BISHOP’S REPLY

Northern Advocate, 14 March 1929, Page 6

BISHOP’S REPLY

LAYMEN MET.

REGRETS EXPRESSED. —, —— a (Per Press Association. —Copyright.) HAMILTON, This Day. Bishop Cherrington met the lay members of the Synod last night and replied to the detailed complaints attached to. a speech from Christchurch last -winter referring to the Waikato controversies. He said he had understood that the speech had not been reported and regretted that the people who -asked him -to speak had not been more careful to prevent a report appearing. He had intended to do good and had not said anything but the truth. Nevertheless, he regretted the publication.

The Bishop declined to discuss the suspension of Canon Harvie.

Defending his attitude on Sunday observance, the Bishop said -he had not intended to belittle morning and evening players. If he had thought his article would hurt people, he would not have written it. He was willing to give the Synod an opportunity of discussing the question of Sunday observance.

The meeting agreed that the matter be discussed at the next Synod, also the question of (Sunday schools. , Answering the \charge lof AngioCatholic tendencies and belonging to two bodies pledged to promote An-glo-Catholicism, the Bishop said he had joined the English .'Church Union in 1916 and had taken no further interest. The union had done good work, 60 or 70 years ago, in assisting the clergy imprisoned for their beliefs. Many years ago he joined the Confraternity of the Blessed Sacrament, whose purpose was to encourage intercession -at Communion. He knew of no other object and did not consider himself an Anglo-Catholic. He was a Prayer Book churchman, but agreed that the Prayer Book might be improved. The church in New Zealand had a right to alter the Prayer Book.