APPOINTMENT IN ENGLAND

Evening Star, Issue 21993, 1 April 1935, Page 11

APPOINTMENT IN ENGLAND

MUCH TRAVELLED VICAR REV. W. HARDY JOHNSON'S CAREER After seven years as vicar of All Saints’ Church Rev. IV. Hardy Johnson has been offered the parish of East Harlscy, Yorkshire (England), the offer coming by cablegram. After consultation with Bishop Fitchett and others the vicar sent in his resignation. Details of the charge or cure are awaited by post, but the vicar will return to the diocese of York, where ho has worked in previous years. Mr Johnson took the opportunity yesterday of informing his parishioners. It is'understood that he was approached about twenty years ago to become vicar of part of the parish to which he has now been appointed and which was made by joining East Harsley. with Ingleby Arncliff. The village is on the Yorkshire moors, and situated in the Parish is Mt. Grace Priory, the residence of Sir Maurice Bell. The East Harsley parish is the next parish to that of Rev. George Bird, who visited New Zealand about two vears ago and preached in Dunedin. The latest cable received by Mr Johnson read: “Come early July, Constantine.” It. is understood that the family of Mrs Constantine nominates the vicar of East Haflsey.

Air Johnson was born at Walsall, England, in 1882, and was educated at Denstone (being Wakeman Scholar), St. Catherine’s, Cambridge (Theological Scholar and prizeman), Cuddesdon Theological College, Cambridge. He took his ALA. degree at Cambridge, and in the course of his ministry has travelled widely, being curate in 1905 at Tynemouth 'Parish. Later he had charge of a parish in Canada, in which Algoma steel works, paper and pulp mills -were situated. There was a wide range of travel along the railway into the bush camps, so that he had a certain amount of work amongst those engaged in the logging industry and mining’ camps along the north-east shore of Lake Superior. Later he was at Stokeslev, England, and during the war was with the Sixtieth Rifles in England as padre, and then in Malta with the garrison battalions for a year, being stationed with those who had charge of the Emdcn crew. Mr Johnson was subsequently rector of Lasswade, Scotland, and in 1923 was chaplain of Rosslyn Chapel, officiating at Glencorse Barracks (Royal Scots). He was also warden of St. Salvador’s Retreat House, Edinburgh, and a member of Alidlothian County Education Authority. Mr Johnson is a member ot tbo Lodge 814, Alasonic order, and was secretary of the Overseas League for some years. Part of the work he will miss will bo Bible teaching in the schools. He has taught in every primary school in the parish. All Saints’ Church has a very close connection with University life, and it is worthy of note that on a recent Sunday nearly 100 students came to the students’ evening at the parsonage after Evensong and were entertained by Airs Johnson. Two members of Air Johnson’s family were born in Canada, one in England, and two in Scotland, but all became New Zealanders. Mr Johnson said to-day that he regretted very much having to leave the parish, where he had expected at least ten years’ service before moving anywhere. He had made so many firm friends not only among people in the parish, hut in the neighbouring churches, tintt it made it all the harder for him to be severing his ties here.