BISHOP JENNER AND THE BISHOPRIC OF DUNEDIN.

Otago Witness, Issue 824, 13 September 1867, Page 7

BISHOP JENNER AND THE BISHOPRIC OF DUNEDIN.

MEETING OF THE RtJRAL DEANERY BOARD. A special meeting of the Rural»Deanery Board of Otago and Southland was held oa Wednesday, in St. Paul's School-house, •Stuart street-. The object of the meeting was to consider the following letter from Mr. W. C. Young to the Rev. E. G. Ed- , wards, with its enclosures, and the letter .(which is appended) from Bishop Jenner to Mr Edwards :—: —

Bank of Otago, London, 26th June, 1867. The Rev. E. G. Edwards, Chairman of . Standing Committee of Rural Deanery Board, Dunedin. Dear Sik — On my arrival iv England, I was glad to find that Dr Jenner, the Bishop elect for the Diocese of Otago and Southland, had not sailed for New Zealand, and as he was about to take part in a ceremony to be celebrated at St. Matthias Church, London, I determined to be present, for the purpose of ascertaining -whether the reports of Dr Jenner's ritualistic practices were actually tnie. I regret to say, the reports were no way exaggerated, as the following report of the proceedings which I witnessed at the "feast of dedication," on the 13th ult., at St. Matthias, clearly provea : — A procession . composed of clergy, choristers, and the Bishop, all more or less gorgeously arrayed, was formed outside the church, and was met by other officials at the porch. It proceeded down the middle aisle in the following order — Boy carrying on high, a large gold eross — choir chanting — boy carrying scarlet and, white banner, which was afterwards affixed to the pulpit ; remainder of choir — boys carTying blue, scarlet, aad white banners — two boy*, each waving censers of burning incense. The clergy, I think eight in number — then the Bishop — lastly -a boy, bearing a large jjirrple banner with medallion on gold ground. All took their appointed places, Hie candles •on the altar were lighted, and the full service '«of the Church commenced. A sermon was by Mr Bennett, Vicar of Frome, of fßittiaUetic notoriety, when he extolled Ritmalistn, and almost advocated fee doctrine of Transubstantiation, and the Infallibility of 'the Church. The Bishop pronounced the •usual blessing, holding a crozaer in his left .hand, while describing in the air with his right, , what appeared to me very like the.) •Bign of the cross. I noticed one young \ clergyman in the congregation, kneeling down ' on the pavement in the aisle before the i altar, bowing and crossing Tiimself, before he , took his seat. Another gentleman in front \ of me was dressed in gowa and cowl, with girdle round hie waist, said to be a brother of the Institution connected with St. Matthias Altogether the decorations of the church and oz the altar, the genuflexions and signs of the cross, the lighted candles and incense offerings were as complete as could be in a Roman Catholic Chappl ; and yet, all this took place in a professed Protestant Church, "in the centre of England. Moreover, tho Bishop elect, not only played ', a conspicuous part in these ceremonies, but also afterwards, at the luncheon which I attended, expressed his "" admiration of the Bervices, as conducted at St. Matthias.,

Being an eye witness cf these facts, I considered it my fluty to represent them to the Archbishop of Canterbury; with a view to getting the appointment of Dr Jenner rescinded, if possible. I accordingly wrote to his Grace, and also to the Bishop, and refer you to the enclosed cqpies. On the 22nd inst., I had an interview with the Aroh"bishflp, by his desire, wfeen he informed me ithat Dr Jenner's appointment caused him anore grief and anxiety than he could exipress. and that he was »aot unprepared for lithe objections I had urged. That he had not tthe remotest idea of Dr .Jenner's Ritualistic tendencies, nor had Dr J. exhibited any (before the appointment. That he had selected Dr Jenner out of his own Diocese, as one he thought well qualified by his known earnestness and activity, to preside over a Colonial Bishopric, but now he discovered hifltnistake. That he thoroughly disapproved of the Bishop's proceedings, and concurred in 'the course I proposed to adopt, with this modification, that instead of presenting a petition to his Grace to rescind the appoint- . ment (which even if practicable, would be attended with considerable difficulty) a requisition should be forwarded to the Bishop, from <Church members in the Diocese, which would have the effect of forcing his resignation.

Believing, &ff I sincerely do, that my fellow colonists, who are members -of our Protestant Church, regard these Ritualistic ceremonies as subversive of the Protestant faith, and lhat their introduction into the Colonial (Church must inevitably produce the Bame wnhappy divisions which are now disturbing the Protestant Established Church ia this •country. I .earnestly beg of you, as Ohairmaa of the Standing Committee of the Rural Deanery Board, to call a meeting immediately on r-eceipt of this, for the purpose of adopting such measures as will secure our Dioceae from ' the control of a Ritualistic Bishop No time must be lost, in order that ihe Bish/op may be in possession of the requisition before he sails. I know it was not his intention to sail till October next ; but I trust, since the receipt of my letter (to which lie has not replied), he will not be so bold as ,to set out before ascertaining the true feeling in, Otago, and Southland in regard to his ap : pbintment : but the sooner that feeling is expressed, the better. Having now acted up> tomy own convictions, and fulfilled my duty to my lettbvr-cbarch menabeis ia the Colony,

I must kaye the issue in their hands ; and the Standing Committee are at liberty to make what use they like of the enclosed letters, and my name attached thereto. I have also to state that I have the Archbishop's authority for mentioning what his Grace expressed at the interview referred to.

With regard to the best course to pursue, for the satisfactory completion of the requisition in the Diocese, the Standing Committee are best able to judge ; but I would suggest that in a matter of such vital importance to the highest interests of the community, the mere question of expense ought not to deter the Committee from using every available means for effecting our object in the quickest time possible. If a subscription bo necessary for that purpose, I shall be happy to add my quota : and. with an earnest hope that the Committee wilL sympathise with me in the wish to maintain the true Protestant faith in our Colonial Church unpolluted by the Ritualism of modern. days, and that they will successfully finish the work it has been my privilege to commence here for the good of that Church. I remain, dear Sir, Yours faithfully, W. <?ABR YOUXO. [copy.] Craven Hotel, Craven street, Strand, 17th June, 1867. To his Grace The Archbishop of Canterbury. My Lobd — I beg leave to call your Grace's attention to the following facts, which I think it my duty to bring before you for your consideration and judgment. I have resided for the last 13 years iv Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand {excepting when on a visit to this country between the years 1864 and 1866), and during the whole of that time I have taken great interest in all matters connected with our Church in that Colony ; in proof of which I need only refer to the various church offices which I have held in Dunedin, I may say from, their very formation, viz., as Treasurer and Churchwarden ; as member of the Otago and Southland Rural Deanery Board ; as Lay Reader at St. Paul's, under special authority &om Bishop Harper. I left Dtmedin most unexpectedly ori the sth of last April, on special business for the Government of Otago. A short tirae before my departure I took ah active part ia the deliberations'of the Rural Deanery Board, over which Bkhop Harper presided. 'One of the most important subjects which the ' Board haul to deal with was the subdivision of the Diocese of Canterbury, N.Z., and jnore particularly your Grace's appointment'of a Bishop for the subdivided portion, viz.,, the new Diocese of Otago and Southland. The news of Dr Jenner's appointment took us completely by surprise, and created con- ] sideraible alarm, not only on financial grounds j being no immediate prospect of raising sufficient funds for the adequate support ot a Bishop), but more especially on religious grounds ; because with the news of the appointment came also certain reports of Dr Jenner's ritualistic practices,' to which, I am happy to say, our Church in Otago (I may add, the Church of New Zealand) is most firmly and unanimously opposed. Though disinclined to believe the reports while I was in New Zealand, yet I am grieved to find, since my arrival here, that these' were in no way exaggerated ; for at St. Matthias', Stoke Newington, I witnessed the mest extravagant scenes, and heard the gross- ; est doctrines at the " Feast of Dedication," celebrated there on the 13th inst. , that ever disgraced a so-called Protestant church. Bishop Jeaner not only assisted in that ceremony, bnt afterwards publicly expressed his " admiration "' of the whole service as conducted at St. Matthias. I need hardly say that my : only object in attending this Popish ceremony j was to see and judge for myself. Having witeessed it, I consider it my duty to use every means in my power to prevent the in- ] trodaction into our Colonial Church of these-j lamentable errors, which are undermining the Protestant Established Church in this country. If these be the views of Bishop Jenner. he will most assuredly practise them ; and i£, .unhappily, he should preside over a Colonial Diocese, 'I am persuaded, from my own personal experience and knowledge of Church members generally in the Colony, that it will be the first step to the certain disruption of our Colonial Church. I, therefore, most earnestly hope that it may not yet be too late to rescind Bishop Jenner's appointment. I shall be happy to wait upon i your Grace, if it be your pleasure, to answer i in person any questions you may wish to put to me in connection with this all-important subject. i I have the honor to remain, My Lord, Your Grace's humble and obdt. servant, i {Signed) Wm. Cask Youkg. ! [copy.] Craven Hotel, Craven street, Strand, W,C, 18th June, 1867. To the Right Revd. The Lord Bishop of Dunedin. My Lobd — I should be neglecting my duty if I left it open to your Lordship to put a wrong construction on the fact of my being present at the "Feast of Dedication," celebrated at St. Matthias 1 , on the 13th inst. Your Lordship might naturally infer that I sympathised with the ceremony at which I was present on that occasion ; and the inference would be strengthened by the fact of my having urged no objection when I met you afterwards at' the house of Mr Porter. But your Lordship may understand the reasons which induced me to reserve the expression of my feelings for & more fitting

opportunity. It is now my duty to state that, so far from approving of the ceremonies at St. Matthias', I was shocked to find a so-called Protestant Church degraded by the Popish doctrines and ceremonies there preached and practised. But T was much more shocked to see a Bishop, just ap pointed to the charge of the Protestant Established Church in a British Colony, taking part in and publicly expressing his admiration of all those Popish ceremonies. If such be your Lordship's views, you cannot do otherwise than practise them in the Colonial Diocese to which you have been appointed. But as a layman in the same Diocese, where, for the last thirteen years, I have taken great | interest in all matters connected with the Church, I beg to direct your attention to the following facts for your consideration, before you decide on sailing for New Zealand. I Just before I left Dunedin, we had a long and animated discussion at the Rural Deanery Board on the subject of your Lordship's appointment. The appointment of a Bishop wa3 condemned by all as premature ; and was totally rejected by some as unauthorised. But there is no doubt that the chief. if not the only serious objection, was purely on personal grounds ; for, with the news of the appointment, we received public and private" reports of your Lordship's High Church views and Ritualistic practices, to which, I am happy to say, the Church in New Zealand is most firmly and unanimously opposed. These reports were widely circulated in the public journals, and created so much alarm throughout the Diocese of Otago and Southland that, had it not been for the expectation of your early arrival, there would have been a unanimous protest against your Lordship's appointment, and measures would have been taken to get it rescinded if possible. For myself, I was disinclined to believe those reports, and I did what I could to diminish the fears of others ; but since my arrival here, I have seen enough to convince me that we may well be alarmed for the safety of our Colonial Church, if the doctrines and practices inculcated at St. Matthias' be introduced into New Zealand, especially if introduced under the auspices of a JJishop selected for the Colony by the Primate of England. Finding, however, that your Lordship is not likely to sail for some months, 1 hope that, under the circumstances, you will delay leaving England, at least until you can satisfy yourself about the views entertained in the Diocese of your appointment. I can assure you that the prospect of obtaining the Bishop's fund, and of providing an appropriate residence, were by no means encouraging when 1 left Dunedin. As soon as the report of the proceedings at St. Matthias' reaches the Colony — and to send a full and accurate report will be my duty and care — I am satisfied that your Lomship's appointment will be so distasteful to all the Church members there, that to obtain the necessary contributions for the j appropriate reception and maintenance of the Bishop will be impossible. I, therefore, with every feeling of respect to your high office, would prepare you for the vexations and troubles which await you from the moment of your landing in New Zealand ; j and I do not hesitate to declare that as far as I am concerned, I shall do all in my power to prevent the introduction into our Colonial Church of sut'h ceremonies as I witnessed in St. Matthias' ; nor can I be mistaken in informing your Lordship that I am expressing the views and feelings of all my fellowcoloniata who are members of the Church of England. I think it right to add that I have | written to the Archbishop of Canterbury i respecting the facts here referred to, and submitting to His Grace the and propriety of rescinding your appointment as a Colonial Bishop. I am, my Lord, Your Lordship's obedient servant, (Signed) ¥h. Cark Young. [copy.] Lambeth Palace. 2Uth June, 1867. To W. Carr Young, Esq., Sik — I shall be happy to see you here at half-past 12 o'clock on Saturday next. I am, Yours faithfully, (Signed) C. T. Cantuar. [copy.] Craven HoteL Craven street, Strand, 21st June, 18t>7. To His Grace, The Archbishop of Canterbury. My Lord— By desire of your Grace I shall be in attendance at the Palace to-morrow (Saturday), at half-past 12 o'clock ; meanwhile, I think it right to enclose, for your Grace's perusal, copy of a letter which I wrote to Bishop Jenner on f he 18th inst. I have the honor to remain, Your Grace's obedient Bervant, (Signed) Wm. Carr Yovsa. Extract from Private Letter from Bishop of Dunedin to Rtv. E. G. Edwards. Preston Vicarage, Sandwich, Ist June, 1567. "I have every hope that a hearty reception will be accorded me both by clergy and laity, it is certainly quite possible that I may fail to win back those who seem to be opposed to my appearance among them as their Bishop, but such failure shall not, I am determined, take place without an earnest striving on my part to avoid it. Whether opponent or supporter, none shall meet with other than sympathising and affectionate treatment from me, and I trust that, by degrees, sentiments of a like nature towards me may be engendered and strengthened,"

Letter from Bishop of Dunedin to Rev. E. G. Edwards. Preston Vicarage, Sandwich, Ist July, 1867. My Dear Sir — I have determined to remain in England for the " Pan- Anglican Synod." I hope to arrive at Dunedin before Christmas. If a house of some kind can be got ready for us by that time, we shall be grateful. This mail will probably bring you a letter from Mr W. Carr Young, to whom I have been unfortunate enough to give offence. It is right that you should be informed of the circumstances as they appear from, my point of view — since an ex partt statement by Mr Young may, if not explained, create a prejudice which it will not be easy to remove. It is difficult to write on this subject without appearing to cast blame on Mr Young. This I do not wish to do, for I have a sincere respect for him, and desire nothing more than the . complete subsidence of the present misunderstanding. Mr Young has written to me complaining, in strong language, of my haying been present and taken part at a service in the Church of St. Matthias, Stoke Newington — which service he describes as " Popish ;" and he seems to consider that I am bound by my principles to reproduce this kind of service in the newDiocese of Dunedin — a proceeding which he promises to oppose with all his energies. On, this supposition, he calls upon me to resign ! my pretensions to the new See ; and he has. j actually written to request the Archbishop, of Canterbury to "rescind my appointment." To all this, it is only necessary to say that, in the first place, my share in the St. Matthias service was confined to giving theAbsolution and Benediction, which I did at , the request of the Incumbent, who is a very dear fiiend of mine, and whose house i 3 always my London abode. Next, that Ido not consider myself in any way bound to avoid taking part in any services that are allowed by the law of the English Church. Thirdly, that as all my friends are aware, nothing can be further from my intentions (and, I may add, from my principles,) than to endeavor to force such a ritual as that of St. Matthias's on the clergy and kity of my Diocese. I should undoubtedly discourage the most obviousimprovements in Divine worship, unless they were introduced with the most tender and considerate regard to the feelings and even prejudices of the devout laity. Nothing, in my opinion, would be more ridiculous than to attempt to carry out "high ritual" in New Zealand, particularly in such a settlement a3 that of Otago. Lastly, J must add that, with all deference and respect to Mr Young, his person and positiou, I cannot recognise his title to addresß me in the terms he has thought proper to employ. Before my consecration £ signed the constitution of the New Zealand. Church. lam prepared to carry out the undertaking I then entered into — to resign my office on being called upon to do so by the General Synod ; but I owe it to my swn position to decline to submit to any other - authority whatever. No doubt, as Mr Young tells me, I shall meet with many difficulties from the day of my landing in Dunedin. Be it so. I should be utterly unfit for the high office to which I have been called, if I were to be disheartened by difficulties. Only let me have fair play, and I have no fear but that, by God's blessing, I shall be able to surmount the obstacles which may be placed in my path. God give us all more zeal for HSs glory, and more charity and forbearance towards one another. Praying that God will bless you and yourbrethren in His service, I am, my dear Sir, Most faithfully yours in Christ, H. L. Ddneihn: P.S. — You are at liberty to show this letter to any one who may be interested in the subject of which it treats. I hope I have made it clear what my designs are in reference to Mr Young's fears. These lettera being printed and in the hands of members, they were taken as. read. The discussion was commenced before half-past seven o'clock, on a motion proposed by Mr James Smith ; and therewere three or four amendments proposed. At eleven o'clock the discussion was. adjourned for half an hour ; and it was a quarter after one on Thursday morning: before the proceedings "were concluded. We are compelled to postpone our report until next week. During a storm which passed over Auckland lately," the lightning struck the late New Zmlander office at the top of Shortland street, knocking down a portion of the wall on the west side, to the extent of some ten or twelve feet. The building stands at a considerable elevation, and no doubt the iron rods, which since the fire have been left exposed, attracted the electric fluid. The ravages of the sea on the "West Coast, during the late spring tides, are said by the Grey River Argus to have been unprecedented in the memory of the oldest settler on the coast. All along the beach the surf has encroached seriously on the land, in many places washing away bodily large blocks of the bank, and jeopardising the safety of thevarious buildings erected near high water mark. At the head of the Lagoon at the Grey the surf made a clean breach over the bank, so much so that at certain times it was not safe for persons to cross the small neck of beach which separates the lagoon from the sea. The tramway has suffered seriously, that portion which was recently shifted back from the beach having been entirely destroyed.