"WELCOME HOME."

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVI, Issue 9264, 18 January 1889, Page 6

"WELCOME HOME."

PUBLIC RECEPTION OF BISHOP COWIE.

SERVICE AND SOIREE.

The public reception and welcome back to Auckland of Bishop Cowie, Mrs. Cowie.and their family, was held yesterday, special thanksgiving service for their safe return being held at St. Paul's at half-past ten in the morning, and a CDnversaisione and presentation of addresses taking place in tho evening at tho Choral Hall. SPECIAL SEKVIOE AT ST. PAUL'S.

At St. Paul's in tho morning there was a largo assemblage of clergy and laity. The clergy present in surplices were Bishop Cowio, Archdeacon Maunsell, Dudloy, Clark, and Willis, Revs. C. M. Nelson, W. Tebbs, W. Caldor, F. Gould, and T. H. Sprott. In tho body of the church were the Revs. J. Bates, R. Burrows, H. S. Daviea, J K. Davis, W. M. Dußieu, J. Hasclden, J S. Hill, E. Houchen, Dr. Kinder, M. Kirk bride, F. H. Long, W. E. Mulgan, Dr. O'Callaghan, A. G. Purchas, G. H. 3. Waipole, and P. Walsh, also a Maori clergyman, and two ministers recently arrived from England. As the Bishop and tho vested clergy entered the churchy the choir sang as a processional hymn 379, " !Now Thank We All Our God." This was followed by thesorvico of Holy Communion, at which the Bishop was celebrant, the Epistle being read by Archdeacon Dudley and tlieOospclby Archdeacon Maunsell, who, together with the Rev. C. M. Nelson, assisted the Bishop at. the administration. The service was choral, namely Cooper in F, and was led by a choir composed of members of St. 1 am s, St. Matthew's, and All Saints. The organist of the church, Mr. J. T. Knight, accompanying on the organ. The communicants numbered 122. The sacramental Offering, amounting to £4 2s, will be given to the Home Mission.

SOIREE AT THE CHORAL HALL. At the conversazione nt tho Choral Hall in the evening there was a very large and fashionable attendance, the building being crowded. Tho back of the stage was decorated with flaps, on which was fastened the legend, " Welcome Home" in large white letters en a red ground. The front of the o-allery was ornamented in a similar Fashion, and inscribed with the Greek words in Greek letters, xaii-e xaifete (chairc, ehairete) also meaning welcome. On thoir arrival Bishop Cowio was escorted to the platform, and Mrs Cowie and family to their seats, after which St. Sepulchres choir sang very pleasingly the carol " From Far Away," Mr. V. E. Rice conducting. Tho presentation of addresses then took place. γ-j Archdeacon Dudlf.v said : Dear friends, —It is hardly necessary that 1 should explain that theobject of our meeting to-night i? to give our beloved Bishop, and our equally beloved Bishop"s wife, and their children, a hearty welcome home. They have been absent from us juso twelve months and six days, and although the time has seemed very long in passing, now that they are restored to us, and we look into their faces once more, it seems but yesterday .that we said good-bye. Wo have missed them sorely, but I am sure that we are all of us glad that their visit to tho dear mother country was not curtailed, and if we have any regret in connection therewith, it is only "lest they should have over-tasked themselves in their desire to be considerate to all. My Lord, there are several friends who are unavoidably prevented from being with us to-night; foremost amongst these stands Archdeacon Maunsell, who, with Colonel Haultain, addressed you on our behalf before you left. We thank God that you rind both these veterans of the Church militant still with us in the flesh; and both of them good for more work on bohalf of the Church they love. (Applause). Colonel Haultain will follow me this evening, and will present to you an address from the Standing Committee on behalf of the members of the Church generally. As regards that address, I must say that there is one sentence in it inserted without my consent—it contains a reference to myself that is far too kind. My lord,—During your absence I have learned, as commissary, something of the difficulties of a Bishop"s position, but in the uniform gentleness and thoughtful consideration and hearty co-operation I have received alike from clergy and lay people, I have come to know and appreciate better the good men and true, and good women alsof whom you have around you in this diocese. (Applause.) I will say no more, but thanking God that you and yours are o-iven back to us in health and strength, ! will call on Colonel Haultain. (Loud applause.) Col. Haultai.v, before reading the address, explained why he—a layman—had been appointed to perform the duty. Infirmity and illness prevented Archdeacon Maunsell from being present, and Archdeacon Dudley had positively refused to read any address containing a eulogium on himself. He had objected to the sentence being put in the address, but they had found it impossible not to make some reference to the extremely satisfactory manner in which Archdeacon Dudley had performed the various difficult duties devolving on him. Col. Haultain then read the address as follows :— To the Right Reverend William Garden Cowie, D.D., Bishop of Auckland.—My Lord, —In the name of the clergy and laity of your diocese, we desire to offer to you and to Mrs. Cowie and to your childern a hearty welcome home. Wo trust the travel and change of scene have renewed your health and strength, and that intercourse with brethren of your order, gathered from all parts of the earth, and meetings with beloved relatives and friends in the mother country, have refreshed your spirit, so that you will resume yonr labours among us with revived hope and courage. You will miss the faces of many dear and faithful workers called from this life during the year just ended. You will find the clc id of depression that hung over us when you left, scarcely yet lifted, and you will discover a variety of diocesan matters demanding your early attention, but you will be glad to hear that during your absence the diocese has been most satisfactorily administered by your commissary, who has been loyally supported by members of the church, both clerical and lay. Trusting that you may be spared to preside over us in health and strength for many years to come, and with every good wish for yourself, Mrs. Cowie, and your family, we are My Lord, your Lordship' 3 faithful and affectionate servants, R. Mauxsell, T. M. Haultain, C. M. Nelson (Hon. Sec.) Auckland, 17th January, 1889. The address was received with hearty applause.

Mr. Thomas Buddle then read the following address on behalf of the Young Men's Christian Association :— To the Right Reverend Bishop Cowie, D.D., Bishop of Auckland : The committee of the Young Men's Christian Association is desirous of taking this opportunity of extending to your Lordship a hearty welcome back to Auckland, the scene of your former labours, and in doing so to acknowledge and show our appreciation of the catholic spirit ever manifested by you in all Christian and charitable work in our city, and to tender our thanks for the sympathy you have shown with the work of the Association, of which you have been for so many years a vicepresident. It has afforded pleasure to all to notice how in your public addresses during your stay in England you have lost no opportunity oi advancing the true interest of our colony. And we pray that you and Mrs. Cowie may be long spared to labour in the cause of our common Lord and Master. — Signed on behalf of the Association, Thos. Bdddle, Hon. Sec; Wμ. Brakenkig, Gen. Sec.

This address, also, was warmly applauded. Sir William Fox added a few worda as a member of the Young Men's Christian Association. The object of this Association was, as far as possiblo, to unite in its aims all sections of the Protestant Church, and to maintain the great Protestant doctrine of the Reformation. Ho had travelled in all parts of tho world, and had been struck by the very flourishing appearance of Protestant as compared with other countries. Ib was for this reason that he sympathised with their objects, and their efforts bo convert the rest of the world to the knowledge of the truth that led to salvation. The Rev. C. M. Nelson announced that that afternoon he had received a letter from the Rev. E. Beat, enclosing an address from the Wesleyan Methodist body to Bishop Cowie, and he (the speaker) had been asked to read it. It was ae follows :— Wesleyan Parsonage, Pitt-street, Auckland. To Dr. Cowie, Anglican Bishop of Auckland : Right Rev. Sir,—While regretting the absence of the Rev. R. Bavin, chairman of the Auckland District of the Wesleyan ' Methodist Church, who, with other of ouj?

ministers, has left to attend the annual Conference assembling in Dunedin, we, who l-sraain, cannot allow this opportunity to pass without presenting to you our cordial greetings ou the occasion of your safe return to our midst. Wβ have watched with no ordinary interest the transactions of that august assemblv in Lambeth Palace, in tho deliberations of which it has been your honour to take part. And we earnestly pray that tho Divine blessing may accompany its thoughtful and liberal deliverances on the groat questions of our time which touch bo vitally the interests of humanity and the kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ. Especially do we appreciate those Catholic ana fraternal views expressed by your Conference, and trust that they will greatly promote tho unity of our common Protestantism, so that moro than over we shall bo found striving together for the faith of tho Gospol.—Wishing you great and continued blessing in your onerous duties, we are, reverend sir, yours respectfully, -Edward Bkst, William Gittos, John Dukks, James A. Taylor, C. H. Garland, W. L. Salter.

Like tho former addresses, this was received with hearty applause. At Mr. Nelson's request, the audience all joined in singing the Doxology. Bishop Cowie thon spoko ae follows :— Archdeacon Dudloy, Colonel Haultain, Sir William Fox, and other kind and dear friends,— thank you most cordially for the very warm reception that you have given mo 'and my family on our return from England. Just before I loft a most kind address was presonted to me by the clergy and laity of the diocese, and it was road by Colonol Haultain and Archdoacon Maunsell, and on that occasion I uskod you to oxcuso mo answering tho address in many words, as I felt it quito impossible- to say what I folt, and 1 must make the samo roqucst to-night. I bog you will take for granted what many of you know are tho feelings of my heart on this occasion. On some othor occasion it will give mo very great pleasure to go into gome detail as to what I have seen and heard during my absonco in England, but I have decided nob to detain you by any long addross, as I fool quite unable to express tho feelings in my heart. I thank you all most cordially for your very warm reception. As to the work of the Lambeth Conference, all I will say to-night if- that what struck me most was that, notwithstanding the fact that tho members of the Conference came from all parts of the world, and notwithstanding the fact that many burning questions! were brought bofore the Conference, thoro was not the slightest breach in the harmonious feoling which existed from the first to tho last. (Applause.) Wo all went away greatly encouraged to find how entirely we were at one on all fundamental principles of tho Gospel. (Applause.) As you probably know, the deliberations of tho Conference took place in private. There were no reporters present, and no one was admitted but the members and the three secretaries ; and therefore nothing that was said at the Conference was made public. I heard that some very extraordinary things took place in the Conference, for which there was not a shadow of foundation. Bishop Cowio thon related how, at a large meeting after the Conference, the Bishop of Durham had told the people that now the Conference Mas over he might tell them in all confidence that whatever they had heard about the Conference was altogether without authority. Continuing, ho said :— "*' During our stay in England we have seen and heard much which has _ given us very much encouragement in all the work by which wo are surrounded in this country. We saw the beginnings of many good works in England 19 years ago, of which we scarcely thought in these days that they would come to their present nourishing condition, and so I say wo were encouraged to hope that by doing our best to deserve God's blessing the same happy result may come to our labours here. Village churches, in which the work of our people seemed greatly to languish 10 years ago, village parishes in which scarcely §any progress seemed to bo being made in Christian work, are now, I am happy.to say, quite examples from the lifo that exists in them in all departments of the Church's work. And this in spite of the very hard times through which the country clergy are passing. As an instance, a clegyman of high education accepted what, was called a fab college living, a few years ago, worth £800 or £900 a year. This encouraged him to build a large house on the church land that he might entertain his parishioners and friends. That clergyman told me himself in October last that during the present year he had not received one farthing of stipend. That, perhaps, is an extreme case, but is a sample of the trials the country clergy have been passing through recently from the depression in land values. Notwithstanding all this the work is making great progress, and we saw much to encourage us in our work. You have roferred in your kind address to the fact that wo will miss many dear friends in the Dioceso of Auckland. We have during our absonce heard of their departure from their work on earth to their rest of those dear friends to whom you refer, and about whom I shall shall not say more at present; but I may say that, as we missed dear friends on our return to New Zealand, so on our arrival in England the most painful part of our experiences was the number of dear friends, relatives, and fellow-workers of former days that we missed. Reference is made in your kind address to mo to the commercial depression through which the colony has been passing. _ That depression you know has also visited other parts of the world—not that tho fact makes the trials here less real—and it is a great satisfaction to know that those well acquainted with the state of Now Zealand, express no doubt that better times are now coming for _the people of the colony. When I left New Zealand I made up my mind, as far as possible, not to trouble myself with the details of the work of the diocese, and so great was my confidence in my dear friend and brother Archdeacon Dudley, that I assure you that as far as it was possible for an anxious man to shako off his anxieties I did so. (Applause.) I never had the slightest doubt that whatever was right in the judgment of Archdoacon Dudley he would do—(applause)—and that in most cases, if not all, what seemed right to him would seem right to the most experienced Christians of the diocese. (Applause.) Those who helped Archdeacon Dudley in any particular part of the work helped me ; so now to you dear friends in particular I return my most cordial thanks, for without your help I could not have enjoyed the freedom from anxiety which I tell you honestly I did enjoy. (Applause.) I heard certain murmurs in my absence about there beiny some doubt about my coming back, but I told you before I went away that the only reason to prevent me coming back would bo a failure in my health. Quite recently three bishops of colonial dioceses have resigned their chargis before they were expected to do so, and gone back to England. It is a ground of complaint in some of our sister dioceses, and it is an open secret that these bishops have given up their charges and gone back because their wives were not happy in their new home. (Laughter.) Now, if I had wavered in my duty m this matter, you know I had at my right hand a prompter who was always looking towards home in Auckland— applause)—and four other prompters who depreciated everything they saw in England compared with what they had been accustomed to in New Zealand. (Laughter and applause.) Bishop Cowie went on to say that his relatives a Home thought that, after nineteen years' absence, it was quite time he ended his days amongst them ; and they said they would have persuaded him but for his wife —(applause)—bub they were wrong. Continuing, he said : Years ago, some of you know, I could have left New Zealand, and have obtained comparatively "light responsibility, helping a brother bishop in England ; and, therefore, I was a little surprised when I was told that somo friends here thought that I might come down and be a suffragan bishop— "suffering" bishop. Thore is no fear of my over being a "suffering" bishop. I may say, then, what I said before I left you, that a divorce -between me and my diocese will not be thought of by me till the time comes when you give me a hint thab I am no longer able satisfactorily to yon to do tho work of this diocese. When i thab time comes—when I have not tho necessary strength to do the work —then I will perhaps consent to a divorce taking place, bub not before that. (Applause. ) It is very gratifying to me to receive the kind address presented to me, through my good friend Mr. Buddie, from the committeo of the Y.M.C.A. I look upon the Y.M.C.A. as I look upon the Bible Society, as a greab means of bringing together Christian people who would otherwise know little of one another. When in EnoJejnAl received a letter— think it was

from Chicago—from which I gathered that some American bishop hud given it to bo understood that; to be a member of the Y.M.C.A. was incompatible with the position of a bishop. I was asked to state in writing—l don't know why— whether from my experience there was anyground for such a statement, and I was only too glad to be able to write and say that I had to do with many branches of the Young Men's Christian Association, and I looked upon them as a moat valuable means of bringing together Christians of different sections of the Church." Ho went on to say that he had attended no Young Mon's Christian Association meetings in England, but had taken great interest in the newspaper reports of their proceedings. Referring to the Weßleyan address of welcome, he said : I acknowledge with very great pleasure tho kind address of some of our Wesleyan brethren ministers in Auckland. From the first time of my coming to Auckland I have recoived every kindness from the Wesleyan Church. One of my kind friends was the Rev. Mr. Buller, of tho Thames, and in recent times one of my most pleasant coadjutors in the University College Council was Mr. Buddie, and afterwards Mr. Reid, and on the Senate of the New Zealand University I have hadthe same experience, and therefore I can say from my heart that it is really and truly my dasire in all things to work with tho utmost cordiality with all other ministers of the Gospel, and certainly with none more bo than with the ministers of tho Wesleyan Church in Auckland. (Applause.) I told Mrs. Cowie that she ought to say something in answer to tho kind words — (hear, hear) —but it was quite in vain. I may, however, say for her that she and myself would have very little pleasure in Auckland unless wo felt that we could, by God's blessing, give some help to our fellow-citizens, and unless wo felt also that you believed it was really and truly our desiro to do all tho good we can in the city in which wo live. Bishop Cowie, who was evidently greatly affected by the kind welcome accorded him, his voice throughout his speech betraying the emotion ho felt, then resumed his seat amid hearty and prolongod applause. The rest of the evening was spent in general conversation, which was pleasantly varied by a number of musical selections. The first was a vocal quartette by members of the choir of Holy Trinity, Devonport. This was followed by "The Death of jSTolson," finely sung by Mr. E. Hoskin, his performance being loudly applauded. A duet, " The Homo of the Swallows," by Mrs. A. Coates and Mr. Gilmer, was excellently rendered, as was also a song, "La Serenata," by Mrs. Tebbs {with cello obligate by Mr. J. A. Beale). A glee, by the Grafton Orpheus Quartette Club, wns well received. The song, "Gott Mit Dir," was pleasingly given by Mrs. Raynes, and was warmly applauded ; and the same honour was accorded to " The Raft," sung by Mr. J. T. Knight. During an interval in tho concert au adjournment was made to one of tho side rooms, whore welcome refreshments were provided. The conversazione was concluded about ton o'clock by the singing of the National Anthem.