ANGLICAN SYNOD.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 10509, 5 November 1895, Page 4

ANGLICAN SYNOD.

The Anglican Synod met at St. Paul's Schoolroom yesterday afternoon ; Bishop Nevill, president, being in the chair. The following membtrs of synod were also present :_Dcan Fitchett, Archdeacons Penton and Edwards, Canons Robintoa and Doddl the Revs. C. S. Bowden, M. W, ButteftieTd, C. a! t !' 5; of amPton, S. Hawthorne, H. S. 'T' «• LaCM' B. P. Hood, I. Richards, J. O. Small, and Dr Belcher—:lercv •Dr Hocken Colonel Morris, Mesirs A. D. Lnbecki. n v £%??' J- £• To"""send, C. 0. Graham X E D'Oyley, T. Tyrell, H. M. Davey,,H Mander. C. S. Statham, J. Braithwaite, C. S. Leary, aad It. M. Clark-Uity. ' Sr.VOD 01-FICIAtS. The Rev ,1 c. Small was appointed clerical Mr C C V^ G- S- »f tbo»-]V Becf^'y. and xur c. C. Urahaiii chairman of committees. '. „ . OFFICIAD STATISTICS. , The official statistics for thVyear which wero presented to the synod showed that Mesirs H .b Leach and C. A. Franr bad bjen ordained to tho diacouate; tbe Church of St. Lu'sc'i. Mo*g,el, hsd been consecrated; a church at tuv-rsdale had bsen opened for' divine service • the. foundation stoife of a new church had been laid at Grejtown ; tha Rev.' E. P. Hood had beeu inducted to the pariah of St. Matthews • the clergy licensed were the Rtvs. Canon Kohmsoii and .1. C. Smill, to the c.thedril • the Rev. I. Pochards, as warden of Selwyu College and college districts ; Rev. A. Edwards, to Ciyde, Cromwell, and Koxburgh; R«v I logic, to Gladstone, Ryall Bu.b, and Clifton:' » **. S. Lewh, to Leith-Valley mission; a tJ' , " cr' to w*rnng!;on and Scacl.if • and thi Uy r, adera licensed were Meiba Neera' to Isative Churcb, Colac B*v; Mr H. A W Blathwayt, to Puketeraki ; md MrJ. G Wa'ferjtan, to Tapanui. The toial number confirmed in all the churches amounted to 416— 160 males and 286 females. HOUKS OF MKETISO.. ,"It was df cided that tbe synod should meet at 7 y30 r°m P' m' *° 54 5' tbin resume ag"11 AN INVITATION. nu ™Au Cleland- secretary of the Otago Chess Club, wrote inviting members of the synod to make use of the 'club during th» session.—The invitation was accepted with thanks. "a qciet day." The President intimated that, in accordance with custom, there would be in connection with the meeting of synod a gpacial religious engagement, commonly called'"Aquiet day," on Tuesday. Socb. a day would oo held at Bishopsgrove, where there would be a celeb-a--tion of the Holy Communion at 8.30 a.to He would be glad to receive a. breakfast aud lunch i any clergy who wished to spend the day there. • ■ ■ i ■> KVENI.yj SEKVICK. Festal evensong was held iv the cathedral at B,.oclock, s large congregation attending. C.nou Robinson intoned the service; Dean Fitchett and the Rev. Dr BMcher read the lesson^ Other members of the clergy present were Canons Dodds and Lucis, RevsT «J* O Small, I. Richards, S. Hawthornj, A. b" Mitchell, H. S Le»ch, C. A. Fra«r, T L Stanley, snd C. S. Bowden. Tho choir,' largely reinforced by member* of other church n-o'^L- *!i° e„ thß "MaSnificat;" and "Nunc Dimittis" (Tours in F), the anthems "Now we are ambassadors" and "How lovely are .rlr 1 | n 1 e,? 0»ge»" (Meudalsjohn). Hundel's Hallelujah chorus." ahd hymau 439, 215, and 137, and Mr Y. L. Jones sang as an offe--torium " Then shall the rightoous shiue" (>ieudels-ohn). n.lur W Uc. o£ * »ernion Bishop Nevill read the following addre.'s : Dear Brethren of the Clergy'sridof the Laity.— lhe nearer we draw towards'tho end of the century thq more convinced do I become that momentous changes are shortly to take place in the religious world. It is not became the occurSmL°h 1 m"k«d, era 'oakea such an expectation somewhat natural that I am led to entertain it, but because all the movements of the times and the rapidly altering conditions of the world seem to make such changes inevitable. In accordance with my custom, I shall first occupy your attention for a time with some observations upou the state and prospects of things external to ourselves and then pUce before you a shortaccount of our own affaire. r ■ , .'•Although It i. not for us to know the timea and the seasons which the Father hath put in Hia own power, yet the same spirit which enabled some men to- record prophetically the history of tbe cburch seems alwuys to have acted upon the minds of Borne others as the time of the fulfilwants of the great predicted events drew near ?' V"!K. *h«m ».'«»*!? to read aright the times in w Inch they lived in relation to euch prophecies and v sort of spiritual intuition tbat the times were at hand. Thus it was with Daniel In the days of Cyrus, fhua it wa* with Simeon Alma, and many others at the advent of Christ and thus it was. though far less evidently, some JO years ago ere the triple crown fell f ro m the lapal tiara. Many were the sermons and discussions and pamphlets put forth boforo the temporal power wns takeu away. Worldlings Hushed at them, but students were only struck •£ifiA^ i'"if kiS dof »wl»t .finding what their Uith had half demanded-viz., that God did Indeed fulfil His word. The -passing away of the Mohammedan woe is what we have next to look forward to, and surely that event cannot be far off—-t b-ast. so far as ita enthronement among the political Power* is coucerned. If tbe great dragon who parsecut-.d the woman and drove her into the wilderness be the Mohammedan Power, whicii 'certainly has persecuted the church and caused her.to be hidden in the recesses of the mountains for many centuries, then; perhaps, we. may. without presumption, hope that the tima of delivemnce in at band, for the dragon's power was to be for 1"()'J years, and Jerusilem was taken by the Mohammedans in (HS, a.d. This would causo us to look forward tn the next year as that of the liberation of Jerusalem ; but we must not forgat that, even sbould the interpretation itself be right, there are inaccuracies in tbe measurements of time which Jl OIV d,™ nderlt wrong to fix an arbitrary point for tnelumiment. It is strange enough, however, that even.now plans are under preparation for a great ..congress of all religions tn be held in Jerusalem at .the opening of the twentieth century. I do not mean to >.ay that the practical overthrdw of lurkishrulewouldputanend to Mohammedanism, but it would cettainly make a vast difference to hundreds of thousands of Christians, nnd ere long change the whole face of south-western Aeia ■ but it is by no mrwn» only the preseut condition of things in the Turkish Emnire which leads me to anticipate great changes in the religious world, lhat is a detail—one of great importance, I believe-but it is the eumula'iv* effect of many operative causes to which i lo.dc. and, viewing these in their rapid and inevitable actiou upon the whole human race, I say that the old order must change. « now cbaaging, and so swiftly that we can hardly keep pace with the recognition of the meaning aud conreqiiences of the new coinbinatiops It has always been considered right forthe Christian student to mark the politic.l condition of the world at the advent of CJUrist. the intercourse between the various nations, the linwis■tical usages and such like circumstances, as ►bowing the preparedness ot the world to receive His mission ; and when we see the unification F£ I thl n .*? y centralisation of power, effected now by the di.tribution of power, so i. ♦ i cannot ignore theenst nor the north neglect tho south ; jvhen we see commercial imifi- £ brought about by an electrical current which destroys the preponderating advantage which one people formerly had o?er anothef when we see social unification brought about by the almost universal spread of the cardinal facts SffhiT HnowJ«dge, by the general breakdown °,w» nm T ef n»t'? n» prejudice or restrictive custom, and most of all by th e ever-iucreasing ■RESUMPTION OF CHEERFULNKSS, ■Undisturbed and more refreshing sleep, and a

Unes of communication which spread themselves "Ke. a network over the surface of the globe, annihilating distance and teaching peoples to speak ma common tongue, I ask : Can we imagine <*at unification, which we Bee to ba advancing with such marvellous rapidity as a consequence of ail theie developments, will fail to operate upon the ideas and beliefs of men which we call their religion? It must be so, and that extraordinary meeting which lasted for 17 days in Chicago a while ago, called the Parliament of Religions, whatever elss we may think of it, indicates that thus it will be. People cannot be brought into close and continual contact and ignore for ever tne subject which must lie nearest to their ?w te' nor zlxeuld it be forgotten thit since thau meeting one lady has given 40.000d0l ior the foundation of two lectureships one to ne in Chicago and tho other in Calcutta, to stimulate comr.ira.tive inquiries. Now, if these upheaving* of humau thought and overstepping* of ancient boundaries are to be, what is the duty of the church of the living God in regard to such a state of things? Surely not to sit by aud watea the^liscus.ion as one might await thu issue of an academic debate, but to see in this chcotic movement of human souls a call to the Spirit-bearing caurcti to approach and impregnate them with hfeof God. It cannot be for nothing that a' greit Christian has been called into existence in Australasia, the antipodes of Britain, or that an empire has been born in a day in the three islands of Japan. The 40,000.009 inhabitant* oi tnosj islands have, as a consequence of tUe influences I before mentioned, cast olf the J3uddbiara Sintolstn, and UonfucianUm which they held before, and are now simply waiting for ' l°T ihla r. and, thank God,-three Anglican ana one Greek bishop are now offering them that better thing with no small success. Blame me if yuu wi.l dear brethren, for occupying your atteution with things far off and external to ourselves • Out 1 do desire, while I haye time, to impress upon you amongst whom my responsibility lies my veiy deep conviction of the calls, greater than at any past time, that Christ is making, and will make upou Hi* church to prepare His way 1 iT" christian /sects must unify themselves,'lest they lander this work. Our young men, moved by the Divine Spirit, must crowd our collets that they may qualify themselves for such work, that we may sow them broadcast, not in Melanesia alone, but in Chin\ India, Assyria Arabia and Palestine, to spring up a ynintual army which shall quell the ium.rrlhtio-J of human pride and lust, aod establish the kingdom of peace. It would seem almost unnatmal tor me to cii<se these observations upon things eternal without saying a word more directly upon that subject ot Christian reunim iipjn which I have so often addressed you before, but which has been forced upon our attention and- that of tile whole world I & v«y striking occurrences sine* last wo met iL OU T.wl", understand me to refer especially to | the lopes address to the English nation on the one iiand, and to the movement towards | coalescence on the part of the various offshoots of Wesleyanism on the other. As to' the letter of | the -BishOß of Rome. I think, perhaps, the most certain effect of it will l»e to steady tha minds of some rather fooluh and ill-informed persons who have got into the habit of glossing over ilitlercncea of, truly primary importance, and became they observe many very devout and excellent persons who are membsrs of the Ivoniao communion are willing to shut their eyes to the, errors of the system—errors, I am bound to say, which are daily becoming mote portentous. It may be well that I. should mention that in I the tpnng of last year the Pope addressed a s"!>iJ»r epistle to the Kastem Christians, bnt no I onicul notice was taken of it. The Neologo* the orthodox daily paper in Constantinople, in a I series of articles pub/idled in October ISM regarded the attempt as a "pursuit of the wind" and wasted effort." and insisted on the folly of ignoring the grave dogmatic differences which in [ fact exist, and that the Latins persist in maintaining their innovations, whereas the only practical road tp-union lies in the renunciation of those innovations, the return to the ancient ways and the restriction of Papal claims. This utterance of a paper which may be held to express the mind of the Greek Church might very well be aoo,.ted as our own upon thia part of the subject. But what shall we say of ii move towards union which at present only indirectly concerns ourselves. I mean the attempt to uoite the various divisions of Wefleyauism, and to include the several religious organisations which are scarcely distinguishable from the "Wesleyans except in name. Surely for the sake of religion we shall wish well to this movement. Satan is a master in the application of the principle of divide and govern. Multitudinous subdivision destroys the possibility of prov penty to anything except infidelity. , It is possible, too, that in God's good time the Wesleyans themselves will come to rce that every argument they advance with so much force to sst forth the evils of division are as fully applicable to their own secession from the church, their mother, as, to their internal divisions. In this easy, too, there is overlapping of agencies and the consequent waato of resources; there is estrangement of feeling aud the consequent unc Vant.- r is probable thit the doctrines of the church will bo pointed to as an obstacle to such return, a% the teaching* of Rome warrant our rejection of her overtures, but I would point out, with all respect, that tho casea are not parallel, the church's doctrines wera no obstacle* to the .7 . We3leyans, and thote doctrinei, as well as the formularies in which they are enshrined; are the same now m tbey were then. Nor are they hidden away as in some document to which but tew have access, but are open to all, and invite investigation and comparison with HUy Scripture, " Grace with all who love our Lord -iesus Christ in sincerity." Yes, butthis was no affectation of chanty towards those who were without, as it too often is, but the yearning of the apostolic heart for greater fulness in the tnombers of that one body which alone had received the grace, and w'"ich as y e t knew no division in Beets whatever of Qufereuce of opinion might have appeared, (bee Eph. iv, i and 7, and i, 22 and 23.)

•nivoucK. Uut year I touched upon the proposal to increase the number of cames for which State divorces could be granted. I will not repeat what 1 then wud. but am devoutly thankful that the proposals have'notyet been carried, and I urge it upan the members of the church to be very firm in their determinatioa to resist all attempts in this direction. A careful study of the subject will show three things: (1) That our Lord empbatmlly proclaimed the indissolubility of the marriase bond; (2) that our church bas closely followed His teachihg-, and (3) that departure Irom this principle means social degradation.

_~ , THK GENERAL'STXID. legulation or the General Synod held in February last has not rendered necessary any f lt?™t'?l »of our statutes, but I may.point out to the Printing Committee (which will doubtless be appointed at the close of this session) that there is an alteration of clause 8, canon V. title is, which is printed as aii extract at the end of our statute in parishes, and which" has reference to the reduction of parishes to parochial districts. It is desirable thnt the words altered in the canon should bo alterod iv our extract from it. Irobably the most important act of the General bynod was the election of a primate to succeed Bishop Hadfield in that office. I need not, after thia lapse of time, say more'upon that subject than that I am sure the Bishop of Auckland will n«.ve the loyal support of all bis comprovincial ouhop3, and of none more than myself, who have baen so to speak, by his Bide for nearly 30 years in t-agland and hey/ Zealand. . HiV calmness of manner and diligent attention to all the details of busicees will render his services to the church of high value, and you will all wish him hapnineßs in the execution bf hia honourable and responsible ottice. It is a noteworthy fact that four out of our seven bishopi took'their seatii as such for the lust time, though doubtless the influence of this Ja-t upon our legislation was the leas mirked, inasmuch as two of them were quite familiar with our ss'iiodic >1 system and code of law. lhe Bishop of Silisbury was warmly welcomed as a visitor to the synod, and, as is mual in such coses, he was asked to favour the i-ynod with an address This, was'all'well, but 1 cannot help recording my conviction that when he was subsequently asked to join ia a deb.te ou a motion then before the syiiyd a mUtake was made. I subsequently moved that ihis circumstance be not regarded as a precedent, but yielded to the pressure w-hieh was put upon me and withdrew niy motiou, which leads me now to record my own opinion. Thn bishop ha 3 since elaborated a icheine in support'of the'viewa he then gave utterance to, and os tho same has been published in various ways since his return to* England I nave thought it my duty to offer some words in reply, and I lay a copy of my letter to him upon iue subject of aq appeal to a counsel under the Archbishop of Canterbury upjn the table of this synod.

lhe resolution brought forward on the subject olreliinous education, and which was eventually carried, though not without vigorous opposition in debate, us demanding too little, has for its object the amendment of the Education Act in flucha manner as to provide that religious instruction shall be given hy the teachers in the public schools on the model of the London School Board generally, with-the use of the Irish National bebool Look of Scriptural Leseoui. Many memherd of the synod, myself included, would have much preferred that ftio Rible itself should have been the basis of the instruction. The Irish text boot, which is iri part taken. out of the D may version of the Bible, Whs tho compilation made '^"".^e-authprityof the Roman and Anglican Archbishops of Dublin, Blurray and Whately. i H B. <,s. B °f it does not appear tome to be calculated to supply that historical and general v^ Wi. •ge M to Per"""'", places, and events which is of such vast importance tn the clear understanding of the Christian raligioti, and which knowledge is iv so m»ny cases erievously lacking amongat oiii- young people. This-i who have the preparation• of the young for the higher privileges of our religion must have felt very often how small was the modicum of knowledge upon which they could build, ahd to this want of knowledge is'directly'attributable a want of interest iv religious subjects. It is hardly possible to be deeply interested in a matter of winch you kuow nothing. Nor do I think thnt the church is rightly discharging her duty iv merely seeking to lay ui-on tbe State tchool teachers the imparting of teaching which it is peculiarly hers to givo. I am not lobe uudersteod as reflecting upon tho teachers, many of whom I know lo be well qualified to give the instruction required ; but, whether.they are- competent or.not, I think that it is a wrong to parents, children, and the ministers of religion alike to deny all opportunity for the imparting of such instructiiii) by the persons trained tn give it and in the placo vrbpre it may most rcadilv he given. I did not divide the synod upon the motion before it l»st I -should be hindering the accomplishment of that which is least in a matter of fluch vital importance. The *ynod at a subsesequent stage passed a resolution requesting the bishops to take steps for the purpose of pressing the_desired reform on the Government aud Legislature. I had nb wish tn lie disloyal to the General Synod, but at the same time I felt that, under the Jintowsrd circumstances' which had virtually dis-fian'-hised the clergy, of this diocese, I could hardly regurd iheru as beiug represented in this decision ; I therefore summoned a meeting of the clergy living withiu n radius of some 30 miles from Jluuedin, together with the Uy members of tho General Synod, to ascertain their views upon the whole Bubjeet, and copies of the resolutions arrived at wer* sont to the Vrimate and all the huhopi. In effect, thoso resolutions expressed tho desire that as the resolution of the General Synod was virtiiaMy the first clause of tbe Education Act of New South Wales, the seventeenth clause of the Bame act should also beodopted by ourGoveru-

ment, which gives ,in addition the right to ministers of religion to enter the public schools within school hours to give instruction to the children of their own denomination under a conscience clause, and we desired that our resolution should be a sort ol addendum to the resolution of tha General Synod expressive of the views of our diocese. Very largely-signed petitions -have b=en presented to the Assembly in support of this movement. I myself think it would be justaseajsy to assimilate the law of this country to the Education Act of New South Wales as to effect any other alteration, but nothing will be done until it ia made clear atthe hustings that people desire some religious advantage? for their children. Mothers should remember that this question is now largely in their own hands.

I filled in my effort to establish a board of missions .for the province. I anticipated especial difficulty upon this subject in Nelson on account ot the establishment of a private society there, but I was unprepared to find myself opposedupon the ground that a board of missions would be detrimental to the interests of the MelanesUn mission. My intention, as also my belief, is quite the opposite. From the crudity of the remarks made and the plain evidence of a' predetermination that I was not to succeed, I did not press the matter to a division, but contented myself with urging that serious attention should be giveu to this itnportantquestion before it becomes too late, and we find ourselves, by the upgrowth of rival and independent societies, in the unhanpy and much-lamented position of the mother church ia tuis matter. Ia thii connection I hope our provincial church will notice the ereat activity and success of the Australian Board of Missions. Our Dioccsaan Board will present its report, which I will not anticipate, but I wish to' impress upou you that the Maoris of this diocese are.more and more looking to us for guidance and spiritual help, and thata very littlemoreattontion to the rule or our synod would enable us to give it. I remind you ot St. Andrew's Day as that of intercession for missions. I shall hope to observe it in the cathedral

The claim which had been put forth in certain quarters for clergymen who only hold a license to officiate occasionally tobaveassat and vote in the Byaod was set at rest by the clearer definition of the terms of the canon which constitutes a diocesan synod. I had myself determined to bring in abill to substitute for the words "licensed clergy" the words " clergy who are licensed toa cureof souls or to any ecclesiastical office," but finding that the Bishop of Waiapu (who, fiioce the case known as the Gilford case in this diocese, had refused to allowed two clergymen sinnUrlr situated in the diocese of Waiapu to sit or vote iri the synod over which he presided) had moved ior a committee to inijuire into the subject and report, I referred the words 1 had prepared to his committee, and they have now been introduced into the canon. A proviso has, however, also been added to the clause in which a "permission to etticiate" in by iuference regarded as a distinct thing from a license, aud any clergyman holding such a "permission" is to have a seat in a synol nut not a vote. The Rev. A: Gifford. being now entitled to a seat in the synod, has been summoned thereto accordingly.

DIOCESAN AI'FAIRS (THE CATHEDBAL). I am deeply thankful to be able to speak of our work m this diocese in terms of encouragement and satisfaction. The delails will come before you ia various ways, but I may speak no; only of increased machiuery and decreased debts, but of the strongly-growiDg interest iv our work in most parts of the diocese, and the evidences of spiritual g/owtli. Aniqng these I notice larger congregations, more communicants, aud a greater number of candidates for confirmation. I think these outer signs could not be without the inucr life of which they are the witness. To speak first of the CJthedral: Many of us parted with very deep regret from tho Rev. J. W. A. Melville, and it ia only left to us to see that the impression* produced upon the minds of so many by hii faithful and self-denying work are not suffered to die out. 1 licl that I have been very fortunate in securing for the service of the cathedral and diocese geu". rally one so eminently qualified in every way as the hey. Cinon Robinson, and I am sure that no efforts ought to be .pared to place the chapter in a position to secure his services permanently. I need say nothing as to the working of the cathedral or its financial position, as tbe chapter will present its report, but it is for me to say that I have met with the most marked kinaness and sympathy from all the people of the cathedral district, nor can 1 forbear to mention the generous aid extended by Mra and Miss Nicholis, Mr G. G. Russell, and Mr H. J I Stanley iv support of our work. Somo valuable gifts have also bien presented by others, notably by Ur Belcher and Jlr Lay Canon Hardy. But. rightly or wrongly, I feel that I must let you know ihat tho iron enteied into my soul—how deeply I dare not say-when I found that the diocese at large would not, as 1 had fondly imagined, rise as one man and throw off the debt the ijcceptance of which waa really the price at which the diocese acquired a cathedral. 1 do not doubt that the condition of commercial and agricultural affairs has much to do with this, and I still hope that with better times more will bedone in this mattei-, yes I pan neither deceive myself nor refuse to admit to you that the discovery has been forced upon me that the cause of causes lies much deeper, and that ia in the want of a living enthusiasm for this work, as, in truth, involving the honour of our church, aod more, the honour of Chnst and of the living God, for so indeed it does dear brethren. How nuny people have told me that their sente of duty is satisfied when they have subscribed—perhaps liberally—to theirown parish church and clergyman. A sente of sadness haß often closed my mouth when this has been said. To subjeribe to our parish is partly to provide for ourselves and our family that which our religious seuse demands. Even thn Jew of £000 years ago knew that he had not done enough when he had helped to support his local minister, and perhaps to put a new roof upon his synagogue If I may contrast the cathedral idea with th»t of the parochial church, I would nay that the latter U more utilitarian, the former more idealistic. The parish church, then, is more for ourselves, the cithedral for God's glory; and if our poor littlec»thedralasyet sußgerts no such idea? the stronger my argument for basoning the time when it may do to. AYe have already br s -un our daily intercession for the diocese. We have already begun to gather round the diocesan altar the various organisations for the promotion of our work. The Lay Readers' Ascciation isseiubled here yesterday for cjrpirate communion. The Church , Union comes tosether here on St. Michael's Day to cement their uuion by communi.n with Christ hnd holy fellowship with one another. The Sunday School Union will. I trust, in like manner here seek strength divine for the conduct of their sacred work. Surely, if we must be always seeking mere utility, here are some ,thing« which are useful to parishes, just because they tran»C4nd the parochial and bind all together in the grasp of a larger unity. Before I pass away irom this subject I must express my seuse of the deap obligation the chapter, and indeed the whole diocese, is under to Mr C. H. Statham for the unremitting eire and most valuable service he has rendered as cathedral treasurer. I may say much the same of the members of the c»thedral guild and to .Lay Canons Dr Hocken and Sir Hardy. Selwyu Collego is doing a very excellent wcrk | under the able management of the Rev. Isaac Richards. I am most thankful to have Jlr Richards by my side as a loved and valued fellow worker, whose influence is felt both by the students nnder hia charge (vow eight in number), and by the several college districts woikod by the students under his superintendence. The diocese already knows that my oftrepeated hopes and expectations ahout the college are being fully reaUsed. Mr Hamilton has most kindly rendered a great deal of very valuable help to the warden in the reclassification of our library. DIOC.-.SAN EVENTS. The most notable, and at the same time the most aad of these, haa been the loss by death of our valued friend and treasurer, the late Mr Lenry- The recognition of this loss has been so universal and so sincere that it would hardly become me now to say more than that in the necessarily close and frequent intercourse between the bishop aud the diocesan treasurer that intercourse was never other than a source of pleasure to myself. I had often to make large deminds upon ihe time and patient attention of the late treasurer, aud theee were always most cheerful'y given. Mr Leary was the bearer of commission* from me to the Societies for Promoting Christian ..Knowledge and the Propagation of the Gospel. Ihe former I have since heard that he was able to cirry out, but not the latter. It will be tho duty of this synod to elect a diocesan treasurer iv his room.

The departure of the Rev. Canon Diggens is felt as a loss not only to the pirish of St. John's, Koslyu, but to the cathedral chapter and diocese generally. The Board of Nominators have not as yet made any presentation to me of a clergyman to be his successor.

I have advanced Mr Hugh Stanley Leach and Jlr Charles Anderoon Fraer to the diaeooate, and they are each giving complete satisfaction in the work assigned to them at the same time that they are prosecuting their studies in connection with the university. The Key. J. C. Small has been licensed to assist at the cathedral, and has been indefatigable in the work of the district. I was able to induct the Kw. E. P. Hood, 8.A,, to the parish of St. Matthew's, in which I believe his survices arc much appreciated. I gave effect to an exchange, affected with tho consent of all concerned, between the Revs. T. Ghent and A. Kdwards, by force of which Mr Ed wards, late of Rochester, Victoria, now takes hia neat in tMs synod. The Rev. S. Ingle has been licensed '.y me to tho charge of Gladstone iv the place of the Rev. F. W. Martin, whose hfalth rendered a charge of cure necessiry. lam now engaged iv tho effort to form the Maiaura portion of Mr Martin's cure into a separate charge. Some other rearrangements are in progress. \ A new church has beeu opened at Riversdale and reflects. great credit upon the Rev. T L' Stanley, both on account of the beauty of the church and its hemp opened virtually free from debt On St. Luke's D*y I was able to consecrate the chuteh at Mosgipl, and on the next day to lav the foundation of a new church to bo built at Greytown. I was impressed with the earnestness and signs of life manifested by our small body of faithful church people in that partof the Taieri aud under ijod I trace it both to the energy of the Bfv. D. O. Hampton aud the telf-denying Übours of some of our lay brethren belonging to tho parish of Itnslyn. ~.*»« This en»bles mo in conclusion to put before tbe diocese one of our greatest needs; it is that of a band of young lay ageuts who must be, in part at thi wnrt n?Ti?''°f lße' -aQd W. ho can ""Pigment tha work of the clergy in our towns and also iv our by" whlh' Vfi • I bf- e °fte? Bketcbed »>>* "pj"n by which I think this might be .-uvnmnliak.,,l thL t tW^- 1 V*,&T^ flßd> *S meSknot that Gods Spirit is working in the hearts of many. I brieve tliat He will soon indicate th.modem which this work is to be undertaken • for the present I only bid such young men to' watch and pray and to own their hearts te their clergy, remembering that every ace has ill wonders, and the great wander of Bour"L fo enlargement. Everything around us is bnSii," hehov« ».C£. UrC,i ' Sbs *«h expectation. It behoves us to enlarge our heart*, to widen our conceptions, to prepare to embark n fresh schemes of conquest, toenlietmanymore workers he Di^ nfs^it H»^«tomed Agents! bSLuii sonß aJ,d n„^i « being poured out upon our thattW,o™„H^ ght*,re; but *° remember, too, w^lfuln^-w 1"^° Dfi<Jo not mean disorder and Sfc?S dSSSS tt'us Bwalk b^ttV"' c ofconfusio? W' S *lnC? God i 8 ** the Author of thesainte'.'^^ °rder' Mm aII tho cliu«h»