THE PROPOSED NEW BISHOP

New Zealand Times, Volume LIV, Issue 9887, 19 April 1893, Page 2

THE PROPOSED NEW BISHOP

The Rev Arthur Towgood, la a letter to the Marton Mercury, makes the following, among other, remarks with reference to the Rev VVmiugton Ingram’s appointment to the See of Wellington. He says:—l. That the meeting of members of the Diocesan Synod was held with closed doors ; nothing was supposed to be divulged as to what transpired. 2. That Mr Winington Ingram has not been informed that he is certain to be elected; nor, even if that meeting were unanimous in bio favour, could he have been so informed, inasmuch as more than onethird of the clergy were absent and some laymen, who might have been in favour of someone else. Nor could be bo consecrated at Home without some special license from the Primate. 3. That it is quite true that Mr Winington logram’o credentials a e highly endorsed by the Archbishops cf Canterbury and York, but thero id a misapprehension about bis work Ho has a cure of souls, though an extra parochial one. Oxford Home is planted down in the middle of tho poverty of Bethnal Green. Oxford men in London barristers, men in business, &a, live there with Mr Wl. legion Ingram, and possibly one or two other clerics, and in their spare time share the social life of tho*e among whom they dwell. Oxford House has many club rooms, from a boxing saloon to the chapel, for this purpose. There was a great meeting at Oxford House on Juno 23rd last, when the Duke of Connaught opened the new house, and he himself. the two Archbi hops, the Bishop of London, and others spoke of Mr lugram and his six years’ work there. After quoting from the speeches thus referral to, Mr Towgood continues —Mr Wioiagton Ingram is a brilliant scholar, obtaining at Oxford a first class in classics in Mods ; and, also, a first class in classics in Greats, was somewhat of an athlete, and is a good and ready speaker. On one occasion he had to announce to some 800 men in Birmingham that the gentleman who was to have addressed them on education could not come. Ho met with the retort: —* Why don’t you speak ; you have a mouth, haven’t you ? He rpoko to them for three quarters of an hour, was attentively listened to, aud fre quently applauded. He is just the maa to deal alike with tbs masses and the educated classes ip this growing province of Welling? ton. lie will bo at home iyith both of them* and they equally at home with him. Should it bs possible to propose his naips in Synod, I tru t it will have the support of my fellow Synodsmen, but it is not correct to imply that the action of the Synod had beea anticipated.