Anglican Synod.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XVIII, Issue 5779, 31 October 1893, Page 1

Anglican Synod.

(by telegraph.) Dunedin, October 30. The Anglican Diocesan Synod opened this afternoon. Bishop Nevill delivered a lengthy address, the first portion of which was devoted to the philosophy of Christianity. Dealing with the influence of women in religious education, man, he said, in his sloth and weakness, acquiesced in the banishment of religion from the day schools. He appealed to the women not to follow men in this. " Don't," he said, " let anyone throw you off the path by pretending that the practical difficulties are insuperable, They are nothing of the kind. Remove the legislative impediments and these will solve themselves. Say the word of God shall have free course, and his Ministers shall have opportunity to touch the hearts of our children by the application of that Word to the sanctification of their expanding intelligence, and therefore to the happiness of our homes, the strengthening of Christianity, and the welfare of the world. The Church must now assert herself in this matter of religious education. The opportunity has come. A neutral attitude should no longer be maintained. Candidates for our suffrages should be made to feel that we do care about this. The Synod should formulate a distinct policy on religious teaching in schools." Reference was made to the resignations of Bishops Hadfield and Stuart. As to Selwyn College students he said they had acquitted themselves with great credit, both in examination and other ways. Their library of 7000 volumes was generally admitted to be valuable. There are seven places within the outskirts of Dunedin in which divine service is carried on every Sunday through the instrumentality of the warden and students of the college.