NELSON DIOCESAN SYNOD.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XXIII, Issue 296, 20 November 1889, Page 3

NELSON DIOCESAN SYNOD.

The Synod met yesterday at 4 p.m., when about 40 members were present. Mr J. E. Hodson moved " That Bionheim and the surrounding districts, as described iv a petition forwarded to the Standing Committee, bo formed into a Parish. " The mover stated that the petition was signed by 130 names of members of the Church of England. The Bill passed last evening practically prevented the passing of his motion, as he was not prepared at present to .how that thoir debts were at present adequately provided for. He therefore asked permission to withdraw his motion, which was granted. The President then state} with regard to the work compiled by Archdeacon Thorpe, to which he had referred yesterday, tbat Mr Hunter-Brown had offered to present every lay reader in the diocese, who would apply to him, with a copy, and ho was sure the thanks of the Synod would be tendered that gentle man for his generous offer. The following reports were then rend :— Standing Oidevs, Rtligiou. Education, Debts of Parishes, St. Andrew's Orphanage, and the Industrial Sohool. Colonel Brand! mov.d that the Synod plaoe on record their approval of Mr Tanner's Bill relative to Bible r.adirg in eclrole, to ba brought forward in the Hou 36 of Representatives next year. ! The Rev. F. Chatterton seconded the • motion. The Hon. J. W. Bamiooat moved as an amendment that the words " the principle" ' be inserted after " approval of. " ' Tha Rev. J. Cullcn seconded the amend- J ment which was carri- d. The Rev. F. W. Chst'erton moved th. t a Committee bo appointed to consider the desirability of altering ihe form on which tbe annual p-sreo. i»l returns are msdr, with . power to maks inch oh&ngr s cc r.ro d_emed neceeaary, tbe Commit cc to con-i.t of the Rev. J. P. Kempthorr.e, Mr Holloway, and the mover —Carried, > t Mr Hollo way coved tbat vho following bo appointed the Biblo in Sebools Comuutte-?, the R^vs. C. Moor., W. G. Baker, F. W. | Chatterton, Mepsrs C. Hunter-Brown, Col, t Branfil, and the mover. d The Rev. J, Cullen B-ioonded the mo. ion, and Buggf Bted tbat tht Cuinwitt c _ numb.r j be inon ased to twelve . a This was considered unadvieab'e, and the _, original motion we a carried. .. The Selcci Committee appointed for tho £ purpose, reported tho following as being the » debts of the various parishes in the diocese : —Christ, Church, £1,538 ; All Saints, £937 ; Blenheim, £1,210; Takaka, £65; Pio'ou, - £46 ; Richmond, £60 ; Waimangaroa, £42 ; r Collingwood, £30 ; Motueka, £40 ; Brunner*. _, ■ ton-Wallsend, £80; Charleston, £12; Dove* dale, £8 ; Ngatirooti, £12 ; Knikoura, £50 ; Recfton, £49; Havelock, £180; Westport, £237 ; Lyell, £70. * The Synod adjourned until 7*30 p.m. -^ [Evening Sitting.] The Synod re. umed a'- 7 30. I The Rev. Jnmes E, Cullcn moved, '-That - while tbia Synod hns eveiy oorfi ionce in the Standing Committee or tho Dioreso,^th^ Synod being in Session considers it expedient c that in a matter sj gr_.ve nnd s.cred na an 3 eleotion to the Epi.-_c-.pale, i's vHc. sh-'ul.l y ba heard ; this Synod therr-fote engges s to the Standing Ocumittoa of the Diocese of p Nelson, that, in thy event of the Venerable g Avohfleacon Julius' rama b.ing sent fcr- j word for flection to the vacant '~ee o' Christohuroh, strict enquiry Bhould be rade by the ~ Standing Committee of this Diocese of the constituted ecclesi-B-.oalautbor'ties of Cbihtohuroh Diocese as to fche proceedings of t'.eir $ late Diocescn Synod at whioh Archdeacon < Julius waa nomin?.t r d, nnd also as to the reasons why a clergyman on' side the Colony of New Z?alatid was nominated to th-; vac -.n* cure." He had heard that a large number of testimonials in favocr of Archdeacon Julius 3 Were read to the Ohristchurch Synod prior to _ his being officially nominated, which was most unconstitutional. There was something higher tbr.n paper to'timouiahi required in a Bit-hop, namely, peis.r.al evidence of fit.n.ss for tho office. When { tbe nomination lad hteu mad- one of the ? members of tho Synod asked if th:.t was JJ an election, to which tho Dean replitd that it ■"- •was tantuinon-t to is. That wa. a grest mistake, for it went perilously near ignoring 3 the Standing Committee?. Ho had recently - Been in on Auckland paper tbat Archdeacon Julias bad the manliness to avow thtthe did not accept the oall to the episcopate es a call from the Lord, but merely as a prof, ssional man would accept an appointment. This was not in acoordatioe with the servica for the consecration oE a Bishop. Mr Cullen then I described the method cf electing n Bishop by the Churoh of Ireland, which was by tullo., and without auy name teing mentioned 3 Referring to the Bishops ned clergy of New. Zealand who had been ignovel, ho said th t was stultifying tho elerpy of the colony. If due enquiry w.re made on ibis occasion tbfy would be spared Buoh painful proceedin-g. again, The Rev. S, Poole seconded the motions which .he considered a most pertinent one- ' It would be the duty of the Nelson Standing Committee to sanction the appointment of the Bishop, and it would therefore behove them to thoroughly satisfy themselves of I the qualifications of Archdeacon Julius. The 1 Standing Committee would havo to vote by ] orders, and it was not a merely clerical question, but one which affected the whole province of the great Mother Church of England. He had every reason to believe " that Archdeacon -Julius was a most able and popular man, but it was because he was ] popular that they should exercise the greater care. He must say that he had failed to find the name of Archdeacon Julius among* those who had distinguished themselves either at Oxford or Cambridge. The Rev W. G. Baker took strong exception to the last clause of the resolution. He thought they should take advantage of the ] wealth of good men which the Church of . England afforded, and riot confine them- t selves to merely local men. It was another . instance of Protection in its worst form. < He hoped the Synod would not stultify 7 itself by saying that men should be debarred t from being of use to the Church in New Zealand because they happened to come from Ballarat or elsewhere. He moved that the words, " And also as to the reasons why a olergyman outside the colony was nominated to the vacant cure "be struck out. Mr Blundell seconded the amendment, as , he thought that to ask the Standing Com* ' mittee to act upon the last clause of the resolution would be to expose them to a well deserved and inevitable snubbing, Mr Greenwood supported the amendment. The matter of the first importance was to obtain the best men available for Bishops, and therefore it would be a great mistake, to limit the field from which the choice could he made. If a fit man could bo found who had had a large colonial experience, it might bo an advantage, but he certainly would not find fault with those who selected a man from outside. He would remind tho Synod that the two Bishops of Nelson had been men selected from England, as had most of the colonial Bishops. He would be ex oeedingly sorry to see the choice narrowed jn any way whatever. The Rev. T. Grace asked how they knew that the Synod of Cbristohurch did not consider whether they could obtain a Bishop in the colony. In the absence of suoh knowledge they certainly ought not to pass any such resolution. Mr Tarrant did not ihink the Neleon Synod would like to be dictated to in this way as to whom they should select, and therefore they should be careful how they attempted to dictate to others. The Rev. S. Poole objeoted to the resolution being treated in the concrete rather than in the abstract. The Christohuroh Synod were doing what, if they were not careful, would lead to the delegation of the selection of our Bishops to the Archbishop of Canterbury, It Seemed to be stultifying the position of tho Church in New Zealand to send out of the province for a Bishop. The Rev. J. Cullen did not assert that a olergyman outside of New Zealand should not be appointed, but he did think it a matter worthy of remark that no man of New Zealand, birth had yet been appointed to a bishopric In other professions they found men of colonial birth in high positions. He thought it very hard that his words should be so misinterpreted as they had been. It had been narrowness of means and not breadth of thought that had hitherto led to dioocsan Synods Bending home for their Bishops. As a rule the Bishop's salary in the colony was so small that no man would aooept the offioe unless he had private means, but this was one the prizes of the oolonial ohuroh, _\nd as suoh should have been offered to a New Zealand ilergyman. 14-- Hunter Brown said that Mr Cullen y.eted about so muoh that there was no understanding what he really did meau. The Christohuroh Synod were perfeotly at liberty to -.elect their Bishop from where they pleased, and it would be impertinent to „* question .hat right,

The amendment was carried, and th worde were s.ruok out. The Hon J. Bsrniooat objeotsd to the resolution altogrther. Io fi.st cf all patted tbe Standing Committne on the back, and then questionort their ability to treat with this matter. 15 waa a complimont followed by an ineult. It, was true tha. tha Standing Committees of other dkooF-B had the power of veto, but that wonld most assuredly rover te •xorciecd except for .oiao very grave reason indo d, He thon.ht thoChii9?ohurc- Synod might well be loft to select tbeir own Bishop. Mr Fell point.d.'out that the resolution instructed the Standing Committee to make "•trie, enquiry, &o, Now that ho considered downright jmp.rtinance, and altogether beyond the dutKß of the Standing Committee, and the Synod should givo them no such instructions whatever. The Yen Archdeacon Mules said thafc the opinion of the Synod was so decidedly adverse to the rcsolutim that he would suggest to tho mover to withdraw it in order that it h uld not appear on the records of the Syn-d. Tho Rev F. I>H.es-Jon_s, ns a -number of 'ho Standing Committee, f.lt thtt be Bhould he. in a v__y awkwAid ropition jf nny such instructions wore issued, and he hoped tbe resolution would bo wi'fcdrawn. Tha Roy J. Cnl'ea. thought tho resolution \vf:B very mori.r-.'.0 in its toi:e. He was sorry it bad not root v. ith a letter reception, but he thought the iffoct generally wonld be, a good one. Ho contended thnt the Diocesan Syncu was only one voice cut cf seven, ar.d that evory S'r.nding Cotntaittee bed a right to its sny, It was not a mtso pro forma vote ia the matter that the Standing Committee possessed, but it w_ s a right thet they Bhould cxerci.o. Howevtr, af.er whst had -..ken place, he b.gged to withdraw tho motion. Motion wi'.hdrawo. The Synoa then wont into Committee on t!:e report of tho Standing Committee. I