METHODISE SYNOD
THURSDAY'S BUSINESS.
SESSION CONCLUDED
Synod resumed at 9 a.m. on Thursday when a very impressive Communion Service was he'd, "at which most of the members of Synod were present. The Revs. A. Ashcroft (president) and W. J. Elliott were the officiating ministers.
On returning to business the chairman extended an official welcome to the Rev. A. J. Seamer, general secretary of the Home and Maori Mission Department. Mr Seamer addressed the Synod at length on the work of his A resolution approving of the policy of the Bible Class movement was carried unanimously. The question of the appointment of an assistant to Mr Seamer was debated, with considerable interest and it was decided to re*comimend to Conference that the Rev. E. T. Olds be set apart for that position. It was thought that the appointment should be for three years and that the assistant should be located in Wellington. The question of grants from the 'Home Mission Fund was next considered by a special committee set up for that purpose., and it was decided to recommend that the Maori Department grant be the same as last year and that grants in 'most other cases be somewhat reduced. The Rev. H. Cottom, of Waihi, was elected district representative on the Conference Stationing Committee, and Rev. W. J. Elliott, of Cambridge, substitute representative. Rev. F. E. Leadley was recommended for appointment as Synod secretary for 1925. The Synod expressed its thankfulness to Mr Leadley for the very efficient way that he had arranged the business of the Synod, and for the patience and skill with which the many details of the office had been attended to.
The Rev. E. E. Sage was selected as the district secretary of the Sunday School and Young Peoples' Department.
The Foreign Mission report was received and pleasure was expressed at the manifest signs of progress in the work. The report mentioned a legacy of £SOO from the late Mr W. Winstone and several other sums that had been received during the year. The literature of the department was steadily increasing in circulation and the equipment on the foreign field was becom-. ing complete. The Orphanage report revealed most satisfactory development. The number of children in the care of the Church was increasing rapidly, and the generous support accorded the institutions made a growing responsibility also an increasing pleasure. During the year the South Island Orphanage had received the following bequests: From the estate of the late Mr Morrow, £2000; from the estate of the late Mrs Haynes, £200; and from that of Miss Usher, £3OOO. Free medical service had been given by several doctors and many other evidences of practical interest in the work had been given by a host of friends.
The Synod expressed its thanks to God that such a -work was given the Church to do. The committee set up by the Conference in 1924 to consider the advisability of establishing a Pastoral Session made the following recommendations as likely to meet 'the case for the present:— (1) Chairmen of Districts.—(a) The chairman shall have power, when he deems it advisable to 'do so, to visit any Circuit in his diistriett and to confer with the minister or ministers with a view to promoting greater pastoral efficiency by his counsel and encouragement. He shall, when he thinks fit report the results of such visits to the District Ministerial Committees for brotherly consideration, (b) It shall be the duty of a superintendent of a Circuit to keep the chairman of his district fully informed concerning all important developments in his Circuit —especially as to: (1) Any proposed extension of the work or withdrawal from ground previously occupied; (2) Any important property transaction in connection with the Circuit. ■ ■ . 2 Ministerial Committee. —la) That a meeting of each District Ministerial Committee be held in the third week in May to consider the work of God in the district, to confer how best 'the work of the Ministry may be rendered successful amid the conditions, both general and local, which obtain today, and to consider carefully any Conference resolutions bearing on these matters, (b) In the Nelson and OtagoSouthland Districts, the chairman shall, with a view to lessening the expense, arrange for the Committee to meet in sections, but he himself shall preside in each section, (c) That the chairman shall have power to excuse any remotely situated minister from attendance at this meeting, but if the chairman do so he shall himself visit the Circuit during the year. A chairman may summon any probationer or home missionary to attend the May meeting of the Ministerial Committee, (d) During the sitting of eacn May Ministerial Committee a public function shall be held, in which the visiting members shall assist, and at which a collection shall be made towards the travelling expenses incurred The balance of the expenses shall be paid from the contingent fund- - „a These recommendations were adopted by the Synod. Tjhe Theological College Committee report contained proposals of considerable importance to the Church —that of building a new College being among the first. The site selected i 3 Grafton Road, Auckland. The estimated cost of the College (not including the chapel) is £40.000, which, together with the site, £7500, and other expenses, brings the total up to about £50,000. There is a sum of £IO,OUU in hand for this purpose. . The work of the students during the year has been excellent. The Synod carried a resolution recommending that students taking the three years' course at the College should be required to take only three years probation afterwards. It was reported that Student A. H. Voice had volunteered for Foreign Mission work. , The report of the Temperance and
Public Morals Committee outlined the work, that had been done during the year to promote a better condition of morals;, The committee opposed the attempt of the liquor trade to secure licenses for the King Country, or any further facilities '■• for drinking and gambling. It was noted that none of the reforms promised by the liquor trade before the ilast poll had been given effect to. The Synod gave its hearty support to the New Zealand Alliance, and urged the Church to work unceasingly for prohibition.
The Synod resolved to recommend to Conference the compilation, of a new Service Book/ the consideration of which had been deferred from last year on the grounds of expense. One of the most hilarious of the social functions of the Synod was that of the afternoon tea recess on the... closing day. It was on the programme that votes of thanks should be tendered first, to the hosts and hostesses, who had entertained the Synod with such lavish hospitality. Rarely in the history of Church gatherings had such generous treatment been accorded. The Rev. F. Greenwood, who proposed this vote, was ably seconded by Rev.. S. Keen. Rev. S. Henderson was the next to ,take the floor, his subject being "The Press and Reporters." Many complimentary things were said about the Press, both in regard to the generous space accorded to the Synod in the columns of the papers, and for the correct reporting of its business. 'The Synod wished the Press and reporters every possible properity. Rev. J. H. Allen, in an appopriate speech, seconded the proposal. The chairman and the staff of Synod were the next to receive compliments. Rev. Elliott, of Cambridge, declared that for prompt and efficient (dispatch of business, for courtesy and patience towards debaters, and for impartial' decisions on all questions, the chairman and staff could not be surpassed. Rev. A. E. Jefferson seconded. The president was in good j form when thanking the Minister of the Church, Rev. Hedley White, and the trustees, for placing the Church premises at the disposal of the Synod, and for their efforts in arranging the many details that made the proceedings move so smoothly.
The Rev. White had left nothing undone, continued the speaker, that could conduce to the pleasure of the gathering and the Synod was deeply indebted to Rev and Mrs White for the very efficient way they had carried out their many and difficult duties.
The crowning point of the festivities was reached when the Rev. Matene Keepa tendered thanks to "The Ladies." After addressing a few choice words in English to the ladies, he broke out into Maori and in characteristic fashion worked up to a climax in which the whole Maori party was performing a haka. The reading and signing of the journal brought to a close one of the most memorable of the South Auckland District Synods.
Permanent link to this item
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WAIPO19241115.2.17
Bibliographic details
Waipa Post, Volume XXIV, Issue 1574, 15 November 1924, Page 4
Word Count
1,436METHODISE SYNOD Waipa Post, Volume XXIV, Issue 1574, 15 November 1924, Page 4
Using This Item
NZME is the copyright owner for the Waipa Post. You can reproduce in-copyright material from this newspaper for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International licence (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0). This newspaper is not available for commercial use without the consent of NZME. For advice on reproduction of out-of-copyright material from this newspaper, please refer to the Copyright guide.