CLERGY AND LAITY

Dominion, Volume 26, Issue 291, 4 September 1933, Page 10

CLERGY AND LAITY

Duties o£ Congregations . 3ISHOP SPEAKS PLAINLY ■ Dominion Special Service. ' Stratford, September 3. Speaking at the introduction of the vicar, the Rev. K. J. McFarland, Bishop Cherrington said his ideal of a Christian congregation in the ,twei\-. tieth century' was where a parish the size of Stratford could get along without a stipendiary vicar. “It was time,” he said, “that Christian men and women could get along w’ithbut paid clergy in every Christian congregation. Their laymen were capable of reading the lessons, carrying 6ut church work, and generally keeping the church flag flying. Thgy were ready to do it without money. Surely there were enough Christian parents who would be glad ♦to take service and help in bringing . HP children in the Christian faith. The money thus saved could be used for , missions. He looked forward to such a state of affairs, which he deemed was* not impossible. The Bishop deplored the state of divorce between the clergy and the laity. In Taranaki he thought it was •not so accentuated now as it was. They depended on the clergy a great deal too much. , It was their business as members of a congregation to help the Minister. The' clergy could do much better if 'they knew the congregation were helping with their prayers. • Without prayer and sympathy the, clergy .could not be expected to succeed as they ought.