VACANT SEE

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 81, 6 April 1933, Page 12

VACANT SEE

ARCHBISHOP OF SYDNEY

LIKELY APPOINTMENT

(From "The Post's" Representative.) _ SYDNEY, March 30. April 4 will be a memorable dato^ in the history of the diocese of. Sydney, for on that date the Synod will meet to select a successor to the late Archbishop Wright. The vacancy has been widely discussed, and the most notable development has been the demand by a large section of those associated with the Church for a man with evangelical leanings. . The High Church . section has also been particularly active, but seems most unlikely to succeed in its object. There is every indication at present that the final choice will fall on Bishop Mowll, of Western China. Two hundred churchmen attended a' special meeting oil Monday night, and they decided unanimously to give their support to his nomination.

' Among those who will be considered for the appointment is Dr. J. W. Hunkin, Archbishop of Coventry, and it is generally considered that he will carry the vote of,the modernists and possibly that of some of the high churchmen. The fact that he was associated with Bishop Barnes in the book called "Liberal Evangelism," also that on two occasions he submitted papers to con-, fcrences of modern churchmen, and that he is opposed to eucharistio vestments may cause some high churchmen to refrain from voting for him. The names of Bishop Kirby, Administrator of Sydney, of Bishop Mowll, of Western China, and of Dr. Gilbert, of St. John's College, London, will also be considered, and it is regarded as of the utmost significance that such a large section has agreed to give its support to Bishop Mowll. Of Bishop Mowll it is said: "He is a splpndid man. of great ■physique and outstanding mental qualities, and would be widely, popular." His selection would bo intensely popular with the missionary section of the Church, and also with the very powerful evangelical section.'

After a ineeting of the Sydney Diocesan Reform Association the spokesman of that body' said: —"We have' come to the unanimous decision that our new chief should be evangelical." 'The whole diocese,: it was said, possessed an evangelical tone and tradition; it 'was not their purpose to change that tone, and it would be wrong to change it. The meeting made a demand for a full and free- discussion of all the nominations, so that they could be, certain of securing a pastor who would bo able to give a lead on the great public questions of the day, who would help to solve the. many intellectual problems, and would wisely guide the young people's movement, so that the Church could take her true position in the spiritual leadership of the life of the nation.