ELECTION OF PRELATE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21470, 19 April 1933, Page 14

ELECTION OF PRELATE

SYDNEY'S ARCHBISHOP TACTICS OF SYNOD VERY SEVERE CRITICISM [fiiom ouit OWN correspondent] ■ SYDNEY, April 13 Tho methods adopted by various Church factions at the election of t|,io new Archbishop of Sydney, in place of tho late Archbishop Wright, have been roundly condemned in many quarters. By somo it is said that the campaign had all tho flavour of a political contest at its worst. Tliero we.ro schemings and intrigues which reflected on tho Church as a whole, so it is said. Hero is an extract from a remarkable article which appeared in the Church Standard, published on the night before the actual election: — "God, tho Holy Spirit, has been invoked to guide tho minds of the electors to choose the man God has chosen for this important work. It seems to us bordering on blasphemy to ask God's help after tho happenings of the past few weeks. Every code of etiquette, except that of the racecourse and New South Wales politics, has been violated. Church customs decreo that there should have been no names mentioned in public until tho Synod has made its choice. The priest or bishop elected should first learn of the matter from an official intimation of his election, and tho public should be notified of tho namo of tho new archbishop only after ho has accepted the position. What takes place in Synod is under the seal of secrecy, for obvious reasons. Tliero must necessarily bo frank discussions of men's attainments and character, and this is impossible unless secrecy is ob'served. "No such canons of Christian charity or good taste have been observed. All dignity and decency have been thrown to tho winds. The Australian Church Record and the secular press have been full of propaganda for this and that candidate. Caucus meetings have been held to run 'tickets' for the election. In sporting circles the fnatter has aroused contemptuous amusement, and oclds have been laid on the various 'starters.' The diocese of Sydney has been proud of its disregard of the traditional ceremonial of the Catholic Church and tho consequent lack of dignity in the conduct of services, but now the whole -world has been told that the diocese has no regard, also, for those essential decencies which are generally held necessary by any respectable association." However, in spite of all that has happened, there is every indication that the new bishop, Bishop Mowll, of Western China, will command the utmost respect of all sections of the Church and of the community as a whole. It is said by those who know him best that ho will adorn the Australian Bench of Bishops. He is described as a man of striking personality, standing 6ft., a born leader, and possessing exceptional spiritual force and power. It is all in his favour that he is the senior of more than half the Australian bishops by consecration.