PUBLIC MEETING AT CHRISTCHURCH.

Lyttelton Times, Volume III, Issue 121, 30 April 1853, Page 10

PUBLIC MEETING AT CHRISTCHURCH.

A Public Meeting was held by advertisement at Christchurch on the 25th instant, to take into consideration the Ecclesiastical Affairs of the Settlement. The Rev. O. Mathias having been called to the Chair, the following Report of the Ecclesiastical Committee was read :—

"Your Committee desire to report, that, in accordance with your instructions, they addressed a letter to the Bishop of New Zealand, informing his Lordship of the resolutions passed at public meetings held at Christchurch and Lyttelton, and requesting his advice with regard to their future proceedings. " In his reply--the Bishop expresses his approbation of all that Las been done, and ie-

quests the Committee to communicate to their constituents a pastoral letter containing a brief statement of the principles on which he proposes the formation of a Church Constitution for.New Zealand. "S "Mr. Gladstone's bill, (the provisions of which were almost identical with the scheme contemplated by the Bishop) being at that time before Parliament, with every prospect of speedily becoming the law of the land, your Committee considered a publication of the Bishop's letter in the Lyttelton Times to he a mode of communication preferable to the calling of a public meeting, at a period when all proceedings in the other Settlements would probably be suspended in expectation of favourable intelligence from England. L< " The disappointment of these hopes has imposed on the church in New Zealand the necessity of devising some other plan for attaining an object so long and ardently desired; but in anticipation of the speedy'arrival in this Settlement of a Bishop of Christchurch, your Committee believed that they should best meet the wishes of Bishop Selwyn by refraining from further proceedings until they could obtain the counsel and assistance of their own Diocesan. "The expected appointment having been unaccountably delayed, your Committee apprehend that nothing can at present be done by them beyond praying such an extension of the powers originally granted, as will allow them to communicate with the accredited Agents of the Canterbury (Association, with the view of obtaining the relinquishment of their controul over the Ecclesiastical and Educational Funds, and to submit to a future public meeting some scheme for the management of the temporalities of the church in this Settlement until the arrival of the Bishop of Christchurch. " Signed on behalf of the Committee, " 0; Mathias, Chairman." April 23,1853. The reception of the Report having been moved by Mr. Packer* and seconded by C. E. Prichard, Esq., The Chairman then said, —It appears from the Report just read, that there are two subjects contained in it which more particularly demand our present attention. We ask you in the first place for authority to treat with the accredited Agents of the Canterbury Association for the transfer to a local board of management of the Ecclesiastical »nd Educational Funds of the Settlement, and I trust we shall enter upon the discussion of this important matter with temper and judgment, not allowing ourselves to be carried away by personal feelings of disappointment and supposed wrongs, which will doubtless, upon explanation, prove to be imaginary; and that we shall frame our resolutions with such firmness and discretion, that supported by your opinions we can boldly ask for an account of the past expenditure of the Ecclesiastical Fund and the amount and mode of investment of that which remains : with less than this, you will not be satisfied. This, as the Church of the Canterbury Settlement we have a just claim to ask—as land purchasers, from whom the fund is derived, we have a right to demand. It would be vain and useless to attempt to conceal from ourselves and the public in England, that the Ecclesiastical scheme of the Canterbury Association has proved in a great measure, if not entirely, a failure. In saying this, I disclaim the slightest wish to cast upon the Managing Committee any censure for inattention to our interests or for perversion of our funds, for I feel assured that to none more than to themselves, can the failure of their favourite scheme, prove a greater source of regret, disappointment, and vexation. There may have been mismanagement, there may have been miscalculation as to their resources, but I will not for one moment conceive that that high-horn and high-princi-pled and honourable body of Noblemen and Gentlemen, who have not only devoted their time, their talents, their energies, aye, and to a large extent too, their pecuniary means, in our cause, can have been actuated by other tjjgn the purest and most disinterested views. ''We have next to consider the general principles, proposed by the; Bishop of New Zealand, in his Pastoral Letter, as the basis of a Church Constitution, and should these meet your approbation, you will perhaps authorise the Ecclesiastical Committee to frame a! petition to that effect, to be sent to the proper authorities in England, as embodying the wishes of this Settlement. I will not detain you longer with

observations of my own, but will call upon Mr. Tancred to move the first resolution. Mr. Tancred moved, — " That authority be given to the Ecclesiasti- __ cal Committee to treat with the accredited /' Agents of the Canterbury Association for the transfer, to a local board of management, of the Ecclesiastical and Educational Funds of the Association." He said, —There may be differences of opinion amongst us on the various questions at issue between the Association and the Colonists; and we may not all be agreed as to the policy or impolicy of particular measures adopted by that body. But upon one point I anticipate no difference, that it is desirable to have the management, of our ecclesiastical affairs in our own hands rather ■ „than in those of a distant body. The mystery ' which still hangs over the real position of the Association would make it impossible for me to consider this part of the question in all its details. 'The general features, however, are sufficiently familiar to us all, and to these I wish shortly to refer. We left England with the expectation that the Ecclesiastical part of our scheme would be vigorously carried out, that at least the first and most pressing wants of the church in this settlement would be carefully provided for. This expectation was confirmed by learning that 30,000 acres of land had been sold, and consequently that £30,000 had accrued to the ecclesiastical fund. We considered that by no means of so large a sum, churches would have been built, an efficient system of education established and the stipends of the clergy secured. In short that the church would be brought at once and from the very first, if I may use the expression, into good working order. Instead of this, I find that none of these objects have been satisfactorily accomplished. We have but one church in the whole settlement, and that built mainly from private subscriptions; we have schools, but they cannot, I think, be said to be on a perfectly satisfactory footing. We have clergy, the greater part of whom are unsalaried, and without whose disinterested zeal and earnestness, we should be deprived of proper superintendence for our schools, and even of the ministrations of religion. These are the facts with which we have to deal. Whose the fault, or what mistakes have led to this result is a question which cannot be answered without a fuller knowledge of the whole circumstances than we at present possess. I am far from asserting that we should have managed better ourselves, indeed I feel convinced that even if the management had been in our hands, we should not have been free from mistakes, perhaps we should have fallen into greater ones than those we now deplore. My objection then is not so much to the particular measures which have been adopted as to the whole system hitherto pursued, and I, for my part, support the resolution as the first step towards a system of church-government calculated to enlist the sympathies of us all. No one can regret more than I do, the injuries which have been inflicted upon individual clergymen by the non-fulfilment of promises made to them; but at the same time, I cannot Jfeelp thinking that an undue and somewhat invidious prominence has been given to this part of this question, to the exclusion of considerations of much higher moment. We have become so, much accustomed to dwell upon the hardship—l have almost said injustice—to which our clergy have been subjected, that the great question of church government has almost sunk into one of. private interest. I do not Avish to look upon this question as one of mere finance," but to consider how it affects our spiritual interests. Now viewed in this light a transfer, such as I propose, assumes an aspect of much greater importance, inasmuch as it would be the initiation of a new system which, instead of dealing with questions of finance would . tend radically to alter the whole status of the church in this Settlement. It would be the basis of some form of church organization, indeed it would be a kind of organization in itself, —it would give us some idea of our duties and privileges as churchmen, —it would infuse some life and energy into our body. This is ' we are striving for in our efforts for a "^church constitution, and this once done all else would be easy. All' those questions of finance which now engross our attention would sink into comparative insignificance ; for a healthy system of church government, while providing for the regulation of these matters, implies something more than the bare management of endowments. It requires no prophet to foresee

that, however well our ecclesiastical fund may be managed, it will not always suffice for our wants but that, sooner or later, we must fall back upon the principle of contributing by our own efforts towards the support of the church. The sooner we can realise this principle the better. We know that both in the Australian colonies, and in the other parts of New Zealand where no endowment exist, men have had faith and courage to act upon this principle, and have been able to make provision for their church ; if we have this faith and courage, we need not, I trust, fear for the result. It is then as the first step towards an organization of the church in this settlement, and as, in some degree, meeting the difficulties of our position, that I propose the resolution which I have to submit to you. The resolution was seconded by the Rev. James Wilson, who said—lt would be superfluous in me to dwell on the view Mr. Tancred has taken, and in which I entirely concur; I may, therefore, be allowed to restrict myself to the terms of the motion. It is manifestly desirable that there should be some medium of communication between the Churchmen in the Settlement and the Agent of the Association ; and unless some better plan be suggested, it seems not unreasonable to make use of a Committee already appointed for objects akin to that we have at present in view. Heartily agreeing with Mr. Tancred that financial matters are not those most nearly connected with the wellbeing of the church, I feel that we have arrived at a point when a matter of this kind claims our immediate attention, and that we must clear the way for future operations by disposing of it in one way or other. To take, for argument's sake, the most unfortunate view of our position, —should it turn out that the support of the clerical and educational establishments in the Settlement must fall for a time or in perpetuity on the laity, it is evidently necessary to ascertain at once how this matter stands, that we may consider what is now to be done; and this necessity is the more pressing from the greater difficulties we shall have to encounter through the disappointment of expectations resting on the principles on which this Settlement was founded. I trust such a case as I have supposed may have no existence in reality. But there is clearly a question before the churchmen in the Settlement which may be difficult of adjustment. If therefore the members of the church are willing to authorise the present Ecclesiastical Committee to treat with Mr. Sewell, •it should be with a very explicit direction that they shall meet that gentleman in a fair and candid spirit, and that nothing on their part shall be wanting which may lead to an amicable arrangement. This appears to me to be the main point in the motion, and the only one on which it is necessary to speak at any length, for I presume on the subject matter of negotiation " the transfer to a local board of management of the Ecclesiastical and Educational Funds of the Association," there can hardly be two opinions. The churchmen in the Settlement know best how to apply the funds for religion and education, which they themselves have subscribed, and the Association can have no other object than to rid themselves as soon as possible of a trust which they only undertake to administer until the first difficulties connected with the formation of the Settlement should have been overcome. I sincerely hope, therefore, that the Committee, if authorised to treat with Mr. Sewell, may enter on the negociation in the most friendly and conciliatory spirit and that they may be able to devise some scheme of local management generally acceptable to the members of the church. The Rev. H. Jacobs moved the second resolution :— " That the Committee be requested to enquire into the reasons for the delay in the consecration of a Bishop of Christchureh, and in their report to the next public meeting, to state whether, and by what means, it may appear to them that that event may be accelerated." He said,—ln dealing with this resolution, Sir, I shall refrain from entering into any points of controversy which may arise between the Association and the Settlement in connexiou with this subject: those are matters for the consideration of the Committee, if this resolution shall pass : I shall confine myself to the evident necessity which exists for the speedy appointment of a Bishop of Christchurch. For what is our position ? Bishop Selwyn has formally resigned his jurisdiction over this portion of the islands, and his resignation has been con-

firmed by Act of Parliament, so that it seems doubtful even whether he can legally exercise any episcopal function among us. If this be the case, we fall, I suppose, under the jurisdiction of the metropolitan Bishop of Sydney, which is practically tantamount to having no Bishop at all. But, supposing that Bishop Selwyn is still our Bishop (and I should be glad to see it proved to be so), yet it is impossible that he should visit us for many months : his coming at all is uncertain, now that he has been obliged to sell his vessel: his stay, if he does come, will be necessarily very short and hurried : and his measures, at any rate, from the vefyuiecessity of the case, can be only provisional and temporary. I will beg permission here to read an extract of a letter lately received from his Lordship, which, while it will excite our sympathy and regret, will shew us that we must not expect to see him at least for many months. His Lordship says,— " I am quite disappointed at being obliged to put off my visit to Christchurch, but having been obliged to sell my vessel, I find it impossible to carry out my plans for the summer in the uncertainty of communication between the Settlements. Added to this is the confusion caused by the failure of all intelligence about your new Bishop, of whose arrival I fully expected to hear about this time; and I should then have made a point of meeting him at Lyttelton at any inconvenience, as I did in the case of Mr. Jackson. However, lam not inclined to magnify my own perplexities, when I know that you are all brought into still greater difficulties by the failure of the plans of the Canterbury Association. If 1 had any means of effectually assisting you, I would do, so witb all my heart; but at present all that I can do is to provide, if possible, for some of your clerical body ml this portion of the diocese, thereby diminishing the difficulty of supporting those who will remain at Canterbury. Pray explain, to all your brethren the difficulty in which I find myself placed, having 24 Melanesian scholars, whom I must, as a matter of life and death, take back into the Torrid Zone before the winter, and the impossibility of calculating, within six weeks, when I could return to Auckland, if I were once to place the sea between myself and my home. As long as it-pleases God to continue to me the'use of my limbs, I can at least keep my appointments over the Northern Island." Such, gentlemen, are his Lordship's own words. We have seen and known enough of that great and venerated man to appreciate the advantage of being under the shadow of his pastoral care, and to feel deep regret that we are not permitted to enjoy that blessing for a permanence. But we know that that cannot be. We know that our relations towards him are very, different from what they would have been had it never been proposed to erect this Settlement into a separate Diocese, and we had come out to be recognized and permanent members of the church under his care. But, as it is, he has chiefly shown, in his former visits to this Settlement, anxiety to interfere, as little as possible, with its Ecclesiastical arrangements —great delicacy in interfering at all—and a desire to give effect, as far as lay in his power, to the arrangements of others. The consequence is, that all our arrangements have been provisional and temporary; from the commencement of this Settlement we have been waiting for a Bishop ; all has been uncertainty and suspense, our energies have been paralysed, and all progress rendered impossible. How long, then, are we to continue in* this state of suspension ? How long are we to be without the sacred offices of Confirmation and Ordination? How long to be deprived of the teaching and guidance, the parental authority and life-infusing energy of a Bishop? For energy, gentlemen, and selfdevotion have become almost identified with the name of a Colonial Bishop. If any one wishes to be convinced of the advantage we should gain by having a Bishop of our own, I would only ask him to enquire what the state of the churches in our sister-colonies was before the foundation of the several Bishoprics, and what vast and remarkable strides they have since made under the guidauce of the able and energetic men who fill those sees. It is no disparagement whatever to the excellent men who are discharging the office^of Commissaries of the Bishop of New Zealand among us, to say, that our church can do no more than dragon a languishing existence until we have a Bishop. For nothing can sujply to an Episcopal Church the place of a Bishop; all its machiney is Episcopai, the habits and feelings of its members are Episcopal, and they cannot easily and at once become Presbyterians. But I know that none more ardently desire tho appointment of a Bishop of Christchurch than the Commissaries themselves

Let us have our Bishop, and other things will follow ; let us become a properly organized body, with a head as well as members, and then we shall act with precision and energy, but not before. I beg, gentlemen, to commend this resolution to. your hearty acceptance. The resolution was briefly seconded by S. Bealet, Esq. Subsequently the Rev. Ri B. Paul, Rev. J. Wilson, Rev. H. Jacobs, and others, at some length questioned the morality and policy of converting the Fund set apart for the Endowment of a Bishopric, to any other purpose than that for which it was originally intended. The third resolution was shortly proposed by C. L. Rose, Esq., and seconded by the Rev. W. W. WILLOCK, " That for the purpose of co-operating with the Bishop of New Zealand in his endeavours to obtain a Church Constitution for these islands, the Committee on Ecclesiastical affairs be empowered to draw up an address to the home government, praying for such a Constitution ; and that they be instructed to use their best endeavours to obtain signatures to the same." The Meeting commenced, and concluded with prayer.