CHURCH DIFFERENCE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21793, 7 May 1934, Page 12

CHURCH DIFFERENCE

POSITION AT CAMBRIDGE A QUIET ATMOSPHERE BISHOP CONDUCTS SERVICES [I'KO.U OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT! HAMILTON, Sunday Anticipations that there might be trouble at St. Andrew's Parish Church, Cambridge, to-day, as an outcome of tho conflict between tho bishop of the dioceso, the Ut. Itcv. C. A. Chorrington, and the vestry on tho one hand, and tho Ivev. G. G. Bell on the other, wore not realised. The bishop conducted services in tho church at S a.m., 11 a.m. and 7 p.m., as arranged, and there were fair attendances of worshippers.

Mr. Bell visited the church at 6.40 a.m., and after trying all tho doors and finding them locked, he said he would hold services elsewhere, and went away. He pointed jocularly to the painted notice board, and said that according to its wording he was still a venerable archdeacon and vicar of the parish. Below tho notice board and in a glass caso was a hand-written unsigned notice under tho sign, "Saint Andrew's Parish Church," intimating that services would be hold 011 Sundays at 7.30 a.m. 8 a.m., 9 a.lll. (except on the first Sunday of the month, when there would bo a service at 11 a.m.), and at 7 p.m. This notice was in tho handwriting of Mr. Bell, and was this morning removed by tho bishop's warden and replaced with a notice signed by the bishop, calling the annual meeting of parishioners for May 15. After his early visit to tho church Mr. Bell did not return this morning. He conducted services at 7 a.m. and 11 a.m. at tho private houso of Miss Pulling, who is known as the anchoress. Tho room in which the servico was held was. well filled. Mr. Bell said he proposed to call tho room the Chapel of St. Francis and to regard it as the parish church. A service was conducted by Mr. Bell at Ohaupo at 9 a.m. At 12.30 p.m. to-day Mr. Bell nailed a document to the door of St. Andrew's Church accusing tho bishop of schism and calling 011 him to repent. Mr. Bell stated this afternoon that 110 was making representations to tho Standing Committee of General Synod appealing to it to interveno in connection with the Cambridge trouble and drawing its attention to several points concerning the dispute. He also stated that he was appealing to the Primate, asking him to restrain Bishop Chcrrington from 2 )llrsu ' n g the course 110 had adopted.