THE ANGLICAN CHURCH IN NEW ZEALAND.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XIII, Issue 4692, 27 November 1876, Page 3

THE ANGLICAN CHURCH IN NEW ZEALAND.

Ik opening the Anglican Synocl in; Donedin the Bishop subjects are of more vital'importance, or demand more resolute and careful consideration, than that of how- beat to provide for the spiritual oversight of a population which is multiplying itself- around us with such astonishing rapidity, I .confess that this question, lies. ppon me, as ( a ( ; day by day.' 'We arejfree, witn ouY accusations of the Church of the 18th century, we ; charge her with allowing the m'asses to grow iup around her untended until they became estranged. We know that the Wesleyari Society owed both its origin and its' success to that condition of . neglect, and, alas,'» that; it eventually became a schism instead of a society, very much because the Church lay groaning forth pitiful and petulant lamenta-i tions _ instead of bracing herself to her. God-given task. ■ The j increase of the population then was marvellous and unprecedented ; the machinery of [the Church was stiff and inelastic from a long pre-existing period of little growth. But what it concerns us to realise is the fact that here under our novel and difficult position, we are in danger of repeating the mistake we so deeply deplore. No doubt cxcubcs can be made. When was there any difficulty in making them ? But the question in not how can we excuse ourselves, but how can we supply ihe need ? If lam charged with overdraw* ing the picture, I will tell you, which I am in a position to affirm, that no farther off than the suburbs of Dunedin (possibly I need not go even so far), there are on every hand families who brought with them letters from the clergy at Home, or from distant parts of our own diocese, testifying to their being attendants at their church, who are now settling down into the habit of going nowhere at all, or at best attending the ministrations of some other body, by a member of which' they have been visited. Of course such persons are blameworthy. No doubt their duty to God, to their own souls, and to their families ought to prevent their falling into such a state of irreligion; but, unfortunately, men—and not those in one rank of life only —do require putting in mind of these things. His Lordship then proceeded at length to consider the best remedy for the evil, and in doing so said :—A bold attempt has been made in several dioceßes, and in one within our own province, to supply this great need, by ordaining,to the diaconate gentlemen who are supporting themselves by secular occupaQ 10n " j ve former addresses to the bynod set forth my strong convictions as to the importance of making some sincere efforts for the restoration of the order of deacons to their proper proportions and functions within the Church; and again I will declare that while it is precisely the proper work of that office which requires doing, that office is practically without exercise amongst us. We have but one deacon in this diocese, and he is executing the office of a priest in all respects 'short of the specially restricted functions. I do not wonder, gentlemen, that in cases where the need is so urgent:, and the difficulty of meeting it so great, Bishops have been found who, concluding that the life of the Church is more than her laws, have disregarded alike popular feeling and ancient canon, and advance to the deaconship properly qualified persons, who were willing to do what they could to discharge its duties, even though engaged iix secular callings; and, for my own part, I will even go so far as to say that there are certain professions, God-fearing, earnestminded members of which, I think, might, in special cases, be admitted to this'order of the ministry. I will enumerate those of medicine, teaching, and architecture; but the great objection remains that these, while actively employed in the pursuit of their several avocations, could devote only a little time, and then with jaded energies, to a work requiring time, strength, and study. That which comes nearest to a solution of this case is that which, on the general grounds of a supply of clergy for our Church is so very important, viz., that a fostering hand should be generously extended to our theological colleges. It is to this quarter we should look; it is here the help should be given, for thus two of our greatest difficulties would be solved together.