BISHOP JULIUS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVII, Issue 8245, 2 May 1890, Page 5

BISHOP JULIUS.

CONSECRATION SERVICE.

AN IMPRESSIVE CEREMONY. [BY TELEGRAPH.— PRESS ASSOCIATION.] Christoiiukch, Thursday. The most important ceremony that has been performed within the walls of Christchurch Cathedral since its consecration took place to - day, when Archdeacon Churchill Julius was consecrated Bishop, and installed Bishop of Cbristchuroh. The consecration took place in the morning, and long before the time fixed for opening the doors, half-past ten o'clock, a considerable number of persons were assembled in the Cathedral grounds. In order to avoid confusion the Chapter had decided that admission should bo by ticket only, the issue being limited to 800. The congregation, as was only to be expected considering the day and hour, was largely composed of ladies. Here and there", nevertheless, were to be seen strangers and visitors who had evidently come from afar. Among the ladies, whose seats were especially set apart for them, were Mrs. Julius, Mrs." Hadtield, and Mrs. Neville. The Synodsmen of the Diocese naturally met with the same favour, as well as those holding positions connected with churches in other dioceses. There was a quiet and reverential air cast over the wholo scene before the entrance of the procession of choir and clergy, which .Mr. Tendal's refined use of the organ rather intensified than otherwise. Exactly as the clock struck eleven the organist gave out the tune ot Sir Arthur Sullivan's martial setting of the hymn " Onward Christian Soldiers, and the procession entered from the western doorway. Like all the music this morning, it was very finely sung by the choir. The clergy and Cathedral canons headed the procession after the choir, and lined the top of the aisle as the Bishops and Bishopelect passed up into the chancel to take their seats, the tall slight figure of the now properly-constituted Primate closing the procession. He, too, opened the consecration service, Bishop Neville reading the Commandments and Epistle, Bishop Suter taking the Gospel. What may be called the preliminary part of the consecration service is short, and lasted barely half-an-hour. The Primate's sermon on the text 1. Timothy iv, 1(>, " Take heed unto thyself, and to the doctrine," was also short, lasting some 15 minutes only, and concluded with an earnest exhortation to the new Bishop. Then followed the climax, if it may be so called, of the ceremony of consecration. The Primate having seated himself within the Communion rails, Bishop Suter took up his position on the south side and Bishop Harper on the north, ready to present him. Archdeacon Julius, the Bishop elect, having retired to the vestry and returned vested in his rochet, the two elder dignitaries take him by the hand, and the Bishop of Nelson in his sonorous voice speaks the few words of presentation, and the Chancellor (Hon. H. B. Gresson) reads tho Primate's mandate, the authorisation for the ceremony, in a clear, decided voice. The Archdeacon promises obedience to the superior powers, «md the Litany is most beautifully sung, the intoning being done by the Rev. alter Dunkley, minor canon. The service throughout was Stainer's in B Flat, and one more devotional and more suited to the occasion it would be hard to find. In the same clear, unhesitating, decided tones as those in which he made his vow of obedience before the Litany, came" the Bishop's answer at the close of that solemn portion of the Church of England Liturgy, to what might almost be termed the examination clauses of the services of consecration. This ended, he retired once more for a brief space to the vestry, attended as before by the Rev. F. Rnowles and the Cathedral verger, and returned in the full vestments of a bishop to take his position again in front of the Primate. The Dean's hymn, especially written for the consecration and set to music by Mr. G. F. Tendall, a solemn and appropriate composition, was then sung, followed by " Veni Creator Spiritus" in unison and without organ accompaniment, the whole congregation meanwhile kneeling devoutly. This impressive music was the prelude to that final imposing laying on of hands with which this rare service practically concludes. The tall figure of the Primate, the group of bishops gathered round the kneeling candidate for the highest holy office of the Anglican Church, the strong features, commanding forms, and evidently marked individuality of those who reverently placed their hands upon their brother bishop, with the venerable head of the late Primate bowed •among them, formed a picture that must dwell long in the minds of those who saw it. The actual act of consecration was thus performed, the service lasting in all about an hour and a-half. Most of the congregation then left the building, but a very large number stayed for the communion service afterwards. The communicants numbered 170, 57 of whom were clergy. When the Bishop left the cathedral he was heartily cheered by this crowd assembled in front of the building. In the afternoon Bishop Julius held a reception at Bishop's Court, when the clergy of the diocese, members o!; Synod, and others were introduced to him.

In the evening, when the installation service took place, another large congregation assembled in the Cathedral. As before the admission was limited to ticket holders. Art the procession of bishops, clergy, and chorister.* parsed up the aisle, hymn 215, Ancient and Modern, commencing " The Church's One Foundation," was sung by the choir. Special suffrages for the newly-consecrated Bishop were said, after which Bishop Julius was installed as Bishop of his Diocese. The chancellor meeting him on the steps of the chancel, read the certificate of Bishop Julius's consecration. Bishop Julius made a declaration of his intention to abide by the constitutions and canons of the General Svnod of the Church of the Province of* New Zealand, and by the statutes, rules and regulations of the Diocesan Sytud, and promised to faithfully serve as Bishop of the churches of this Diocese. He •then advanced to the altar chancel, where he was briefly exhorted by Dean Jacobs, who presented him with the pastoral stuff of the Diocese, and installed him on the episcopal throne. The service for evening prayer was then conducted by the Rev. W. Dunkley. A special anthem was sung, the words of which had been arranged by the Rev. Mr. Dunkley, and the music was composed by Mr. G. F. Tendal, the Cathedral organist. The anthem commenced with the words " Arise, 0 Lord Cod." It was a Gnu composition, and its perfect rendering by She choir was very effective. The Consecration Hymn having been sung, the newly-installed Bishop ascended the pulpit af his cathedral for the first time and preached an eloquent sermon, taking for his text I. Timothy iv., 10. The hope of the living God was, he said, the very highest gospel of the Jewish race. In that hope their greatest heroes had lived and wrought died. Though their own idea of God was inadequate, a* ours also, it was still the God of the patriarchs, of David, and of the prophets, that was ever present with them as a living power. He powerfully contrasted the days of this faith in the living God with the time when formula took the place of faith and orthodoxy that of obedience, and there was no place for a living present God, for the God the Jews then believed in was a past God. Yet the living God was speaking to them, and in Christianity arose a stronger and better hope which had been carried abroad by the apostles. The hope of a living God had through all ages made the Church stronger and husbanded her workers and martyrs. In such hope Chry* sostom endeavoured and Augustiu toiled. In the hope of a living God our own Selwyn had worked, Patteson gave up his life for those he loved, and Father Damien abode till death in the leper settlements:, and only prayed that God might send another to till his place. Never in the whole history of the Church had she had a sterner work to do than was in her hands to-day. No formula of a dead past Would serve her purpose, nothing but an-intense and mighty hope in the living God. Ho earnestly appealed for help from the clergy and laity in his work as Bishop. He felt deeply the weight of responsibility, and most touchingly referred to Bishop Harper, whose place he felt unworthy to fill. Yet he did not fear, as he himself hoped in the living God. The service concluded with the benediction pronounced by the Primate.