ARCHDEACONRY OF TIMARU.

Timaru Herald, Volume CVII, Issue 16620, 27 August 1918, Page 5

ARCHDEACONRY OF TIMARU.

ANNUAL CONFERENCE. The annual conference of ilie parishes jf the Tnnaru Archdeaconry of the Anglican diocese of Chris fcchurch was begun last ; evening in St. Clary's schoolroom, Bishop Julius presiding in the absence of the Veil. Archdeacon Jacob, 011 activo service. The and lay delegates from all tho different parishes were present. Proceedings began with evensong at St. Mary's, tho visiting delegates being entertained afterwards at the Bay tearooms. Iho Bishop, in his opening remarks, explained his sense of the value of tne conference as breaking down the ten-, dency to centralisation and as 'educating tho laity and clergy in church matters prior to Synod. It was perhaps also a valuable preparation for tlio time in the long future when Tiraaru would bo the centre of a tew diocese. That was a long way ahead, and in the meantime they could get many of the advantages of a diocesan synod with, nono of its defects and difficulties. After referring to tho loss sustained by tho church in the death of Mr R. H. Rhodes, the Bishop went on to talk of matters connected with the dioceso. Ho referred to the approaching election of Synodmcn, and asked tho conference to take back to their parishes a message from him "urging the dectors to exercise tho greatest care in selecting Synodsnicu Ho asked them to choose the best brained and tho most fpiritur.l-minded men for that, work which was really of immense importance to the welfare and peace of tho church. In referring to Synod matters, the Bishop said that ho* was going to ask Synod to appoint a Board of Education to deal directly with tli* Church's education schemes." instead of tho matter being, as now, laid on tho shoulders of the Standing Committee. The tradition that every work for God in tho diocese should proceed through tho Standing Committee tended to over-centralisation, and he hoped to seo more decentralised and independent work in tho diocese instead of church people locking to the Standing Committee for a lead.

THE LATE MR RHODES. The Rev. E. Jv. Mules moved thai ihe Conference express its deep appreciation of the work of the late Robert Heaton Rhodes in his public and nrivate capacity, and request the Bishop to convey tho expression of their sympathy to Mrs and Ihss Rhodes. Tn moving tho resolution, Mr MuTes said that the. public work of Mr Rhodes was wall known, and liis private acts of goodness were, as great. Mr Rhodes had joined 'he Yestrv of St. Andrews rarish in 1881, f<nd had continued on it t-o his death as the right-hand man oi' tho vicar. His work was not mer.-v 'y for ills parish, nor even for South Canterbury, but was felt through tlic ivhole diocese.—Tho Rev. J. H. Rogers seconded the motion, mentioning the generosity of Mr Rhodes in the matter of tho Church nc +vnio n l -

•-d the resolution was carried, members standing. EXTEXSIOX OF THE DIACOXATE. Iho Rev. -J. Jl. Rogers brought fco.tore the conference connected wtli the administration of tho iJoly Communion which v.ere present belorc the war and accentuated 1 by the acute shortage of clergy owing to tlie war —principally connected with the members who had* to be served bv single-handed clergy, especially at the great festival seasons. It was rapidly approaching r<u impossible stupe in tho more doiKo'«y populated parches. Owing to the shortage of dersiv. 110 relief could be expected from that source, and lie thdught that perhaps some relief misfit be found in an extension of the system of the diaeonate io en;d>Je suitable men qualified as lay readers to be authorised by ordinaiion to administer the ehalir?, surJi ordination not necessarily to debar these officers from continuing their secular avocations. lie therefore moved that the Bishop be asked to consider what steps if any can be taken to relievo the incoiivenic'rico of lengthened administrations: of the ITolv Communion cause.] by the shortage of clergy during tho war.

Cation S. Hamilton seconded the motion, which was adopted.

Tho Bishop stated that, he had a proposal to put before the bishops of the province at a meeting which was shortly to l.e he'd, •••bich ben.nl ••'We the position. Tie. in common with oi.her bisbons, M-jis in desperate straits for I'.ei-'V. :.»wl -"n anv c:>=p lie

t increase the number of the duties of lay readers so as to make the best use of the services of the clertrv remaining. who in many rases wnuld have to spend much oT >.iic:r time in travelling from centre to centre to administer the Sacrament.

WAR MEMORIALS. On the motion of 31r G. A. M. Maeaonald it .was ruso.ved to ::sk -ho Standing Committee to considw the whole quesc'ou 01 war niuuiorials au # J if ncccssaiy to it before ilie Synod for diocesan action. Mr iiaodonaid so:d chat his motion was in the of providing giiidanra xo those who wished to put memorials 111 the churches not of blocking them. But there wore many *.vha woul'l feel with him that great. care should be ■shown in clioos:ng the. memori.ilSj and the church should insert that whatever memorials were erc-ted should l>o worthy both of ilie church and of the soldiers remembered and ill the hist taste. It might i>c possible to Slave proposed memorials reported upon candidly by competent crities. In die discussion following, the' opinion was expressed tlia.t individual inemorin.'s should not be encouraged becjuse of the possble injustice to the poorer I'eop e, but that ratl:er a joint roemor10■ should be erected after tlio war in such a form as perhaps a church-yard or even a public cross triUi the name engraved thereon. The Bishop stated that a diocesan memorial was bein~ discussed, and might have the. form of 2 v-ynod hall in which the names of all churchmen fallen in tho war would be enccraved on tho wails. This need not prevent parish' memorials. ST. SAVIOUR'S ORPHANAGE.

Canon Hamilton moved that the conerence adopt the princple that the money required f or t]j e maintenance • j , ' o " r ' 3 Orphanage should be raised by ibe several parishes ' and parochial districts of the diocese, proportionately to their income or means. He stated that the minimum cost of mantaining the two orphanages the coming year was' estimated at about £4OOO. Maintenance fees, Government grants and fvnds from certain ether sources would provide £IOOO, and ibey estimated that £440 v.ould • r^ % a lady collector engaged m Christchurdi. This left £2560 to be raised by other means. The presc-nt method of depending on offertories :n the churches was too uncertain nnd fluctuating to be relied upon and d'd not produce a proportionate snpmwt from the diocese. Tt was therefore proposed that t*hc different pxrishes should assess themselves for an amount proportionate to therr income, tie figure suggested being approximately ten per cent, assessment on income, lhat would produce nlant £1960, leaving stil! a balance of £6OO to be raised in otSier ways. Hip scheme involved contributions by South Canterbury par'she? a>; follows: —F.iirlie £3O. (-era!dinc 63. muka £45. To Ngawui £ls, Tsmaru £TSS, Waihao Downs £2O, Y.'aimate £oo. The Cathedral was for £l2O, and Asliburiou for £©o, and the Cipher parishes in similar manner. Mr Simpson seconded the motion which after dism&ion was carried. '

BED CROSS OFFERTORY. The Bishop, bdforo closing the session with the Benediction, announced flisit he had authorved tho tailing ot a retiring collection on the first Sunday of October in all Lis churches, on behalf of the Red Cross Society, as this tsochiy was doiEjr the work of the Order, of Si. John or Jerusalem. He behoved that the same procedure was being adopted blotter religious bodies and lie felt -that the -cJ'areh should cire the hospital -work of the P«cd Societv all the help it oonW. Tlio meetfng resumes ibis • morning at 10 oVo-k. The subjotfs for d'secs•='on include a motion by Mr G. H. Bridges advocating a ten. rear max'nnm tenure r>f cures bv olnrgy. and r> recr>mni9nd:ition by the R«>r. IT. 0 TTnjV->r tlioii {lip nriicinJo of f"!lVol'inrr in clCTfiV be approved by the eonfr-rence.