THE PAN-ANGLICAN SYNOD.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXII, Issue XXII, 23 November 1867, Page 6

THE PAN-ANGLICAN SYNOD.

The proceedings of the synod wore formally opened a 6 eleven o'clock on tbe 25th of September, with the celebration of the service of the Holy Communion in the chapel of Lambeth Place. A fetf minutes after tea the gates of the place were thrown open, and for the- next hour the bishops who intended to take part in the conference continued to arrive ii> close succession, some in carriages, many in hansom cabs, while the Bishop of Lauban and a few others, as became the more primitive habits of missionary life, walked to tbe place of meeting. The Bishops of London and Oxford were among the last to reach the place. The epistle at the service, which was prefaced by some introductory observations from the Archbishop of Canterbury, was read by the Archbishop of Dublin ; the gospel by the Archbishop of Armagh. When the service had terminated the whole of the bishops retired toto the hall in which conference is being; held. Permission to attend at their deliberations was refused to the representatives of the press, and the only persons allowed to be present are two shorthand writers who have been engaged to take notes of the proceedings. The total number of bishops composing the avnod is, we belive, 7f>. The Archbishop of York is not one of the number. Some other English prelates are also absent from its meetings. The sittings lasted five or six hours. The Pan Anglican Synod assembled for its last day's consultation at Lambeth Place on the 26th, when the Bishop of Salisbury presented a memorial signed by Dr. Pusey, Dr. P. G. Lee, the Rev. A. H. Macononhie, the llov. T. W., Perry (one of the ritual commissioners, and a large number of other clergymen, expressive of sorrow at the longcontinued divisions in Christendom. They pray thnt steps may be taken to promote intercommunion between the Chumh of England and the Orthodox Church of the East. The conference of bishops, at Lnmbeth, was brought to a close on the 28th ult, by a service in the parish church of St. Mary's adjoining the archbishop's palace. The following address has been issued by the archbishops and bishops who have taken part ia the synod :— TO THE FAITHFUL IN CHRIST JESUS, THB PRIESTS, AND DEACONS, AND THE LAY MEMBERS OF THE CHURCH OF CHRIST IN COMMUNION WITH THE ANGLICAN BRANCH OP TnE CHURCH CATHOLIC. We, the undersigned bishops, gathered under the good providence of God for prayer and conference at Lambeth, pray for you that ye may obtain grace, mercy, and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour. We give thanks to God, brethren beloved, for the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love towards the saints, which has abounded amongst you ; and for the knowledge of Christ which, through you, has been spread abroad amongst the most vigorous rnces of the earth. And with one mouth we make our supplications ».o God even the Father, that by the power of the Holy Ghost He would strengthen us with His might, to amend amongst us the things which are amiss, to supply the things which are laekinsr, and to reach forth unto higher measures of love and zeal in worshipping Him, and in making known Hia name ; and we pray that in His good time He would give back unto His whole church the blessed gift of unity in truth. Ami now we exhort you in love that ye keep whole and undefiled the faith once delivered to the saints, as ye have received it of the Lord Jesus. We entreat you to watch and pray, and to strive heartily with ua against the frauds and subtleties wherewith the faith hath been aforetime, and is now assailed. We beseech you to hold fast an the sure Word of God nil the canonical Scriptures oi' the Old and New Testament, and that, by diligent study of these oracles of God. praying'in the Holy Ghost, ye seek o know more of the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour, whom they reveal unto us, and of the will of God which they declare. Furthermore, we entreat you to guard yourselves

sad your a against the growing superstitions and additions with which in these latter days the truth of God hath been overlaid; as otherwise, 80 especially by the pretension to universal sovereignty over God's heritage asserted for the see of Rome, and by the practical exaltation of the blessed Virgin Mary as mediator in the place of her divine Son, and by the addressing of prayers to her as intercessor between God and man. Of such beware, we beseech you, knowing that the jealous God giveth not his honor to another. Build yourselves up, therefore, beloved in your most holy faith ; grow in grace and in the knowledge aud love of Jesus Christ our Lord. Show forth before all men by your faith, self-denial, purity, and godly conversation, as well as by your labours for the people amongst whom God hath so widely spread you, and by the setting forth j of His Gospel to the unbeliever and the \ heathen, that ye are indeed the servants of Him who died for us to reconcile His Father to ua, and to be a sacrifice for the sins of the "whole world. Brethren beloved, with one voice we warn you ; the time is short ; the Lord cometh ; watch and be sober. Abide steadfast in the communion of saints, wherein God has granted you a place. Seek in faith for oneness with Christ in the blessed sacrament of His body and blood. Hold fast the creeds, and the pure worship and order, which of God's grace ye have inherited from the primitive church. Beware of causing divisions contrary to the doctrine ye have received. Pray and seek for unity amongst yourselves, and amongst all the faithful in Christ Jesus, and the good Lord make you perfect, and keep your bodies, souls, and spirits, until the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.— European Times. The John Bull gives the following account of what the bishops have been doing : — The proceeds of the Pan- Anglican Conference have, we understand, been most satisfactory, and the wisdom of excluding reporters has been abundantly manifested in the greater freedom of debate, whiie the authorised report will convey the real views of each speaker. The conference sat one day longer than was intended, and is expected to meet again, to receive the reports of several sub-committees on different subjects, among others on the Colenso case. On this matter there was, we understand, a very warm discussion, but only three hands wei'e held up against endorsing the resolutions of the Convocation of Canterbury kst year, which were as follow :— " Whether the Church of Eug land holds communion with Dr Colenso in the heretical church which he is seeking to establish in the diocese of Natal, or whether it is in communion with the orthodox bishops, who in synod declared him to be ipso facto excommunicated, in consequence of the course ke has now pursued; it is the] opinion of this house that the first portion of the question be answered in the negative, and the second portion in the affirmative. It is the opinion of this house— firstly, that a formal instrument declarative of the doctrine and discipline of the Church o£ South Africa should be prepared, which every bishop, priest, and deacon to be appointed to office should be required to subscribe ; secondly, that a godly and well-learned man should be chosen by the clergy with the consent of the lay communicants of the church ; and thirdly, that he should be presented for con- ! secration, either to the Archbishop of Canterbury (if the aforesaid instrument shall declare the doctrine and discipline of Christianity as received by the united Church of England and Ireland), or to the bishop of the Church of South Africa, according as hereafter may be judged to be the most advisable and convenient." The bishops have unanimously adopted an encyclical letter addressed to the clergy and laity, which will be published in Latin and English, in which every one of the doctrines impugned by Bißliop Colenso are asserted emphatically, while ifc likewise contains protests against the unfounded claims of the Papacy and against Mariolatry. The Archbishop of Canterbury and the Bishop of Oxford having advised the Rev W. J. Butler to accept the see of Pietermarilzburgh, he will, it is believed, do so. Probably he will have a year's leave of absence from Wantage.