ANGLICAN PASTORAL.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 27, 26 October 1907, Page 6

ANGLICAN PASTORAL.

PROPOSED MISSION OF HELP

The following pastoral letter lias {been addro=sed' by the' Anglican Bishops of- ; New Zealand 1 to their clergy and laity :—. "Dearlv Beloved in the Lord,: • " \Jdrdssing.- v<ra ■as your spiritual fatlievs ; -| wo ".'esii-c first of' all to impress l , m'lion you tb? assurance of our watchful'regard, andofahideep svmpathv we feel in • observing the oftontiines great difficulties under which, in this young .Country/;your labours.on behalf ot tho kingdom of our Lord are carried on. Although';' doubtless, every parish priest, whether in town''or country,' gathers 1 around - himself a band of faithful laymen and . laywomen to aid him in his work,- yet we are sure that each and all must from time to time feel cast dowii'and' overburdened, 1 in view of the almost impossibility—from extent of area or from increase of population—of overtaking the work Which should be done. The sniallness of the-number of our clergy also very largely prevents' that personal dealing' with 1 souls . whiclv''is ;, s.o i; impot'tant for the awakening of •religious 1 ' conviction/-and thus'many amongst lis' grow.lip. with' little .'sense of".their relation'shipvtol God.," '■ " ''fri view of . these conditions, we have been urged ,by : the General Synod to make such pro-vision-a^'may be found possible to'secure the visit to this country; of a sufficient Tiumber of devout and ,nb)e men ■ from the Church at Homo -to to through the-length and breadth df our j land; r and ; by'the Graco of' God to causo us to 1 'hear what•the : 'Spirif saith to Churches. It is our-earnest • desiro that .thereby • tho careless may ber aroused,*, the "iihpenitent : -converted -the -fallen recovered,-and; the wanderers brought back to-the. fold of Christ. . , . "We. therefore gladly respond to : tho call made upon us. by our Church in Council, and by. the Committee appointed ,by the General Synod, and ; in- the name'of % our Lord Jesus Christ, : commend :to your patient and self- - denying " co-operation • the steps required to brings about ;this proposed mission. It has beeu-'thought: desirable • that: a preparatory Mission should bo held in the-early part of tho year' 1809', and tho, more comprehensive one at a later period in. the same -' year, involving the advent of a considerable, number of clergy'to our. shores.- •'-'■■ "It is obvious - that the expenses-, attending these journeyin'gs will bo considerable. .Committees will'be formed in, each Dioceso ,to gather the necessary funds and to make other local arranpsments, and .we confidently'rely, upon our, lay brethren to.,supply, what, is needed. It is estimated that .the total cost of both parts of the Mission wiir not exceed ,£3500, and it is felt that before any definite arrangements are made some '.£2OOO should bo paid -or promised -to the fund by May, 1908. The sum may appear to bo a large one, but the windows' of heaven are open in response to faithfulness, and we crave your prayers and your alms, that showers of .spiritual blessings may. descend. . > ■ -, ' • "We remain,, dearly beloved, "Your .faithful servants in Christ, "S. T. DUNEDIN, Primate. *'C; CIIRISTCHURCH. ' . . "CHARLES O. NELSON. - ' ' "IV. L. WAIAPU. ' •"FREDERIC WELLINGTON. ' "11. 11. AUCKLAND."