THE BISHOP OF WAIAPU.

Bush Advocate, Volume XXII, Issue 14, 18 January 1910, Page 5

THE BISHOP OF WAIAPU.

The following address was presented to the new Bishop of Waiapu at a meeting, l of the Standing Committee held at the Diocesan Office, Napier, yesterday afternoon:—"This being your first official meeting with the Standing Committee of the diocese, it is right that its members should extend to your Lordship a welcome on behalf of your Synod and the diocese as a whole, and assure you of our loyalty and desire to support you in carrying out the duties of your high office. Tile diocese to which you have been called has an extent of 15,000 square miles and a European Church population of over 30,000, in addition to whom there are about 16,000 Maoris who are either members of or in the care of the Church. These are ministered to by 43 priests and 10 deacons. The mere statistics would make this diocese the fourth in the province ; but, owing to its physical condition'and the difficulties of communication, a very heavy burden is laid upon the Bishop in the way of travelling, which is accentuated by the fact that he is called upon to minister to two races. It is hoped that the means of communication will be improved before long; but, on the other hand, the developments of the diocese are bound to be very great in the near future. The north-east part of the diocese contains some of the best land in New Zealand as yet undeveloped, and this is now being opened up very rapidly. This means a great accession to the population of the-diocese, and will lay upon the Church the burden of supplying the spiritual needs of a large ana scattered community. The direction of this supply must be a matter of great anxiety to the Bishop of. the diocese, and the superintendence of the work will' entail upon him additional physical strain. We have assured your Lordship of. our cordial support in these matters, but we realise that the Bishop must attack the majority of the problems which the diocese presents in reliance mainly upon his own judgment. The greatest help, therefore, that we can afford will be our sincere and continued prayers that God may supply you with the strength and the wisdom which your work will demand." Says the Telegraph:—The new Bishop of Waiapu is a fine speaker, possessing the clearest enunciation, and delivering himself with a ringing intonation that penetrates to the uttermost consciousness of his hearers, who cannot fail to be deeply impressed by his earnestness and obvious sincerity. He drives his points home with due emphasis, and is greatly aided by his natural pose and unconscious but effective gestures. When seated and with his features in repose, there is ho suggestion of the compelling power of the man, but once in the pulpit his great potency manifests itself, his eyes open wide, he holds his subject in a perfect grip, and his ability and strength are transparent. His very lucidness, his tone of command, his insistent note of appeal, and his undoubted belief in what he declares prove an irresistible charm to his audience. Napier's first impression of his Lordship is a good one.