ECCLESIASTICAL.

Otago Witness, Issue 1824, 5 November 1886, Page 13

ECCLESIASTICAL.

ANGLICAN SYNOD. Thursday, October 28. The Anglican Synod held its second sitting in the Chamber of Commerce on Thursday afternoon, his Lordship Bishop Nevill presiding. DOCUMENTS. The President laid upon the table an appeal from the diocese of Colombo, Ceylon, signed by the Archdeacon of Colombo and sundry of the clergy and laity, asking for assistance, inasmuch as their diooese was likely to be shortly disendowed. The President also laid upon the table a letter from Mr Alfred Sims, St Kilda, drawing attention to the advertisements which from time to time appeared announcing that services in St. Peter's Church, Caversham, would be conducted by a layman. The writer held that this was undesirable and gave offence to a large number of people in the neighbourhood. BILL INTRODUCED. Mr W. H. Churton obtained leave to introduce a bill to provide for the amalgamation of diocesan funds. The bill was read a first time, and the second reading was fixed for this even- , ng. STIPENDS IN ARREAR. Venerable Archdeacon Edwards moved — " That in the opinion of this synod it is not desirable that a clergyman should be appointed to any cure until all arrears of stipend due to the former occupant of the cure have been paid." It had been said that this motion was brought forward with reference to Waikouaiti, but he begged to say it had nothing at all to do with it. He was glad to hear arrangements had been made for the payment of arrears there. He wi6hed to ascertain the feelingd of the clergy and laity on the subject, because there seemed to him something like dishonesty in leaving the stipend of a poor man in arrears, as was often done. If his resolution was not carried, perhaps some other would be. Mr Brent seconded the motion pro forma. Venerable Archdeacon Edwards said he would not object to adding some such words as ♦' or promise or arrangement for payment." Rev. Mr Hobbs would support the motion if those words were added, but not otherwise. He should think there would be very little chanceof a clergyman getting any arrears due to him unless a sucoessor were appointed. If the distriot were left without a clergyman, it was perfectly certain he would never get them. Besides there seemed something galling to the congregation in the mistrust conveyed by the motion Rev. A. R. Fitchett did not see much good in an expression of opinion on the subject, which must be quite inoperative. There might be some utility in an instruction to the Standing Committee that payment of arrears should be provided for by being made a fixed charge on the income, but there was none iv a mere expression of opinion by the synod. It was not legislation. Mr R. H. Leary was sorry he could not support the motion. It seemed to him that if a congregation so far neglected their duty as to leave their clergyman unpaid it was all the more reason why a good man should be sent to teach them their duty. Another leason was this: Supposing the case of a clergyman being objectionable to the congregation, the only way the latter bad of getting rid of his services was by closing their pockets— (Laughter.) Fortunately the laity had got that power — about the only power they had. The speaker had no hesitation in saying that if a clergyman were over him who was objectionable he would certainly refuse to contribute to the offertories as the only means he had of getting rid of him. Rev. Mr Dodds said surely a congregation had means of expressing disapprobation aud getting rid of a clergyman without starving him out. Rev. Mr Parkes thought it right, as Waikouaiti had been mentioued, to say that there were no arrears which could properly be so called due to the incumbent whom he had succeeded. Waikouaiti felt aggrieved at being reported as a defaulter to the extent of a deficiency which as a matter of fact could not be collected until the beginning of the year, when it would be. As regarded St. Mary s, Palmerston, that parish had found itself going down hill, and the incumbent said he did not expect them to be able to pay the balance due, and would forgive them the whole thing and no more would ever be said about the matter. Mr Brent expressed the opinion that the matter could perhaps be better dealt with by amending the statute. Yen. Archdeacon Edwards acquiesced in this, and withdrew his motion. The President said the matter could no doubt be dealt with in the way proposed, but if any anangements were made for punctuality in the payment of stipends there would be no necessity for such legislation. COMMITTEE ON FINANCE. Mr James Ashcroft moved — " That a committee be appointed to consider and report on all questions connected with the general and parochial finances of the diocese ; such committee to consist of Messrs Ainger, Joachim, Churton, Reid, and the mover." — Carried. ASSESSMENTS REMITTED. Mr W. H. Churton moved — "That the assessments to December 31, 1883, still in arrear and unpaid be remitted, provided the parishes or parochial districts concerned pay the assessments accruing since that date by June 30, 1887." Mr J. H. Aingkr seconded this, but would like to make the date 1884 instead of 1883. This was agreed to, and the motion was carried in that form. RATES OF ASSESSMENT. Rev. J. Hobbs moved — " That parishes and parochial districts be assessed for diocesan purposes — parishes at the rate of 3 per cent, and parochial districts at the rate of 2 per cent. on the ordinary revenue of the past year." The motion would make no difference in the case of parishes — there was never any complaint from them ; but there was a great hardship as regard parochial districts. These were sometimes left without ministerial visitations for a considerable time, and during that time their revenue must fall off. It was hard that they should have to pay the same as when they were receiving full benefits. If the assessments varied according to the revenue there would be no hardship. Another reason was that no one knew what a parochial district was. It was not defined in any diocesan statute, and it might be anything. The Chairman thought the motion if carried would hit the parochial districts rather hard. Mr Ainger thought a difficulty would arise inasmuch as people might not send in any returns. Rev. W. Ronaldson wa3 quite sure that many districts would find 2 per cent, on the income considerably more than £4. Some of them too were only assessed at £2 The President suggested the adjournment of the motion.

Mr James Ashcbopt moved as an amendment that the matter be referred to the Finance Committee. This was agreed to by the mover and carried. Rev. J. Hobbs moved — " That the ruling of his Lordship the President of the Standing Committee contained in a circular date 1 May 31, 1880, does nob convey the inteuded meaning of the synod resolution." The ruling in question referred to the definition of a parochial distriot. The speaker represented that it was unfair that every little township visited by the same clergyman which happened to have a separate oommittee to manage its affairs should be assessed as a parochial district. The Pbbsident said the decision referred to had been given at a moment's notice with very little consideration, and he scarcely thought at the time that it was to go forth to the diocese as the bishop's ruling. But his opinion in general cases was that where a place had an organisation of a definite character — virtually an incipient parish— it should be regarded as liable to contribute towards the expenses of the diocese, in a greater or less amount. It did not seem to him to alter the case because the same clergyman visited more than one place. Mr Hobbs then withdrew his motion. STANDING COMMITTEE. The following standing committee was elected: —Clergy : Yen. Archdeacon Edwards, the Revs. W. Ronaldson, A. R. Fitchett, R. A. Kerkham, M. Powell, and Dr Belcher. Laity: Messrs Russell, Brent, Ritchie, Fulton, Churton, Ainger, and Lubecki. The synod here adjourned until the evening. Evening Sitting. On resuming, the question was raised as to whether it was competent for the Standing Orders to be suspended in order to proceed with the consideration of Mr (Jhurton's bill, which had only been introduced that afternoon. The President ruled that this could not be done, and the bill was made an order of the day for next sitting. On the motion of the Yen. Archdeacon Beaumont Standing Order 14 was suspended to allow the 6ynod to proceed with the motions notice of which had been given that afternoon. A CHURCH NEWSPAPER. A special committee was appointed to consider the question of a church newspaper, and to bring up their report on Monday afternoon. The committee consisted of the Venerable Archdeacon Fenton, Revs. A. R. Fitchett, Parkes, and R. A. Kerkham, Messrs Tewsley J, Ashcroft, and Chirton. FORMS OF LICENSE. Rey. Mr Parkes moved—" That the synod is of opinion that all licenses issued to the clergy of parochial districts showld be issued in printed form, and that they be licensed in the sense in which the word ' license ' is used in the canons and statutes of the General Synod, aud that this resolution be sent as a recommendation to the next General Synod." The matter was one of graver import than many might think. At present when a clergyman came iuto a parochial district a document was given to him purporting to be a license, which wi*s really not worth the paper it was written on. The speaker instanced a case in which a criminal charge had been brought against a clergyman who had demanded a trial, but had been held, both by the civil court and the primate, not to hold any statutory license. He had been dismissed from his cure at a week's notice, and his character ruined. No gentleman or Catholic priest should, he held, be placed in such a position. There were 268 clergymen in New Zealand, and of these 120 held these documents only by way of license. Mr Quick seconded the motion. Venerable Archdeacon Edwards could not understand why in such a case as that referred to the parishioners and friends of the clergymen should not have insisted upon his being summoned to trial. The mover surely did not wish clergy placed in charge of a parochial district to hold the same licenses as incumbents. Rev. A. R. Fitchett said it was quite clear that a clergyman could obtain a trial under such circumstances. It was not necessary that he should hold a license at all. A layman oould : obtain a trial by ecclesiastical law. Rev. Dr Belcher confirmed the details of the case referred to by Mr Parkes. The President said his opinion was that a clergyman holding his Jicense was certainly at liberty to make use in his defence of the mode laid down by the church constitution. Rev. Mr Parkes thought his aim had perhaps been gained by the discussion, and withdrew his motion. TRUSTS. Mr S. Brent moved a formal resolution re church trusts, which was carried. MAORI MISSION. A report of the Maori mission at the Kaiks of Puketeraki and Moeraki by the Rev. Wynter Blathwayte was read. Rev. R. A. Kerkham referred to the report in commendatory terms, and also alluded to the necessity for mission work being done among the Chinese. He moved—" That the report be received, and that the synod commend to the diocese the better support of the mission." The President and several other members referred to the value of the work done by Mr Blathwayte. The motion was carried.