ANGLICAN SYNOD
OPENING PROCEEDINGS. THE PRIMATE’S ADDRESS. The first session of the Synod of the Diocese of Dunedin opened in the lecture room of the Young Men’s Christian Association rooms, Moray place, at 4 p.m. on Monday. The Primate (Bishop Ncvill) presided. The roll of members having been called, the president declared the Synod duly constituted, and after prayer delivered his address. THE PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS. The President, addressing the Synod, said that, in the unlooked-for death of Archdeacon Gould, the Church sustained a very real loss. A man of sincere piety, of kindly disposition, and a regular visitor of his people, he was naturally hold by them in high esteem. For many years ho had himself regarded the late archdeacon as a pe r - sonal friend, and he was sure that, as sue* l ) many others would have felt his loss. The Rev. Canon King had also passed away. His faithful labours in the North-East valley and in Cavershara would not be soon forgotten. Sorrow had visited other families. In the war, two sons of Archdeacon Richards had fallen, and Mr Ivnrght, Mr Spcdding, and Mr Harvey had each lost a son. while Lay-canon Braithwaite was / anxious about a son severely wounded. During the year the Rev. Horace Packe and the Rev 7 . E. D. Evans had left the diocese; advancing years had led to the retirement of the Rev. W. Wingfield; the Rev. Hoani Parata and the Rev. H. 0. Fenton had returned to the diocese; and the Revs. J. L Mortimer and E. R. Ncvill were taking seats in the Synod for rte fire-t time. The ranks of the clergy had been augmented by the ordination of the Revs. A. S. Moffatt, A. S. Egglcton, A. L. Canter, and E. Withoy. The foundation stone of the new cathedral would bo laid on the following day. He trusted that even the commencement of this work would prove stimulating to them all. Speaking of the war, the Primate said that language had been almost exhausted in the attempt to describe the wickedness of this war. It was wicked in its origin, for it arose out of selfish ambition and lust of power. It was wicked in its conduct,. for it was an outrage against humanity and a diabolic scorning of all the nobler traditions which had hitherto been observed by civilised nations • when at war, and of recognised understandings which had hitherto acted powerfully to uphold the honour of it, and to ameliorate its horrors. We felt that we might rightfully call upon God for the uplifting of His arm in our defence, since we entered upon the war with exalted motives. We wanted no war, we were in no wise prepared for it, but it was ours to uphold the eacrcdncss of treaties and to unite with our Allies in the attempt to overthrow a military despotism which threatened the cherished liberties of nations. But all these things had been said many times. It was his object in repeating them to remind his hearers, as representatives of a section of the Church of the Living God,..that there was need for us to remember their national sins. What comparatively little use they had made of the unparalleled opportunities God had entrusted them with for the advancement of His Kingdom. God had been proving them by the wealth He had poured out upon them. It was He who gave the power to .get wealth, and that power might easily be removed. They had proudly refused to imagine the possibility of the invasion of Britain, and the overthrow of their covernmont and power, but that was what they had only just escaped from. It was what was intended by their enemies. It was what might easily have happened. The whole Empire should therefore humble itself under the mighty hand of God. They must not go on in the blindness of*-national materialism, or in the baseness of unrecognised responsibilities, but with opportunity, by God’s grace, still preserved. They must see to what high things, as a Church and people, they were called, and gladly fulfil their destiny. The Primate dealt at some length with the question of the Bible in the public schools. He said the question must at a more convenient season, come to the front again. It was not : in its nature, a party question. It was one which contemplated the well-being of the whole community in the highest realm of things. It might be said that, granting all this, the joint action of their Roman Catholic fellow Christians and the secularists would force into a political question any proposed amendment of the Education Act in the direction desired, and that as the relation of political parties might again be seriously disturbed, probably no member of Parliament would be found willing to introduce a measure bearing upon the subject. He would go so far as to say.- that for his own part he would be sgrry if this question had again to be made a governing one in voting for candidates at any election which might arise, and ho strongly desired that agreement should be arrived at by means of a conference between the members of the Government, the leaders of the Opposition, and the executive of the Bible-in-Schools’ League, and the Act amended so as to allow religious education to be given on the
terms agreed upon by such conference. On some such plan perhaps this ever-recurring question might be permanently settled, to the advantage of the country and to the removal of a cause of division amongst them. Closely connected with this question was the allegation that large sections of the population were antagonistic to religion itself, and would have none of it. He did not believe this. It was true that many had unhappily, and greatly to their own loss in moral and spiritual elevation of character, given up attendance at church, with its sanctifying influence in the worship of God, but they were rather irreligious than non-religious. When spoken to individually and 'confidentially it was found in most cases that the fount of religious feclin<r was not dry, though it might be choked by bad habits and numberless misconceptions. . • i n J In concluding the Primate said: God grant that this reported awakening might prove a great reality, ana that leaders might rise up among the alienated masses as men of influence and ability and honesty of purpose who .‘would S*asp for themselves and show to their fellows the truth that Christ was no mere teacher ot ethics, but was the Head of the body—the Church, —which body, since His departure, liad been guided by His Spirit, endowed with gifts of ministering for its continuity
and development, and that from Christ this whole social body was fitly framed and knit together not by sectional action, but through that which every joint supplieth, according to the working in due measure of every several part, and that thus only could wo grow up as a people to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.
GENERAL BUSINESS The following officers wore appointed: Clerical secretary, Rev 7 . J. C. Small; lay secretary, Mr G. D. Fisher; chairman of committees, Mr A. Washer. Mr Washer (in the absence of Mr A. Heckler) moved —“ That the General Synod Canons be so amended as to permit women to voto at parish meetings.” —Rev. J. C. Small seconded pro forma. —The discussion on the motion will be taken on Wednesday. The Synod adjourned until Wednesday at 4 p.rn. i THE SYNOD SERVICE. In the evening the Synod service was held in All Saints’ Church, there being a large atten-rfeasfes- The preacher was the Rev. Hoani vicar of Riverton, who took his text, fe-wa 1 St. Peter, second chapter, fifth tos-Sss Ye also, as living stones, arc built up r 's4ritual haase, to be a holy priesthood.” Lae first lesson was read by Bishop Julius, A Christchurch, and the second by JWtop Avcrill, of Auckland, while the Aev. Mr Fenton intoned the serVicv The musical part of the service was wVa, rendered by the Cathedral and All Saints’ choirs (combined). The canticles were sung to “Varloy Roberts in 0”; the choir gave an excellent rendering of the anthem “ In, Humble Faith and Holy Love” (Garrett); and the outgoing voluntary was Mendelssohn’s Sonata No. 1 in F minor. Mr A. W. Lilly, F.G.C.M. (organist to All Saints’ Church), presided at the organ.
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Otago Witness, Issue 3195, 9 June 1915, Page 65
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1,408ANGLICAN SYNOD Otago Witness, Issue 3195, 9 June 1915, Page 65
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