BISHOP REPLIES TO OBJECTORS

Horowhenua Chronicle, 20 August 1928, Page 5

BISHOP REPLIES TO OBJECTORS

CHAIR, VESTMENTS AND ORDER OF SERVICE AT HAMILTON.

(By Telegraph —Press Association.) HAMILTON, This Day.

Referring to the trouble in the Waikato diocese, Bishop Cherrington, preaching in the Cathedral last night, said that Hamilton had asked him to make St. Peter's Church his cathedral, and he had done so. If people did not like it and preferred that the cathedral chair be removed, they had only to say so and he would ask some other parish to have the chair placed in its church; but while the chair was where it was, he intended to have a say in the conduct of the cathedral.

His Lordship also said that the trouble had never been officially brought before him. The resignation of the cathedral chapter was a most extraordinary event. He was forced, as bishop of the diocese and head of the chap tor, to take action. As far as he was aware, the trouble concerned two points —ihe wearing of vestments at Holy Communion, and the order of service. As to vestments, the Bishop claimed that no change had been made since his arrival. Vestments were doctrinal in that they had always been taken us manifesting the spiritual sacrifice which the church believed had been offered in the Blessed Sacrament. Referring to the order of service, Bishop Cherrington pointed out Si. Peter's was a cathedral. The proper services in a cathedral every Sunday were morning prayer and Holy ConiAiunion -together. A cathedral was not a district church in a country parish. He considered the present order of services good, blit invited parishioners to meet him on" August'2'9tTi to discuss j/wijible changes. '"""