RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 110, 1 February 1908, Page 10

RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY.

• BISHOP'S' SUDDEN DEATH; SCOTTISH EPISCOPAL PIIIMUS.' Dr. George Howard Wilkinson, Bishop of St. Andrews,. and Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church, died .in . Edinburgh recently with tragic suddenness just after addressing a meeting of the Representative Church Council. The subject under discussion was the decrease of the Clergy Susteutatiou Fund.' The Primus pleaded for prayerful consideration of the matter, and said that over and over .again in his life he found when a crisis came in the financial condition of any church or any parish, the one tjiing to do was to openly before God, acknowledge their need and to lay their wants before him. • It was noticed by those present that- tbo speaker's breathing was somewhat laboured, and his tone was solemn, but those who were near, observed that a pallor came over his features, and concluded that he was Suffering from temporary illness. ,Mr..R. T. M. Speir, of Cuidees, the chairman, had just risen to close the discission, When the Primus.was observed to fall from hi 3 chair Several members of the Council, realising the seriousness of the moment, placed him ir. the best possible, posi-. tion,' sci that he might breathe freely, and tho assistance of a medical man was at once sought, but. death had been instantaneous. A most impressive scene followed. The members of the Council kneeled beside the. lifeless body, and tile Bishop of Glasgow, pronounced the Benediction dissolving the meet' ing M , A service was hold, and prayers were offered by. Dr. Dowden,. the Bishop of Edinburgh, and the Lord's Pl'ayer was repeated ■by tlic company. • i. .. Dr. \yilkinson was h man of gieat per: sonal charm, and his popularity as a preacher was unbounded. To English Churchmen, lie wil| bo best remembered by his Work iit St. Peter's, where he attracted great congregations during tho early 'seventies, especially during the frequent missions which he held. Under his care the inc ambency becjuiio a, great centre for spiritual work, not only ill tho parish itself, but in, the support of missions .in poor parishes at Home and in tho' Colonies. The deceased Bishop was born ill ,1833, and educated at Durham .School and Oxford, taking at the. university a second class, in the final classical .school in 1855. Two years later ho was ordained by the late Dr. • Tait, then Bishop , of, London, 'and was appointed to,a curacy at Kensington. . I'roili London lie .went succcssivjlv to Seaham Harbour and. Auckland, Durliam, .returning to St;'. Peter's, Great "Windmill Sheet, and afterwards • going to. St. Peter's, Eatott Square, to tho vicarage of which lie. was appointed in 1870. Thu' good work which ho performed thero no doubt led to his be,ing offered the See of Truro in 1853, in succession to Bishop Benson, on the, nomination of ■tho lato Mr. Gladstone.'* Previously he had acted as Select Preacher at Oxford and Proctor for the Clergy of London in Convocation.' At Truro Dr. "Wilkinson took a great part in the raising of the funds for the newcather#•"l' 'V, 1 ,' 1, li'mself a very moderate High Churchman, ho was a practical and i. broad-minded man, and consequently, became exceedingly popular among all schools of thought in the .Church and with i, any Dis-' r,enters. Much to the grief of all classes in tho'diocese, he was compelled, owing to illhealth, caused, it is said,'by almost unceasing work, to resign the bishopric in 1891, but- two years later he accepted tho Bishopric of St. Andrews,' and became Primus of the Scottish Episcopal.'Church>filling that, position to' tlifi day of his death. f 'Dn Wilkinson \was one of . tho most remarkable Bishops of 'liiodern. times.'. .His capacity, for work was tremendous 1 , .and he iihravs' had the cause of the pool - : at, heart. Ho .was"a great friend of tho late. Mr. Gladstono, who regarded liini with ■ Something liioro than 'esteem; and was a frequent visitor., ,aty;Ha warden during that statesman s, 'life. - to his clerical (lufcics lie lotirid tinio io writo several works on devotlonil and other religions subjects, Which have been extensively circulated.