RETIREMENT OF BISHOP SPROTT

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 137, 6 December 1935, Page 13

RETIREMENT OF BISHOP SPROTT

TRIBUTES TO A WELL-LOVED PAIR

The esteem and aficcfion, not only of a cilj-, but of a province, were extended yesterday afternoon to the Rt. Rev. Dr. T. H. Sprolt and Mrs.-Sprolt on the eve of their retirement from the Anglican Diocese of Wellington. The attendance that filled the Concert Chamber represented almost every denommational shade of Christian cfTort. amongst those on a well-filed platform comprising clergy and laity being Archbhop lS OSliea, representing the Roman Catholic Church. Canon Percival James, of St. Paul's Pro-Cathedral, presided.

First addressing the guests., Ganon James said:—"My' Lord Bishop and Mrs. Sprott, we must first thank you for granting our request and allowing us to tell you how much you are honoured and loved in this city and in this diocese." To the gathering he continued: —"It was, as many of you know, by no means easy to persuade Bishop and Mrs. Sprott to allow even this semi-public demonstration of the feelings, towards them that lie deep in so many hearts. If they had not imposed upon us the severest restrictions, the gathering in their honour would have overtaxed the largest hall in Wellington." WIDESPREAD REGRET. Canon James referred to the. general regret that the time had come, in the Bishop's own judgment, to relinquish his diocese. This regret was shared by the whole community, far toeyond the Anglican Communion, as was shown by the distinguished representatives of other Christian Communions, including the Archbishop of Wellington, the Rev. J. R. Blanchard, the Acting Moderator of the Presbytery of Wellington, the Rev. P. Paris, president of the Methodist Conference in New Zealand, the Rev. H. W. Newell, representing the Congregational Church, the Rev. L. J. Boulton-Smith, representing the Baptist Church and the Ministers' Association, and in the very true use of a much-abused phrase, there were very many who could not be there in person who were there in the spirit. He read a few .of many messages from the clergy and laity in the. country, amongst them one from the Young Men's Bible Class /n Carterton, stating that every member' of that class had been confirmed by the Bishop; also a message from twenty former clergy of the diocese now resident in England, who expressed the warmest and most affectionate regard for Bishop and Mrs. Sprott. v DR. SPROTT'S SERVICES. "It would be difficult to overstate the extent of Bishop Sprott's services to the Church," Canon James said. "He has ruled the diocese for nearly 25 years and has been a tower of strength during that terrific period when the world has been turned upside down. He has spent 44 years serving the Churcli in Wellington, and on St. Thomas's Day will complete 56 years of ministry. That he is-remain-ing among usis one ray of consolation. "The Bishop is revered as a scholar of wide learning, profound thought, ripe wisdom and judgment, and has a rare power of lucid expression. In him intellectual distinction is combined with elevation of character. He has a passion for sincerity, truth, and justice, and has a heart overflowing with loving kindness. He has been to us an example of the ' most distinctive of Christian virtues,; the virtue of humility. Added to these' qualities is an unfailing sense of humour. The Bishop, too, has won andiretained the -affection of all his clergy. In his public life he lias been distinguished by '■'. a. largehearted understanding, broad , sympathies, and a desire to promote closer fellowship among Christian people.

"And there is Mrs. Sprott. (Sustained applause.) No woman In the community is more beloved1- than Mrs. Sprott, and when it comes to good works she has never spared herself. There is hardly a good cause in Wellington which has not ioiind a response in her generous l?eart. Very quietly, and without seeking reward, she has won and exercised a powerful influence in this city. There are few to whom it has been given as to the Bishop and Mrs. Sprott to unite in such service for the Church of God; there are few to whom it has been given to win such universal reverence and love." A RIPE SCHOLAR. Speaking for the clergy the Yen. Archdeacon L. A. Hansellsaid that they had been most fortunate to have had for 25 years a man such as Bishop Sprott to lead and guide them through anxious times. It was simply stating a fact to say that the Bishop had brought outstanding gifts to help him in his work. The Church Iwas quite clear that a Bishop should be a very learned man, and they felt that in the Bishop they had just such a ripe scholar. There were scholars and scholars, those who came under the order of "academic," who lived amongst the stars, the: light from whom was apt to be rather dim. (Laughter.) Their Bishop was not of that sort. Nobody "who had listened to his Synod addresses and his sermons could possibly, hold that view. He had a gift of taking deep truths and clothing them in clear language, and was able to make simple folk grasp the; deep meaning of the passages. He was not only a great reader of books, but a great reader of men and a great thinker.

j "We clergy have had the advantage of this," continued ■ Archdeacon Hansell. "If ■we brought some difficulty before him we knew that he did not give his answer without much thought. We have come to trust his judgment. With regard to his spiritual wisdom and insight, we want to thank him for many a wonderful Bible address he has given us at times of retreat, and for the wonderful Bible studies we have all appreciated so much. He was absolutely loyal, and very kind to us as clergy. Having been a parish priest himself helped with that. He knew the difficulties of our lives."

Mrs. Sprott was •an ideal Bishop's wife, he continued. ' "The clergy and their wives have very much appreciated the help we have received fro;n Mrs. Sprott in our organisation, especially- those connected with women and girls. With that kindness I want to connect Mrs. JE. W. G. Coleridge, who, when Mrs. Sprott was in England, was herself the hospitable hostess of Bishopscourt. We hope that Bishop and Mrs. Sprott may realise something of the esteem and love wo feel towards them, and we wish them every happiness and lots of peace in their retirement." LOVED BY LAITY. Speaking for the laity, Mr. E. F. Hacifield, Chancellor of the Diocese, endorsed all the encomiums spoken of the Bishop. Though the gathering must be one of gratification to him, it must be rather embarrassing to him to have his good qualities brought before him when perhaps he had forgotten he had them. The warm esteem he had. won frohi so many other branches of the churches must appeal to. him. In addition to other gifts the Bishop had a keen wit, but his humour always kept his wit from hurting anyone. His extraordinary kindly tolerance, even with people who were talking nonsense, and even with those who did not want to talk nonsense, but could not help it, was remarkable. With so many good qualities it was a relief to know that he had one shortcoming, an aversion to anything resembling

mathematics, especially vulgar fractions, but Mrs. Sprott had been a help to him in this respect. IN THE COUNTRY. Canon J. H. Sykes, of Manaia, recalled his arrival 37 years ago in Wellington, and his introduction to Bishop Sprott, f.»en Vicar, who had suggested that he might preach. It was not long before he found that the Vicar was one of the most eloquent and distinguished preachers in New Zealand. Speaking for the country clergy, he expressed the admiration and love in which their honoured Bishop was held, as a great Christian gentleman, who had always tried to live out the principles of the Christian life in his own life. The absence of any strife or bickering during the Bishop's rule arising from different schools of churchmanship was referred to. by Mr. E. H. Anderson, as well as the solicitude of both Bishop and Mrs. Sprott for the welfare and happiness of the clergy and their .families, and their generous hospitality and kindness to members of the laity, men and women. In this he wished to include the-members of the Bishop's family, Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Coleridge, and Mr. S. T. C. Sprott. Mrs. Coleridge had been a wonderful ally of a wonderful mother, while few laymen. had given such valuable help and service to the diocese as Mr. Sprott. Canon James asked the Bishop and Mrs. Sprott to accept a cheque as a token, of their esteem, affection, and gratitude, with the hope that in the years to come God might give them health, joy, and the richest of His blessings. THE BISHOP'S REPLY. His Lordship, who was greeted with the warmest applause, said in reply: "As I sat and listened to the wonderful accounts given of ■ myself out of the largeness of heart and kindness of those who have spoken, there was forced on me a line of Dryden—'A man so various, he seemed to be not one, but all mankind's epitome.' It was all said in kindness of heart, but I must in my own mind cool it a little. On the other hand, I agree heartily with every word that has been said about my wife. During the 65 years since we began life and work together in Hull in Yorkshire, she has been the untiring worker you have known her Jo be here in Wellington for the past 44 years.

"There are two pitfalls I ieel that I must avoid. , When anyone reaches my patriarchal age, with all his active life behind him, he naturally becomes reminiscent, and likes to tell of the past' to those 'who will listen to him, but my own experience tells me that it can be very boring. I am not going to bore you this afternoon. I do not intend to attempt to estimate the: pro; gress (if any) made by. the Church in the diocese during the 25 years I had had the. honour of. presiding over it. I imagine that all dioceses have made progress during those 25 years. Some churches have been built, but I did not build them. I daresay the same number of churches were built during the same time in other dioceses^ Some schools were established, and with the management of three of them I have been closely associated, but I can only claim the honour of initiating one of them, the Diocesan School for Girls, at Marton." The Bishop spoke of tha great help he had received in this from Archdeacon Fancourt and Messrs. W. J. Birch and G. Shirtcliffe. VALUED ASSISTANCE. "This occasion gives me the opportunity of expressing my heartfelt and most grateful appreciation of the work of the clergy in this diocese. I had the curiosity to look ivp the number 'of persons confirmed in the diocese during the last 25 years, 27,975. On Christmas Day that number, will be raised to 28,000. Of course you know I did not prepare all those young people. That was the work of the parochial clergy, but I know that the work was done most carefully; there was nothing perfunctory about it. I mention that as an example of what I believe has been the work of the clergy in other matters. My part was simply to administer confirmation. I have no means of knowing' whether what I said -was helpful to them; I can only hope. NOW A SPECTATOR. "Another pitfall I must avoid. It may be thought having been 44 years in this diocese, and Bishop for 25, I must have formed some idea of the needs of the diocese. I have, but Ido not propose to tell them to you. When I decided to retire I made-up my mind that so far as I was concerned my successor should have a perfectly free hand. ' When he takes up ■ office, he will discover what I have observed, and in : looking at the diocese he may discover matters which, through long familiarity, I may have overlooked. I shall be not only a spectator, but a most sympathetic spectator.

"As to our personal future we do not know how many days remain to us, but I know that Mrs. Sprott needs one thing, and that is a. great rest, though I am very doubtful whether she will take it. I hope to be able to do a little more systematic study than I have been able to do in the past, to have some time for reflection, and also to give occasional help to the clergy who may desire- it.

"Like' other people we have had our ups and downs and joys and sorrows, but as we both look back we feel that we have much to be thankful for, and not least, for the abounding kindness we have always received in Yorkshire, London, and elsewhere, and not least in Wellington. Although we do not know what lies before us I am su'-e we will be able to accept Newman's blindness:

' 'So long Thy power has blessed us, sure it still Will lead us on O'er moor and fen, o'er crag and torrent till ~ , .

The night is gone.' "We thank you all for your kindness."' Violin solos, Beethoven's "Romance" and McKenzie's "Benedictus,l^ played with rare expression by Miss Ava Symons, with Mr. Robert Parker at the piano, chimed in well with the spirit of the gathering.