GENERAL SYNOD OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XXIII, Issue 1397, 9 May 1865, Page 4

GENERAL SYNOD OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND.

Monday, Mat 8. The Synod met at 4 p.m., the Right Reverend the Primate of New Zealand presiding. After prayer, offered by the Right Reverend the President, the minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed. The Lord Bishop of Melanesia brought up the report of the Sessional Committee of Trusts for Auckland. The committee mention, in terms of the highest approbation, the noble conduct of the Lord Bishop of Nelson, and quote, for public information, some passages from his Lordship's address to the Diocesan Synod of last year, in which his Lordship, in signifying his intention of his see, is compelled to speak openly on the financial state of the diocese, and of his own efforts to improve its condition. " Having held (says his Lordship) my stipend as a diocesan fund, I find that there will be a withdrawal of £500 per annum from the diocesan revenue, as a certain sum, besides a good deal of uncertain contributions. 1 shall be able to ameliorate the condition of the diocese by some permanent benefits:—lst, by a provision for the Bishop's residence; 2nd, by gift of land by endowment; 3rd by a supply of qualified candidates for the ministry; and, 4th, by augmentation of the pension fund." The Rev. A. Sto«k brought up the report of the Wellington Committee of Trusts. The Rev. J. C. Bagshaw brought up the report of the Committee on Statute 4. Sir W. Martin moved the second reading of the Ecclesiastical Bills. He was afraid that the details were very dry and antiquarian. He had endeavoured to make the bills as English as possible—that is to say, in procedure. He passed in review the bearing of the law and of the appeal from it upon general society, and afterwards upon its bearing upon the Church. In England the whole matter had fallen into legal hands; a skilled lawyer took the place of the bishops, clergy, and laity. His own object in framing the present bills was that all classes might take an interest in ecclesiastical matters, and might have a voice in determining them. His thanks were due to the Rev. J. C. Bagshaw, who had directed his attention to the works of Hoffman, the great. American authority, who had laid down the law on such matters very clearly. (Sir W. Martin read an extract from Hoffman to the effect that the bishop of any diocese should perform the final and supreme office in the case of any accused clergyman, but should abstain from any preliminaries in the trial.) To judge an accused person by laymen was no part of the plan he proposed to introduce, but it was the custom in England. The great power of the Gospel, and that which had enabled it to win its noiseless way over the abominations of heathenism was the purity of its doctrine. It becomes Christians, therefore, to maintain purity of life and conversation; not only the ministers of the Church, but also its office-bearers. One of the subjects which had so greatly occupied the attention of the present Synod, was the regulation and management of the property belonging to a particular diocese; aud this might be cited as a case in point, for it might be desirable to provide for the removal of any office-bearer whose mode of life might become a 6candal to the Church, and we were thus driven to adopt some form of ecclesiastical discipline. He thought that a measure, such as he was advocating, ought to be adopted by the General Synod, rather than by a diocesan one. He had not the slightest wish to spe.ak disrespectfully of Diocesan Synods, but it must be evident to every one, that in a small community an accused persou would not have so good a chance of a fair trial as he would in a larger one. A person in a small community might become so unpopular that he would hardly obtain a just hearing. He (the speaker) must take this opportunity of returning his grateful acknowledgments to the Rev, J. Wilson for the suggestions thrown but by him with reference to this subject; and he should, at the proper time, introduce into the bills now before the Synod, that it should not be binding upon any diocese which did not choose to receive them. He should suggest that the bills should not continue in operation for a longer period than six years, or for a lesser one than three years. He was convinced of the necessity of some tribunal for the determination of ecclesiastical offences. He believed that no case had as yet arisen in the colony of direct, deliberate, false teaching. Some captious and " cantankerous" men might, after hearing a sermon, go away and say—" Oh, Mr. So and So preached absolute heresy this morning, or this evening, as the case might be." But this was a matter of merely private opinion. In conclusion he hoped that the bills would be (in a phrase to which he had a decided antipathy) — " freely handled." The Rev. G. Lloyd seconded the motion of Sir W. Martin. Fortunately, no case of scandal had, as yet, occurred iu the colony; but such might, at any moment, occur, and ought to be provided against. I The Ven. the Archdeacon of Christchurch expressed his satisfaction at the sentiments of Sir W Martin. He (the speaker) although it might 1 pear presumptuous in him to have done so, should 1 have felt an objection to the bills, had not Sir W. ' Martin mentioned the reservation he had done' and also because he believed that the bills « would not be brought into operation throughout the 1 colony for some time. Many intelligent laymen were I prejudiced against the title of the bills aud he t greatly feared that many excellent and able Churchmen who perhaps had not given the subject the consideration it merited, would be repelled by the length i and the elaboration ol the bills, and that the Church would thus lose their valuable aid. In the present J s ate of transition between the colonial Church aud < that ot the home country, he thought that, in the process of time, much light would be thrown upon. I the subject. He thought that the simpler the plan of any ecelemstical 8.1 l was, the better The appoint- c ment of assessors, to assist the Bishop of the diocese 1 in any case of ecclesiastical scandal, would be amply sufficient. Subject to the introduction of the clause f mentioned by sir W. Martin, he should withdraw I any opposition to the bills. wunaraw a The Rev. J. C. Bagshaw should have felt himself ♦ obliged to oppose the bills, had not Sir W Martin I left it open to any diocese to adopt or reiect th* measure as it thought best. He shSuld support the c

bill®, subject to the contingency he ~ and'also on the ground that the bills woi.m " , ned > operative for a short time. ould °% be The Rev. J. Wilson, thought that the bin. not a. subject for legal ability and acumen h,7t W . ere pie legislation. He thanked Sir W. Martin for n° r 81nv cession he had made; but while he should off 0 0"* opposition to the bills, he should see their no with the greatest regret. aJo Ption Mr. Kino thought that if the bills passed P j, . men would cease to take any interest in'p * ! ; matters. He thought the Canterbury people Wa m c!i : make laws for their own benefit, totally indent,!? to the General Synod. If they were allow? Tof ! their own way, the Canterbury people would : destroy the unity of the Church. He had f . Y 80011 that the Canterbury people had grave to the scheme, but the great guns of Canterburyf"? not manifested any opposition. lie should . 1 bills, and divide the House upon the question If t ? e stood'alone. > he The Rev R Bckrowes begged to remind the w speaker that there were other members of the's who had quite as strong objections to the bilu" 0 ' 1 the Canterbury members. Ho was himself nJ a 1 to them; but now that Sir W. Martin had im duced the concession lie had mentioned he J support the bills, for he thought that in passing ?i bills through committee, several emendations mi,!S be introduced into them, and that they would 7 very good and useful measures. ' )rOTe Mr. Dcttox thought that there was on the , hand a desire to introduce the bills, and yet a shrT ing from the responsibility of passing* thorn a degree of repugnance was felt at the term "courts" But let persons consider the matter merely as onr r arbitration. This system of arbitration wa- "rvlunU making its way in England. The Yen. the Arch deacon of Christchurch had complained of tl elaboration of the system proposed to be by Sir W. Martin ;to his (the speaker',) n ,i H simplicity was their chief recommendation and hi. should support the second reading. If we'put th question to ourselves—"Are these bills necessary our consciences would answer " aye " ll e could s nothing in these bills objectionable to the feeling r f a gentleman, or repugnant to those of a christian We were all agreed that offences will arise ami must be prepared to provide against them ' Dr. Donald thought that there were many diffi culties in the working of these bills. First it would be difficult to bring a charge against any one, owing to the law of libel; and, secondly, the means of defence offered to the accused were very imperfect' Had the bills been coercive, instead of permissive, he should have vigorously opposed the secoud reading. Sir W. Martin briefly replied to the arguments of the previous speakers. He confessed that the bills were open to some objections, but these mi»ht be removed while they underwent further discussion. It had been objected that there was in them no provision for examining witnesses upon oath. He was unwilling to rely too much upon any superstitious fear of the outward observance of an oath • he would rather rely upon the general truthfulness and the increasing morality of the people. That this feeling was gradually gaining ground in England was proved by the fact that oaths were being gradually abolished in that country. Another difficulty had been mentioned—the non-production of documents. But this was a merely technical defect, and one which might easily be removed. He hoped that the Church of England would never stand alone in seeking for any legislation exclusively for itself, but would always strive to advance the interests of the whole Christian body. He rejoiced that the bills would undergo scrutiny and revision. Professional men were apt to work in a groove, and it was always a matter of congratulation to them when their work was revised by unprofessional men. He hoped that his bills would undergo such a revision that they would be accepted by the various dioceses. The Ecclesiastical Courts Bill was read a second time. Sir W. Martin moved the second reading of the i Ecclesiastical Offences Bill. The Rev. G. Lloyd seconded the motion. . The bill was read a second time. The Synod went into committee to consider the bill for establishing a Rural Board for Otago and ■ Southland. The bill was reported to the House, and the Synod resumed. The Synod shortly afterwards again went into committee on the clauses of the Constitution Act. Some verbal alterations were made, and the Synod adjourned at 11 p.m.