, an earnest minister of the Gospel, and a perfect gentleman in mind, feeling, and manner. Archdeacon Hadfield could better describe his worth, for he had the great privilege of converting him to the Gospel and witnessing his unbroken steadfastness in the faith and practice of a Christian man. " The Native Church in the neighbourhood of Wanganui and the Wairarapa may be said to be in a- state of coma ensuing after the fever. Very few of the natives anywhere have now faith in tho Hau Hau superstition. If they practice it at all, they avow that it is merely a mode of showing their hostility to the English. " Turning to the English parishes and districts, I have to report of St. Paul's, Thorndon, that the parishioners have built a good parsonage on the site given by the New Zealand Company for the purpose in Bolton-street. " I have to record also that a parsonage*

lias been built by the Church people of tlic Porivua district at Hawtroy. "I have opened a pretty little chapel built at Maluira ou some laud generously given to the Church by Captain Smith and Mr. Revans. " The Standing Committee has bought some land for Church purposes at Rangitikei and Mauawatu ; and I hare much pleasure in stating that on my late visit to Rangitikei, Mr. Richard Hammond promised to give a valuable site for a church at the Tutaenui, and I hope to have a clergyman at work in that neighbourhood and as far as Turakina and Matarawa before we next meet. We want two or three chapels built in that district, and I will ask you to join me in an address to the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge to grant us a little further aid in the work, seeing. that eleven churches were built and one enlarged with the aid of their former grant 5 Masterton being the latest that received any, and that a very small contribution from its funds, and being, I believe, a handsome and substantial fabric. " I have now completed my survey of Church affairs, and must plead the peculiar occasion as an excuse for the time I have detained you. " The G-eneral Synod will not be summoned to -meet before September of next year, and we shall have to elect representatives before that time. And now I would request you to give your earnest attention and consideration to the resolutions, of which due notice has been given for some time past. I can express my thoughts in no language so well as that of the collect for Whit Sunday, which the Church has lately been offering up,— -and I will pray to ' Gfod, who did teach the hearts of His faithful people by the sending to them the light of His Holy Spirit, that He will grant us by the same Spirit to have a- right judgment in all things, and evermore to rejoice in His holy comfort, through the merits of Christ Jesus our Saviour.' " — Amen.