ST. PAUL'S CATHEDRAL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16199, 8 October 1914, Page 3

ST. PAUL'S CATHEDRAL

RECENT HISTORY. The diocesan secretary has forwarded to us the following particulars of the constitution and recent history of the Cathedral: — "A .cathedral differs from a parish church in that it is the bishop's church, and under his immediate control. The bishop's official seat or " catnedra," ;s there; it is the place for ordinations and other diocesan functions; there is usually a rota of preachers —the clerical canons and others, m particular, the government is capitular, not parochial, the regulating of finance and other temporal matters being committed to a chapter. " In 1894 the parishioners of St. Paul's, by a unanimous resolution, passed at a parish meeting duly convened, asked that their parish church should be made the cathedral of the diocese. The Synod rf that year passed accordingly a cathedral statute drawn by the late Mr B. C. Haggitt, at that time chancellor of the diocese', the validity of which statute has been finally upheld by the Standing Commission's decision in the recent appeal case. The chapter consists of the bishop, the dean, the chancellor of the diocese, the diocesan secretary, the warden o. o * College, the vicar of the cathedral, with three other clerical and four other lay members. The statute enacts that ' the dean shall have the care of the fabric of the cathedral church and its precincts, together with the ordering of the services of the cathedral," ordinary and special, subject to the, authority of the bishop, and tho provisions of this statute.' Also that ' one of the clergy of the cathedral church, being in priest's orders, shall have the cure of souls within the "boundaries of tho cathedral district, apd be charged with all the duties of the parish priest therein; as the bishop's representative ho shall be styled the vicar; the vicar shall be appointed by the bishop and the dean, with the concurrence of the ■ chapter.' All things working smoothly under this constitution, betweea the years 1894 and 1913 old debts were paid off, the total of £3400 was disbursed in pensions, and money was found for a pension of £100 a year on a continuing life; further, the cathedral attracted to itself in gifts and legacies more than £50,000, which amount is now available for the erection of a new building. • ' " In 1913. deferring, as was supposed, to the wish of some younger members of the cathedral congregation to have a share in the management of its affairs, the Synod constituted uy statute a sub-chapter of 12 members, with the vicar as chairman, its duties being, to collect offertories and subscriptions, and to advise on questions of expenditure. Unfortunately, cathedral congregation generally took little interest in this development; few persons attended the meeting called to elect tho new body; • names were proposed in block and' summarily adopted. From that time trouble began. An exchange of land between the City Council and the chapter, though authorised by both the Diocesan and General Synods, the sub-chapter attempted to obstruct by lodging a caveat. By an appeal to the (Standing Commission against tiie Cathedral Statute of 1894, the sub-chapter sought to destroy the cathedral establishment and restore the old parish of St. Paul's. The appeal was dismissed, . but the next number of the Parish Magazine issued in the cathedral district intimated that the agitation might go on. During the erecton of the first part of the new cathedral it is proposed to transfer s the congregation to the school room —a proposal originally adopted at a congregational meeting on the report of a committee, of which Mr George Fenwick was chairman. This purpose, finally adopted by the chapter, the sub-chapter has opposed and resisted. For a time it was hoped that by beginning the new cathedral building at the Moray place end the old church might .be ' retained in use, but. thus was ultimately found impossible. "It waa in view of all the facts, and with the informal concurrence of several members of the chapter, that the" Bishop's letter of September 11 was written."