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SEVENTH ON THE LIST

ANGLICAN CHURCH IN NEW

ZEALAND

PRIMATES OF THE PAST

SELWYN'S MISSIONARY WORK.

The history of the Anglican Church in New Zealand shows that Bishop Averill (who has now assumed the title of Archbishop and Primate of New Zealand) comes seventh on the Hat of Primates. The first Primate, whose official title was the Bishop of New Zealand, was the famous missionary bishop, Dr. George Augustus. Selwyn. The call was first made on William Selwyn, his elder brother, but ho declined the appointment. Bishop Selwyn reached Auckland m June, 1842. When the Governor, Captain Hobson, received word that a bishop was to be appointed to New Zealand, he exclaimed, "A bishop ! What I on earth can a bishop do in New Zealand where there are no roads for his coach." When he" beheld the recipient J of the surprising appointment, he chang- I ed his mind. 'Ah," he remarked, "that is a . very different thing; this is the right man for the post." I After events abundantly proved that Selwyn was the right man. He landed with a full knowledge of tho Maori tongue, and instantly won the confidence of the Maoris. He explored New Zealand from end to end at the earliest opportunity. Returning ,from his first visit to Wellington, he 'reached Auckland with his bag containing his gown and a cassock, "the only articles in my possession which would have fetched sixpence in the Auckland rag-market," as he relates, "My last remaining pair of shoes (pumps) were strong enough for the light and sandy walk from the Manukau Harbour to Auckland, and I reached tho Judge's house by a path, avoiding the town, and passing over the land which I have bought for the site of a cathedral. It is a spot which, I hope, may hereafter be traversed by many bishops, better shod, and far less ragged than myself." THE BISHOP IN TIME OF WAR. One great work was the establishment of St.. John's College, which at first consisted of two or three small tents, and later of wooden houses, thatched with reeds. During the Maori War, his attitude was an essentially. Christian one. His bravery was amazing. The Auckland "Times" described him thus: "Fearless in the very, midst of the contest, he sought to allay the heat of blood, and to arrest the fury of the fight. Hs was also seen bearing the wounded from the field; afterwards, unwearied, he was at the bedside of the dying. Much piore than this, he was the nurse, and the surgeon, and tho servant of tho sick, as well as their spiritual attendant." The bishop was v«ry keenly concerned with the progress of missionary work in Melanesia, stales the "New Zealand Herald." In 1867, Selwyn, after having twice previously ■declined the appointment to the Bishopric of Lichfield, accepted it at Royal request. He left New Zealand sorrowfully, but left it with the Church in a wonderfully' improved position, a tribute to his tireless energy. The second Primate was Bishop Henry John Chitty. Harper, who occupied the position till 1890. In 1856 he was consecrated bishop in Lambeth Palace Chapel, and in 1863, when Selwyn left his loved New Zealand,to take up his new, office at Lichfield. Bishop Harper became Primate. In 1890,. at the age of 86 years, he resigned the cares of office. Canon Purchas, in his "New Zealand Church History," states: "Bishop Harper was pre-eminently a man of peace, but beneath the placid exterior lay an indomitable will. One who knew him well wrote of him thus, 'He left upon me the deep impression that he never had an ideal of power or wealth or fame; but that to go about and to promote the welfare of his fellow-men with all his strength were objects he had in view in his whole life.' " TROUBLE OVER APPOINTMENT., The resignation of Bishop Harper led to difficulties regarding the appointment of his successor. At the General Synod of 1889, Bishop Harper gave notice of his intention to resign, and at the third ballot, for his successor the voting was in favour of the veteran Bishop of Wellington, Dr. Octavius Hadfield. ' This decision, however, was contested, since the canons gave no authority for the election till the position of Primate was> actually vacant. The Standing Commission ruled the election null and void but the Wellington and Dunedin Synods maintained that the election was legal and refused to take any notice of the communications of Bishop Suter, of Nel- ??-&. who Proceeded to act as Primate. Ihis position," wrote Canon Purchas was full of interest to lawyers, bnt it was painful and humiliating' to devout, members of the Church." &At a special general meeting of the General Synod heldl v, 1890.. Bishop Hadfield was electW Jfi"u °uv aC:COWIfc of iladfield was obliged to leave Oxford University as a young man, and came to New Zealand when in deacon's orders. On the application of Rauparaha for a missionary at Otaki, Hadfield responded to tho call, and was tho first in New Zealand to receive the office of priesthood. His Christian influence was exerted for good during the troublesome days of Maori strife in the Wellington and Taranaki- districts. He was consecrated Bishop of Wellington in 1870. It is written of him that he rallied again and again from what seemed to be a bed of death, and he outlived most of those with whom he began his -work. He was a man of wide learning. His resignation followed in 1893, and in 1904 he passed away after final years of retirement.at Marton. SECOND AUCKLAND PRIMATE. The Primateship was then conferred by unanimous feeling on the Bishop of Auckland, Dr. William Garden Cowie ' He was Selwyn's successor as Bishop of Auckland being consecrated in Westminster Abbey He died at his post in 1902, after a short illness, and was thus tho only Primate whose office was ended by death. All the other Primates have resigned their position. - j The fifth Primate was Samuel Tarratt Nevill, Bishop of Dunedin, and the only survivor of the post-Selwyn group He was consecrated Bishop of Dunedin in ?R- i A ViIS- P <ri,? ate from tlle death of Bishop Cowie till the end of 1919 H e md 48 years' service as bishop, and at. the General Synod of .1919 thanked those wiio expressed the wish thai he would complete tlie lia If -century of service. It was sufficient, he continued, that he was now the senior bishop of the Anglican episcopate, and though he would much like to attend the Lambeth Conference in the following year, he did not want his failing strength to become a hindrance to the conduct of the Church's work. RETIREMENT OF BISHOP JULIUS. Bishop Churchill Julius, of Christchurch, was the next Primate. At the General Synod of 1922, his title was altered to that of Archbishop and Primate of New Zealand, though the added dignity wa3 immaterial to the man JmijwcU, m be laid Sv-mjd Ihtit, while he

had no love for titles, he appreciated the kindly thoughts of clergy and laity. Archbishop Julius endeared himself to his people throughout New Zealand in a. very special way. His kindly and genial disposition has made him much loved. He has always been a virile figure, and the completion of Christchurch Cathedral was due in a large measure to his personal advocacy. The erection of church schools, and of St. Saviour's orphajiages and the establishment of the Order of St. Anne, showed his love for the young people. He has been described as an inspiration to the members of the Church and an ornament to the clergy. When announcing his decision to retire., the Archbishop referred to Ins advanced age of 77, and said he was almost the oldest bishop by date of consecration in the communion

Permanent link to this item

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/EP19250422.2.99

Bibliographic details

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 93, 22 April 1925, Page 9

Word Count
1,305

SEVENTH ON THE LIST Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 93, 22 April 1925, Page 9

SEVENTH ON THE LIST Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 93, 22 April 1925, Page 9

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