PRESBYTERIAN SYNOD OF OTAGO AND SOUTHLAND.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 4029, 16 January 1875, Page 5 (Supplement)

PRESBYTERIAN SYNOD OF OTAGO AND SOUTHLAND.

Teud Day.—Friday, 15th January.

The Synod yesterday resumed with the customary devotional exercises. The Moderator presided. The minutes of the previous sederunt were read and confirmed.

DEPUTATION FKOlt THE. HOME CHURCHES TO

NEW ZEALAND.

The Rev. DtCoPL\ND gave uotice of his intention to. move—" That a memorial be forwarded to the Home Churches to send a deputation to visit New Zealand." • ALLEGED INFORMALITY. The -Rev. SV. Bannerman objected to the manner in which the matter of instrumental music came before the Presbytery, and argued that it was informal. It should have come from the session, and not the Deacons' Court of Port Chalmers. The Deacons' Court might have forwarded the memorial as individual members of the Church. Perhaps the session thought that the Deacons' Court were interlopers in the matter. (Key Mr Johnstone :. No.) Instrumental music was something new, and implied an alteration. He moved—"That my dissent from the Committee on Bills and Overtures be sustained.''

The Rev. Mr Johnstone explained that the Deacons' Court had a perfect right to bring the question of instrumental music before the Presbytery. The Deacons' Court referred the matter to the session to bring it before the Synod through the Presbytery. The session was op.posed to that. He then advised tho Deacons' Court to memorialise the Presbytery directly. By doing so they were not interfering with the works of tli3 Church or trausgressing any rule. They simply brought the matter befo' q the Presbytery, seeing that the session would not do it. The Presbytery and Synod were bound to receive any memorial, though they might reject itafterwards.

The Key. W. Bannekman was prepared to discuss the question of instrumental music in Churches day and night if they liked, but he thought the "rules of the Church with regard to documents should, be stiictly adhered to. He moved—"That the document be not received."

The llev. Mr M'NavjGHTON seconded the mo. tion.

The Key. Mr Stobo moved the following amendment: —'" That the document be sustained by the' Synod." The Hew MrGiLLiESseconded theamendtnent, and said that there was not the slightest infor mality in this matter. After a lengthy discussion. The llev. Mr Watt : Is it the right of any member of the Presbyterian Church to memorialise the Synod directly ? The Key. W. Gillies : He may not do bo directly, but through :i member of the Synod. The motion was carried. The Key. W. Gillies : I beg to record my dissent from the decision of the Synod, as it is not the law of the Church. BULKS AND PRACTICE OP THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. The Key. Mr Todd asked whether there was to be any report of the Synod this year on the nilesaud practice of the Presbyteiian Church. These rules should be in the hands of each It appeared that the Committee appointed to arrange the rules had not met since the last animal meeting oE Synod. PAS-PRESB\-T£RIAN COUNCIL IN LONDON. The Key. Dr Stuaut gave notice to call the attention nf the Synod to the proposal to hold a Pan- Presbyterian Council in London. The time, however, was not yet fixed upon. ANNUAL PUBLIC MEETING. It -was resolved to arrange the annual public meeting in order that the deputies from the Northern Provinces may address those present. APPLICATIONS FOR GRANTS. Applications for giants in aid of additions and repairs to manses at Kaikorai (£SO), Port Chal- ■ mers (£200), North Taicri (£00), and Warepa (£200), were considered. Air £. B. Cakgill asked whether these grants were made in accordance with a recognised rule iuthe matter. He believed that "this revenue was not exclusively appropriated to the purpose of repairing and making additions to manses. The cross Tevenue for their Theological Hall amounted to abount ±.'B4O. He thought the Act referred, to the support of the Theological Hall and other purposes as well as repairs to churches nnd manses. The Key. Dr Stuart cotild not see why manses that had been only in existence for seven or ei"ht venva should require such sums as T,U)O and £200 fo1" repairs. He had occupied one for fifteen years, and it was likely in owupy him for fifteen years more.—(Laughter ) fus thought the applications sluuld be referred to the Finance Committee. " The Bey. Mv Gcnv, referring to the grant of £100 for a site for a manse, said they could not get a quarter of an acre anywhere round Dunedin for less than £400. The Key. \V. Gillies said that the existing crants would be paid at the rising of the .Synod, and next year's rental for manses and theological ball purposes would be £loo\ The Key Dr Copland moved— That a Committee bo appointed to frame regulations for the purpose of dealing with claims for grants in aid of repairs and additions to manses and churches " The Rev. Mr Al'Naughtos seconded the moThe Key. W. Gillies's motion for tho grant to Port Chalmers was cariied by 17 votes to IG. The Key. Mr Sutherland, in referring to the application from North Taieri, said that the 4^ families there had contributed £1200 towards ecclesiastical buildings. They had also given more than £100 a month since he had been located there. The Key. Mr Bannerman's motion to sjrant the application was carried almost unanimously. The other applications were granted The Key. Mr Will remarked that as the Synod was in a, very generous mood, he would brin" forward another application rejected by the Presbytery of Dunedin. He would v.ot have allowed the matter to pass then had he thought the Synod would be so genorous or the funds so abundant. He moved- ■" That the Synod grant to Anderson's Buy the sum of £100 towards the repairs to the manse." The Key. Mr Gow seconded the motion, which was carried. The Key. Mr M'NaughtgN! I can only say that I »m agreeably disappointed.—(Laughter.) The following members were appointed aCommittee U> consider tho general question :— Key. Dr Copland {convener), Messrs Lannerman, Stobo, Todd, and Will, and Messrs E. £. Cargill, John Duncan, and Henry Park. REPORTS ON STOPJSJ'fa, . The Bey. W. Giliies gave in a report that Sir Borne $i«<l completul his first- year's course, mid tkat the Presbytery of Dunedin had taken him on >is a second \eav student. The Key, Mr Stojjo reported that he had received «n application fropi Mr $ icoll, a student in Southland. The Presbytery or Southland had received him aa a theological student of the first year Mr Nicoll did nnt thipk it mcessary to appear in person. He moved—'' That Mr Nicoll he not required to attend the theological classes in Dutiedin for one year." The Yisv Mr. M'NaUOHTON seconded the moiion Mr Uicoll had preached in his (Mr M'-^aughton's) church, and he would have thought that he had finished his theological course had lie not baeu personally acquainted with him. Mr Nicoll arriyed. in Dunedin yester■The Key. Dr. Stcart moved, as wa. amendment—" Tliat Mr Nicoll conform to the rules of the ClruveJ)-" , , ~ ■■ , The Rev Mr Todd seconded the amendment. The Rev! L. ]&W«JE thought it would be unwise to ask a student to some from Invercargill to attepd the theological <c>.assee Jp Punedm. _ The Rev J. C.O-W spoke strongly about making cast-iron rales for the guidance of ths Synofi, Ha supported the motion. ,~, o , The Key. MrM'GjVEfIOR thought tjie bynotl could not pass the motion unless they fell from their regolution referring to Messrs Lindsay and Johnston. Mr Johnston had left his work to puisue his studies, with the view of behig licensed after six months, but now, by the Synod's resolution, it would be twelve months before he could be licensed. The Rev Dr. Stuaut thought it would be very unfair to alter the time already specified for theological studies. He would be ashamed of himaelf and of the Synod if they continually cLpgril their decisions. He had known young SfW fumed" out wretched parsons trough hayjns%ho ? t coupes of theological St Tha S;Rev W. Bannerman supported tjje ™^iVT n TTp thought there was a great differfnt betwfef, the^ses of Messrs Lind^ and Johnson and that of Messrs Boyd and Hicoll. They were not likely to havo a tutor or prof e- S«or tillabout twelve months from the present tlTfter some further discussion, the motion was CaDr edKrSv e tOnotice of motion-"That there' be no theological tutors appointed for this year." ________