AUCKLAND DIOCESAN SYNOD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIV, Issue 8096, 10 November 1887, Page 3

AUCKLAND DIOCESAN SYNOD.

EVENING SITTING.

The Synod resumed Bitting at seven o'olock yesterday evening. His Lordship Bishop Gowie presided, and there were present the following members : — Clergy : The Ven. Archdeacon Clark, Ven. Archdeacon Dudley, Ven. Archdeacon Govett, Ven. Arohdeacon Maunsell, Ven. Archdeacon Willis, Rots. Baker, Bates, Beatty, Boler, Barrows, H. S. Dnvies, J. K. Davis, Evans, Gould, Haselden, Hill, Houohen, Marshall, Nelson, Purchas, Richards, Smallfield, Tebbs, Tobin, W»lpole, Wilson. Laity: Messrs. Armstrong, Barstow, Beere, Calder, R. M. Clark, Cochrane, Cox, Crispe, Doonin, Evans, Hamilton, Hammond, Haselden, Haultain, Hesketh, Hills, Ireland, Jackson, Lawlor, Lake, Nolan, Rawlings, Rice, Seth Smith, Percy S. Smith, Speight, Upton, Whitley, Wildman, Woollams. The Lay Secretary read the minutes of the previous day's proceedings, which were confirmed. BIBLE IN SCHOOLS. The debate was resumed on Arohdeacon Willis' motion, "That, in the opinion of this Synod, it is highly desirable that the Education Act of the colony be amended so as to provide for the daily reading in the public schools of selected portions of the Scriptures, with literary and historical remarks, and with time-table and conscience clause." The aubjcct was gone into most exhaustively. The amendment to eliminate the words " with literary and historical remarks " wan agreed to. The motion had already been discussed when introduced by Archdeacon Willis and adjourned. The Rev. I. Richards opened the discussion by objecting to the very general nature of the resolution, and criticised the proposal, objecting that the mere reading of the Bible in school, if it was not read with due reverence, would be more conducive to harm than good. The Rev. Mr. Haselden strongly supported the motion. Mr. Crispe supported tha motion. Mr. Speight spoke at considerable length against the resolution. He denied that our present system had a tendency to demoralise the youth of the colony, and stated that while 46 per cent, of the population were native born, only 8 per cent, of the criminals were native born.

The Rev. Mr Haselden spoke in support of the resolution as it stood.

The Rev. Mr Hill thought there was increasing immorality among the young. As the State was bound to teach some system of morals, it was only reasonable for them to teach the best— that in the Bible. They should try to improve the present system, and not introduoe another. He would vote for the motion.

The Rev. Mr Tbbbs also favoured Biblereading in schools. Arohdeason Dudley believed in denominational schools, and hoped to see them established aide by side with the State sohools.

Rev. Mr. Beatty did not think the motion went far enough. Mr. UproN believed in free, secular, and compulsory education. It was the duty of the State to educate the ohildren, and the education must therefore be compulsory. It was education that had lifted the workmen of England from the awful state in which they used to live, and had enabled them to combine and resist oppression. Religion had been summed up as truthfulness and obedience, and he believed in that definition. For teaching religion the teachers must be moral. His experience was that their present teachers were moral, and were an exceptionally tine class of men and women. (Hear, hear.) It was the invariable practice of the Board of Education to dismiss any teacher who was in the slightest degree immoral. It was wrong to say that morality was not taught in schools. All the books taught truthfulness, obedience, lore, and cheerfulness, and what was that but morality and religion. He then quoted from Mr. Froude's essay on the Oxford movement, which accused the olergy of thinking themselves superior to other men. they wanted to enforce peculiar views in which a very large number of their fellow creatures refused to believe.

The Rev. Mr. Nelso.v said they did not want the morality of Loigman's readers, but that of the Bible.

The Rev. Mr. Walpolb spoke in support of the motion.

The President pointed out that they must not oppose science to religion, and criticised the abate of the word supernatural. Mr. Upton had quoted from Fronde; but he was one of the most inaccurate writers 'in the English language. A Cambridge man of high rank had written to him (Bishop Cowie), saying that on referring to one matter in a book of Mr. Proude's he found it most inaccurate, and asking if what Mr. Froude had written about Auckland was any mora aocurate. (Laughter.) He quoted Mr. Freeman's opinion of Mr. Fronde's accuracy amid much laughter. Mr. Froude was no guide in religious matters. He did not think the motion went far enough, and it was generally understood that the Government would be willing to make a transfer of eduoation from the State to religious bodies. The motion was not what he would prefer but he hoped it would not be voted against. Mr. Luke was sorry to say he would have to oppose the motion. No one had more reverence for the Bible than he had, but he thought that reading the Bible without teaching was useless. Their teachers were men of high standing, both mentally and morally, but he thought they would have to undergo some training before they undertook the reading of Scripture. The children were intellectually, morally, and socially well cared for, and their pnblio schools were as select as their private schools. He had had some experience 0/ the Polloe Courts, and he never knew a case of pnblio school boys being arrested for larrikiniem. (Hear, hear.) The majority of the laity in this place were in favour of the present system, and they thought this motion was a step towards denominationalism. But denominationalism was dead for ever. Under its regime the ignoranoe of the people was moat lamentable. Mr. Froude and the Bishop of Melanesia had said that they had a splendid system of education and were doing a noble work.

Theßev. Messrs. Wilson and Sjvullfikld and Mr. Hesketh spoke in support of the motion.

Mr. Seth Smith moved an amendment, That in the opinion of the Synod it is highly desirable that the Education Act of the colony should be amended so that schools not connected with the State may receive grants in aid, provided they satisfied the requirements of the Education authorities, in the so-called secular instruction given, and in other respects, and that in the State schools provision should be made for the daily reading of portions of Scripture," The Eev. Mr. Biohakds seconded the amendment. The Phesidknt said he should not be* Burprised if next year every denominational school In the country received grants from the Government. The Rev. Dr. Pokohas and others spoke on the amendment.

Mr. Speight thought the amendment represented tbe mind of the Synod, and they should therefore vote for it.

Considerable discussion then arose as to the proper mode of putting the amendment. It was finally decided, on a division being called for, that all the words after " That" in the original motion should be omitted, to make room for the amendment. The Rev. Mr. Hill then moved an addition to the amendment as carried, bat it was decided that the standing orders would have to be suspended to enable Mr, Hill to bring forward hia motion. Mr. Sum Smith accordingly gave notice of motion to have standing order No. 22 suspended for this purpose. CEMETERY BOARD REPORT.

The Rev, M r. Tebb9 asked leave to bring on the report of the Cemetery Board, with the amendments attached to it, Immediately after the consideration of the third reading of tbe Bill for the codification of the statutes. Leave was granted. NOTICE Off MOTION. Mr. Seth Smith to move, "That Standing Order No. 22 be suspended in order that Rev. J. S. Hill may give notice of motion upon a subject which has been under the consideration of the Synod." ORDERS OF THE DAT. Codification of Statutes Bill, third reading} election of Diocesan nominators; Cemetery Board, consideration of report.