DIOCESAN SYNOD.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 716, 8 September 1870, Page 2

DIOCESAN SYNOD.

• "♦- The annual session of the Diocesan Synod was opened yesterday. Morning service was celebrated at tit. Michael's, and the evening service at St. John's. The clergy present in the morning were:--The Right Key the Primate, the Venerable Archdeacon Harper, the Very Key the Dean of Chrißtchurch,the Rtv Canons Wilson and Dudley, the Revs L. Moore, W. W. Willock, J. W. Stack, G. Bowen, W. C. Harris, W. E. Paige, and W. Foulger. Prayers were read by the Very Rev the Dean, the Ist lesson, Exodus XVIII, verses 13 to last, by the Rev Canon Dudley ; the second lesson, Acts XV, by the Venerable Archdeacon Harjer, and subsequently the Holy Communion was administered by the Kight Key the Primate. The evening service was a full choral one, and there was a very large congregation. In addition to the clergy already named there were present the Key. Can.m Cotterill, the Revs. W. H. Cooper and E. A. Lingard. Seats had been reserved at the head of the church for the members of the Synod, and there was a very full choir. The Jay members of the Synod were numerously represented. The prayers were intoned by the Rev. E. A. I ingard, and the lessons for the day were respectively read by the Key. Canon Dudley, and the Yen. Archdeacon Harper. All the choral portion of the service, including the hymns, was sung, Mr K. Parker presiding at the organ. The sermon was preached by the Very Rev, the Dean, who took for his text Corinthians 1., chap. X IV., verse 33. In the course of his remarks he dwelt upon the stress laid in Scripture on the observance of law. Law was in fact the expression of the Divino Will. Departure from order was indefensible, ix ept in casts of h! solute necessity. The Angiean Church ■

while upholding the liberty of individual conscience against the arrogant claims of a self styled infallibility, bad always maintained the doctrine of submission to a recognised and lawful authority. In this she differs from o"her Protestant churches. Much had been said and written lately on the desirableness of union amongst the various different Christian communions. This was indeed an olgect exceedingly to be desired, but yet care must be taken to guard aga nst misapprehension. Union was most .desirable, but it must not be compassed at the sacrifice of truth. It was necessary, to speak plainly on this point, for there appeared to be Borne misapprehension respecting it, both on the part of churchmen and those who differed from them. An appeal had been publicly made to the Synod, by a member of that body, to recognise the validity of the orders of dissenting ministers. Such a course could not be pursued in the face of the XXIII. Article of our church, and of the. preface to the ordinal. There' were many religious and charitable ways and objects in which the clergy and laity of the Church of England might cooperate with members of other Christian Churches, but care must be taken that the principles of the Church be not comprom'sed. At the same time we should do all in our power to bring about the day when without surrender of principles we might hope to Bee united in one brotherhood all who served one common master, Christ. The address was a most eloquent and impressive one, commanding earnest attention from all. Collections were made after each service in aid of the expenses of the Synod. In the morning £2 19s was received, and in the evening £8 7s 4d— total, £11 6s 4d. The Synod assembled in the new Freemasons' Hall, Manchester street, at I p.m. The Right Rev the Primate of New Zealand presided, and there were also present: — Clergy — The Very Rev tho Dean of Christchurch, the Venerable Archdeacon Harper.the Hey Canons J. Wilson, G. Cotterill, and B. W. Dudley, the Revs W. W. Willock, E. A. Lingard, L. Moo-e, J. W. Stack, C. Bowen, F. Knowles, G. J. Cholmondeley, W. C. Harris, W. E. Paige, F. Foulger. Laity— Dr Denrner, Mes3rs Webb, Stedinan, C. It. Blakiston, W. P. Cowlishaw, W. Kennaway, J. H. Twentyman, A. F. N. Blakiston, H. H. Hennah, C. Davie, P. Hanmer, G. Gordon, W. Graham, Ainger, R. J. S. Harman, L. Harper, and R. H. Rhodes. The Right Key the Primate read over the names of members, and then formally declared the Synod open for the transaction of bu6iness. Prayers being said, the Right Rev. the Primate read the following address :'— ' ' My Reverend Brethren, and Brethren of the Laity— It will be seen from the report of ihe standing committee that the diocese, since we last met, has been called upon, through its standing committee, to give its sanction to the nomination of the Venerable Archdeacon Hadfield to the see of Wellington, vacant by the resignation of Bishop Abraham. This is the first instance in which the power in this behalf entrusted to the standing committee by the 23rd clause of the Church Constitution has been brought into exercise, and I draw attention t > it as illustrative of the sound and healthy principles on which our Church Constitution is founded. A certain amount of independence is secured by the Constitution to the several dioceses into which the Church is divided, inasmuch as the nomination of the Bishop of each diocese must proceed from the Synod of the diocese ; but the nomination cannot take effect until the Church of the colony has sanctioned it, either by its General Synod, or, when the General Synod is not in session, by a majority of the standing committees of the several dioceses — that is to say, the appointment of a Bishop is not in the view of the Church a matter in which the particular diocese to which he is appointed is alone concerned ; but it is one in which the whole Church is interested ; and this interest is nought to be maintained, as well as the unity of the body, by assigning to its several parts, some portion of the responsibility of the appointment. Provision is thus made for the fulfilment of the apostles' injunction, which, regarding the Church aB one body, directs its several members "to have the same care one for another." The consecration of the Bishop will take pli-.CJ at Wellington, on the second Sunday of October, and I would avail myself of this opportunity of requesting the clergy to commend the Bishop elect to the prayers of their congregations on the occasion of his consecration." There is a prayer in the consecration service almost the same as that in use during the Ember weeks, which is admirably adapted for this purpose. The parochial returns laid upon the table will furnish in detail many interesting particulars respecting the state and progress.of our Diocesan Church ; and your attention will be directed, by the report of the standing committee, to the financial portion of the same, which must not be overlooked by us, though only subsidiary to the great purposes for which this Synod is gathered together. I trust we shall never forget that our chief business here is to maintain aqd set . forward true religion and godliness, and -that we are fulfilling our highest functions when we are taking counsel together on matters which bear directly 'on the spiritual interests of the diocese. < • These parochial returns have been prepared in accordance with the tabular forms drawn up last year under the direction of the Synol. lam not certain whether we can depend altogether on those which relate, to the average attendance of persons at the Holy Communion, and the number of different persons comprising the average. There has been, I believe, some misunderstanding of the leg lirements of the Synod on this latter point, and in two or three instances no returns have been made ; but so far as lean gather fmm those sent in, as c mpared with 1 those of the y«ar 1868-69, there has been an

increase in the number of regular communicants. There nre no returns of our diocesan statistics of greater importance than this. Other returns, such as those relating to the number of our Churches, baptisms, marriages, and the attendance at the ordinary public services, are of use and value as indicating the general acceptance of the ministrations of our Church ; but we must look to the number of communicants if we Would estimate rightly ■ the. spiritual- condition of - : our . -Church. Chmches may be multiplied, and attract numerous attendants by their devout services, or by the energetic preaching. of _God.'a. word (and it is a matter of thankfulness when such is -the case.)- But we- must aim at something more than this — the building up of men and women in oar most holy faith ; the bringing them into the closest relations with things spiritual, that they may grow up together in Christ in all those good works to which we are called as members of -his Church. And though when many come to the Holy Communion we cannot venture to say of them in all cases, jnot indeed in any case (for who of us can read the hearts of others), that they are living in real communion with the great source of all strength and godliness ; yet we may entertain a good hope that they have some reverential regard for the will "of Christ, and recognise the necessity of selling through Him the will and power to do it; and this hope will be the stronger when His sacrament is attended with frequency and regularity. Regarding then, aB we surely may; the attendance at the Holy Communion as a trustworthy indication of the spiritual state of the diocese, as it unquestionably is a means of spiritual strength and growth, whenever it is an act of faith, it seems to be our duty to increase, so fir as it may be possible, the opportunities for such attendance ; and hence it has been suggested that we should have recourse to evening Communions. Now, there cannot be a doubt that many religiously disposed persons are prevented by circumstances and household duties, which cannot easily be set aside, from attending the morn'ng celebrations, and that.our New Zealand Church it justified in using her Christian liberty in the adaptation of her services to the needs of her people ; but not only should we be cautious in departing from long established usages and customs, especially such as are common to all branches of the Church Catholic, and which . have been handed down to us from the earliest days, but, being as we are, a part only of the New Zealand Church, we are bound to act in strict union and fellowship with the other dioceses in all matters of general importance, and such; I conceive, would be the introduction of any great changes either as regards the times or the mode of the administration of the Holy Communion. The ■same principle applies wUh still greater force to the several cures into which a diocese is divided. I mean that no clergyman, even with the consent of a majority of his congregation, is justified in deviating from the prescribed modes of public worship, (and those which relate to the order of the administration of the Holy Communion — our highest' act of Divine Worship— are unquestionably of chief importance), as though, apart from the Church, he had a discretionary power in such matters. I use the word Church advisedly, because in this colony the Church through . her Synods, General and Diocesan, is able, to come together "to consider of such matters," and to take action upon them just as of old, when questions arose in the time of the Apostles, which were introducing divisions in the Christian Brotherhood ; and with the Church the decision of such questions should rest, and not on the opinion or voice of individuals, however high their office or extensive their influence. In saying this, I wish to be understood not as now expressing any opinion on the desireablenesa or otherwise of evening Communion, or of such changes as may have been made, or which are proposed to be made, in the conduct of our ordinary Church services. I am merely laying down a principle on which, I think, all departures from the rulea and received customs of our Church, should be effected, and which should not be lost eight of in our Diocesan Synods, and still less in our parochial cures. No one can be more alive than I am to the need of greater elasticity in our Church services, and to the expedieocy of adapting them to the proved wants and circumstances of our people. And I cm see that changes m'ght be made to edifying by dividing our services, or abbreviating at times some portions of them, and that this is almost a necessity where clergymen are few in number and seek, for their peoples' sake, to multiply the services ; and I hold to the wise rule laid down in the preface of our Prayer. Book, that while the Church should not be too easy in admitting variations in her services, she should not on the other hand be too stiff in refusing those which are found to be expedient. And further, that the expediency of any variations can only be satisfactorily ascertained by experience — that is by putting into practice under certain restrictions, such variations in our services as seem to be most obviously required to meet .our acknowledged wants. And this is not inconsistent with the principle that the u'timate decision respecting these variations must rest with the Church itself. They may. be too important ■to be established permanently in a diocese even, on the authority of its Synod, ibough such bodies .are quite competent to consider them and to report to the General Synod ~ the conclusions to which they may have arrived ; and in the meantime some temporary sanction might be given tv those changes which appear to be expedient and which may ba reasonably put upon trial, by their receiving the concurrence of the Bishop. I think that thus much of authority belongs to an office which is held for the general good, and which is intended to link together in one all the cures of the diocese, i hat it wiull obviate many inconveniences

likely to arise from too great diversity in the services, and from the indulgence of individual views and interests, and further that it would enable us to collect information as regards the use and value of certain changes in our services. I should like to be able to lay before the Synod an annual report, not only of the working of the ordinary Berrices of our Church, but in each particular case, of any deviations from them, to what extent such deviations may have been carried out and concurred in by myself, and how far they have answered the ends for which they, have been made;- and I fliouhLwißh.to have the authority of the Synod in instituting enquiries for this purpose. ■ - ■'■'■ The principle to which I have referred holds good not only in matters among ourselves, but also as regards Our relations with other religious bodies from which, unhappily, we are now separated. We have resolutions standing on our, books which clearly express the mind of our diocese in reference to unity' in the Christian Church, and there is a resolution of the General Synod in which the restoration of such unity is recognised as a principal object to which the efforts of the General Synod should be directed; and un« i questionably our first attempts should bo to heal those divisions which stand in the way of growth of true religion in this colony, and which, in our ministrations for this purpose, keep us apart from those with whom we are associated as fellow citizens. Any suggestions for this great end would doubtless receive the attentive consideration of the General Synod, and must be referred to that body for : the union .which is alone desirable, and which would alone bo effectual for good, must have the concurrence of that body, and must be such also as will not weaken our union and communion with other branches of the Christian church with which we are now connected. There may be difficulties in settling the terms of union and of joint working in one body, on which the continuance of union will so much depend, but such . difficulties, I tb/nk. may be overcome if the ■ desire to overcome them be on all sides cordially' entertained, and if we seek to be united from a real conviction that we are called to unity; by our holy religion,, and that union among Christians is essential to the highest interests of mankind, I shall be glad, therefore, of a renewed expression of such desire on the part of this Synod in a form which may be brought before the General Synod at its meeting next year, and slillmoresorir some practicable" terms of union can be recommended for their consideration. , , I understand that it is proposed to bring ■ before us the regulations of the Sunday School Institute, with the view of obtaining : the sanction of the Synod to the establish-, ing of it, as a part of our diocesan machinery. Some notice of the institute has already appearei in the public journals, and I would wish to express my cordial approval of the objects which it seeks to promote, and not less of the intention to establish it, if posai- , ble, on a diocesan basis. This, indeed, should be our endeavour with respect to all plans which concern the religi jus welfare of pur people generally. I mean that they shoull ' be made to bear a diocesan character, and bo ' avoid the risk of giving rise to the injurioui consequences which are sometimes connected with sectional efforts for religious purposes;. We know from experience the working of some religious societies in the Mother Church which have not distinctly received the recognition of the Church itself — societies set on foot for the holiest purposes, and with the best intentions — how, in some instances, they have assumed a party character, and so incidentally have been the occasions of division to the detriment of the cause for which they were established. They had their origin in the zeal of individuil m-mbersof the Church,, and such zeal must be ever welcome as a token of spiritual life ; and it was not the fault of their originators, but rather owing to the position of the Church, which, as a church, could not act in these matters, — that' they have been established and worked without her direct sanction. , With us it is different. It is the business of this Synod in all matters relating to the religious welfare of our people, to adopt in behalf of the Diocesan Church whatever measure, after due consideration, is found likely to promote their welfare. The importance of systematic Sundayschool teaching, and the association for this purpose of well-instructed teachers, cannot be • overrated. The Church is especially charged with the religious training of the young, and her well being is necessarily closely connectedwith it ; and it is evident that such training, excepting in the case of schools in our larger towns, cannot be adequately maintained in. the day schools. Our endeavours must be to supply this by our Sunday schools, and we may do this most effectually by the aid of those who have learnt from personal experience the value of Christian truth, and who' are willing to impart the knowledge of it to the young. I shall be glad, therefore, if the Synod can give its sanction to the Sunday. School Institute. - Let it take its place among our" Diocesan institutions. The number of; schools and teachers may be ascertained from, the Parochial returns, which now furnish us, much more fully thau heretofore, with information on these and other interesting: matters. The Orphan Asylum, I regret to say, has coased to exist as an institution of our Church. The circumstances which have ledj to this are explained in the report of the Standing Committee. I will only add that there has been no unwillingness on the part! of the Church, to whom the site of the Asylum belongs, to make arrangements with the Government for its continuance, or to undertake, as heretofore, the responsibility of management ; and I must also express a hope, that ere long we may be able to re-establish" the institution, or to appropriate the buildings to sorre other charitable object in connection with our Church. There certainly can be no question but f.that orphan cl ildren |have

special claims upon tin," and that the Church is- fulfilling one of her most- important functions in taking' them under' her care'; but. this she can only do through the liberal offerings of her members. The Maori school buildings at Kaiapoi. which have been destroyed by fire, will, I trust, be rebuilt by the aid of the General Government, which has funds applicable to such purposes if the buildings can be erected On land vested in the Crown. To facilitate this, I have proposed to surrender four out of the twenty acres now held by me in trust for the benefit of the Maoriu, reserving the remainder for Church purposes for their benefit also. I am able to report an addition to the number of lay readers since the last meeting of Synod. The Church has good cause to. thank them for their gratuitous services, involving, in some instances, laborious journeys to places far removed from their residences. I nave laid upon the table a list of those who are licensed by me for these services. - Two clergyman haveleft this diocese, but are still occupied in the service of the New Zealand Church— one in the Melanesian Mission, in which we are so deeply interested, and the other in the adjoining diocese of Dunedin ; and four clergymen have -joined us during the present year. Two of them- have been placed in charge of settled cure?, one is licensed as an assistant curate, and the fourth has undertaken the duties of a Missionary clergyman for those parts of the diocese not yet organised as cures. The importance of keeping up a due supply of ministers is very obvious, and that not only for services in the districts which cannot yet be dealt with as separate cures, but to fill up the vacancies which will occur from time to time in the settled cures ; and the Home Mission Fund, to which by the vote of Synod aid from the Church Property. Trust endowments was so liberally given, has been of the utmost assistance in this respect. It has enabled me in two instances to offer to clergymen definite duty with some certain remuneration, to commence immediately on their arrival in the diocese, and the result has been the filling up of a cure which happened to be vacant, and the carrying out the Mission- work as proposed by the Synod. It is a fund, therefore, in which;, all parts of the diocese, whether formed or not. into separate -cures, have a most obvious interest, and as such is entitled to general sur port. We should be failing indeed altogether in our duty as a Church did we not do our best to minister to our people in the outlyir g parts of the diocese, apart from any benefit which we ourselves might derive from the services of the clergymen employed in such ministrations, but, as I have pointed out, there is no cure which may not be din ctly indebted to the Mission Fund for the supply of its spiritual wants. It will be seen by the report of the Standing Committee that the parochial engagements for the support of the clergy have, for the most part, been faithfully maintained ; but it may be a question whether our present arrangements for securing their support are as yet placed on a proper basis. lam not cow referring to the amount which they receive, which in some instances is plainly inadequate, but rather to the want of some Tegular system which would ensure from all who are placed under their charge, or who use their services, some contribution however email towards their support. It is not easy to gather from the parochial returns how the several guarantees have been maintained, whether by the contributions of the parishioners generally, or by the contributions of a few only in comparison with the many who ought to contribute. In one instance, however, it is obvious that a parish with a population of 1000 souls, of whom 66 are communicants, and in which there is a church with 150 sittings free and unappropriated, and one service at least on every Sunday regularly conducted by: a resident minister, numbers only 28 persons as contributors to the local Ministry Fund, and their contributions moreover were not; supplemented by offertories in the church for this particular fund. .The whole, support, therefore, of the Minister in tbis parish of 1000 souls, and 65 communicants, apart from the church endowment?, devolved upon 28 persons, and there can be no doubt of their liberal contributions for this purpose. It is right that I should add that the returns from this parish refer only to the year ending Easter last, and it will be seen from the report of the Church officers, that they have appealed to the parishioners fora more .general support of the Local Ministry Fund, and. have set apart aleo a monthly offertory for it.' Now I cannot but think that these returns may be turned to a. good account, if, recognising the fact' which they disclose, and which, I am satisfied, is not peculiar to one parish, we address ourselves seriously to provide some suitable remedy for it. The fact in this case thus prominently brought to light, is, that comparatively few only of those avowedly belonging -to our communion, and who use the services of our Church and the ministrations of their clergymen, contribute to his maintenance; and I have no hesitation in saying that I think it of more importance that every member of our Church should contribute something than that the sum raised thereby should be of a large amount. I believe that where the duty of contributing is fully recognised, and some self-denial exercised for the fulfilment of it, an interest in things spiritual is deeprned thereby, and I hold that the Church, if only for the religious advancement of her members, apart from any consideration of an increase in her pecuniary resources, should place this duty in some distinct form before them. This may be done in part by preaching on the subject (and let no clergyman shrink frcm this duty because he may seem to be speaking in behalf of himself). It is done by frequent offertories, and the mode by which, in accordance with the directions of our Church the offertories are collected, is without doubt a direct personal appeal to each individual wcrshif per. But something more is wanted,

and that seems to me to be, the requiring from each member of our Church, or at least from each communicant, some small annual payment in token of their membership, not unlike the half shekel paid by every male among the Jews of twenty years a_nd upwards, for the maintenance of the temple worship, and service. It might be expedient in the first instance, to' limit this payment to communicants in cures where the parochial organization is complete, and vrh.ere the collection of it may be arranged with comparatively little difficulty. I can conceive no objection on the ground of the payment itself, if the duty and object of it is prope ly explained. And I would again Bay, that 1 suggest this payment, not so much for the improvement of the financial condition of the Church, though such would probably be one of its results, bit for that which is of still higher importance, to enable our people to realize more fully that all that they hare is the gift of God, and that He is to be honoured with their substance, and with the first fruits of their increase, no Jess than with the worship of their souls and bodies. I take this opportunity of stating that it is proposed to publish a monthly paper forjthe purpose of making more generally known matters of interest relating to our Church, and her efforts here and elsewhere for the promotion of true religion ; and of affording also to members of our Communion an opportunity for the free interchange of thought, and for suggestions on questions which very deeply concern, us, but which cannot with propriety be discussed unreservedly in the public journals. Jt is the wish also of the promoters of this publication to collect information and correspondence on such matters from the other dioceses of this colony, with which, though integral portions of. the same ecclesiastical body, we have at present but little communication. I would remind you, in conclusion, that this Synod, which was elected for a period of two years, will terminate at Easter next, when a fresh election. will take place ; and I cannot but express my thankfulness at the yearly increasing interest in the proceedings of our Synods so plainly manifested by the representatives of. the laity as well as by the clergy. It may be seen from the report of last year how large a majority of both orders unintermittingly attended the several meetings which occupied the seven days of the session, and our minutes bear record to the fact that the lay members took their full share in all questions brought before the Synod. I aay that this is a matter for thankfulness, though it is nothing more than might have been expected when right-minded rr.en undertook the office of Synodsmen. For not only does it indicate a due sense of the responsibilities of their office, but ik may be accepted, I trust, as a sign from God, that Heis bringing us year by year to a clearer and fuller realization of an important truth, too much forgotten in the past days of the Church, viz., that her lay members have with the clergy an equal stake in her welfare, should be fellow labourers with them in whatever may promote it, and that it is to the united action and hearty cooperation of both that God's assurances of aid and blessing are, for Christ's sake, so graciously vouchsafed. The Very Rev. the Dean said it had been his privilege for many years to move a vote of thanks to his Lordship for his address, and he had now much pleasure in repeating it, coupled with a request that his Lordship would allow the address to be printed. The Rev. Canon Wilson seconded the resolution, remarking that whilst the successive addresses of his Lordship showed that there was a large amount of work to be done, still they bore evidence that the church was not neglecting its duty, but progressing soundly and we'l. Mr Kennaway said the seconding of thi9 motion would be well conceded to a layman, as enabling that portion of the Synod to mark their appreciation of his Lordship's addresses. He al>o considered that it would be better if, as in other legislative bodies, the address was read, and then a reply formally moved to it on a subsequent evening. It would enable members to study the address, and give their opinions on church matters generally, an opportunity not afforded by this or that motion brought hefore the Synod in the ordinary course. He joined heartily in supporting the resolution now before the Synod, but thought that on another occasion a change might be advantageously made. The Rev. Canojt Wilson said he heartily concurred in the remarks of Mr Kennaway. The motion was then put and agreed to. On the motion of the Rev Canon Cottebill, the Rev. £. A. Lingard was re-appointed clerical secretary. On the motion of Mr Hanmeh, Mr A. F.N. Blakiston was re-appointed lay secretary. The Very Rev the Dean moved—" That Mr C. R. Blakiston be appointed Chairman of Committee." lie said the Synod had hitherto done him the honour of electing him i to that office, but having important business i to bring forward during this session, which it would be necessary for him to speak upon ( in committee, he would prefer Mr Blakiston being appointed. i The Rev. C. Bowen seconded the motion, , which was carried. The following papers were laid upon the table: — Report of the Standing Committee of ; the Diocese; Parochial Returns and Sumi mary of Returns; Table of Attendance of the Standing Committee; Statement of Accounts of the Diocesan Fund; Special Report of the State and Prospects of the Clergy i Pension Fund; Report of the Committee of i the Christian Knowledge Society; Report of ■ the Maori Mission. i The reports of the Standing Committee i and the Maori Mission were read. On the motion of the Rev Canon Cot- • TERiLi,, it was resolved that the Synod should i assemble eveiy day, except Saturdays and : Sundays, at 4 p.m. i Notices of motion were given, and the , Synod then adjourned till 4 p.m. this day.