DIOCESE OF WAIKATO.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19959, 30 May 1928, Page 12

DIOCESE OF WAIKATO.

DENIAL OF DISSENSIONS. "RITUAL NOT ALTERED." POSITION OFFICIALLY STATED. [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] HAMILTON, Tuesday. A denial that there is any dissension in the Diocese of Waikato is made in an editorial article in the current issue of the Waikato Diocesan Magazine. On the contrary, it is stated that affairs are in a highly satisfactory condition. The writer says: "'Dissension in tho Diocese' is the heading under which a good deal of so-called news and correspondence has been published in tho papers. As we have thus been pilloried from one end of tho Dominion to the other, and as many people must be wondering what we are up to, it is rather refreshing to receive letters unsolicited and verbal testimony unasked for, from the parishes of the diocese testifying to tho advance made in all directions. The churches have been well attended during Lent and were thronged at Easter. The number of communicants has increased, and parochial requirements in the direction of finance have been met. No clergy have reported to the bishop any difficulties in their parishes. No complaint has been made by parishes against their clergy. Where are the dissensions ? Progress in Fast Year. "From the reports in the papers one might suppose that tho Church work in the cathedral town was at a standstill. If ho liked to observe with knowledge, a visitor to tho town could quickly discern that nothing of the sort is true. This is shown by the Dean of Hamilton's figures with regard to communions made in the cathedral district during the year; the fact that three priests instead of one or two have been maintained, and that without any special effort to secure their stipends; the excellent work done by tho Rev. Minor Canon Sell in Hamilton East, which has resulted in the raising of £2OO in less than a year for land for a new hall and church in that part of the town; tho fact that a new church will be built this year in Gordonton, one of the outdistricts. "There is also the fact that at any moment Claudelands will be in a position to support its own priest, and to take steps for building a new church — this is on tho authority of the chairman of the committee, who knows what lie is talking about—and the fact that on the occasion of the farewell of the vicar of St. George's, Frankton, the communicants and congregation passed all records " Bishop and the Parishes. "All these facts carefully noted and considered go to show that good and earnest work is being done in the town, in spite of all that may havo too hastily been said of late.. "From some statements recently made it might reasonably be supposed that the bishop was guilty of interfering in the parishes of his diocese in such matteis as ritual. It may interest our readers to know that no directions or suggestions as re cards ritual have been made at any time to any of the clergy of tho diocese. All that the bishop has done was to make the offer some time ago to the cathedral authorities of some vestments, which were given him in England and Mauritius. These were unanimously accepted by the cathedral vestry in February and March, 1927. He would not have made the offer had not vestments been in use at St. Peter's years before the bishop came here. , , "At no tim and in no way has the bishop made or suggested variations in the ritual in" use in the cathedral, even although as bishop he might have done so in his own cathedral had he so wished Choral Holy Communion. "The bishop has asked that there should be a choral celebration of the Holy Communion every Lord's Day. He did this for two reasons; First, because St. Peter s is a large and scattered parish, and it is only right that where there a'<e sufficient cler rr v, services should be arranged for those 'at a distance as well as those who are near, and the bishop knows that 11 a.m. is the only time that busy farmers living at a distance can come to church; and secondly, because St. Peter s being a cathedral, it is only right that the morning service should be complete, that, i.s, morning prayer and Holy Communion with sermon. Hour of Holding Services. "At exactly what times these services should bo arranged is a matter for the parish clergy. They know their people and their people's convenience, and it is for them to arrange services at such hours as are convenient for the majority. Personally, we would have thought from the attendance that the present hours were eminently satisfactory, and if they are not, it is quite easy for the communicants of the parish at large to voice their wishes for any change in the hours. "I would like to add that the Standing Committee, consisting of the elected representatives of the Synod of the Diocese, has met regularly nearly every month; that it has accomplished an enormous amount of business; that there have been no dissensions whatever in the accredited representative body of the Church; that tho bishop in any action taken lately lias been advised in every detail by members of it. both clerical and lay." The article concludes by quoting the resolution of the Standing Committee declarinß that no question had arisen which could not be satisfactorily solved by wholehearted concentration upon tho work of the Church.