NELSON DIOCESAN SYNOD.

Colonist, Volume LI, Issue 12410, 27 November 1908, Page 3

NELSON DIOCESAN SYNOD.

THE OPENING OF THE SYNOD,

Yesterday afternoon, at 4 o'clock, I the Diocesan Synod was opened in the Library room, Selwyn Place. The Diocesan secretary (Mr Kirigslej T ) called the roll, when the follow.ing clergy and laity answered to their names:-?- ...'■' -Clergy: The Right Reverend the Bishop, the Yen. Archdeacon- Grace, the Yen. Archdeacon York, Revs. J. P. Kempthorne, W. G. Baker, J. Fox, T. A. Meyer, 0. R. Hewlett, T. Johnston, H. Braddock/W. S.Lucas, Hy: Pepper, J. R. Dart, H. W. Lowell, A! W. Stace, T. J. Smith,. W. Wollstein, F. Quintrell, J. Hay, A. J. Carr, N. Friberg, and T. F. Taylor. Laity:, Messrs W. Heaps, E. W. Pasley, G. Chapman, E. F. Burrell, Geo. Trapnell, R. I. Kingsley, Walter Thorne, H. F.. Jones, H. A. Tarrant, J. Greenwood, A. Strachan, E. .Saxton, A. T. Maginnity, G. B". Tate^D. Morgan, C. B. Staimard, . L. E. Bpyes, H. Brusewitz, J. J. White, W. de Castro, Leo Maginnity, and Dr. Mackay . The President declared the Synod open, and prajers were said. The President gave his ■ address, from which we cull the following information: — Diocesan C.hanges. ■ Owing to increasing weakness; the Yen. Archdeacon Wrght 'felt compel--led to resign his archdeacony ,and also his parochial charge, early in ihe year. In his present helpless condition he has, I feel sure, the deepest sympathy of us all. The Rev. E. Allanson is no longer resident in the Diocese. The Rev H. B. Ward was obliged by illhealth to resign Ihe incumbency of Picton, and. the Rev. T. J. Smith,- formerly of our number, has been instituted to the^parish. The Rev F. Quintrell succeeded the Rev H. T. York in charge of Reef ton, vacating Collingwood. That, district is now held by the Rev E. A. Parker, whom I admitted to holy orders last year; together with the Rev A. T.; Milgrew, who, after acting for a short time as Curate to the:Eev W. S. Lucas, sailed for Fiji to work' there amongst the Indian coolies. I reg;ret the departure from the f diocese of ihe JRev N.._ S. Barnett; but I have no doubt that' he will be a'gainer by the additional experience, he will have. The Rev W. G. Baker and the Rev J. R. Dart have both been absent from the; diocese for a time on leave, the work at Brightwater and Waimea West being maintained by the Rev A. V. Grace, and Westport- being held in the temporary charge of the Rev W. A. Williamson. The Rev J. R. Dart was at our last -session appointed our delegate to the Pan-Anglican Congress. His Lordship dealt at length with the subjects which came before tiie Lambeth Conference, such as :— 'the faith of -the Christian Church and modern thought— the supply and training of clergy— religious education in schools— report on -Foreign Missions— —ministries of healing — marriage problems— tho moral witness of the Church in relation to the democratic ideal, and social and economic questions — reunion and inter comr munion. On the latter subject, the resolutions • 'begin by welcoming in .anticipation' any d\ily; framed of reunion, between any Church or our Communion any and any non-episco-pa churchq they urge that, advantage should be taken of opportunities of co-ope'raidon with members of such bodies in matters pertaining to the social and moral welfare of the people ;'• that pains should be .taken to promote cordial mutual understanding and as a means to that end private meetings of ministers and v ; laj-men should be held for- common study, ; discussion, and prayer; and lastly, that conferences should, as bpport.uniiv offers ,be arranged by pur authorities wibh representatives ol other Christian Churches .and meetings for confession and intercession.' ' . : ; ■ Mission of Help/ "Ib Avas more difficut to make definite arrangements for this Mission under the conditions existing at the time, than the Bishops contemplated before reaching England. Many clergy were on ihe Continent, and the pressure of business was so great when the Bishops were assembled in London that it was found impracticable to meet those persons whom we had reason to think would "probably be able to take part in the preparatory mission. This difficulty; however, seemed to have been completely met when it was announced that the Bishop of Stepney, now Archbishop designate of York, would probably: visib Australia this summer, and, if asked, New Zealand also. > The Bishops at once gave a cordial invitation to- the Bishop of Stepney, who expressed his willingness to come to New Zealand as well as Australia, if he could arrange for the due carrying on of his own work. Before leavins England I wrote to the Bishop to ■• ask for de- ' finite information. Writing on. September 2nd, he said that he had been able to make the necessary arrangements for carrying on his own work, and would visit Australasia between May and December, 1909. Since writing he has been chosen to fill the Archbishopric of York, vacant by the resignation of Archbishop Maclagan, and therefore the arrangements for our Mission must be regarded as still unsettled.

Statistics.

"Before leaving for England I held confirmations at Reefton, Brunnerfon, and Nelson Creek on the West Coast, 3 nd at Nelson at the Cathedral. AU Saints' Church, and Bishopdale Chapel. The .-total number of candidates was 71, of whom 29 were males and 42 females. "The following gentlemen have been licensed duirng the year as Lay Readers : — George Arthur Crossman, William Thompson,- Samuel Morrow Scott, James Hudson, M.8., James Francis Childs, and John Schaw Rutherfurd. "On March 4th a new Church, dedicated to St. Thomas, was opened at ' Runanga ;_and on April 21st another aY Stanley Brook; whilst on June 21st-a-third was opened at Karamea, the Church of the Holy Spirit. "The subjects I have brought before you, as having been treated or at the Lambetih Conference, are of the utmost importance, and I think of the deepest interest. They were ■ there so handled, and so summarised in the official report, as to give us, I think, the greatest encouragement and hope. "Criticism after the ; keenest enquiry of which it is capable confirms the trustworthiness of the New Tes--1 tament. We have a gospel to believe and also to proclaim, as an absolute remedy in its various applications for all forms and degrees of evil. "Wo are called on to apply it to ourselves and to others as occasion requires, and our circumstances permit, with the full conviction . and persuasion that God will work with us, and by us, and in us if we are timing at the accomplishment of His will, the will of One who knows and loves. May His Spirit continually guide and control our counsels and our efforts."

: ; The Rev. J. P. Kempthorrie moved, and Mr Wilson Heaps seconded, a vote of thanks vto i the for

his most excellent address, accompanied with a request that his • Lordship would allow the same to bo printed in the report of the Synod's proceedings. The motion was carried with acclamationo. ... • . The Rev. J. R. Dart was elected as Clerical Secretary^ and Mr A. T. Maginnity as Chairman of Committees. . '■■".".' . ." ' : ; ' : Messrs Seymour, Philpotts, and Poppin obtained leave of absence. - The hours of sitting were fixed as follows:— From 3 till 5.30 p.m., and from 7.30 till 10 p.m. Archdeacons York and Grace laid ■• on the table copies of the Bible and Book of Com'mpn' Prayer, printed in j both JBnglish and' Maori. , . - Rev. O. R. Hewlettj having obtained permission, read the report on the Maori Missions. The Rev. J. P. Kempthorne, haying obtained leave, introduced a bill to amend the Pension Fund Act. The same was read for the first time, an_d the second reading was fixed for this afternoon. The : Synod resumed at 7.30 p.m. , ,and went into committee on the Standing Committee's report, -Mr A. T. Maginnity in tlie chair. On the. motion of the Rev. J. P. Kempthorne, the following select .committee was appointed to. revise the present boundaries of parishes and parochial districts, and to- report to the . Synod, namely, Archdeacons Grace and York, Revs. J. R. Dart, W. S. Lucas, Messrs de Castro, H. I. Jones, and the mover. ; A select committee was. also set up to determine on what principle the assessment should be levied namely, Revs. Kempthorne, Quintrell, Meyer, Smith, Messrs Heaps, Thorne, and Strachan, the committee to report to the Synod. The Standing Committee's report showed that during the past year new. churches, have been opened at Runahga, *at Karamea, at Stanley Brook, /at Rai; Va^ey, : and a new chancel and organ chamber (built of brick) have been added to the Churcfi at Blenheim, as a memorial to the late Archdeacon Butt. The income of the General Church Fund for the past year amounted to £255 11s 10d, and the expenditure to £248 2s. The sum of £116 14s was received for the Maori Mission fund, and £108 12s 6d was expended. The thank offering that was sent to London amounted to £116 11s. The amounts owing to the loan fund on March 31st last totalled £574 19s sd. The Committee recommends grants to different . districts amounting to £176. The Synod adjourned until 3 p.m. to-day. The annual missionary breakfast will be held at All Saints' Schoolroom . at nine o'clock this morning.