"NONCONFORMIST BISHOP."

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 145, 21 June 1926, Page 5

"NONCONFORMIST BISHOP."

OR. J. 0. JONES IN AUCKLAND.

ADVOCATE OF CHURCH UNION.

THE TREND IN ENGLAND.

The "Noncomforjnist Bishop of England," the Rev. J. D. Jonee, M.A., D,11,, of Bournemouth, distinguished church leader and advocate of the union of churches, arrived in Auckland this morning by the Niagara.

Interviewed on arrival. Dr. Jones said the prime object of his journey Was a, rest cure, though an opportunity had arisen to fill a pulpit in Melbourne for three months.

Speaking of church matters at Home, Dr. Jones said that lie was one of eeven leading nonconformists who conferred with the bishops on the question of union, but an impasse was reached owing to the Anglican demand for reordination, a condition not acceptable to nonconformists. The trend towards union was emphasised by the fact that Dr. Jones had preached in Canterbury and Liverpool Cathedrals this year, while the Dean of Canterbury and Bishop of Liverpool had preached at his own church at Bournemouth. Such a possibility wpuld have been scorned twenty, even ten years ago.

Dy. Jones, who is interested in sport, particularly cricket, is accompanied by his daughter, a commissioner of the Girl Guides. Travelling with her is a friend, Miss Pitman, who is going to Australia as a trainer in the same movement.

In connection with politics in the Old Country, Dr. Jones could not express an opinion, as he had been out of touch with Home affairs for five weeks. He said, however, that New Zealanders would have been proud of the way England had tackled things during the general strike, making light of the great inconvenience and many difficulties in the best British tradition, A brother of P.r. Jones is a Liberal member in the British Parliament for a North Wales constituency,

The doctor is looking forward to meeting in Auckland the Re , :, Lionel B, Fletcher, who he had been instrumental in taking to England from Port Adelaide, having met him in the opening year of the war.

Dr. Jones will leave for Rotorua to-morrow, returning to Auckland in time to preach at the Beresford Street Congregational Church on Sunday,