FIFTY YEARS IN THE MINISTRY

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 72, 17 December 1938, Page 10

FIFTY YEARS IN THE MINISTRY

Archbishop Averill

ORDAINED IN ST. PAUL’S IN 1888 Dominion Special Service. AUCKLAND, December 16. The completion of 50 years in the ministry of the Church of England will be celebrated by Archbishop Averill on Sunday. The archbishop was ordained as a deacon in St. Paul's Cathedral by the late Archbishop Temple, father of the present Archbishop of York, on the fourth Sunday in Advent in 18S8. Archbishop Temple was at that time Bishop of London. Born in Stafford, England, in 1865, Archbishop Averill received his earlier education at the Stafford Grammar School, King Edward VI School and by private tutor, subsequently pursuing his studies at St. John’s College, Oxford, where, in 1887, he took his bachelor of arts degree, with second-class honours, in the theological school. After training at Ely Theological College, he was ordained to the curacy of the important parish of St. George’s, Hanover Square, and later ministered in the parish of Holy Trinity, Dalston.

The archbishop came to New Zealand in 1894 to take charge of St. Michael’s parish, Christchurch. In 1902 he was appointed canon of Christchurch Cathedral, in 1903 Archdeacon of Akaroa, and in 1909 Archdeacon of Christchurch. He was elected to the see of Waiapu in 1909, and four years later he accepted an invitation to become Bishop of Auckland. On the resignation of Archbishop Julius in 1925, he was unanimously elected to be Primate and Archbishop of New Zealand, ' Addressing members of Auckland Synod in October, Archbishop Averill gave notice of his intention to seek permission from the Bench of Bishops to resign his oflice at the next General Synod in February, 1940. He said he would prefer his resignation to take effect in April, 1940, if General Synod was willing to permit such an extension, since it would be more convenient for the diocese and for the province of New Zealand if he remained in office till after the close of the financial year.