BISHOP OF WAIAPU.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 717, 17 January 1910, Page 3

BISHOP OF WAIAPU.

■::; jCOhJSECRATItiN-SEIIVICEi;; .- ;^,A^;.IMPpSSM?C^MONT;;'.'; .■ . (By ,TeleeraDh;TJ-Spe;cial Jcorreabdndent.) , '■ : . :, i :' ; '.;;V;;i.;,;ft.Napieri :: Jannaryil6. ■' .•'''The.'Consecratioi-'-aiid- : :'iiisialla'ti6n-:-.'of Aichdeacpn' Ayerill. {as .'/Bishop. of ; Waiapu { took; place at Napier ;'Cathedral: ,to-day' in the pr'jsonce: of -a .very. )arge;mimber of visitors .and a'['congregation .* tEdf ;has if 'ever, ■ been; exceeded..' Extra seating;.accommpdation'lwas provided.: in every .possible' way, , ' but. sbmo, were, com- , 'pellM.'.to/stand'througlioat..,:The service commenced at 11 .a;m. : and- finished at 1.20 p.m.; The' was^most'impressive. The'pro'cession,took place:in the following 'order choir; registrar. or .(Mr. F.. '■: Logan,;; Vergtr: (Mr. .iHaseman)," '; olergy, ; ..archdeacons, .the': .vicar; (Ganbn : Mayic),' '■ the bishop-elect • (with his. acting chaplain, Archdeacon .Hi" W.; ■Williams), and the following bishops each, ■attended- by; his' chaplains:—Bishop Williams, the.'Bishops of "Auckland, felling-. :ton,■ Nelsbn, : Christchurch, and;Dunedin' (tho;Primate). "■;■'■'? .". ' .'■ " : . '"'■''■ : '.; by Bishop '!;; | : Julius'delivered an eloquent ser-, mon," speaking: ,';of his .:■late' companion ■ (Archdeacon Averill) with deep "I- am among 'you as he that' serveth" Luke xxii, 27) was the.text. In .the coui&s of. his address ho said:: "The friendship of. many years.and our' Working together "in vthe, . Church of ■ God forbid me to say ■much" regarding my brother. ■!■ would not-draw his thoughts away, from Him. in' Whom alone he shall find strength; and yet VI; cannot; stand here" to-day ;on an-'occasion wHich"moves me to'the very heart'without saying this: He has.held many high offices in the- Church, and he held them, >not because , .he. is : worthy ,of them, but because he.knows how.to make ■of them opportunities for service: To that '.end.he.accepted the call, and, in' so' , far as .one, may .learn, of: the future from the pastvl -believe he comes to serve .all men,, to serve. the; learned as > well as : .unlearhed, : .the.rich;as well as the poor,' fthe andi the , ; white3 in. distant ,'bush, ;and. to.do. what in him. lies to serve ■ always the r Xprd .;Jesus. Christ. :My ■ brother, my/ dear God keep ypu faithful to principles and indifferent ■to results,, and, a true'and ; faithful servant 'of the/Great Servant iof'.all;, the Bishop i andvShepherd of- , all'our souls.".. -After., the serinon,, the anthem "Call to . (Vincent:'^Novello),.;was rendered. ;;.■■-:.- r :'v;;.,. ; \ :' " -,The wae,then presented by. Bishops .Williams and: Mules; to. the.' Primate,", who ithen (demanded .the author-, ity. 'for; the. consecration; .and caused it to ,:be~ read by the; chancellor; • The oath of" obedience;.iy,'.as '. then administered,' the .declaration was made: by 'the'bishop-elect,. ;and7theh: followed : the- litany, v The ex; aminatioE'or the:;bishop.-elect;,was 'then .proceeded..with, and :&, solemn yoluntnry : was -played ;by, the 'organist'-(Mr.' Harold Gregeon),'-,while . : the] bishop-elect: put: on •the.remainder.of;the episcopal habit The :chant < Creator,;Spiritus" was; 6ung the ■ Pdmate ' beginning. ;r IJhe primate and ."-bishops'' then: laid ■ 'their".hattds''on therhead : ,'of■': the; bishop-eleot kneeliiig be-, fore them;-the Primate saying the -pre-, scribed pfayers*. -.;The, Holy Communion service. was .then concluded,. and : a • hymn. ■brought, the/seryicefto, a close'.: ■'■'-''■■:'■. /■-The .installation:':ceremony: took place 'at ■ 7 p:m.-, .when . the chancellor. of the - 'diocese ■read', the ''dpoument.- testifying, .to', the , due v ; ; consecratip'n,:;and; 'the ; yic'ar. -(Canon'':Mayne);:.accompanied',.by;- other 'membersiof;'the)chapter; conducted , - him' . to; the: episcopal' seat, : and/, duly; installed ■ fhim«*- ; *-■■*-• " ''-■V^- '('i/i'. , ;.■'•' "> -v- '■.", ■ \ ■'-''■■:'

I? J; ; ; /SERMON; p- ; . f>'v : HQPE: : MXrST ; BE.'CHratCH'S>- Z |^;- : /:0)v ; 5:-^>;KEYM)TE. v m; ''•;.'V?;' i: -' ; ' .■The new' Bishop , ', of 's^aiapui' who .was; ■the-:preaoher' afc : the.eyeriirig.service, toot. ;as.Ms;,text,"l Peter'.lj'3: "Blessed he , the. ; God''and.': Father,.' of: : : our:'Lord ; . Jesus Christ,Yiwhich':'according, toy His abnnd-. ;ant' ! meicy,'• hath.■begptten.iiis-;igain: unto :a'-lively hope of;the:resurrectioh of .J.esus •Chnst.v from -the dead." ..:'After.:;;a■',reference...to. the :lesson. of :hope.'derived, from St.. Peter's : life-arid character,-.the Bishop said:-. "Can ;.,we wonder'i -then,,', that: he, if or: wliom .hope .had 'done : e6 ; much, should ' bless; and;:thank.-' God; ( f or -that ." liyin'g'; 'Hope , ..'-which; Christ' had brought' into,' a world?" 'And should.'.not'.the: .of. the Chu'rbhlas well'as .of ■ the' individual;Christianialways -be.-.hope,"just" because -God's.purposes must,,be.worked' jlo'ut'i-iii, the" world :'and!ih eVery.individual' i ! just as .much' as they -were in .St. Pete. if is- because Jbsus':-Christ'is.'the: samb ■yesterday, , to-day, ■ and.'for, ever,'. the Vsaine loving, , power,- ithat ■I .venture ;to: accept ..the call. to .become; Bishop of i.this diocese. -, No .man could. , dare...to re"spohd' to such"a call if 'he'/thought'only' : , of ■what:; he * was, Lit' he thought - only.' of; I^'-:,6irai'.'.wealaiessi!s^.'b i r.'A.eTen:'''-of'..'''.'9uoh : natural .'abilities: as: he'.might' happen;, to' jpossess. ;,• It: could,;only."be.in 'the:'assu'r■ance of thaf,divine',promise. '.'Thou' shalt be'r-only in i the .firm belief. in.' ; the. con-: Averting; iuiding and sustaining \power l oj ;the,ever-Uying Christ that; he:;cquld p'os-' j'sibly ■( face a 't.yrotV:, in' .which, r.-indecd,, -he 'goes', out not-.knowing' whither./he, goef : (.-rod's ■ calls -have 'always'.been; very ; roal ■to me,';':;lt- was : ;in response to 'whatv.l ■;believed-to'.be'ai'distinct'Call ; froui God .that.ltde.oided, to'.enter': thn.ministry 'cf ■the.'Chuich when I;had ; hau : yijiuns'. of .a different career.' It was in response, ito an'unsought,: and at' the; time' unde- : sired,- ; call from God that I came' to f.New .Zealand.■,. It. response:;to what,'! cannot but' believe;.to ■pe an■' undoubted call; from .God;that J-'.have.left a'.'diocese. ,which,': is;, 'dear.vto ,:me,':- a-i parish' .which '. has, been ; a joy'.la me; aid a bishop whom I'love.'. IlbelievoCthat. God' KaS: a work' for ''me , to; do.. here,, and I look fqiward ; to'., the', future with hopefulness. I should ■ never have .ventured':to .take such; a step if ■there-had, been , ; any.'uncertainVsoiind' about'.that ; call; or if ithere'hadibeen any .uncertainty .in 'my ■ mind as:; to whether the'l.voice of' God really; speaking thrbngh-the synod of. this.diocese. But I am honestly. persuaded•;:that■...Go'd-'has .spoken."";; ..;'■/■ .'•_ ■-;■■:■" ; .''--''v'./.^':M' ; !- : .v' ■

.■;v^:!:;.: : ;::Work:in. ; Waiapui -'■:' -. y ;,'. .:■■' "I '"'- have ■ : every. '■'' confident '■■•■ in -bV lievirig; that-the members .'of. the synod 'and .the:, dioceso-, which:, they represent -Will help;'me and trust me. in ■the future as they; have done in' the: .past. ..The manner : in -which the:;dlection. of bishop was conducted': will -always remain.in 'my. ,tnind as a happy memory, as well .as. ih : spiration and" encouragement : to; zeal in my worlc. v : l cannot tell you how much I have v been helped and'strengthened by. the • many'.'prayers . which',' have ascended ; to the v llirone: 'of I Grace' ;on my behalf and for ;,the blessing of: Almighty I (jgd !upon';the solemn, service "A which took place this morning, and I - hardly need to' : remind ■ you that a bishop! as well' "ns a:bishop-designate;, neods the:prayers and sympathy of his, people if he is to giye :his besttoVthe difficult' and often-times .trying.work.which,falls to' his lot. This 'is hot : the time in which to speak, of the ; work which lies before me,; hut il am'sure you will -understand my anxiety to learn. as; much .as possible about; the diocese-arid its needs during the.coming year,'and , to .get, into personal touch:with tho and laity- in the- several- parishes and 'districts. I; trust that the clergy Vwill always "look upon me as n ' friend, ; for I desire; above 1 all-things to. be. a friend to thom, as I. know lidw hard and difficult and lonely" their lives often'are. V May God help nip-to inspire them.with, my-own-hopefulness! ■> ■ '. "May I say in conclusion that in' spite of the, many difficulties which/confront the Church at. the present time,' yet this is no time • for despair ? , So long as the Church is faithful, and true to ; her divine Master, and; Head she can never fail. The world is'God'sVwprid, and behind and above" this world is: the-'Spirit of : God working out' God's: own: eternal - purposes. The Church must over,'be God's witness both: to: His immanence ..and His transcendence; the Church must ever be God's witness, to the "fact that: Christ is not a dead Christ, but a living, energising Power;r'.tue'-.Church,, must seek to bring the material, within tho sphere of the.spiritual; ; .H:only:the.Church will be ■true tpi'her diyine'Xord and Master, and reflect' His-Spirit, she will then be true to herself :"and.rise to : her great and glorious opportunity. And what an opportunity. she has, for she is'lno mere human societyj but the divinely-appointed: :means. of showing to the world; the love of Christ and.the fatherhood of God,:of bringing men' and women under the dominion of the living Christ, of setting forth boldly the truth that Christ,- and Christ alone, is. the only solution, for the social, and intellectual, troubles' which too" often . separate ::men-. into. : hostile I camps. .May she ever-pray in the words of her..Master.that all.Christians.'may

be. one, , and go, on praying spite of temporary obstacles! If ay unity, - peace, and concord' flourish within hior tordets, so ■ that she may make use' of her great powers and opportunities -to fight the Lord's battles and contend against the Lord's enemies! May. she feel tho power of that 'living ■ hope,' and press, forward to victory, in tho assurance that : all onomies must be subdued under the feet of Him, Who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords!•'. May' God give us all this living hope' as we face the duties and difficulties of the. future, and in iHis service, may .we;become 'what He would have us.be.'" '. ....'.' '■■' . ■''