General Synod.

Waiapu Church Gazette, Volume XII, Issue 12, 1 June 1922, Page 376

General Synod.

Admirable reports of the Synod's discussions have appeared m the daily Press and, we hope, will be found m the " Churchman " m this issue. There is therefore no need for us to do more than make a few comments. . , THE PRIMACY. We heartily congratulate Archbishop Julius on his election. His experience as Bishop of Christchurch and his commanding personality made it a foregone conclusion. Although the general public will revere the office of Archbishop much more thaa that 9l Fnmte, th§ : prgnaey,; $&

several : speakers m Synod observed, is - the higher office, and nothing has been added to the dignity or responsibility of the Primate by giving him the title of Archbishop. • .

The question of fixing the primatial seat m one See was bound to arouse discussion. The practical advantages of a fixed primacy would have been great but it would have been difficult to draw up regulations for the election of a Primate which would not either restrict the primatial See m its rights of free election of its Bishop or deprive the province of an adequate voice m the appointment of the Primate. ,

A lot of rubbish has appeared m the Secular Press and a rather silly article m the "Drifter" about the title of Archbishop being " undemocratic.'' Thank goodness we have not yet reached the Bolshevik position when offices are not to be distinguished by names, and it is only ignorance which' strikes people with . awe or repugnance when the word "Archbishop" is used. The Church of Australia is divided into several provinces— the chief bishop m each is an Archbishop. The provinces are grouped into one national church, the chief bishop of this church is the Primate (the Archbishop of Sydney). The time may come when the "Province" of New Zealand may become two or more provinces— at present the New Zealand Church is but one, The chief bishop of this province is therefore necessarily an Archbishop, he is also "Primate," from the fact that his is the only province. The recognition of this fact by General Synod is not the addition of a new office or title but merely a recognition of a position that already exists. It is also a mistake to suppose, as some seem to do, that the title has been ' ' conferred on the Bishop of Christchurch as a personal honor. It would have been given to any other bishop, had he been elected Primate. The chief advantage to be derived from the use of the new title is that ignorant people who did not understand the position of a -Primate, are able ±o grasp the meaning , of a more familiar and higher sounding name. Strange as it may seem, at the Lambeth Conference, when bishops were marching m procession our own Primate was on one occasion placed ' below the Archbishops! WOMEN ON CHURCH COUNCILS. •■■ The abolition of sex distinction m the election of. Church officers, etc., was bound to follow the decision of General Synod m 1919 to enfranchisewomen. Women may -now. be elected, to any lay office -in the Church. T.hey may- be ■ vestrym en," „ churchwar_dens>. Synods" men," members of-. General Synod, members of. Standing - Committee and of local Church . Boards. . Apparently - Clause 1 of/

Canon VI., f f The- Diocesan Synod may constitute a Cathedral Chapter, which shall consist of the Bishop and such other persons .... as may to the said Synod seem necessary " leaves it optional to each diocese whether the ' ' lay members ' ' of the Cathedral Chapter may include women (! !). Although the admission of women to parochial offices has been under discussion for a long time, the. new definition is so far-reaching as to be almost revolutionary. We are almost afraid that many of the women who would be most useful on Church Councils will be among those who will be most loath to accept appointment. BIBLE IN SCHOOLS. We are glad to note that the Synod did not approve of " Canon James ' motion for Bible reading m schools by the State school teachers and the refusal of the right of entry to those who alone are qualified by their special training to be religious instructors. We heartily concur m the opinions expressed by the Primate. Speaking of the League's endeavors to introduce the New South Wales system, he said: — "We maintain the principles 'an .support of which we leagued together, and we are not prepared to abandon our claim for right of entry.'" ."It is a real pain to me that I cannot agree with my brethren of other churches, nor with, those of .my own communion who will support ' them. I am prepared to grant that the use of a ; Scripture text book, with the recital of the Lord's Prayer, ' will be an advance, upon the present system — sufficient perhaps to salve the national conscience, and block the way to any. genuine means of religious instruction. If that is all the churches want, they are certainly content with very little. . But the ' temper of the people is changing. • Religious instruction will be given ' effectively. The people themselves will demand it. Meanwhile, we must do the best we can. We must build and maintain our schools, train our teachers and scholars, make our' Sunday Schools effective, our Bible classes vigorous and . strong, -and use to the utmost every facility afforded to us •of teaching m the State ; schools." •-'.•' .... After much discussion m Synod and a conference between the proposers of. different schemes, the Synod passed the following .resolution: — ' ' That the General Synod, having at previous sessions" adopted the programme of the Bible m State Schools' League m unison with the authorities : .of other churches,* can modify that -programme only m consultation with those authorities, and therefore re- . .sp.ectfuily -requests ; the bishops, m conference withi the heads of . other

Christian bodies and late* -with representatives of the Education Department and pf the State school teachers* to find, with, as little delay ass possible, some method acceptaWe to all parties which will make it possible for . the State school teachers to give religious instruction to the children m school hours." The question of the "right of entry" was lefiS m abeyance. : BUILDING OF, CHURCH V SCHOOLS. . v As a further recommendation from the conference, Bishop Averill; moved that the clergy be urged: (1) To make all possible use of the facilities at available for. the religious instruction of school children .;;. (2) to try to organise and equip a parochial band of teachers willing to .help them m this work; (3). to., endeavor to create a united public opinion m favor .of the religious, instruction of the children m the Dominion; .. and that the Synod call upon . th? whole Church of the province seriously to consider the advisability of persevering m the policy of building Ctiureb schools ' wherever it is found to ;b* practicable. '. . '.' Bishop Averill said that the Primate's motion and his own were separated after consideration by .the conference. The latter motion' embodied Canon Wilford's ' original amendment, and clause 3 embraced a proposal by Mr h. D. Ritchie, :;o£ Dunedin. He hoped that his inbtion would not be taken as a contradiction of the Archbishop's motion. Tfiey urged the building of Church schools wherever possible, but this fa'ot, was not m opposition to. the spirit of the Archbishop's motion." : '. .'';'■, 'V-y'. The motion was seconded by Ration Wilf ord, of „Christchurch; and . was supported % Bishop Richards, of Dunedin; Dean Fitchett,.of Dunedin; and others. ' : . '. Both motions were earned unanimously. •■■ . ..-.•. -"' MORALS. . • ' • Mr E. 0. Cutten, S.M., addressed the Synod on the state of morals m New Zealand, and a discussion; of the subject was introduced m Synod by a motion of the Bishop of Waiapu on. behalf of -the Social Questions Committee, enjoining Churchmen to support every effort that;aihis at bettering moral conditions. The motion was - referred to; the Sessional Committee on Social Services. ' " "' .' ' '.. •'"■■. THE PAROCHIAL SYSTUM. . A motion was carried approving: of the appointment of . non-parishionera as churchwardens and vestrymen, provided that, any such churchwarden: or - vestryman on taking office; jsur-iren-ders, for the. meanwhile, his pttroeliial rights iii the parish in -which hV-ia a parishioner. Another rnQtipii. .

iipassed allowing; regular attendants rat k churchy though not parishioners, ■itonbe entitled to vote at the parish f meetings of the church they attend of at those of the parish m they reside. The parochial sys- . tern is evidently breaking down. These two resolutions will remove the ■high between parishes, and may do much to destroy the deadly virus of parochialism from which so many town parishes suffer. THE LIQUOR PROBLEM. . Archdeacon Chatterton's motion on; the liquor question gave place to a very indefinite one of "tho Primate's, ''That : this Synod expresses its strong cqnvicion that it is the 'bounden duty of Christian people, unless' they are prepared to vote for .'prohibition of the liquor traffic, to have some other drastic. remedy for an evil which is sapping the morals and efficiency of the community;" The, trouble is that there are too many different remedies proposed, drastic and otherwise. . What is necessary is that those who desire to steer a clear course between the Scylla of Prohibition and the Charybdis of the present system should awake to the magnitude of the abuses of the present licensed trade, and agree upon some one remedy that will not interfere with reasonable personal liberty, and yet will check the evil of drunkenness. The Christian doctrine of Temperance is the real solution of the problem, but it is a doctrine that will influence Christians only. We certainly need some scheme that can be enforced upon all by the law. A revision of licensing legislation has already been promised by the Premier j cannot Churchmen of moderate opinions unite m advocating. some, scheme of liquor control that can be placed before the electors as a third issue m the referendum, and ask that the vote be. taken by a preferential ballot? The issue of State Control failed to gain votes at the last referendum because so many of its advocates did not wish to risk throwing away their votes on an issue that had only a doubtful chance: of being carried. Moderates were not .sufficiently unanimous that State Control was the best remedy, and, anyhow, the proposal was too iridefinit.e.; Let the Government . sketch some- definite system of State Control, or some other reformed system, and place it, on the ref erMdum paper as.; a .third choice and there may be 'a; goo3 ;chance of its being earned, especially if the ballot is taken by the method of voting. Xjie. proposal of- the Labor Party beforejas;t election for four issues to be submitted to jfche -preferential vote was a gobd;.one; r . it is a pity the Government did hot adopt it.

7 ;.O:\T^YTBISBK3P& - :'. The Synod passed ja Bill .providing for a Diocesan Synod ..of Melanesia arid approving the- appointment of two assistant bishops to work m the mission. BOARD OF NOMINATION. The Synod agreed that* the matter of the appointment oorf r clergy to" parochial districts :i should be left to the Diocesan" Synods, so that, if desired, the Bishop may have "the right of appointment 1 " to such districts' m "his own hands but not the right " 6f dismissal. A matter for which Churchmen niay be gratified was that the Synod was exceedingly well served by the Daily Press. The <T New Zealand Herald" published very full reports of the sessions, scattered short comments on the proceedings among its locals and articles, and had some most sensible and sympathetic leading articles on the questions discussed. The Press Association provided liberally for the Press throughout New Zealand concise reports of all important discussions. •