SEVENTEEN YEARS A BISHOP

Hokitika Guardian, 27 July 1929, Page 3

SEVENTEEN YEARS A BISHOP

BISHOP SADLIEit’S ANNIVERSARY

NELSON, July 22

Yesterday inspiring services were held at the cathedral in commemoration of Bishop Sadlier’s seventeenth anniversary of consecration. A large congregation assembled at the 8 o’clock celebration of Holy Communion, and there was a full church at the 11 o’clock choral communion.

The preacher in the morning was the Rev. J. G. S. Bartlett, who in the course of his sermon said: “We are celebrating to-day our bishop’s anniversary of- consecration, and we are doing so not because we want to praise our • bishop, buit because; we. desire to. help mm in his labours. The office of a bishop is always and everywhere one. of,. incessant.... labour and constant “anxiety,' and* especially does this apply to our New Zealand bishops. Take a map of New Zealand and trace out the diocesan boundaries and you will then realise something of the work it involves, and our Nelson diocese is one of the hardest if not the hardest owing to the nature and extent of its territory, the scattered and thin population, and its comparative poverty. Over this difficult portion of God’s vineyard our bishop has presided for 17 years—years of hard work and constant anxiety, and when we begin to examine we soon discover how little we really know about this and how much we have to be thankful for.

The preacher in the evening, when there was again a large congregation, was Professor T. H. Easterfield, Director of the Cawthron Institute, who spoke of the wonderful growth of the church in this diocese, beginning with Bishop Sehvyn’s tent on Church Hill, the first Cathedral, the present beautiful old building, and now the new cathedral in c-ourse of erection, and the dedication and consecration of the 63 churches throughout the diocese. Again, much could be said with regard to the various activities—the great missionary efforts, the home mission fund, and the wonderful increase in the diocese trust funds which had increased in value during this period of 17 years from £70,000 to £IBO,OOO. The congregation was reminded of the thamic-offering in aid of the parishes which suffered through' earthquake and, flood, and their great duty to them and to their bishop in this time of need. The thanksoffering amounted to over £74. . .