DECISION TO STAY IN NELSON.

Colonist, Volume LVIII, Issue 14483, 15 August 1917, Page 2 (Supplement)

DECISION TO STAY IN NELSON.

.„„ ■ vJnly-28. i hero vas fl-larjre-attendance ofmemhers of th« Anglicpn Church at the Shelbonrne -Street SVhoolroom yester-flay-afternoon, when Bishop Sadlier was presented with a resolution passed' at a meeiinn; holrl on the previous evemnef, conjrratulatm<x h\ m on unanimous pioction to.-f.he Inshonfic of Gipnslarsd, Victoria, but earnestly asking him to remain in Nelson. ' The meeting was really a deputation, was p;ratihed hy receiving an', announcement from i\\Q Bishop that he had decided to stay here. .

The. resolution was presented by Archdeacon Kempthorne and was also supported by Bishop M«l<«s, Dr. Mockav, Mr 0. W. Rrnwn (Stoke), Mr 'Wilson Heaps, Mr X E. ' JioVes, Canon Wollstoin, and Mr C. H. Conle. Canon Dart conveyed a messsjre from pean Woelcs.- who also hoped that the Bishop would he p,l>lp to stay in Nelson. P.i,«hnp Sadler, on rising to reply, wa>s warmly applaudpd. J[e said he was write assured, and Imd I>een quite as«snred all alone, of the love and affection of the clergy and laity of tho dioo.pse of Nelson. When on Wednesday afternoon he received a cable message

from Australia saying that he had been elected to the bishopric of Gippsland, i lie realised the .seriousness of .the posi-' tion, and,- lest die nev/s- should •he \ cabled through the. Press Association' and ncrne to. the knowledge .- of 'tho | people of Nelson in that way and leave', them under an impression that he want- i ed to .hide anything, he handed the1' message forthwith-to the Press. He1 haci not had the slightest inkling that \ anything of. this kind was govig on in, Australia. His Letters from Victoria, jindeed were getting gradually -fewer.! . Since he had received the cable ho had , been thinking very much about it, and . he had come, to the conclusion that he. must look upon the whole matter from . the point of view of the work'of" tho I Chiirch, and not from the point of view, ol the man. Ho W as very grateful for the speakers' very - kind expressions ! that afternoon, and for the assurances " of thrwe present that they would do all' they could to help in the .work of the .Church. Ho had lived in Victoria for thirty years. It was the scene of his early efforts—tho scene of all his paro- " dual ministry. In Melbourne he had friends of loner standing, and he knew. ■2V S! of "Gropsland. That part \°l *S? 4 State W* known as the Garden of.'\ictona.. By reason of its railwaysystems there were very few parishes in i it that could not be reached by rail.; |He also knew that the residence "of the I Bishop of Gippsland was one of the i most beautiful in Victoria. l*t was not merely, from the diocesan point of view : that one in a Bishop's position had to; look' at- things, and h e also Enew the wnoje^trend of .Church affairs in Victo-i -ri a xf i en, , was elected as Bishop or, Nelson he had only some 24 hours' notice tnat he' was in their thoughts: - During the five years that had elapsed since then he had experienced the toy--.alty as well as the affection of the clergy and of the laity. The attitude, of almost every one of the clergy in the diocese of Nelson towards him since he came _ to it had been one of cheerful and willing obedience. About'the laity he was able to speak less freely They were not subject to discipline like the • clergy (Laughter), bub from the laity i as a whole he had received every con-■!■ sideration, and from some of those who | were present that afternoon 'he had re-1 ceivod personal support and their pray- j ers and sympathy. He had not man-1 aged to make the calls that he ought' perhaps to have made in order to get. into draw touch .with the citizens °of' Nelson, but the fact was ihat he had not had the time,,.through pressure of work. In addition to these general: remarks, he wanted to say that he .had valued especially the splendid response! winch had been made by the people of' the diocese to his various appeals. The | Nelson diocese was in a position of most j honourably distinction in the Province! ol New Zealand. There was still an S enormous amount- of work to be done in j the diocese. One thing which Tie had' sot Ins heart upon was the improvement. of the machinery at* the headquarters of the diocese by the providing of ado-i quato accommodation for their workers there, and for, the people of the Church on such occasions as diocesan festivals. Jhere was also the great work of building a Cathedral, which he trusted would be begun. It was quite possible for them to ptarfc a building of which future generations would not be ashamed. Then there was the question of the dear old house at Bishopdale; it was getting dilapidated but it would hold' out for a little longer. Great works in tho way of education were also before any Bishop here. "During thelast five years." continued Bishop Sadlier, C'T have taken root downwards. The roots go deep down in order that we may flourish upward; and as some j of you know I have been dreaming and' seeing visions of Nelson being the best ■ diocese in New Zealand.- (Applause.). in tho present trend of Cnurcn life inthe Province, this problem of a change; is to me a very grave one A Bishop whose heart is set upon the work of God has of ten to keep; silence; and in! looking upon our Church in •New'Ze'a-' land I have > been silent upon a greatmany things. This diocese1 has almostimportant work to do, and one that will exercise in the coming years a great; influence upon ot-r public and ecclesiastical life. And then there is the o-rave crisis of the war. H is a time of transition and change. It is a solemn time for all, and itssolemnity is com-,! ing to some of us very keenly now " In conclusion tho Bishop said: "Nothing has occurred during the past five years to even, make me wish to cli.an.o-e my place. (Applause.) "Whatever advantages tho prospect now placed before mc may offer, whatever revival of old associations and old friendships, I have: for the present made my decision I' shall stay in Nelson." (Prolonged ap-j plause.) I After the Bishop had left, the meet-1 ing cordially endorsed a suggestion' made by Canon Lucas that steps should be taken to present Bishop Sadlier with a motor car from the people of the dio-; cc.so. Canon Lucas said that such a > gift would bo of great use to the Bishop I It would also he a thank-offering to' God for the great blessing Re had vouchsafed.them, and it would be an* expression of gratitude, to the Bishop tor Jiis self-sacrifice. A committee wa-?'-appointed consisting of Drs. Johnston,! Hfttknv. and Lucas, Mrs S. A. Lucas. I AliBH Alarsden. and Mrs Hunter-Brown;! ■with'power to add to their number and* to communicate v:u,h other prirte of tlioj diocese. Canon Lu C p.s was appointed secretary of the movement.