The Synod.

Waiapu Church Gazette, Volume I, Issue 6, 1 December 1910, Page 12

The Synod.

Some Impressions of Napier Synod and Services. [by "onlooker."] The first impression that the Synod conveyed was that it was a sequel to something that had gone before, and that something, a very powerful and important something. In other words the Mission made itself felt all through the Synod and its Services, dominating everything, uniting hearts, raising tone, modifying differences and developing purposes. The Synod was characterised by Life, there was no dullness or dreariness; people came together to do things and things were done. The great Missionary Meeting with its unmistakeable enthusiasm, the large Sunday congregations at the Services, the number at the Morning Celebrations, and the large meeting of the Laity on one special evening all testified to this. The personality of the Chairman 'did much. At the Missionary Meeting he seemed to be able to gather up

and bring out the latent enthusiasm of everyone. The Synodical address was simple, forcible and spiritual, it combined strong Churchmanship with the true Evangelical Spirit, a combination which is one of the marked features of the present time and was particularly noticeable m the recent Mission; During the Synod the Bishop was essentially a Chairman : he knew bis own mind and stuck to it, so that everybody felt that there would be no shifting and shuffling. " I don't know about the Canons, but I have ruled," settled one knotty point and probably prevented a good many others being raised. Another impression given was the earnest desire of the Clergy for Spiritual help. The devout and reverent attendance at the " Quiet Morning " on the Saturday was very impressive, and the fact that several of the younger Clergy made a request that an address might be given them on every morning while Synod lasted, testifies to the hungering spirit which no doubt was aroused during the Mission, or during. the preparation for it. The way that they attended the addresses which were given m response to their appeal sufficiently shewed the genuineness of the request. Another impression given was the responsiveness of the Laity as a body. There was not a single matter among the many which were suggested m the Bishop's address, that did not come up m Synod and almost all were laymen's questions. In every case there was a manifest wish to carry out the Bishop's suggestions and it seemed as if on the one hand faith dictated the acceptance of the principle, while on the other prudence took time and undertook trouble to carry it out m the best possible way. That forty-two laj r men should form themselves into a General Committee to raise the Bishopric Endowment Fund, speaks volumes. Some of the debates contained a good deal of interest, thoso on the New South Wales System and the opium question gave very valuable information, and the debate on the Hukarere School brought, out oratory of no mean order especially on the part of the Maori speakers. An amusing and practical episode was the account given by Mr Whibley of the way m which he " fleeced his flock." Getting all his farmers to give him the value of one fleece (at least) or the fleece itself, he was able to send home £34 as a thank-offering for the Church Army; hence he suggested the wisdom of receiving gifts

"m kind" for Church purposes— a suggestion which was cordially received. The strongest impression left is the immense value of a real spiritual introduction to a Synod, which is likely to lead to a real . spiritual tone being manifested throughout it.