DIOCESAN SYNOD.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 4164, 25 August 1881, Page 4

DIOCESAN SYNOD.

WEDNBBDAY, AUGUST 24. The Primate took his Beat at 4 p.m. APOrOGIBS.

The President stated that he had received letters apologising for non-attendance from the Revs 0. Coates and G. P. Mutu.

PAPEBS,

The President laid on the table a number of dooumonts, including, tho Teport of the Diocesan Inspector of Sunday Schools, the petitions to the Legislature re the Education Act, and replies of the clergy to enquiries as to state of Parishes. The report of the Inspector of Bunday Sohools was read. INBUBANOB. The Very Rev the Dean moved—" That it is expedient, as soon as practicable, to save and utUiae for the benefit of tho Church, the large sums of money now expended annually in the insurance of Church buildings." He stated that at present £500 per year was expended in premiums, and this sum would no doubt soon be largely added to. It waa almoßt a truism to say that it was desirable to utiUse that sum for the benefit of the Church. The insurances were now made from tbe head church office, and there was no difficulty in obtaining such insurances, bo he thought the time was ripe for tbe change he proposed. Mr J. Grigg seconded the motion. In answer to the Rev H C. M. Watson, the Dean stated that the amount now paid for insurance would not he increased by the Church Property Trustees insuring, instead of the several parishes. The motion was then carried.

The Very Rev the Dean then moved— " That a Select Committee be appointed to consider and report to the Synod — First, whether any sound system can be devised under which the Church Property Trustees might undertake the risk ; and secondly, to what purpose the profitß should be applied." He spoke briefly in support of the motion, Btating that there was no reason why the Church Property Trust Fund should be used as the guarantee fund. He considered the system would be a profitable one, as the risks were small. He did not see how an insurance scheme for the whole Ohurch of New Zealand could be managed. Mr J. Grigg seconded the motion. He mentioned that when the subject was under discussion in the General Synod, two gentlemen offered to underwrite to the extent of £1000, so that he did not think the Church Property Trußt Fund would be trenched upon to make up for loss. Mr 0. R. Blakiston asked the Dean if he would add the words " with power to caU in the assistance of one or more actuaries."

The Very Rev the Dean consented to do so, and received leave as required by the Standing Orders. The motion, as added to, waß carried. The Very Rev the Dean moved, and Mr J. Grigg seconded — " That the Committee consist of the Revs F. Knowleß and G. J. Cholmondeley, Messrs F. de 0. Malet, W. Hargreaves, J. Grigg, H. H. Webb, and the mover."

Mr W. Devenish Meares thought that tho Dean was a little too sanguine in estimating the premium for the Diocese at £500 per annum. The premium for the Church of the whole Colony only amounted to£ll4o. He did not think that churches and schools were such very safe risks. He quoted statistics in support of his assertion, in the course of which he stated that during three years there had been 22 fires in the Colonies in connection with churches and schoola, 9 of whioh resulted in tho total destruction of the buildings. He thought the present system had better be left aa it was.

The Rev E. G. Penny moved a motion to the effect that the Dean be asked to add the name of Mr W. Devenish Meares to the Committee.

Mr F. de 0. Malet would second the Rev E. G. Penny's motion with great pleasure. Mr Meareß* information would be most valuable. , Mr Meares would prefer not to act. The motion waß then put and carried. The Very Rev the Dean moved without notice—" That the number of the Committee be enlarged to eight." The motion was carried.

On the motion of the Very Eev the Dean, the name of Mr Meares was added to the Committoe, and the nameß of the Committee, aa added to, approved. STANDING OBDBB3. Mr W. J. W. HamUton moved— "That the Btanding ordera as printed at pages 91 to 95, proceedings of sessions of the Dioceaan Synod (1880) be adopted as the standing orders of thia present Synod." He stated that at prosent the Synod had no standing orders. Mr J. isrigg seconded the motion. The Rev E. A. Lingard thought that there waß no necessity for tho motion. The standing orders were continuous, and bo were still in force. He would ask tho President's ruling on the point. After some further discussion, the Most Rev the Primate rulsd that the standing orders were still in force, and were therefore the Standing Orders of this Synod.

BEAT BBNT3. The Rev B. A. Mortimer moved—" That, in order to maintain the sacredneßS of the house of God and regain the affection and loyalty of our brethren of the working classes, it is necessary to regard all God's children as having an equal right in their Father's house by virtue of their creation and redemption, without reference to those social distinctions which may be very proper elsewhere ; and consequently to discontinue the practice of pew-renting and appropriation, in a christian and missionary spirit." He considered that the honour which was due to God required that His house should be free to aU. The duty required from them towards their neighbour speciaUy called on them to make that houso free. He quoted from the workß of George M'Donald in support of hia motion ; and also from a sermon by Canon Liddell on the words "Honour aU men." The preacher Btated Christ always took men for what they really were. He was not misled by considerations of social position or wealth. This injunction waß based on the fact that all men were created in the image of God. He would ask whether the house of God was not the place in which to put this injunction in force. If that were not the place, there was not a spot in the whole world where the command could be obeyed. He felt sure that the work of the Church would not prosper until there was in each parish a House of God free to all. He knew perfectly well that in his heart of hearts each member of the Synod was with him in this matter, but they were deterred by financial difficulties. They could not see further than the balance-sheet at Eaßter. They could do away with the present system if they would only determine to do so and trust in God. He thought that after a building had been buUt by faithful peoplo for the service of God, if a few peoplo came forward and aaid : " We muat have the greater part of this for ouraelveß," it aeemed to him almost like a transgression of the eighth commandment. He read Beveral objections he had drawn up against the pew syßtem, to show that they wero prejudicial to the best interests of tho Church.

Mr B. W. Mountfort seconded the motion. He said that he waß one of the early Canterbury colonists, and he could remember that one of the inducements held out to the early colonists was that of a free church. For several years after the foundation of the settlement they had done without seat rests, and he thought they could do so now. Mr J. Grigg thought that the wording of the resolution was offensive. He would move the previous question. Mr H. R. Webb seconded the motion for the previoua queation.

Mr Acland thought it was scarcely competent to move the previous question. It had never been done before, either in the General or Diocesan Synod.

Mr Grigg would withdraw his motion, and move— "That tho Synod proceed to the next order of the day."

Mr H. R. Webb seconded tho motion,

The Yen Archdeacon Harper protested against burking an important question in this manner.

After come further discussion, the motion to pass to the next order of tho day waa lost on the voices.

The Rev A. W. Hands thought that the best way for Mr Mortimer to attain his object, with which he heartily sympathised, was to educate the people till they adopted free seatß of their own accord. He did not see how the Synod could deal with tho question. Mr C. R. Blakiston was of opinion that the Synod was not competent to pass the resolution. They could not foroo it on the various parishes. The Yen Archdeacon Harper agreed with much of what Mr Mortimer had said. He

did not see, howeter, that it would be desirable to uproot the seat rent system at once. He proposed, as an amendment — "That n the opinion of thiß Bynod, the system of lotting and appropriation of seats in churches within the Dioceae ia objectionable, and recommend to the several Parishes and Parochial Districts the questioa whether some financial arrangements could not be adopted, resulting in tbe removal of the necessity of raising a revenue by means of Beat rente." The Rev J. Ohaffera-Wclsh seconded the amendment.

Mr F. do C. Malet and the Rev W. A. Pascoe spoke in support of the amendment. Mr J. Grigg would support the amendment. At tho same time ho thought tbe language of the resolution was offensive and too strong. It amounted to a condemnation of all the church officers in the Diocose.

Tho Very Rev the Dean pointed out that Mr Mortimer's resolution condemned a system only and not the persons. The Rev R. A. Mortimer would accept tho amendment.

The Rev G. J. Cholmondeley opposed the amendment. He did not think thero waa any need for Synod to legislate on the question. He remembered the time when the seats in the churches of the Diocese were free, and the experience of that time waß not encouraging. The Yen Archdeacon Dudley differed entirely from the last apeaker. His experience had shown him that the iree and open seats ofa church were filled, while the appropriated Beats were often nearly empty. Ho was sure the attendance at his old church, Lyttelton, was no larger now than years ago, when the population was one-third the size. He did not mean to eaat any reflection on the clergymen, but on the system. He believed himself that the pew rent syßtem tended to the destruction of souls.

The Hon H. B. Gresson spoke in support of the amendment. He believed that many of the poorer people were kept away from church by seat rents. The Rev W. H. Elton agreed with the laßt speaker. On the motion of the Re- E. A. Lingard, the debate was adjourned to 7.30. p.m.