THE RIGHT REVEREND CHARLES GORE, D.D.
Waiapu Church Gazette, Rōrahi XX, Putanga 9, 1 Poutūterangi 1930, Page 9
Mō tēnei niupepa
THE RIGHT REVEREND CHARLES GORE, D.D.
FORMERLY BISHOP OF OXFORD. (Contributed) . On the mornings of last August Bishop Gore gave four addresses. These were delivered at Grosvenor Chapel, London, at the ante Communion service. The writer of this short notice was privileged to be pjresent. The personality of the Bishop had for many years appealed to him. His wish to see and hear him was unexpectedly realised. Here stood the man, the favoured of Pusey and the friend of Liddon. Here was one who for many years had been the brain and leader of the Anglo Catholic movement m the Church; the inspirer of Lux Mundi; the man, who, as he told his hearers
m August, had "given up his life to the interpretation of the Bible." A man of large proportions and commanding stature stood across the pulpit into which he liad quietly entered without staff or ceremony, looking slightly bored as the Priest m charge of the service gave out a long string of notices. One had time to try and measure up this man who all those years ago for the sake of truth, as he saw it, adhered to his views on Inspiration" which so disturbed Liddon — the one man m the Church he admired most, and most desired to please. Liddou'is last .great sermon at St. Mary's, Oxford, given, as supposed at the time, m answer to Lux Mundi, yet was not an answer, nor were its authors mentioned ; the reconciliation, but not agreement came at Liddon' s death bed through that greatest test of all f riendshiip, perfect love, while, yet, each sees a facet of truth denied to the vision of the other. But the notices are happily ended. In perfect silence the preacher looks upon his large audience, sprinkled freely with young clerics, seeming to take m everybody. There seemed to be notes but neither ipreacher nor audience appeared to be conscious of them. In plain voice and only slight gesture he spoke of "Inspiration." What it was. Contained m a book, yet not limited to a book; unlimited m time or action; adapted to man m his progress through the ages; bo plain that he who wills may read. Not cynical; and yet, when some commonplace misunderstanding of this great gift of God to man and some mens' effort to limit that gift, was suggested, the body raised, even more, than usual, head thrown 'back, hands spread abroad shewing long tapering sensitive fingers, there followed great words of caution, restraint, patience, so convincing that while no one could go away thinking this man claimed infallibility for himself or his Church, yet no one could fail .to catch a gleam of the riches of revelation, day by day, and, ever increasingly, being poured out, without money or price. In the "New Commentary", published the same month, Bishop Gore m his notes upon Luke 6.40 writes "It is a vital Christian principle that there is no -Christianity, no ' 'esotericism"— no higher knowledge, confined to ' a superior class-no "ecclesis dbcta" essentially distinguished from the "ecclesia discens". This is a great truth, but this does not for a moment hide the greatness of a great teacher, when he appears.
