News from other Dioceses.

Waiapu Church Gazette, 1 October 1910, Page 9

News from other Dioceses.

CHRISTCHURCH. Diocesan Synod. — This year's session of the Synod was the shortest that has been held for twenty years. Everyone was anxious that it should not be a long sitting by reason of its interference with the General Mission preparations. Still, the proceedings were not so hurried as to cripple any important matter. The most important motion proposed was one concerning the " Bible-in-Schools" question. At the instance of the Clerical Society, the Rev. J. It. Hewland brought forward the matter, asking the Synod to approve of the New South Wales system, and the Bishop to appoint a Committee to confer with other religious bodies for the purpose of securing their co-operation, and such an alteration m the Education Act as would admit of the introduction of a system of religious instruction m our State schools similar to that which has obtained m New South Wales for twenty-nine years. As this is so vital a matter, perhaps the Editor will allow me to state precisely the words of the ballot paper used m the referendum m Queensland : — " Are you m favour of introducing the following system into State schools, viz : ( The State schoolmaster m school hours teaches selected Bible lessons from a reading book provided for the purpose, but is not allowed to give sectarian teaching. Any minister of religion is entitled m school hours to give the children of his own denomination an hour's religious instruction on such day or days as the school committee can arrange for. Any parent is entitled to withdraw his child from all religious teaching if he chooses to do so '" 1 This question was answered m the affirmative by a majority of 18,000 m Queensland. Mr. Hewland stated that he regarded the right of entry as the more important part of the system, and that he felt sure, after having consulted all the Bishops of New Zealand, and representatives of other religious bodies, that if the Synod framed the resolutions he was moving, there would be a good chance of some such system being introduced. Moreover, he said, if it did so, it would be following the lead of the General Synod.

The resolutions were carried with only one "no." Another important matter was brought forward by Canon Oarrington who proposed a motion to the effect that, m view of the probability of the Prayer Book being revised some day, the cause of a reasonable revision would be best served by the drawing up of an appendix containing " permissible alterations and deviations " m the use of the Lectionary and the Psalter, such appendix being of course only tentative. Although the proposal really aimed at safeguarding the Prayer Book m dangerous times, there were found quite a large number m Synod to oppose it, on the ground of its being an alteration of the Prayer Book. Still the motion was carried by a fairly large majority. The General Mission — The clergy and the devil are very busy, also the O.E.M.S. and others. There is undoubtedly a spirit of expectancy all over the diocese. S. Michael's. — The new Vicar has arrived. By his manifest and vigorous earnestness, more than by anything else, Mr. Burton is disarming all criticism and breaking down prejudice.