RELIGIOUS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1130, 27 October 1893, Page 38

RELIGIOUS.

The Seventh-Day Adventists are preparing to hold a camp meeting in the paddock opposite Colonel Pearce's residence in Abel Smith street, between Willis and Cuba streets. It is to commence November 23, and is to continue about three weeks. During this time, the annual meetings, and the election of officers for their conference, Tract Society, and Sabbath School Association will take place. The preaching services will be held in a large canvas pavilion. A large marquee will be used for meetings for the children, devotional services, and small gatherings, and another marquee will be a restaurant. A reception tent will be fitted up and furnished for visitors. The meetings will be public. It is expected that Elder 0. A. Olsen (president of the General Conference of Seventh-Day Adventists), who has been attending the convocations of the churches in London, Hamburg, Christiana, and Cape Town, S.A., will be here, also Elder W. C. and Mrs E. C. White, and two others, who are on their way to Melbourne from America.

At a meeting of the Anglican Synod last week, the committee appointed to consider estimates of receipts and expenditure for 1893-94, reported an estimated deficiency of .£172 17s. The committee drew attention to the want of punctuality in the payment of assessments. The clergy in the country districts with few exceptions do not receive their stipends with any regularity, and this is a blot on the General Church Fund which ought to be removed. It is proposed to discontinue the allowance of .£25 per year for house-rent to the BullsSandon district.

THE DIOCESAN SYNOD.

The Synod resumed at 7.30 yesterday week, the Ven Archdeacon Fancourt presiding. A VISITING MEMBER. The Ven Archdeacon Stock was admitted to a seat in the Synod as a visiting member. • A HUNTERVILLE MATTEB. Mr W. A. Blundell moved," That it be an instruction to the Finance Committee to make special enquiries into the circumstances of the Hunterville District, with the view of arriving at a more satisfactory arrangement than that at present existing." Mr Blundell, in the course of his remarks, made a complaint as to the conduct of his parish, but was pulled up by a point of order. The Eev E. Coffey moved that the Syttod should go into committee in order to discuss the matter, as it was not the kind of material which should be reported in the columns of the public press. The Chairman ruled Mr Blundell out of order, and said the discussion must not continue. The Ven Archdeacon Towgood said Mr Blundell had made statements which were deliberately untrue. (Cries of "Order.") He would withdraw the word, but— The Chairman peremptorily closed the discussion, and the next order of the day was proceeded with. CHBIST CHUBCH, WANGANUI. Mr H. C. Field presented a petition from the churchwardens, vestry and parishioners of the parish of Christ Church, Wanganui, which set forth that the church stands on an acre of land, which has now become extremely valuable for commercial purposes, and that if subdivided and let on building leases it would yield a rental of at least .£SOO a year. Under these circumstances the petitioners asked that permission be given to move the church to another site. The petition was referred to a select committee, consisting of the Revs Paige, Coffey, and Waters, Captain Hewitt, Major Campbell, and Mr R. P. Johnson and the mover. Subsequently Mr W. H. Quick moved the second reading of the Rev Thos. Lloyd Tudor Pension Act, which provides for the payment of an annuity of .£IOO to the Rev T. L. Tudor, who has resigned the incumbency of Christ Chiirch, Wanganui, by reason of age and infirmity. The motion was seconded by the Ven Archdeacon Towgood, and carried unanimously. THE EDUCATION QUESTION. Mr R. P. Johnson resumed the debate on the motion with regard to the present Education, Act. He considered that the first three clauses of the resolution Bimply beat the air, and that nothing at all could come of the fourth, which related to supporting certain candidates at the coming election. They were simply contending for aid to be given to voluntary schools, and he thought they should make the following requests, which would very likely be granted:—That the schools should be opened and closed with prayer; capitation on results and a Government inspection ; and that there should be an equal distribution of scholarships among voluntary and State schools. The Chairman said there was no doubt they were all agreed that the present state of affairs was unsatisfactory. He did not believe, however, in coupling together capitation and the introduction of the Bible into State schools, which latter would be enough of itself to alienate from them the assistance of that great body, the Roman Catholic Church. He declared also that by asking for both those things together they would only get the Bible in schools and J would hear no more of the capitation, and he quoted the Bishop of London, who stated that if they allied themselves with other religious bodies they would only use them to get what they wanted for themselves. The Bible reading would be a reading without comment, which would be worse than nothing at all. The Rev T. H. Sprott said he did not believe they would get the Private Schools Bill, because they all knew that the whole drift of the working class mind especially

''lras towards some kind of State Socialism —towards the management of all things by the State. He did not think the women would go with Mr Coffey on this question, but that Bible reading would satisfy the desires of the vast majority of them. Even if they got the Private Schools Bill he did not believe they could made use of it; they might be all right in the towns, but the difficulty would be found in country districts. Besides that they simply appeared in the character of beggars. They had done nothing, but if they were to start a number of schools they could prefer their requests with a better grace than at present. They did not know what they wanted and they had better wait, more especially as they were without a leader in the shape of a Bishop. The Rev R. Coffey having replied, the several clauses of the motion were put seriatim. The first and second clauses were carried on the voices, and the third by 28 to 7 Clergy: ayes, 13; noes, 2; laity: ayes, 15 ,- noes, 5. The Chairman said he voted with the ayes. The fourth clause was lost, there not being a majority of each order. The figures were—Clergy: ayes, 13; noes, 2; laity: ayes, 10; noes, 10. The Synod adjourned at 10.45 p.m. The~Synod met again on Friday. A letter was read by the chairman from Mr W. A. Blundell resigning his seat as a Synodsman and also a member of the Church of England. The writer stated that he took this step in consequence of what had occurred on the previous evening. It was decided that the chairman acknowledge the letter as private correspondence. Captain Hewitt moved, " That it be a recommendation from this Synod to the clergy of the diocese that they should endeavour to point out to their respective congregations the evils likely to arise from the system of education which ignores the Creator and the teachers He has sent Us." Archdeacon Towgood seconded the motion. The Rev Mr Coffey moved that the motion be altered to read, " That the Ven. the President of the Synod be requested to

suggest to the clergy," &c, and that all words after " Creator " be omitted. Captain Hewitt accepted the amendment, which was carried by 30 to 10. A letter was read from Bishop Hadfield announcing with regret his resignation of the Primacy, and stating that he had every confidence that the clergy and the laity who had so zealously co-operated with him would continue their good work and receive God's bessing vipon it. Archdeacon Towgood moved a resolution expressing the deep sense of the loss the Synod has sustained in the retirement of Bishop Hadfield, and hoping that the blessings of the Almighty God may rest upon him and his family. The Archdeacon paid an eloquent tribute to the ex-Primate, and also spoke of the kindness and hospitality of Mrs Hadfield. The motion, which was seconded by Mr W. H. Quick and supported by the Ven Archdeacon Stock, Rev Mr Coffey, Captain Hewitt, Messrs George Beetham, H. C. Feild, C. P. Powles, and the Ven Archdeacon Fancourt, was unanimously agreed to, all the members standing as it was being read. The Rev Thomas Lloyd Tudor Pension Bill was passed. Mr C. P. Powles was appointed treasurer to the Diocesan Pension Fund. On the motion of Mr R. P. Johnson, a special committee was appointed to consider the application of certain Newtown residents to have the Newtown portion of St Mark's parish constituted a parochial district. A committee was appointed to consider the present financial system of the diocese. The Synod adjourned at 10.50 p.m. till Monday.

The Synod resumed at 7.30 on Monday evening, the Ven Archdeacon Fanoourt presiding. The report upon the Wellington Bishopric Endowment Fund showed that the annual income, including properties, mortgages and diocesan debentures, amounted to .£792 17s.

The committee appointed to consider the proposed removal of Christ Church, Wanganui, recommended that no steps be

taken until it had been shown that the relatives of persons buried in the vicinity of the present edifice have no objection to the Vremoval. It was resolved that under no circumstances should the prayer of the petitioners be granted. The committee appointed to consider the question of dividing St. Mark's parish was allowed to lapse. The schedule of estimated receipts and expenditure of the diocese was altered in the following respects ••—The item of .£25, the assessment for Turakina, was struck out, and 'Wanganui and Waitotara parochial districts were bracketed together, with an assessment of .£2OO and an appropriation of ,£225. Pohangina and Hunterville were bracketed, with an appropriation of .£2OO, and assessed at .£4O and .£IOO respectively. The item of .£2O for travelling expenses was reduced by £3. The Rev Thos. Lloyd Tudor Pension Act was read the third time and passed. It was decided to give notice to the Church officers of Bulls-Sandon Parochial district that the allowance of .£25 towards house rent must be discontinued after the current year. , On the motion of Captain Hewitt, the Ven Archdeacon Fancourt, the Ven Archdeacon Towgood, and Mr K. Wilson were appointed diocesan. nominators. The Standing Committee was appointed as follows: —The Ven Archdeacon Fancourt, Ven Archdeacon Towgood, Revs R. Coffey, J. Jones, W; C. Waters, T. H. Sprott, Messrs C. P. Powles, W. H. Quick, J. E. Smith, P. P. Webb, and W. A. Fitzherbert. At 11.15 p.m. the Synod adjourned until 7.30 p.m. next day. The Anglican Synod re-assembled at 8 o'clock last Tuesday night, a bare quorum of members being present. The Reports Committee announced that the financial position of the trusts had improved during the year. The Wanganui Collegiate School had maintained its high position. The committee suggested that two scholarships for Maoris, tenable for the next three years at the Te Aute school, be granted out of the funds of the Papawai

and Kaikokirikiri estates, and two out of the Porirua estate. They suggested that a sum not exceeding .£IOOO be expended out of the Papawai - and Kaikokirikiri estates, in establishing an elementary school in the neighbourhood of Masterton or Greytown, and that the debentures named in the Pension Fund Account be examined, and if necessary the invested capital put on a secure footing. In the discussion of the report, Mr Clere moved that the chairman leave the chair. This was carried on the voices. The usual votes of thanks were given. The Ven Archdeacon Fancourt, in declaring the session closed, said that although the business brought forward had not been of much importance the discussions would be of great good in the future.