LATE MRS. SELWYN.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIV, Issue 197, 19 August 1913, Page 7

LATE MRS. SELWYN.

UNVEILING MEMORIAL WINDOW.

The unveiling of a stained-glass window to ,the memory of Mrs. Sarah Harnett Selwyn. wife of the first Bishop of the Chtrrch of England of the. (Province of New Zeakuvd, took place this morning at St. Marys Cathedral. The servjee was attended by a good congregation, amongst -those present being the pupils from St. Stephens Maori Boys' School, and from Queen Victoria School for Maori O.irls. When tba clergy entered tine cathedral they were preceded by seven Maori boys.

The Rev. Canon MaoMrrrray. Vicar of St. Mary's, conducted an impressive service, which was opened by the. fine old hymn. " 0 God. Our Help in Ages Past." : Then followed the Apostles' Creed, Lord's Prayer, collect, for " The Presentation I ■of Ohirist in the Temple." and the collect' for Ail Saints' Day. The Yen. Archdeacon Hawkins read the lesson, RevetationvS vii., after uihicli the hymn " How Bright Those morions .Spirits Shine " was sung. The Rev. Canon Gould, who is the test of the priests ordained hy Bishop Selwyn, preached a, sermon from St. Luke ii.. ;r2: —'- A light to lighten the Gentiles." Towards the close of his remarks. Canon Could gsne a few personal rem in (licences of Bis bop Selwyn. ST. .rOHWS IN IS4S. He said: When I came to St. John's College in IS4B, it was then the residence of Bishop and Mrs. Selwyn. She was the tirst person I met there, and we had a long talk together, she describing to mc the work of the college system. She gave mc iv that half-hour the whole note of | the college system, and 1 remember ; thinking that it was a very- "worketty place." Canon Gould then described the work of the strenuous college, and the pleasant conversations in the Bishop's library. There indeed Mrs. Selwvn shone, and it was the cheerfulness oi everything that prepared them for the I work of the week. In tbe routine of tlie [college Mrs. Selwyn did not appear to take any part: still she was a prevailing influence. A Maori named Rota Waitoa "was the first of the race ordained byBishop Selwyn. and afterwards did good work amongst his people on the. East Coast. Henare Taratoa. another of the ; boys, afterwards proved himself a fine patriot at the storming of the Gate Pa. Tlie scheme-now befng carried out in Par- ! Nell of training both Maori boys and 1 Maori girls was in working order over sixty years ago. Canon Gould mentioned that in 1866. when tbe. Pitcairn Islanders had been there for but a few weeks only, ' they were visited by Bishop and Mrs. Selwyn. The Bishop landed Mrs. Sehvyu on the island, while he went on his way to Melanesia. Mrs. Selwyn stayed there for some months. She went amongst tliP people and with the hearty a.pprora.l and help of the clergyman, the Rev. Nobbs. formed classes for confirmation. On the Bishop's return from Melanesia, the greater number were confirmed. Some years later, when Bishop Pattison made his Melanesiaai headquarters at Norfolk Island, he found the people glad to receive him and help him in his work. Reverting to his text. Canon Gould said, "Let your light so shine. So it was with her, whether in New Zealand, Norfolk Island, or Lichfield, the light steadily horned.''

M.T3. Kinder then unveiled the window, 'after which t.h.-e dedicatory prayer was repeated by the Yen. AToluLeacou Walsh.

The window is placed over hue southeastern door of the cathedral, opposite Co that erected last year to the memory of Mrs. Cowje- to which it is a companion. It consists of two lights, about eight, feet high, with a cJrcuAa-r lunette above. Tth.e subject of the window is tbe irresen/totion of bhe Gliild Jesus in the Temple. To the left is the veneraivle figure, of tlie aged Simeon, holding out his -hands to receive the .Holy Child from the Virgin Mother. The-latter is aocam-pa-nied by St. Joseph, who bears the accustomed -offering of " a pair of turtle doves or two young pigeons,'" while the Prophetess Anna i*= seen in the background. In the lunette above is the figure of the Holy Dove. Tbe ngrrres are sunnoarrted by a canopy of -conventional Gothic, which helps to give unity to-«tbe design, while below is the legend:—"ln .Loving memory of Saraih Harriet Selwyn. ■wife of the Bishop oi New Zealand- and of Lichfield. Bom Septerarber'2nd, 1809. At rest PaJm Sunday. 1907. Erected hy Celia Kinder." The subject is very well •treated, tbe figure* being dignified and imposing, while the colour saheane is particularly rich and harmonious. The window was designed by Archdeacon Walsh, and manufactured by Messrs. Clayton and Bell, of London.