THE DIOCESE OF DUNEDIN

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15098, 22 March 1911, Page 4

THE DIOCESE OF DUNEDIN

A PASTORAL LETTER.

Tho Primate, who left Dunedin yesterday morning, together with Mrs Novill, en route for England, hos addressed Lhe following farewell letter to the members of h>e flock i-

Dear People,—When I returned to you from my visit to England I certainly thought that it would be to remain among you -to the end of my days. Several circumstances, however, conspire to mako it desirable that I should visit England onoo more, and not the least of these is tho opportunity which will bo afforded me of tendering in my i>erfion the homage of tho New Zealand Church to his Majesty K;,nc Groorgo, on tho occasion of his Coronation.

I know well that the prayers and good wishes of my dear people will go with me, and in writing a. few words of affcctiarmto farewell,' both to any clerioal and lay brethren. I would me.ntion first the ooir.fort it afiords mo to feel ihat I leavo behind mo. even should 'it be only for » short time, a large nnmber of devoted church' workers of omli order, who would h* an honour tn any diooese an-.-! whose efforts, h spite of some special difficulties under vrliich they labour, bid fair, umier the Divine blessing, to ensure a considecable measure of success ,

There is ono subject which sives me in parting u certain measure cf distress. It. is tho fact thhit through circumstances over which I havo no control T am in danger of losing the fellowship and valued assistance of perhaps more than- one of tlio clergy of the diooose who faoforo my return rray feel themselves' obliced to accept cures in other dioceses which make less demands upon their stre,ns:tn or resources. It is a.-great trial to any hretiop to find Jiimself so rortirelv unable to reward clciigy whose fclf-denying exertions ho hns witnessed, it may bo, for many years; and he may loasonably feel somewhat hurt to find that tho testimony which ho may lay before tho Board of Nominators when a parish is variant, b so commonly sot asido by the nominators of Die vacant parish on account of testimonials, perhaps from almost unknown persons, in favour of some clergyman who, because ho is unknown, is presumod to bo without; failings a,nd endowed with superlative abilities. I must not bo supposed to bo reflecting upon, any may havo been brought into this dioeeso by tho agency of the lward, but I am bold to remind nil parishes that appointments to thb board should bo made with much moro care than they commonly are, ariA the board itself of tho very serious injury that is done to the diooese at larg« if the impression gains ground that Tcoal ability and devotion find no recognition as against perhaps no greater qualifications from outside. Fow clergy will grudge advancement to ono of their brethren if they fcol that his claims arc really superior to their own, hut thav can hardly avoid a eewe of injury when they learn, as is sometimes the case, that tho preference comes about by the improper and , often ill-informed influence of some individual who is not even a member of tho board itself. .It will bo seen that I have reflected rather upon the working of tho canon than upon tho principles on which' it is founded, but I return to my saying in my farewell, that if anything would induce me to resign, my work it would bo the feeling of hopelessness in having to lose from my side clergy whom I havo trained and encouraged in their work for, perhaps, many years, because some irresponsible and possibly ignorant person has more power in relation to the appointment to perma-nont spheres of work than the Bisliop himself. Tho survival of the fittest is cine thing, but appointment by the unfitted is quite another. The limo of my departure also is ono oi peculiar interest in our ecclesiastical history, pince there is on unprecedented occasion for ths consecration of throe clergymen to fill vacant seos. lam sure that tho senior Bishop i will discharge the Primate's part will all dignity of solemnity, but it would have bson very pleasing to me to have been the chief consecrator of two such eleTgymcji as Archdeacon Crosslfly and the. Rev. T. H. Sprott, chosen to bo Bishops of Auckland and Wellington respectively. May the Divine blessing rest upon them and the dioceses over which they will preside! It now only remains for'me to say that the Very*Revorand tho Doan has kindly consented to act as my commissary, and that I. trust that he will receivo tho loyal support of all in that office. I thank God that for many years past tho working of this diooese lias presented ,no difficulties beyond those which are inseparable from " ros angusta domi," and that with tho valued assistance of our devoted diocesan treasurer, and tho members of the trust Board, even thefxs are les'rarng. It is, therefore, with! an untroubled mind that I commit you to God and tho promise of His Grace, and pray that if lain permitted to return, it may h<; to find that His work has bwn carried on successfully and in pence. Dominne voTjisctrm.-—Ever yours faithfully in Christ. S. T. Dunedin, Primate.