WELCOME TO CANON ROBINSON.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 10417, 20 July 1895, Page 6

WELCOME TO CANON ROBINSON.

A social gatherisg to welcome Ci'.non and Mrs Robinson to this diocese, was held at St. Paul's schoolroom lasfc night, there beiag a very fair attendance upon the occasion. Among those preseut besides the canon were the following members of the clergy :— Bishop Ne.vill, Dem Fitchett, Dr Belcher, Rsv«. Bowden, Hawthorne, Ingle. Hood, Small, and Leech. The evening was spent in coave.rnatioD, relieved at intervals by mnsical selections aad a few addresses. Miss Annette .Wilson plajed a Japiuese tune arranged by Silii*, which was much appreciated; Mies Edith Vivian gave a tasteful rendering of " Out on the rncka,'' and also sang with equally good effect " Love's o!d, sweet song",; Mr F.L; Jones was heard to considerable advantage' in "Non c ver"; Mrs Jones sang Mattel's. "Dear hearb" very pleas-, ingly ;' snd Mr Blenkiusopp rendered "Lock back " (Vernon r>ey) inca.pital style. All the selections were much enjoyed, the singers being loudly applauded. The accompaniments werelefficiputly played-by Mr W. K. Taylor. Bishop Nevill, in the course of tbe evening, said he had better take the opp'oituaity of. eadeavouring to express, on behalf of the people of the diocese; the warm welcome which he was sure they were* ar>xions to- extend to j their newly-arrived fritnd, Canon Robinson, and I bis wife and daughter.—(Appliuae.) He proceeded to. cay that it musS be ackoowiedged that i:i the diocese they had had to grapple with circumstances which bad presented to them sometimes very real difficulties ; but he trusted that more -prosperous and happy times were before them in relation to their charch work.—(Applauss.) It would gratify them to ht-ar that the accounts which had just beea submitted to him of the various parish mettiDg3 recently held, without; -a single exception, showed credit halancss of the vatious parishes or districts which were represented in those accounts.—(Applause.) That was*a circumstr.uce' which he had not been able to rejoice in before. Of course he could not say that when he had received tee full list of accounts that that happy state of things would prevail; but so far as be had received the accounts there had been credit balances, and iv some few cases which had b<en sources of anxitty to him for some time past, this anxiety, as biahop of tho dioceee,' had been lessened. This was especially the c?-se in the neighbouring pariah of Caversham, where he had received every assurance7 that cot; only was the clergyman yajicg off,the debt, but that all responsibilities were being grappled with and were, in a fair .way of; being successfully met in: future. He mijrht. say to those who represented more particularly the cathedral district tint the same happy position characterised their efforts in this direction. He was quite sure that the rev. dean.aud the members of ths chapter who were present would hold .with him when he said that they hardly expected .to have got through the first six months of tbe cathttdraPs existence in the way they had. Whatever difficulties were still before tham, they had during the past six months discharged all obligations which fell upon them from week to and also made s-me special thaagea which were 'required ■ -by. the ■■ special crc-.im-stiiicts in which they were placed. He hoped that with the assistance of thtir newly arrived fricDds, with the warm sympathy ha wavkmite sure they were prepared toextsnd to them,"and with the persevering and determinfid effort which he trusted wouldcharacteriss every effort of the cathedral community that he should ba able to. make asfavourable a report at the end of the year as he had at the end. of tha first half. Their newly arrived clerical brother had a difficult task btfore him, but he trusted that with their support, vich the blessing of God,' aud with the- energies which he would put forth, that they wonld have not oaly a prosperous financial -. year, but that he (the speaker) might look forward to an iccreate m the spiritual ministrations, and in the wea-bfciug of the church in this place and the whole dioc.ese-.at largo.—(Appiauee.) Canon Robinson said it-was very grctifying, and also very comforting for him to reeeiva, as he bad received that eTeniug, so very kindly a welcouie ) at their.hands. It seemed they were very desirous indeed of obeyiug the apostolic precept, "Be not forgetful to entertain strangers." He trusted that they and he would not be such strangers as they were that evening. When he received au invitation from the bishop to help in the work of the cathedral here he felt himself greatly honoured, for it seemed to him the work in which they wera engaged here in connection with St. Paal'n wa3 work of special importance, and-he might ssy *'°fk , 0^ BPaoial honour. He thoughs the bishop's chief desire: in conaestion with St. Paul's must be that ths charch and everything connected with tho church should be the very centre of religious life ia Duneoia generally, and that the services at St. Paul's and the whole church life sbould be a model to other churches. Koowia'g this, he could not but feel himself honoured in receiving an invitation frona the bishop: • He could assure ' them that he would use- his very best rfforts to co-operats with the bishop ia whatever his plans might ba in connection with ths church, aad he would ask their cordial co-cperation «ud sympathy. He ficmly believed whea a clergymiu cama into a parish he came for good or evil. Let th6in hop's,, let them pray, than, l;Uar. the vjerk which they had, to da would issue iv CJod's glory first of all,' in the salvation of their own souls, and in their own edification in the faith.

Dean Fitchett said they were all now quits eonvincad that She policy of the lanh syaod in erecting St. Paul's parish church into a cathedral iiad already been justified. The pervicjs had been improved, the congregation had increased, and an opportunity bad been givea, which did not seem to exist before, for a ceriwn kind of church life and energy which had besn latent. They were beginning to Eea evidences of that. The congregatioa had very much improved, and he did not think it ha 4 "fay any means reached its limit. He knew Duoedin pretty well as a parish clergy man for a good many years, and he thought that Canon Hobinson would have a very stimulating congregation to meet him n?xfc Sunday. He was also B«ro that in the courM of a little tims they phould hs.vo .-.congregation next to none in this town for size, importance, and influence. He'could quite sue tie tims when the church would be too small for them. Proas the point of view of a parish clergyman, as well as that of one who bad to do with the cathedral, he welcomed Canon Robinson's » coming. He was sure his ministrations wonid be a source of strength to the chnrch, and hs ! tendeietl to Canon Robinson on his own bahalf } and on behalf of the neighbouring coa..;ra- Egj tion c.iogratulations snd wishes for his sneeass. ) Br Hockbn also spoke & few words of welcome ! to Canon Robinson, and the gathering broke up j Bhortiy before 10 o'clock