WELCOME TO BISHOP NEVILL

Otago Witness, Issue 2286, 23 December 1897, Page 26

WELCOME TO BISHOP NEVILL

Bishop Nevill and Mrs N».vill returned to Dacedin on the 16th met. after an extei dttl Irip to Great Britain, and in the evening were wel-. ccmed at a conversezione which was held in the Garrison Hall. There was a very lai^e attendauce, about 1500 people beiDg present. The "Very Rev. Dean Fitchett presided, and was supported on the platform by the Yen Archdeacons Robinson and Gould, the Rev. Canons . Richards, Lucas, JKodd, and King, the Revg. W. Cnrzon-Sigger'p, C. fOßowden, J. C. Small, H S. Leach, E. Mayne, W. Ronaldson, W. H. Browne, D. O. Hampton, 'and'F. C Pl&tts, Dr Hocken, Mess-s D^Arcy Haggitb, C. H. Sta'ham, H. F. H'inly, and C. C. GrKham. The Very Rev. .Dean Fitchett said they were assembled to welcome back to Dunedin their bishqp and Mrs Nevill. During the mouths of his absence the bishop" had been engaged still In the service of ~.the diocise — he had udt beeu xaalting a long holiday, though bad that been the case they would have had no right to complain. If the bishop, as a loy»-l citizen aud frood churchman, had gone to Englsu3 to represent the diocese at the Imperials 1-bratious of the Queen's Jubilee they wtuld have thought ib quite right and proper. Tho colony was represented by <its Premier, and ths church might Lave been, and indeed war, represented by its bit-hops ; and had tbe 'bishop gone with that ebject alone his goiug would have been justified. But the bishop went to Ea'gland at the invitation of a greit ecclesiastical peisonage whoso tit'e" and office were older than the monarchy. Tli3 first king of England was at lea&l two centuries later than the first Archbishop of Canterbury, and it was at the invitation .of the' Archbishop ■of Car.terbury that the bishop went to England to attend 'the great sssemblego of bishops which was known aethe L^mbe'h Conference, and in flcing that he was discharging a duty to tho church. of this province and to the diocese of Dunedin. Ifc . was .true' thafe tbey owed no allegiance to ' the Archbishop of Canterbury, and that they bad been oblig< d in New Zealand to accept tbe responsibility of an ecclesiastical autonomy — they were an independent and self-governed church, and the Lambeth Conference, augutt though it 'was, had ' not the smallest command over them. The conference could only give good ftdvice, and if. they disregarded that, advice no penalty fell' on them other than the vtual penalty which )fe'l on those who, in their Bv lf-conceit, rejected, the advice of these who were wiserdhan themselves ; and yet there was' the most 'Complete unitynot only with Canterbury but also with the far-spreading ohnrch ■which was related to Canterbury, aud which' collectively made up the great church of the west, of which C*nteibury was the centre. It ■was of grave importance to them in New Zealand that this unity should be asserted and made manifest. When their first bishop (Bibhop Selwyn) went to J3ngland, after laying the foundation of the church in New Zealand, the people there did .not understand how the church in Greater Britain was growing up, nor did they understand the perfect organisation of the Catholic Churoh. They said, "You are cutting the painter ; you have cut the painter." Bishop Stlwyn replied: "We have not cut the ■ painter; it has dissolved of itself, but we are' forging a more endnring .cable like the invisible ties that anchor the planets to the sun." That a very .wise and very correct say iDg. There was — and the bishop would tell them the urnsthing — a better sort of un'on than depended upon legal enactments and the right of appeal to a, central judiciary, and he hoped that in the assertion of that real, spiritual, ecclesiastical union the .bishops from this .remote province of New Zealand would continue to =prel«nt themselves at the periodical meet- 1 Ygs of the bishops around the Chair of t-b. Augustine iv Canterbury. — (Applause.) That was the 'primary object of the bishopV sisit to England, but there wai a secondary object : there were certain great gocieties'that were practically agencies of churoh extension, ! and had large funds ( for that purpose. JThese societies were concerned with banging into existence aud nursing new dioceses. The diocese of Dunedin was a new diocese, the diocesan institutions were in an infantile Btate, and the bishop would doubtless tell them that be had with no small success made representations to these .societies. He was glad to see so large a gathering of church people to wel--eonoe the bishop back to Dunedin.— (Applause.) There was a certain Bignificance in the gathering. They were in «fftct saving: "We are loyal churchmen^ we are here because we do ex animo believe in the Epiecopal ecclesiastical government ' under which we live." There were many Christians whose church was managed quite on other lines, *nd they said nothing in criticism of the preferences of these, but they held that -the constitution of the Anglican Chutcb, with its threefold ministry of- bishop, and Seasons, was primitive and historic, and they hUd to it by conviction and by sffection.. He dtsired to tmpba'ise this — that they were saying, in face of the community, thst they were loyal churchmen and 'that they b« lieve in tbe form- of church government under which they lived— a system under which they had and enjoyed as large a liberty of Christian 'thought and action ai Christians might desire. — (Applause.) The Yen. Archdeacon Robinsojj said, on behalf of the Standing Committee of the diocese and the Cathedral Chapter, he asked his lordship to receive an address which he would proceed'to read. It was presented to his lordehip in the names of 'the two bodies he had 'mentioned, but it represented also, he was sure, the sentiment* of all the fnrhful church people of Dunedin. His lordship did not need that each an address should be presented to assure him of a hearty welcome back to Dunedin. The presence of such a gathering as was thera^thab

night wnepufficienfe to assure him of that. The address was as follows :—: — • To the Right Rev. Samuel Tarratt Nevill, D.D., F;L S., Bishop of Dunedin. May it please your Lordship. — With unfeigned pleasuve we beg to congratulate Mrs Nevill -and yourself upou your safe return to us after so many months journeying. It is a further source of •satisfaction to us, to know that your lordship, returning with renewed health and vigour, is again enabled to resume the care of this importaut diocese. Doubtless your lordship would count the leceut session of the Lambeth Conference as the most memorable incident of your stay in the Home country, and the one you w ill prefer to consider asihe specialty bright feature of your holiday. In the dehberations-of that great asseiribly your lordship participated, and if from ■them "you gained any added kuowledga in ecclesiastical matters, we feel assured that the diocese will have the advantage of such increased experience. That by the blessing of God you may be long spared to have the spiritual oversight of thu diocese is the earnest desire and prayer of your lordship's faithful servants. "[Here follow the signatures of the Cathedral Chapter and Standing Committee.] Bishop Nevijol, in replying, said the heartywelcome which 'had been accorded him was such .ajs to render ifc indeed a difficult task for him in any way adequately to reepond thereto. The warmth of the welcome almost made utterance difficult to him. He expressed his gratitude to God.for his safe return, and to those who had had the gcvarnmenfc of the diocese during his ■ absence fconi it. He was exceedingly thankful to the latter that there had' been such harmonious working in diosesan ■' affairs during his absence. He was sure that was attributable to the kindly feeling and determination on the part of all to work for the good of all and for the benefit of their holy church — (Applause.) Ho, therefore, desired to acknowledge — as he did most heartily — bis obligation}! to these he had meut'oned for this happy state of things. — (Applause ) It h^d been hinted to him that those present would like to hear something of ■their dcings during his and Mrs Nevill's absence. Their visit to the Home country was 'full of 'pleasure and enjojrnont.; and at the same time it was not entirely .given .up to pl"a;arei It would take up far too much time were he to enter iufco anylengfcliened description of the social and geiural .eugagemunta of which they c jojed so many, and*he 'mujt dismiss all that part of the subject with an expression of the thanks that ttey felt with all the bishops of New Zealand — and, indeed, the bishops of their church throughout the world, at being , partakers of that general and universal spirit which pervaded the British Isles at the tints of their viaib, and which' evinced itself in the determination which was shown from the greatest to the lowest by oil, classes, and on all occasions, to make it evident to all that the heait of Great Britain was as warm towards those who dwelt in the antipodeß as to the residents and citizens of the metropolitan city itself. — (Applause.) As they had been 'informed, he had several .obj*ols in his visit to the old country ILis year. The great objects, of coarse, <were those that had baen touched upon by Ihs very rev. the Dem — vz.,ihiß attendance at the Lambeth' Conference ; and he -also, had it in his mind to do something more, if 'he : .possibly could, for .the soliilifisation of the institutions of this young diocese. They had heard that in some respectsjhe had beeu successful, in thoae efforts. Hs promised before he left this country to the good friends wh6 were always so careful about his health, that he would not give himself up so entirely as he did on former visits to the old cuuatry to going i about preaching, and he did nob pursue 'that plan so much as before. Nevertheless he felt ' that he had been greatly complimented by invitations from high quarters to preach iv many importaut place*, but after -the promise he had given be had felt it to be his duty on most occasions to refuse. The little preaching he' did. was entirely on behalf of 'his diocese, and whenever he had an opportunity of .pleading their cause and obtaining the offertory, df course, he accepted such invibation. — (Laughter and spp'auee ) With reference to the societies to which he addressed himself, - after making inquires he dared -say that they had heard that the direction in which he had asked ass : stance was towards the erection of a see house in the dioce°e. He did not know whether they would consider that was 'the best object for him to pursue, but he found that was an object with which he was most likely to succeed — and tthat .was one argument with him. — (Laughter.) He felt that it' was his duty to erect aB far as he could tho-e institutions which were a chief necessity for the successful working of the diocese after he should have been removed from it. He did plead therefore for grants in aid of the purchase of a Bite and the erection of a tee 'house for -the diocese, which was regarded as a very appropriate way of adding to the endowment of the diocese. With reference to hh abtendance at the Lambeth Conference, he confessed that what be knew and bad heard of the subjects that were likely to be brought forward did form a large inducement to be there. He badbeen a member of two previous sessions of the -Lambeth Conference, and on each occasion that same subject fiad been brought forward, and he felt that it was right and uec ssary that -the leaders of the church ia the colony should be strongly represented ; and as the present Primate, the Bishop of Auckund, and himself were the two oldest bishops of this ecclesiastical province, and several of the other bi-hops had not very long held office, he felt it was of extreme importance that he should be present. ■He was glad to be able to say th*t the Episcopate ' of New Zealand epal/e with a united voice, and, therefore he might pr«surae, if he was not too bold in so doing, that their representations had ■ tome little influence on the decisions that were arrived tit. — (Applause.) He was "not at liberty to say a great deal, because silence was enforced upcu them as to the proceedings at Lambeth ; still he felt that the hiuts he had thrown out might justify his lengthened absence from them. It was of course a very great advantage and happiness to associate 'with the brethren who were engaged in the spreading of the Kingdom of God in all parts of the world as Well as to meet once more — as he did with great comfort to himself — those affeotionate, noble representatives of the great Cnurch of America. It was really mo3t delightful to associate for 'a few weeks with men of such great hearts as well as such great minds. — (Applause.) He might just tell them that one of the leading bishops' of America, after he" (Bishop Nevill) bad been arguing rat-her strongly on a particular question of proceeding, handed. to bim a little bit of paper on which he had scribbled something to this effect : There was a good Bishop of Dunedin "Who was not satisfied with the rule of proceedin',

But the chairman said "No ; It is better to go On the lines I wish to proceed on.' 1 — (Laughter.) He would add just one word or two about the great assembly which moved the hearts of all the English-speaking race everywhere — namely, the Jubilee year of their beloved Sovereign. He was honoured with requests, wbich he did accede to, to preach f ennons on the Sunday before and the Monday after that great event. The invibation he received to preach on the Sunday before was from

' his "old parishioners in St. 'Mark's, Shelton. Nothing would do bub that he mastapreaoh 'the . Jubilee Eerraon there, and he consented to do so. The -other place at which he was -called, upon to preach at that time was in the diocese -of Winchester, and in the ancient abbey of Rumsey — a very glotious building.' If he could only transplant Rumsey Abb6y to some suitable site in Dunedin he would never ask for another* oathedral. — (Laughter.) The speaker: proceeded to give a graphic and eloquent descrip- , tiou of tha Jubilee procession as witnessed by . him from his place 'on the steps ofj3b. Paul's. To be pressnt on such an . 'occasion was, ha said,^ a thing one' ■might thank God for the rest of one's life— not l only for the greatness of the occasion, -but bec.iuse ib exalted one into au entirely new sphere of thought and emotion.' There was a sort uf exaltation aboub it -that one could not > get under any other circamstaacas. 'Ib was perfectly undesoribable, bub when the climax of that great event took place, -and the marching of the innumerable multitudes of soldier a and ' represent a 1 ives of all parts of the world oame in their due order — -different colours, different ranks, diffeivnfc professions — (hare they osme' on and on and od, and yet .there was no weariness, for ib was all so full of life ; and -yet in the midst of all this — iv the centre, watching ' this grand procession, reminding one of the triumphal proce«ion*of;som3 Roman emparor or some couqueror of the past time, and yet much more glorious, for ib waa a 'triumph of peace — there was . one Itfcfcle^ white horee and one little rider, Lord Roberba — (applause), — who seemed by his presence to give a completeness to everything— 'all went as smoothly as a marriage bell, and all so j great and wonderful! Aud then the eight, milk-coloured ponies with their wonderful trappings and the little carriage, and that lady seated there who came before them all in her grentuecs of womanhood — (applause), — so, moved that one ould not bub feel what it was, to be governed by such a woman. — (Applause. )» They could see the tears streaming "down her ..face as she sat and bowed -to them all — no^ bow ' of mere fercnality, but a bow of v the deepest -feeling, which seemedsto fay: "I thank you, from my heart for coming to, greet me tc-aay."' (Applause ) And how when just in front qf the great entraure of that noble temple of Sb. ■ Paul's the oarriogd Axei .up and the choir fang out — .is never choir sang befcre, -as ib seemed to him, in the world — ithat' glorious hymn "All people that ■ on earth; do dwell," which was taken up by every; -voice 5 from the ground, ~ti«r by tier to tbe -very J chimney bops, all around SO. Paul's giving forth \ such a volume of sound rb was never heard on •' earth before, it was not wot!tterfnl that the Queen was moved to deep emotion and trembled in her seat. It was a gce\t even l -, and all llelb it was a glorious thii>g bo be citizens of such au Empire. — (Applause.) Let them, feeling this, do their duty in the state of life -in which they ' had been placed, and wilh the opportunisms < God had given them in their day, briof though it m ; ght bs, and do honour, not only to the flag which waved over them, bub to I the great Christianity which was the'characteristic of their country, and which was so" well expessed in that noble hymn; The responsi-bibbies-and wealth of England were -immeasurable^ aud bhey belonged to I h»t Empire. -Let! the.<e celebrations affr.cb them in their hearts and minda — give them nobler conceptions, -purer ; hearts, ftnrl truer notions of whatifa-was to live, • aud why God had placed them here. Leb them ' reflccb in this young land thab -those noble* principles, those true principles of their noble , religion, might b3 planted'here as truly, firmly, and unshakably as they were planked hundreds, of years ago, not only when Augußbino came to Canterbury, bub long before his time. So leb ib be in this land of ours in cenburies to come.- — (Loud applause ) ' - ' The Ter. ArtshdeacoifßoßiNSON subsequently presented BKhop Nevill with the'following address : — "We, as members of the Cathedral, Cornmuoic'ants' Guild, beg leave to offer our respectful congratulations to your Lordship on your return to the cathedral and diocese. We trust ib will be a pleasure to your -Lordship to know tbab duriog your absence we have'becoma associated together as a body i f -comoiunicants for pu -poses of -devotion, instruction, and mutual encouragement in work for the church. We beg to assure yonr Lordship of our love and loyalby to our church and to our bishop. We hope that the cathedral and diocese -will long enjoy the blefstug of your Lordship's -pastoral oversight, and we ask the benefit of your prayers that .pur blessed Lord may keep us in His grace, and thab our small ssrvice may be accepted for His merit's sake."-

Bishop Nevii/L briefly returned thanks -for the 'presentation.

Mu^icil items were peiformefl during -6he evening, under the direction of Mr W. E. Taylor. Miss L. Treseder ?ang " Echo," and Mr J. Bleokinsopp " The -island of dreams" ; Misses Leech and Kempthrrne and Messrs O'd'hnm and Knox gave the quartet "'May Day," and .Mefsrs Blenkinsupp, Jones, Smith, and Ibbbfcson contributed a part song ; while Messrs. Taylor and Lilly .performed a pianoforte 'duet,. •' Slavonic dances " '(Davorak) . At an interval in the proceedings light refreshments, which were much appreciated, were provided by fche ladies of the van.au parishes iv Dunedin, who were most assiduous in their abtenbion to .the wants of those present.