THE CATHEDRAL.

Colonist, Volume LVII, Issue 13825, 21 July 1915, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE CATHEDRAL.

NEW VICAR APPOINTED.

REV. DR. WEEKS, OF LOWESTOFT,

(From "Thei Colonist," July ]5.)

It is announced that tho new vicar of Christ Church Cathedral, Nelson, will be the Rev. George Edward Weeks, M.A., 8.D., LL.D, who is at present vicar of St. John's, Lovestoft, England. The Rev. Dr. Weeks, who is 48 years cf age, was educated at Queen's College, Cambridge, whenco he graduated B A. in 1890 and M.A. in 1896. He took the B.D. in Durham pniversity in 1901, tho LL.B. in Trinity College, Dublin, in 1910, and the LJj.D. in 1911. He was ordained dea<con in 1892 and priest in 1893 tty Bishop Temple, who was afterwards Archbishop of Canterbury. He was licensed to the, curacy of St. George'c-in-the-East, and in 'the following year to that <;f St. James's, Hatcham. In 1898 he became a chaplain for a year in the Royal Navy, and served in the Vernon, the Duke or .Wellington, and the Victory. In 189>) he was appointed vicar of St. Paul's, Durban, in the diocese of N;>tal where' he did excellent service during tho South African War, and where by his tact and energy he healed the. breach which had existed between the church in Durban, and tho General Synod of the Province, in consequence of legal difficulties arising out of the Colenso trouble. After acting for a year a-s principal of Hilton College he returned to England in 190*3, and became- vicar of St. "Luke's, South Kensington. In 1911 he was appointed to his present vicarage at Lowestoft. The Rev. Dr. Weeks is described as an active parish worker, and a very capable preacher. He has a distinct reputation, as a missionor, and has had wide experience in the movement for the deeping of. -the spiritual life. Dr. Weeks is a married man, and lias three children—two sons and a daughter. The elder son is going to Ceylon to learn the tea planting. Dr. and Mrs Weeks, with their family, will probably reach Nelson about tho middle of December. It is understood that the Cathedral vestry unanimously agreed to. . tho .nomination of Dr. Weeks, who was desirous of again taking up work overseas, and was seen tty the Bishop during his recent visit to England. A cable message was received' from Dr. Weeks on Tuesday, accepting the nomination. It is felt that he will be an extremely suitable man for the Cathedral, and will strengthen the clerical staff of the diocese, having qualifications of a high order. As previously stated, the Rev. J. P. Kempthorne, the present vicar of the Cathedral, has teen appointed to succeed the Yen. Archdeacon Baker as vicar of the BrightwateT parochial district on tho Archdeacon's approaching retirement. The changes will take place at tho beginning of next year.

(From °Tho Colonist," July 19.). In referring to the changes at the Cathedral, tho Bishop of Nelson made the following observations in his sermon there yesterday morning:—As you aw.« already aware, a change of ministry at the Cathedral will take place (D.V.) at the end of the year,, when your present revered vicar will be leaving you for the vicarage of Brightwawr. I hope to hay© the opportunity later on of speaking to you more fully of Mr Kempthorne's faithful service in the Church of the Province of New Zealand for more than forty years, thirty of which have been spent as vicar of this parish. It is of his relation to me as Bishop that x I want to speak now. Mr Kempthorne is one of the senior clergy of the diocese. More than any man still engaged in active work he has an intimate knftwkdge of the history and the details of the diocest-., a knowledge which would be of untold value to any Bishop. For. over thirty years ho has held the responsible and confidential office of' Commissary under three suogreit^ personal regret the Venerable Archdeacon Baker intimated to me almost a >oar ago his intention of retiring from active work, I had no hesitation in deciding that* when the vacancy occurred I should invite Mr Kempthorne to undertake the responsible position of Archdeacon of Waimea, ihe ancient and honourable office of archdeacon is on<s of personal relation to the Bishop. The occupant of the position is his confidant and his right-hand helper, both in the superintendence of parochial work and in the preparation of candidates for holy orders. In deciding to ask Mr Kempthorne to nil this office I felt that I should be securing to the diocese in a more intimate way than heretofore his rip© experience, his wide knowledge, and, above all (as none know better than .you), his Christian 'character and devotion .to duty. Then the time xame when _on the nomination of the board appointed for the purpose I found the /dirty imposed upon me by the General Synod to ask Mr Kempthorno if he .would accept the vicarage of Brightwater. _J. found it necessary to ;:• request Mr Kempthofne not to allow■ my intention to collate -Rim. to the archdeaconry; to hrm .in nrrrvrn^ at ,a deci-sioiC^ecause-TrHother^o' chose to remain at the Catlwlral or not lie would be Aichdearon. Eventually, he decided to accept tho nomination^;" 1 «° n°f pvctoud: to cm^eiil- my approval^at-ftis decision, because in a country, H^etMß, whem hirtory'is only in Brio-htwaier has an unrqffk liistoncal irtftU of its own, and r should/havo tU-oblv" regretted any breach in ; its continuity now., Moreover, the paraS work ivill be less exacting and, with "tho • P'wvimi needs of -ay diocese "like this, Mr Kempthorne as vicar, of Brightwatci- rwill be ablo to Rvxyty^in liis oifice as archdeacon that hel^-whicla I need and which has been solUlly* omirUoWy, aridMpyally given mo .by Archdeacon Baker. And now^ the Board of Nomination has met •to. fall.-the Soy i" th^ CaiWdral. r Thej>rpcSnis; .were- differ« from those whiclitoik place; in^annectaon; ; wrU? Bri"htwater, because! you have rights as a parish. .It is $$c General Synod wltioii m^es:thiß pi^vi^^n^tho^gh^l nmst confess that I sho,..^ prefer;an

ampler law. The Board mad© a nomination to your. Vestry, which after due consideration., accepted. . that of'the Rev; Dr-G. B. Weeks,1 who is at present vicsar of St. John's, Lowestofti England. I cabled the nomination to Dr. Weeks,.aiid, ho has replied accepting:it. In all probability he will arrive in Nelson before Christmas, and enter upon his duties in January next. 'I shall say little aboui? him just now; but 1 want yoxi to know that as the result ,of protracted personal interviews and after exhausting every available means of inquiry. I believe that he will (fulfil all our expectations. He is a strong, active, enthusiastic clergyman in the prime of life; as a scholar he holds degrees from three universities; as a, preacher lie bears an excellent reputation. He is a convinced and very definite Churchman, with a -wide outlook upon human life. .Ho will make no apology for his position, in this respect.' His standard of Christian life for Churchmen as Churchmen is high, and will, I trust, be an uplift to us all.