SCARCITY OF CLERGY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19000, 24 October 1923, Page 3

SCARCITY OF CLERGY.

DISCUSSION IN SYNOD. QUESTION OF ASSISTANT BISHOPS. (From Ope Own Correspondent.) AUCKLAND. October 21. A discussion on the shortage of clergymen took place at the Auckland Anglican Synod when Archdeacon Mac Murray brought forward a series of resolutions following upon the report of a commission upon the shortage of candidates for Holy Orders. The archdeacon referred to the great scarcity of suitable candidates. He said the position was really grave. Living agents who carried the Gospel were the cardinal need of the Church. If these agents were not coming forward (he position was serious. 1 He did not think one young New Zealander was ordained during the past year. To a great extent the Church had in the past been supplied with ministers from the Old Country. What was wanted was a ministry of men born in New Zealand. In England alone there was a shortage of 2541 men for the ministry since the war. Thus the Church iu Now Zealand must look to her own sons for the clergy of the future. Archdeacon Mac Murray said (hat the inadequate remuneration of the clergy caused some parents to consider that the Church was not an attractive career for their sons. Young men must realise that the call to the ministry involved sacrifice. They did not want large emoluments for ministers, but it was the bounden duty of the Church to provide adequate stipends for the clergy. Archdeacon Mac Murray then moved a lengthy resolution to the effect —“That it is the bounden duty of the Church to provide such maintenance of her clergy a§ shall release them from burdens of financial anxiety; that the attention of the laity should be drawn to the importance of remembering in their wills the central and also the pension fund ” The Archdeacon spoke of the great need for a spiritual revival to overcome the indifferentism of the present age. He added that while he did not see eye to oje with Mr Hickson, and had no part in the mission of healing, still he was profoundly impressed by the spirit of intercession (hat had prevailed. “I did not look for miracles.” said the speaker, “but I am sure many people gained spiritual benefit from these meetings.” The Rev. W. G. Monckton, ih seconding the motion,* said that the fact that there was no adequate superannuation fund for clergymen no doubt prevented some parents from turning the attention of their sons to the ministry, lie thought, however. that there was something beyond things material to be considered in this matter. They did not sufficiently recognise there was a diversity of gifts. Ihey did not recognise enough difference between lile in New Zealand and England. r I hey tried to mould education upon English lines, and ho was not sure it had proved a success. He was convinced they wanted more Now Zealanders in the Ministry of their Church. It was the personal element, that counted in New Zealand. People did not care much for dogma or ceremonial in New Zealand. If they liked a minister they would accept his dogmas—also his ceremonials. If the people did not like the man they would not care for anything he. taught. Some men had intellectual gifts, or a personal touch Miat fitted them for the city, but they would be useless iu country districts.' Others had a personal touch that fitted them for any position in the Church. Tu his opinion it did not. matter much whether the candidate for the ministry had passed the Latin examination, hut if did matter whether he had studied his Bible.

Canon Percival James said that if they trained their people in the desire to servo their Church they would get, men for the ministry, but they must not increase the number of clergy by lowering the standard. —(Applause.) They should be careful not to fall into the idea (which he feared would be developed by the Hickson mission) that people should come to Christ for what they could get. They should come to Christ to do His service.

Mr C. Hudson said that they did not, want to lower the standard of the ministry, but what was wanted in these was more exposition of the Bible, tvhich now seemed to be a lost art. Mr Normait Burton said that they should carry op with too few men rather than ordain unsuitable men for (he ministry.

Bishop Averill said he was rather disappointed with the debate. It had not kept up to the high standard in which Archdeacon Mac Murray introduced the subject. “I am disappointed with the debate,” said the bishop. ‘T had hoped for something on a higher level. Perhaps I had better say no more about, it.” Dr Averill added that he had never liked distinctions being drawn between the clergy from and New Zealand clergy. He did not in the least agree with the idea that the men from England could not get on in the backblocks. They sometimes got on better than men bom here. There had been a reference to the Hickson Mission. He knew it had been a great joy to a number of people. It was not often he made a personal application to the Synod, but ho would ask the members kindly to say nothing about it in ordinary debates. Archdeacon Mac Murray said ho had just learned that there was one Now Zealandborn candidate who had been admitted this year to serve as a deacon. To the honour of his race, ho was one of their Maori brothers.—(Applause.) The motion was carried unanimously.

The problem of increasing the episcopate was discussed by Bishop Averill in his charge to the Synod. After remarking upon the possible creation of a new diocese with Hamilton as its centre, in course of the next 20 years, he asked what scheme would be devised to meet the present need. “What about the appointment of an assistant bishop?” ho suggested. “The general synod has hitherto set its face against assistant bishop for New Zealand, but even the general synod may sometimes be induced to manifest a spirit of adventure, as was the case recently when it sanctioned two assistant bishops for the diocese of Melanesia. Now that the principle is conceded why not apply it to New Zealand? The chief difficulty, imaginary or real, which has hitherto loomed big in the eyes of the general synod is the possible danger - of men in episcopal orders—men who have occupied the position of assistant bishops— not being required for the administration of episcopal duties in the case of a subdivision of the diocese or a change of bishops. This dffiiculty is far more likely to occur in the case of Melanesia or a missionary diocese where the climate may incapacitate the man and prevent him from carrying out the onerous duties of bishop. But supposing that the worst came to the worst and that the assistant bishop was no longer required, would it bo such a terrible thing for him to become a parish priest again ? It is quite usual in England, as we know, and he might possily be glad of the change. An assistant bishop in New Zealand would, of course, have no right of succession, and no separate jurisdiction. He .would be appointed by the bishop of the diccese with the concurrence of the diocesan authorities and the bench of bishops. The appointment of an assistant bishop for the diocese of Auckland would not in any way lessen the work and the responsibility of the diocesan bishop, but would increase the amount of episcopal supervision in the diocese, and so help the country districts much more than is possible at present. Auckland alone with its constant calls upon the time and services of the bishop, with its many provincial as well as diocesan problems, and with its ever increasing population, has a rightful claim to a larger jsortion of the bishop’s time than can possibly be given at present if the rest of the diocese is not to be neglected.”