THE NEW BISHOP.

Press, Volume XLVII, Issue 7541, 3 May 1890, Page 5

THE NEW BISHOP.

PUBLIC RECEPTION.

THE LUNCHEON. The luncheon to the Bishop and Mrs Julius was held in the Provincial Council Chamber yesterday afternoon. There were about 200 ladies and gentlemen present. The chair was occupied by Bishop Harper, and the vice-chairs by Sir John Hall, Very Rev. the Dean, and the Hon. H. B. Gresson. The guests were received in the Library by the ladies and gentlemen present, and a short time having been spent in making those present a cquainted with the Bishop and Mis Julius the company proceeded into the Chamber. A string band, under Mr Bonnington occupied the ladles gallery, whilst in the strangers* gallery were several ladies. The only decorations, except the ecclesiastical character of the building were a few pot plants and ferns placed on the ledge of the strangers' gallery. Mr Freeman provided a most excellent luncheon, which was very artistically laid and served.

A 9 has been said Bishop Harper occupied the chair, having on his right Mrs fiadfield, Bishop Julius, Mrs Jacobs, the gishop of Waiapu, and Mr Leonard Harper. On the left were Mrs Julius, the Primate, Mrs Nevill, Bishop Nevill, and Mr Acland.

As the company filed into the chaiub er the band played the " Marche aux flambeaux." Several members of other denominations were present, among-it whom were;— Revs. C. Dallaston. (Baptist), J. Hoatson Monro terian), J. Aiared (Wesleyan), and fc G. Webster (Presbyterian). Grace was said by the Chairman. After luncheon had been disposed of, The Chaibman said he had received letters from tue Bishop of Nelson, and the Bey. Father Cumiug, apologising for absence. The former geutleinau had been obliged to return to his diocese, and the latter had an important engagement to fulfil. He regretted the absence of both gentlemen, who had, however, given good reasons foi their absence. The usual loyal toaats having been given by the Chairman,

The Very Key, the Dean proposed *' The Legislature of New Zealand," coupled vvicli tae names of the Hon. W. Beeves, and Mr W. B. Perceval, M.H.H. The Dcau, iv proposing tne toast, said that as one vviio had lived here nearly fortyyears and watched witb great iuterest the doings of our Legislature, be thought he migut say that they could regard the doings of that Legislature With pride and pleasure. In spandfug in that place his mind travelled back to the heroes of the past, such as Weld, Tapered, FitzJerald and Sewell, who all came from amongst them in Canterbury. He now eaine to the heroes ot the present day, some of whom were present tnat dtvy, joha Qall, and Hon. W. Kolleston. (Applause.) Amongst the heroes Of tbe present day were the young men of Canterbury, to whom they looked with pride and hope. Sitting there they could not but think with pride, and regret also, of the old provincial days' o£ Canterbury. What glorious days they were when they could build such buildings us this. (Laughter.) He could noc but remember When he stood by the side of the Hon. H. J. Tancred, Speaker of the Council, as chaplain, and opened its deliberations day by day with prayer for many years. £t was necessary chat the days of provincialism should pass away, and many df them had now come to the conclusion that it was their duty to look beyond their province, and consider the colony. He was glad to find, tiia.( this feeling was spreading. They saw that in the general feeling demonstrated throughout the polony in connection with the Dunecllpi Exhibition, jperbapa this feelipg the more accentuated by the growth in t'helr miust of the New Zealand party who were now shaping out a policy which was to embrace tbe. whole of this great colony, fiere was something very hopeful in that, and, therefore, they looked wjth great Interest on the doings of their Parliament, composed as it was largely of young >few Zealanders. Altogether, as he. had said, theY should regard, their Legislature With pride and pleasure., aud wish that itjs greatness and usefulness would increase as years went on.

gon. W. Reeves, M.L.C3-t said that ife was a sQpnewhat difficult task to reply Qα behalf of the legislature, because politics were usually aii4 properly barred at gatherings of that kind. As politics was the end and object of $he Legislature, it was difficult to rise to respond to thftb toast without infringing that wholesome regulation. It" would, perhaps, be best for him to speak pf the relation* bet weep tfce Legislature and the several religious bodies, fhese, he waa happy to »ay, had always bee/a very pleasant. They had no State Chur<jh, heooe they could go hapdttihaadin friendly concerf in regulating tb.e sta,te of the peoplf, the <ssateja Its sphere, aad the relig|ou3 bodies |v theirs, Jt wa,e true that the Legislature had to. deal with matters atfeeting the religious bodies, bub thoy the Bills up to thena by the latter. In pne respect, and iv one only, there was some divergence of opinion, Uβ looked, upon if as a particularly Christian act on the part of venerable friepd at the end of toe table to propose the toast when he (Mr Beeves) Jtnew that he diesented considerably from the act of the |ieg(elature as regarded educatipa |Ie (Mr Rtieves) that there was cpnslderab}e misapprehension on the part pf the people as to the true state of the case. The state bad to see that the people were educated and Jeft to the church, very

properly the cause of toe religious education of the people. What the Synod sought to get through the pe.n of his rev. Iriepd the J)eao it was impossible for them to pbtam. The people must be educated by the State, and that education must be free, compulsory, and secular, and nefer would they be allowed to go back to. the deqomipational system. Therefore instead ot deplorjng the inevitable, for the Church to do what they could In hope and faith to" spread the knowledge of religiQß» and to educate the. people lii the matters appertaining to religion, Mc now begged to thank theni lor the kindly way in which the toast had been proposed. , Mr V?. B. Perceval, M.ff.R.,,s»id that he had pleasure in responding to the tflaet so sindly proposed by the Very Rev. the Dean on behalf of the Lower House. He had not been a member long, but he had been one sufficiently Ibag to nq d puc that it was expec?ted in some caaes of them as each that they should git down quietly and hear their public cbaracter--and their private too, for the matter of that—maligned. Therefore it wae that the kindly manner in which the toast had been proposed came an aa ancj dote to these hard thlnge to wbiph he h»» reverted. iHe desired first, on the part of the people of Christchurch, to accord to BishPP Julius, on the part of all claß*e|s ftpd creeds, a. heartywelcoaae. if c Ateo F#»tared to tender to Bishop ivwper the heartfelt feelings of the people for his services during a well rPpenc life. He was mw retiring .-to a well-deserved rest, bofc he (AfP Perceval) trusted th»t he would live long to see a plentiful harvest reaped from the aeed be had eown. A» to the youßg New Zealander ref erred to by the Dean w could only say that he hoped to see more of them in Parliament. Any Young New Zealandei? coming to Parliament would receive a hearty welconpie from the New Zealand party. He desired to acknowledge that he owed his position that day, as a member ijx Parliament, to Mis Bjahop Harper, as Warden q£ (Jhrist'a Coilege, W institution which had enabled him to qaaiify himself a* a, member. Christ'e College a,t the last session had sent op no less than fqur members of Porliaipent. He was glad ?o see that cleraymen were taking a practical Interest in alltbe social question* of th,e day. They welcomed Bishop Julius more i on account of this fact that he spoke h)s < roiud freely on these great questions. | It was very difficult for a member of the Haose to speak on these questions. If betook uponesidehe being a vote member . and truckling to thq masses, whilst. If they went on the other side, they were told they .truckled to the wealthy, whilst, if they, took a middles coarse they were called trimmers. Hence be was glad to find in Bishop Julius * man who would deal with these questions. He thanked them once more on behalf of the Lower Boose for the kindly way Iα which the toast bad been proposed and received, ' aitihoa H4RFWI-* BOW wlah to prQjMkKi

to you a toast, In which you will all be much interested. ft Is one In which I myself cannot bat take a deep interest, and ye« there Iβ a peculiarity about it. I ana about to mention to you the health * and life and strength ol one who la to take my title and office—a title end offlw which I have borne now for more than thirty years, I cannot but therefore take a very great personal interest in this, and there is a great peculiarity in having tv propone this toast, and 1 am thankful that I hare had the opportunity of doing so. (Applause.) The more especially am I thankful, because my case Iβ an unusual one—in fact, so for as I know of the history of the Church, I do not know ono other Bishop who has retired who has had the opportunity, and whc has been able to lay hie hands on his successor as it was my privilege to do yesterday. (Applause.) Of course this makes mc take a deeper interest in it, but, apart from that, I cannot but take great Interest , in what I believe to be for th« welfare of the diocese. In. commending this toast to you, I need say but little te you about it, You have gathered from various sources the qualifications with which he has beeu endowed for bis work, qualifications which I feel will supply a want which you also hare felt, and I lee) sure that he will do his utmost to carry on the work which he has begun, and will do it that it will be of great importance. 1 will always as loug as I live take a great interest in the work of the diocese, and I shall take still more especial interest in 16. having been an instrument, by the providence of God, to assist at his consecration. (Loud applause.) On this occasion I need cay no more about it; others will take a part in thla toast. I am, I feel, speaking the mind and wish of those pressent when I propose the health of the new Bishop of Christcnurch ; that ho may have life and health and strength to continue witu the work which he has so successfully carried on in another office in a diocese of Australia. He has energy, youth, gift* and qualifications which I am quite cure will under God's blessing be made availa tile for the welfare of the Church of this province, and for the good ol the whole colony. I wish to propose the toast of "His Lordship the Biehop ol Christchurcb," (Loud applause.) Sir J. Hall said that, as one of the oldest lay members of the Church in the diocese, he had great pleasure ir<-upport-ing the proposal of the Chalnuiu that they should express in the usual mannei their gratification in having at last got their new Bishop safely landed among them, and then hope that he would, witn Mrs Julius and his family, enjoy many years of health, prosperity, and happiness. The Bishop had claims on their consideration, owing to difficulties which he had before him. The first was, thaft he succeeded one who had set before the diocese a high standard of what a (JbrUtiaa Biehop should be. During the early years of Bishop Harper's Episcopate he had never been deterred from visiting all parts of his large diocese by the and even risks which those jourueyfnge involved. These might be illustrated By the fact that the early settlers had thought it ueaeesary to secure lor the Biehop the tallest saddle horee to be found in the province to enable his Lprdtghip W» fqrd the large and dangerous rivers w&ph era versed hi* diopese, In later timftf, when settlement increased, he had been indefatigable in endeavoring to provide them with the ministrations of religion. And ever and always by hia moderation) hid consideration for others, aud hi* cqa* dilatory spirit be had won the ceteem. regard and affection of all Glasses and all denominations. He wee, therefore, a hard man for Biehop Julius to follow. A second difficulty whioh their new BUhon had to face was the fact that euo& glowing accounts had come across the water of his personal qualifications and of hia work in Australia that "*s« might be expecting from him, more than he could possibly perform. He (Sip i. Hall) was afraid that hia own experiences daring a recent visit to Victoria would notieasen these expectations. From ml sores and conditions of men ho had beard but one account—moat sincere regret at Archdeacon Julius , loss to Victoria, and congratulations to ourselves at having secured his services. There waa but one opinion ac to hie ability, hie energy, hit judgment, and the liberal mindednes* and large heartedoees which had earned foi hiq» golden opinions not only from churchmen, but from members of other religious denominations, and even from thoee who did not belong to any religious communion There was but one oplniou as to the success of bis work there. 3?hep Bishop Julius had, further, before btop what might be called the intrinsic diißculties of every Colonial Biehop. In Shear? to some extent an autocrat, hie autocracy was tempered by the fact that hia authority could ac a rule only be exercised oyei those who willingly submitted to it, Hβ would aleo have before him the difficulty pf providing from limited weans for religious ministrations to & communion wrhfajb in the Mother country had been provided for by the liberality of (heir forefathers, "U t here were thrown upon their own He had, however, the advantage of colonial experience, and this, with hie etreat; personal qualifications, would help him, to deal with theproblems which would meet him here. He had the atroogtwt glaim uppu tb(! eympatiby <iud support 0? Churchmen in his new diocese, and he (Sir JwQo Hall) could not, he thought, conclude n-i&fc a more acceptable greeting to thei? new .Bishop than to assure him that any h,e}p and support which fche laity conld afford would tra most freely given to him in fche discharge of the great and important he had undertaken. Bishop Jowoß, who was reppt n>s wjfcp long continued appl&yise, s.aid;—Jsy <Lo«L Sir John) Hall, ladies and gen&lerpe&t4 have to thank you with aU my heartier the many kind expressions of esteem which you have given, and for the mopt hearty reception wbipb yot* have give* to mc on thie ray arrival in the oology«- I am not fond o* telWng. bufc I am afraid that at the beginning of my work In fe&e polony I am landed into a good Q&ftl ot \l. (Lftughtep). a. certain TFrofewpß of the College, at Oxford, Bonarny , Ertoe, was known as the gr&afcenfc IMm* in the city, He wear, on a visit? to Amorfop, and when he returned be was piled wip question* as to his,experience. The, questions went round the room, "How-.d&l you like New York?" " How did jQ&JUxe Niagara ?" Hβ replied " I didn't iftse tfr**l didn't like it at all, I could nob heap uafself speak." (Laughter.) I confee* Iwn almost wish a Ni&jjara of gentle mafic was descending upon mc from the gallfify above to drown my words. (Applauae and laughter,) Yesterday i wa» received. W aFrießtof the Church of God, wWkpe high office of a Biehop, and in a mroefoe which I shall never to my last day forget -~rw a service ao beautiful In its old £¥»&• dear, 90 beautifully rendered, ao perl,e«M n every detafl»-pexfec& a% anything ; Uiat might bo seep in the old l&na ft«a In O«W old cathedrals there—in that service,,with its strange and myetie beauty, I w*«!Pceived as Bishop of the Church. oj Mm placed ip the Bishop's eeafc, and with authority. That day, as J have *£$, is one which wiU never pasm from raj memory or from my heart. God grant Ite influence may never be Hosfe upon mc. To-day, I suppose, I am received rathe? ae a man amongst my fellow men. socWUy, and I am very gl&d to be so received* *t ie very certain, as we all know, tha&e man may pursqo one side of his natwfe to the neglect of another, and the ejapjgy are a Hvlng exhibition of the result which Iβ quite possible, Just &§ a, man in «sommerce may forget the literary, or .Sβ" ligious side of his nature, go fsit for a clergyman to forgac almost that fe© ia a man among men, and to apfafe i& a little world of his own imaMq&JJiop. Nothing more hurtful could For my own part, God helping mo, I take Interest w every good thing that foay 9urroand the social, physical »ud intellactuaJ, as well as the epiHtual well'twtng ol all around mc. (Loud applause.) It is thug aa a man, rather than ac a Bishop, that I am received here to-day—and I do wish,it with ali my hearfc—as X look around mc, that wherever 1 flod anything to whM& 1 can lend my hand, my influence or my aid, that will % help for the happiness ana well-being of my feUowmen, God helping mc to give the best I have. Ladles and gentlemen, some member of the Church yesterday said to mc whatwas very true, but somewhat painful. " We have heard a good -ieal about yoa, and you know wi> expect a good deal from yoa, and you wil.' be much criticised." Well, 1 know it. It Is a very painful position to be in, but J roust make the be«fc of it. The fact is, ] have a, great number of friends in Vie woo know thpna, perhaps better than anj one eJae. exceptjjm i»y wifo-<laaehter)--»nd who,a» she, have not talked about tbera._ (Applauae and Sit Jflba Hall, he was through victoria opinions ago, hoved a great aea to mj good. Oh I that he had come to mc and heard the othep side of the sfcory. I am reminded at a efcory which may be old to you, bat U new to mc. It is of a .cqmpany of Maorte who met «a EnglUh woman for k the # Jir»fc time, who ieat round ber in admiration of her fair comDtactoa.Md b«4«tlfui fftq« r thfi ■ M( inclined to tpncK 3J«ey eat looking camera •igbVftliQitt.ftw.Q i«oJme| blsvcfc

ttocking. And then they cried, "We knew it." (Load laughter and applause.) Oh, you have only seen the fair complexion, and I am afraid when you see the two inches of black stocking—(laughter). I have some comfort. I am comforted Iα the fact that I stand here not the elect of a close majority, bat of almost the whole Synod of the Church. I confess it somforted mc not a little, for I know what human nature is. Had I been sleeted by a small majority I most have ivmpathised with the minority for having '.ost the man they wanted, and I think! ihould have felt deeply for them, and indeed had I been one of them I should aave sat round the new Bishop, and waited for some one of his failings to show itself, and then said, "Wβ knew it." (Applause.) You will find them out. I do not want you to expect anything out of the way, but iake mc only as a poor man who loves his Mends, who has got something from &od's hand to use for his fellosvnien, and who by the blessing of God will endeavor to be a faithful Bishop of the Church of God, and to the Church of this colony to which I have come a stranger, so that in days to come you may never look back upon these hours with regret. (Enthusiastic applause.) The Jdon. H. B. Gresson rose to prog)se the next toast —" The Bench of ishops In the Province of New Zealand." He trusted that he should be able co satisfy them that the colonial Bishops were fully entitled to their consideration. Let them look at those who had gone forth to the remote dependencies of the smpire to carry co the natives the message of the Lord and Master they served and loved so well. Yet they saw that to some extent they were forgotten ifar off laboring in the extreme of heat or cold for the cause of Christianity. Coming . nearer home they saw that Bishops Barry and Moorhouse had made their mars at Home, whilst in their own land they had the heroic Bishop Selwyn, the sainted Bishop Patterson, who faced the death of a martyr rather than leave his loved children of Melanesia; and John Selwyn, a worthy son of his great father. Were not these men worthy of the respect of any ! nation? As to Bishop Harper, it was noc necessary for him to say much. All knew, loved and respected him, and it was only !>ecause his name appeared on the toast list lower down that he (Hon. H. B. stresson) did not enlarge on his great Knd noble qualities. Then there was their Primate, at whose election he (Mr Bresson), with others, heartily rejoiced. Xhey knew the work lie had done in the past, and they could look upon him almost as a link between the present and tbe past. He did not know much of the working of other dioceses but Christchurch, but he felt that the Bishops were working one and all in the interests and service of their Master. They were engaged in the work of training the young and affording them religious instruction. He regretted to say that this want of religious instruction in respect to the system of education was the rock ahead In this colony, and he regretted that the members of tne Legislature had not seen it in the same light. As to the newlyelected Bishop, he might say that, though Dot speaking from experience, he felt sure that he would be found to be of the neatest use in the diocese, and he, for one, desired to add his mite to the chorus ■ of congratulation and welcome. - Bishop Nevill said that he had expected his Lordship the Primate to speak: is the senior Bishop, but as his Lordship had to speak immediately, he (Bishop Nevill) had been asked to say a few words. The conaecration of the day before had 'brought vividly before his mind a ceremony of a similar character which had been performed in Dunedin nineteen jrears ago, in which he was the person who- had taken upon himself the high and important office of Bishop. He thanked Mr Gresson for the kindly manner in •which he had proposed the toast. Since he-had been in the diocese of Dunedin, by fche help of tbe laity and the brave selfdenying efforts of tne clergy, he had been enabled to see great progress made. His Lordship, who was now resigning the office 6f Bishop of Christchurch, would be interested in knowing that the race of increase ©1 churches in che diocese of Otago had been at the rate of about two per year daring the nineteen years. He thanked them for the appreciation of the labors of the Bishops. Before he sat down he desired to say, on behalf of the Primate, his 'brother of Walapu, and himself, how much they had enjoyed the solemn service of yesterday and the pleasant gathering •Of that day. He had for many years ex'perlenced the fatherly counsel, the advice, and friendly counsel Of his Lordship Harper, and he rejoiced that such a successor like his Lordship Bishop Julius had been' able to be secured to come : amongst them. His acquaintance with Bishop Julius was,- of course, of a very slight character, bathe trusted they might be able to work together in che service of their common Lord for many years in love and friendliness, and that they might continue so to work together during the time they might remain on earth. The Pkimatb—l have to propose a toast ■ which I have no doubt will be acceptable to ail here. It is the toast of " The Most Reverend Bishop Harper." I have great : pleasure in undertaking the duty which has been imposed upon mc, because I have • not very arduous task to perform. Were I addressing an audience in another city but Christchurch I feel that I should have an important duty to perform, and I should be obliged to speak, even at this ■ late hour in the afternoon, at some length. ■ Bat at the present time, after what has been said by Sir John Hall end the Hon. Mr Gresson, to speak in the presence of a Christchurch audience, I think would be verging upon impertinence to make any further remarks in reference to the Episcopate of my dear brother here. I think there are a few words which I may appropriately address to yen. My first acquaintance with Bishop Harper was thirty-two years ago, when we met at a Conference at Auckland, when the Constitution of the Church was established. For a short time after that -period I had little communication with him. But it was my happiness when I "was appointed Bishop to have him the ■ consecrating Bishop, nearly twenty years ago, and I nave from that time, in his capacity as Primate, become fully acquainted with his high qualifications. The whole of my relations with him have been conducted with the greatest courtesy, kindness, sympathy, and affection, which has endeared him to mc to such an extent that I felt the greatest pain when I found that one single infirmity from which be suffers had deterred the Church from the benefit of his future supervision of it. (Applause.) I will not detain you. All I • can say is, that having succeeded to that high office which he held, that of Primace, it will be my endeavor to follow his footsteps as nearly as possible, perhaps at considerable distance, and that I may be of some little service to your revered brother and the clergy, and the laity so far as my duties bring mc in connection with them, I will say little more. I am glad the subject entrusted to mc had no connection with politics, otherwise I should have been tempted to contravert some of the statements made by Mr Beeves in reference to education. (Applause.) I could Dot help thinking when he said that the system now in existence was of such a permanent character that there was no chance of it being interfered with, that he was feeling a little that the ground was slipping away from under him. (Applanse.) I won't venture any further on that subject. I will make one further remark, and then come to a dose. On the occasion of the consecration of the - Cathedral there was a luncheon, to which I was invited—not so extensive as this— - when my reverend brother the Bishop of ; SJeleon ventured to express the hope that (oj most reverend friend here might hold . office until the chancel should be completed in the Cathedral. That hope had not been fulfilled. May I venture to express the hope, which will I hope extend beyond this room, that efforts may be made to complete that Cathedral, that my reverend brother may have the opportunity before h& lies down in his grave co see it completed. (Loud applause.) I have now to wish him health and prosperity as long as he lives, for he will ever nave the respect and reverence of all in this diocese, and will have the pleasure and happiness of being surrounded by the many members of his loving family. I beg to propose the toast of "His Lordship Bishop Harper." -{Loud applause.) Mr -Caleb Whttkfoord, R.M., said that the Primate had rightly said that try little need be said to recommend the x>ast. He as a layman felt it a great noflor to be asked to support the toast and >» supplement on behalf of his brethren 2f the laity the words which had been altered by the Most Eev. the Primate. The work of his Lordship the Bishop mi&tit on this occasion be referred to—• h-icfly, of course—-not to tell those present - ".-tiat had been done, bat simply to give a 'ew statistics. From the documents he rind been able to consult he found that Bishop Harper had arrived here in 185 ft— iome thirty-three or thirty-four years »go. He asumed office nnder Letters ' Patent, which he might say were not now Issued to Bishops of colonial standing. There was this about these Letters Patent that under them Christchurch was constituted a city under the Great Seal. He Relieved feat Chrietehurch was certainly

the only city in New Zealand, and with j the exception of Sydney, the only one in j Australasia, which enjoyed this dignity, i At the commencement of his Lordship's episcopate, in 1856, there were only some eight or nine clergymen in the Diocese, and as giving them some idea of the work I which nis Lordship had to perform he might say that it extended from the Wai- i para in the North to Stewart Island in the South. They had heard from Sir John ! Hall how energetically and systematically the Bishop hadtra veiled over this immense diocese, and that at a period when no such conveniences in the matter of , travel were available as now existed, and which they were privileged to enjoy. The difficulties might well have daunted one less brave and energetic than the Bishop, but he met and overcome them, with that earnestness, that self-sacrifice and devotion to the cause of his Master, which had endeared him to everyone in the community. In the time allotted to him (Mr Whitefoord) to speak, it was impossible to touch even upon one-twentieth of the work of the Bishop. He was third oldest living Bishop. His seniors were the Bishop of Guiana and the Bishop of Frederickstown. During those thirtythree years which had elapsed since their revered Bishop entered on the work of the Episcopate there had been difficulties in the work of the Church. These difficulties had been met by the Bishop in that kindly, Christian, zealous spirit, which had always characterised him, and with a wise discretion, which had prevented what migiic have been serious differences in the Ciiurch. Sir John Hall had alluded to the career of Bishop Harper in the Episcopate as one of the difficulties which his successor would find in following him, bat he (Mr Whitefoord) thought it would prove to Bishop Julius—if such a thing were wa;ited, which he did not believe—an incentive to go and do likewise, and an example of what a godly Christian Bishop should be. It seemed to him (Mr. Whitefoord) that on the occasion when their revered friend, Bishop Harper, was handing over the diocese to Bishop Julius as his successor in the bishopric, ie was interesting to compare the state of the diocese as handed over with what it was when Bishop Harper took charge. From the small number of five buildings which had then to do duty as churches, these had now increased to over one hundred. The number of the clergy referred to by him already had increased to about 100. There were now some 8003 Sunday school scholars, some 600 Sunday school teachers, and a cathedral, the magnificence and beauty of which they had had an opportunity of seeing the previous day. lhese were the brief aud necessarily imperfect record of the work of their revered Bishop during his' residence of over one-third of a century auiougst them. Duriug that time he had earned the undying respect aud esteem of those not only of nis own communion, but of all sorts and conditions of men. It was a record of which the Bishop might well be proud, and of which they in Canterbury oughc to be proud. They also of the laity, who had in their small, humble way been associated with the great work which the Bishop had done in their midst, had also reasau to be proud. The record of their much-loved and respected Bishop would serve as a monument to his worch after he had passed away—a monument which would never be forgotten in the hearts of those he had loved so well and served so faithfully. Bishop Harper, on rising to reepond, was received with long continued applause. He said—l wisli to express my very sincere thaiiks for the honor you have done mc, for the kind way in which you have received the Primate's few words and those of Mr Whitefoord. One cannot look back upon one's episcopate without .seeing things of deep interest to him. When I arrived here tnere were nob more than six dioceses iv the whole of Australia ; only one in New Zealand. Now, I believe, there are twenty-one, including the Diocese of Melanesia, which is annexed to New Zealand. There has been a great increase since I have lived here, and this is one of the advantages I have had in seeing the I gradual growth of the Church throughout Australia. There has been growth also in the independence of the Church, such as was needful for the carrying on of the work of the Diocese. I came out here under Letters Patent and I thought there was no possibility then of a Bishop being appointed here except under the mandate of the Queen. But it has so happened that in connection with my case a contest was raised between the College from which I held my living, before I came here and the Crown, by which they succeeded in a law suit to ascertain that the Queen had no jurisdiction in ecclesiastical matters in a colony which had a separate constitution. Under that Christchurch was made a city and remained so. There is no longer need of Letters Patent for the Bishop. We have present in the room on this occasion, the Primate, the. Bishop of Dunedin, and the Bishop of Walapu, three instances in which the Church has been able to act without any appeal to the Crown for permission to do so. And in many other instances we have been able to carry out the policy which I hope has been and will be for the benefit of the Church, by which we have called to our assistance a large body of laity, and have given them voices in the work of the Church. This is something for a man to live to see, and I am thankful for having had the opportunity of seeing it. I am thankful to meet one who is about to succeed mc in office and carry on that work in which wo have been engaged. Though I spoke of our independence 1 do not mean that to imply anything like separation from the Mother Church. It should bring us the closer to it. We hold the same doctrines they have, and shall continue to hold them, and I hope those who succeed mc, and I have no doubt they will struggle and be loyal to the Mother Church, and look up to her and work for the Church of this diocese. I will not say any more on the subject, but thank you very heartily for the way in which you have been kind enough co receive the remarks which have been made. The country is different now to what it was when I first came here. The Primate has gone through greater hardships than I have. He has seen the greatest hardships of any of our Bishops. What I had to undertake was merely travelling over unknown tracks and encountering rivers.- Perhaps the greatest difficulty I felt was the coolness with which, when we arrived at a house, our horses were unsaddled, and we walked up to the house without having even been introduced to the hoet or hostess. In our first> journey I felt that even more than fording the rivers. I have to thank you, ladies and gentlemen, for the kind words you have spoken, and I hope things may go on in the same way; that there be the same union among ourselves, union among denominations without any sacrifice of principles, union with each other, and union with the Mother Church. (Loud applause.) Key. J. 08. Hoa.ee proposed the next toast, " The Clergy of other Denominanations." He thought that many of those who took an interest in matters taking place in the old country would know that the subject' of conciliation and mutual concession had made wonderful strides. Here, in this colony, he thought that the conciliatory feeling was rather a chilling one. How was that to be met? He did not propose that the Church of England should give up any of her principles, nor, on tbe other hand, did he ask those of other denominations to cast away the names and traditions handed down to them by their forefathers. How, then, were they going to achieve conciliation? He replied, by estimating the work performed by others at its true value, whatever means or organisations had been used. This was a time when not the poorest denomination which existed had existed in vain; had not brought comfort to some hearts; had raised up some that had fallen, and had helped on the work of Christ in the world. They were increasing, and fighting at the present for the dignity of manhood: and he was glad to hear their new Bishop say that day that hi 3 being a Bishop did not make him less a man. They would remember that, and they would call upon him to prove himself a man in that city. Let them think of the fact that beneath these differences of creed and observance they were still men. For the first time in this diocese he thought the undenominational churches had been recognised. He looked upon it as the first fruits of their new Bishop's reign, and he rejoiced that he was the mouthpiece to wish success and God speed to the other denominations.

Rev. Mr Hoatsox responded to the toast, and said that he had always taken a keen interest in the work of the Church of England, and he also desired to welcome their new Bishop. He was thankful that the recognition spotcen of- by Mr Hoare had been accorded to those who, In spite of difference of church government, &c, from their hearts were doing the work c£ their common Lord. He wished, on behalf of the Church he represented— the Congregational Church—to give to Bishop Julius the heartiest welcome, and he now did so. He (Mr Hoatson) had been in BiUarat recently, j and whilst there had heard nothing buc encomiums of Bishop Julius. They in the Congregational Church took to

themselves the credit of approaching these social questions which the Church had to deal with, and, therefore, they rejoiced to find in Bishop Julias a man who would help forward the work of dealing with these questions. He (Mr Hoatson) had had a great deal to do with young men, and he knew that both, those inside and outside the Church would welcome the adveat of Bisbop --Jaliuau From the words the Bishop had uttered that .afternoon he pcathered tnat he would be an advocate for all kinds of physical developments within due bounds. This being ao, he could assure the Bishop that he would receive the utmost sympathy, love, and assistance from them. Now he desired to thank Mr Hoare for his kindly references to other denominations, and he on behalf of his fellow ministers of denominations- outside the Church of England, desired to thank those present for the kindly welcome which hud been accorded to them that day. The other toasts proposed were The Visitors," responded to by his Worship the Mayor, " Mrs Julius and the Ladies, and "'the Press" (responded to by Mr C. Rous Marten of the Neio Zealand Times). The luncheon did not conclude until past five o'clock.