BISHOP JULIUS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6841, 1 May 1890, Page 3

BISHOP JULIUS.

THE CONSECRATION

SERVICES.

It was a bleak and rather cheerless morning in comparison with those of the summer days which have stayed with us so late this year, but this did not prevent a large crowd assembling outside the Cathedral at an early hour, to watch the passing of those who were fortunate enough to have secured tickets for the ceremony, and to wait for a glimpse of the still unfamiliar face of the new Bishop.

By ten o'clock the bells were ringing a merry chime, in striking contrast to the rather melancholy-looking stunted tower, from which their joyous tones were flung abroad over the city. By ten o'clock, too, numbers of people were already making their way into the building. The excellent arrangements, and the strict guard kept by sidesmen, and a few police, at the railing gates, resulted in everything as regards seating, &c, being carried out " decently and in order," as it must be acknowledged was most fitting.

At afew minutes before eleven o'clock the clergy, having put on their vestments in the music room of the tower, went in procession round to the vestry preceded by Mr Mountfort, the Cathedral Architect, bearing a crozier.

By this time the cathedral was comfortably filled though not overcrowded, the process of seating having been attended to within the building most successfully by the sidesmen.

The interior wore its familiar air, aud there was no very elaborate attempt made at decoration. The decorations, however, which had been undertaken were -singularly effective, though at the same time simple. They were wholly of white chrysanthemums and scarlet geraniums, the tall Maltese cross on the altar, the gas standards, the lower portion of the rood screen, and small cross above the portico over the western entrance being the points adorned with this bright contrast of flowers.

The congregation, as was oniy to be expected, considering the day and hour, was largely composed of ladies. Here and there, nevertheless, were to be seen strangers and visitors who had evidently come from afar. Among the ladies whose seats were especially set apart for them were Mrs Julius, Mrs Hadfield, and Mrs Nevill. The synodsmen of the diocese naturally met with the same favour, as well as those holding positions connected with churches in other dioceses. There was a quiet and reverential air cast over the whole scene before the entrance of the procession of choir and clergy, which Mr Tendall's refined use of the organ rather intensified than otherwise.

Exactly as the clock struck eleven the organist gave out the tune of Sir Arthur Sullivan's martial setting of the hymn "Onward Christian Soldiers," and as the crash of the bold harmonies ended, the procession entered from the western doorway. The singing, perhaps, did not quite produce the grand effect gained when the Bame hymn ia sung at the dioceßan choral festivals; but then the greater part of the cathedral is filled with choristers or people who join most heartily in the service. At the same time, like all the music this morning, it was very finely sung by the choir. The clergy and Cathedral Canonß headed the procession, after the choir, and lined the top of the aisle aB the Bishops and Bishop-elect passed up into the choir to take their seats, the tall slight figure of the now properly-constituted Primate closing the procession. He, too, opened the consecration service, Bishop Nevill reading the Commandments and Epistle, Bishop Suter taking the Gospel. What may be called the preliminary part of the consecration service is short, and lasted barely half an hour. The Primate's sermon on the text from Ist of Timothy, 4 chap., 16 v., " Take heed unto thyself and unto the dootrine," was also short, lasting Borne fifteen minutes only, and concluded with an earnest exhortation to the new Bishop. Then followed the climax, if it may be so called, of the ceremony of consecration.

The Primate having seatedhimself within the Communion rails, Bißhop Suter took up his position on the South side and Bishop Harper on the North, ready to present to him Archdeacon Julius. The Bishop elect having retired to the vestry and returned, the two elder dignitaries take him by the hand, and the Bishop of Nehon in his sonorous voice, speaks the few wordß of presentation, and the Chancellor reads the Primate's mandate, the authorisation for the ceremony. In a clear, decided voice the Archdeacon promises obedience to the superior powers, and the Litany is moat beautifully sung, the intoning being done by the Eev Walter Dunkley, Minor Canon. The Bervice throughout, it may here be stated, was Stainer 'a in B flat, and one more devotional and more suited to the occasion it would be hard to find.

In the same olear, unhesitating, deoided tones- as those in which he made bis- vow of obedience before the Litany, the Bishop to be answers at' the close of that solemnportion of the Church of England liturgy to what might almost be termed the examination clauses of the service of consecration. This ended, he retired once more for a brief space to the vestry, attended a&before by the Bey Francis Khowles and the Cathedral verger., and returned in the vestments of a Bishop, to take his position again in front of th_ Primate. The Dean's hymn, specially written for the consecration, and set to music by Mr G. F. Tendall, a solemn and appropriate composition, was then sung, followed by Veni Creator Spiritus,- in unison, and without organ accompaniment, the whole congregation meanwhile kneeling devoutly. Thiß impressive music was the prelude to that final imposing laying on of handswith which this rare service practically, concludes. The tall ifigure of the Primate, the group of Bishops gathered round the kneeling candidate for the highest holy office of the Anglican Church, the strong features, commanding for ms, and evident lymarked individuality of those who reverently placed their hands upon their brother Bishop, with the venerable head of the late Primate bowed among them, formed a picture that must dwell long in the mind 3of those who saw it.

The actual act of consecration was thus performed, the service lasting in all about an hour and &half. Most of the congregation then left the building, but a very large number stayed for the Communion service afterwards.

The communicants numbered 170, 57" of whom were clergy. . The offertory, which is to be devoted to general purposes, amounted to .£29 Is Id.

The sermon waa preached by the Most Rev the Primate,, who took for his text 1 Timothy, iv., 16 : " Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them : for in doing thiß thou Bhall both save thyself and them that hear thee." Any controversial treatment of the subject, would, said his Lordship, be out of place* and he would consider the woids of the Apoßtle as bearing upon the purpose for which they had assembled there that day. The Epistles of St Paul to Timothy and Titus conveyed the most precise instructions for the guidance of Bishops, who were the succeßßors of the Apostlea inasmuch as there devolved on them the duty of propagating the Gospel, of maintaining order in the Church, of ordaining ministers, and of duly administering the Saorament. It was one of the special functions of the Apostles that they should be witnesses of Christ's resurrection, and it was evident that in this thoy could have no successor-;, but provision had been made for the manner in which vacancies in the twelve should be filled, and how. their work was to be continued,, and it was in this light that the Church regarded Bishops as the successors of the Apostles. At the' present time, as much as in Timothy's day, there wa3 necessity to faithfully observe the admonition in the text, "take heed of the doctrine." Not many yearß ago the assailants of the religion of Christ directed their attacks upon the New Testament, and much anxiety was felt. That people should have experienced any anxiety at all was now a matter of wonder, for it was needless to say that the attacks of which he had spoken had effected nothing, and that every part of the New Testament remained as firm and unshsken as ever. Of recent years the opponents of the truths of the Bible had changed their ground, and it was now the Old Testament which they assailed. This attack was, .he feared, of a fur more dangerous character than the former, for though it also was doomed to failure, Btill there was some temporary danger of evil resulting, owing to the ambiguity of the Hebrew language, in which the Old Testament was written, the . scarcity of good Hebrew scholars, and a mistaken tendency on the part of some of the ministers of religion to concede bouio of the points brought forward by its antagonists. 'J hose selfconstituted infallible critics ventured to impugn the words of their Lord and Master, but a Btudy of the human mind would prevent the acceptance of sophisms like those advanced by persons wno, forgetting that from the very constitution of the human mind, they were not in a position to comprehend the matter — that they had no facts upon which to base the intellectual process — would venture to pronounce an opinion upon profound subjects Buch as the Atonement. Hiß Lordship, turning to the Bishop-elect, said that he had been called to a high position. His reported faithfulness in the Church in a neighbouring Colony had led to hia selection to fill the office of Bishop of tbis Diocese. The position was a difficult one, coming, as he did, after one whose spirttaal grace, whose sound judgment and lov.ug sympathy with the clergy and people, hid manifested themselves to all. Iv conclusion, his Lordship invoked the blessing ot God on the future life and work of the Bishop-elect. When the Bishop of Christchurch left the cathedral he was heartily cheered by the crowd assembled in front of the building.