DIOCESAN SYNOD.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIIC, Issue 13730, 21 October 1908, Page 5

DIOCESAN SYNOD.

PLEA TOR LIBERTY. Per Press Association. - C'H RISTCHURCH, October 20. • Christchurch Diocesan Synod opened (Jii:; afternoon there being a large attendance of clergy and laity preseut. Bishop Julius in his synodical address referred to the diocesan changes, th« Lambeth conference and the supply of clergy. He dealt, with the question of the relation between the church in New Zealand and the church at. Home, and went on to my—" Now of all the provincial churches of the Anglican communion outside the. British Isles, we aw the only 0110 tied and bound hand and foot. If 1 In- lab'o of aftinity is an integral part 01 the book of common prayer. we cannot sanction any departure from it. ewiv if we Ik- so minded. ftV can make nu change of rule in regard to the, liturgical u.v? of the atiinnasiau creed. Wo cannot, authorise the use of the revised version of holy [scripture, and if the book of common prayer he revised by a competent authority witliois'a the .sanction of tht< English Parliament, we cannot adopt- it. Tli«« bishops in conference assembled regard a provil7Vi.il ehurcli as five to deal with such lftatrtrs. We have 11.. such freedom. We are ail agreed tliat- no change imb-| b- made without. grave deliberation. Wo are ready to adopt every reasonable precaution against' niHii and ill-considered changes, hut the. fundamenla! clause; of the constii-utioit under which we groan are noj precautionary, but prohibitive. We are far distant, from tlm Old Country, and the ciicurastaiicvs under which we live aiwidely dilTofJiit, from those wliieli obtain there. Titei.t is and urgent s> e l for greater variety and ilexibility in our services. At> .t province : .t is within our lights to provide a freer u.-e of the psalter and of the Letioiciry, and to remmv thi- most obvious stumbling blocks in the way of our people. but a« th* church of the province of New Zealand, we can do none of these things; i'i.of i.iie Ath.iiKiMan ere-d. We cannot oihso!\-/-s which the Lainb-'ii conference has delib -rately thrust upon us. Of course the ciiurrh -if fifty years ago fan only bind us to-day in resjiect- of piop•ny. An application tho Parliament <•! tin- dominion made by our general --•yia.d uit h th- coia-- n: and ,u.Mu> ii «-f )ii- di:>e>-,an syiiodi. wdi set. lis freo pi once. We have t,dkd about ii for lie ia>'. twenty Veal's, why should we wa*'e !urth< 1* time? [ sincerely hope lhat- at thi- or your next se-,:)oii. vow w-il pet.iflion the -j.- neral syno<i to take siuh step* 10:.v be nee-.-s.-iry in -.lie am< ndment of :ihr -nt.d provi.-('t.-.nx of the, const it it' ion of the < htireh of ;hi« province. N"o constitution j'ratu. d by human inu'elitoiv i' in !>,- i av minltefriiu - a iivilli' chili's