HOLY TRINITY PARISH, DEVON PORT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XL, Issue 12400, 13 October 1903, Page 5

HOLY TRINITY PARISH, DEVON PORT.

There being good reason to believe that the Rev. Sydney Hawthorne, vicar of Dovonporfc, will tender hie resignation to the Bishop, to take effect at the end of this year, Mr. Hawthorne's friends yesterday handed to Bishop Neligan a letter, of which tho following is a copy, testifying their regard for tfie vicar: —

"To the Right Reverend the Lord Bishop j of Auckland: Your Lordship,—We, the undersigned communicants and worshippers at Holy Trinity Church, Devonporfc, having heard that our vicar is likely to tender his resignation to you, desire tc respectfully submit to your Lordship expressions of our esteem and goodwill for. Mr. Hawthorne. During his term of oil'iee Mr. Hawthorne has proved himself to bo a diligent and faithful pastor, a good preacher, a helper of tho poor and needy, and all earnest Christian. vVe candidly admit that perhaps.Mr. Hawthorne has hot shown 'a right judgment in •all things,' but he has received great provocation and been unkindly treated, and if your Lordship should deem it proper to accept the vicar's resignation wo respectfully submit that it will be a loss.to the diocese if Mr. Hawthorne cannot be induced to undertake ministerial work m another part of Auckland. It is only because we do not like to see a divided church and our pastor Buffering discourtesy and uilkindnpss that ■we forbear making an effort to retain Mr. Hawthorne, as our vicar." Then follow 190 names.