CAMBRIAN NOTES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17528, 4 May 1925, Page 10

CAMBRIAN NOTES.

THE CON SECTS A TIO X OF A WELSH BISHOP. Shrove Tuesday, which was also Si , Matthias" Day. will long be remembered in "Welsh ecclesiastical circles, ior it -witnessed. For the first time For several* Imudred years, the consecration of a Bishop in St Asaph Cathedral. Ever since the Conquest of Wales, and even before, when the Welsh Church lost its identity and was merged into that of England. Welsh bishops were consecrated in Westminster Abbey. For Wales ecclesiastically formed a part oF the Province *oF Canterbury, and the consecration took place in the venerable Abbey. But in 1921 Wales became an ecclesiastical province and regained her independence and her freedom, and Welsh Bishops arc no longer consecrated in the Abbey, nor do they profess canonical submission and obedience lo the Archbishop of strang co say. the Bishop of Bangor, j David by ..name, in 1120 was the first Bishop in Males to swear a I login nee j to the successor of St Augustine, and strange to say. the Bishop of Bangor, Watkin Herbert "Williams in 1899 was the Inst V\ elsh Bishop to make that submission. Wales since her “liberation” has bad two new Sees created. “Monmouthi"' and “Swansea and Brecon.’ The first ‘Bishop cl Monmouth was consecrated on St Thomas Day in Tdnndaff Cathedral. 1921. The first Bishop of Swansea and Brecon was already a suffragan Bishop and needed no consecration only enthronement. which took place in Brecon in j 1928. The third W elsh Bishop, since- • disestablishment, was consecrated in Ase oh f 'tthcdral. the ‘Cfnly on*; in Males ’mill on a hill, between the rivers Elwy ami ('lwyd. in the presence of a great multitude. The cathedral was crowded, and had it been twice the size it could have been filled. Xo one can say the Church in Wales is decadent. Disestablishment, instead of being a deathblow to it. as some feared, has. on. the contrary, infused new life into the Church, and there are no signs of decay anywhere. All the "Welsh Bishops were present at St Asaph, and about 200 clergy in their robes, mostly from the Diocese of St Asaph, but there were many from Bangor and a few from Chester.' whose Bishop was present to represent the Province of "York. J here were also representatives from Monmouth, St Davids. Uandaff and Swansea and Brecon. The new Bishops' name is Daniel, the first Bishop of Bangor was also Demial. and he went there in the sixth century from the great monastery of Bangor ys y Coed in the diocese ol St Asaph. Now after fourteen centuries another Daniel goes to Bangor from the same diocese. He was not appointed by the State as cf old, but was chosen bv the elected representatives of the whole Church of M ales (very much as the future Bishop of Christchurch will be elected by Synod), and the choi:-e was confirmed bv the Archbishop of Males, and the 13islop i of the Province. The service was conducted partly in M elsh and partly in English. There is nothing specially impressive in ths Cathedral itself, except its age. and it is the smallest in Wales, bit ‘.be service was most impressive. The Processional hymn was sung :n Welsh, “ Marchog Je.su yn Llwyddianus,” nad the volume of voices gave dignity and impressiveness, and proved that bv far the greater number of the Welsh clergy kneiv the Welsh language. The A —hbishop was always a eomanndug figure, end he performed the greater part of the service. Hie sermon was preached by the Dean of St Asanh. Two of the ftvurns rm n g we re ‘ 1 rl ~ c ry dol ’ ’ nr d “G w a eel ' 2r oes ‘” to the tun of “Cjersalem.” The Cambrian Society’s committee will meet on "Wednesday at the old City Council Chambers, at 8 p.m. CIVIC APATHY. ! T:, -- r9 is. at the present time a. lamentable indifference for c_vic aft d.-3. and u affords a striking contrast to 'he entnusiasm displayed 'or sport and games. To healthy forms of social ; pleasure there can be no objection, on; i mratiiated indulgence in them which disables the mind For an intelligent •unce|.t. , .-*u of all that is comprehancle J m citizenship is unwholesome. The cl-. bnung society which develops the intellect and trains a thoughtfulness upon the matters that count, is deserted ior the dance-hall and the cartltab.e: the edifying lecture on music j literature makes no appeal, as compared v, .th the “movies’/ : in the pub-! iu‘ libraries it is the sporting papers .i>i,b are mostly in demand: almost •rerylhing of an improving nature, oi ' fiial is ol importance in our city, even die memory ot our famous men, is For- f nr.tUMi in Favour of whist drives ami euchre parties. i '' c night go on enumerating in > oi a process ot mental starve- | t'on. which brings about a deplorable ; i apathy in civic lilc and a regrettable : decadence of a high standard of c iti- ! zenship. :t is more than passing strange that while electors in tb mass invariablv work, themselves up to a pitch of feve--i-b excitement, over Parliamentary conthey are lamentably indifferent ! about the trustees of municipal affairs. I : They allow coteries to make selection i the candidates and. however much ! they may r -gret mistakes at the , . i une. they let the same tbmg happen j 1 again and again through their own j supine riess and apathy. It has indeed i ! been truly said that every com muni tv 'rets just the kind of public service it j | deserves. SOCIAL AT DIXIELAND. i'ui evening Ibo members of the •Cambrian Society will hold an in.-' :.m omptu and informal social a! Dixie bid to bid “Farewell"' to two pvoniii;- ■ , vr.i members of the Welsh Choir. Mr ! and Mrs Edmunds, wbo. only ten davs sold their property in Woolston and decided to- make their home in 1 Hamilton. They will ho much misse l | an I the Ik* t wishes of the sooiclv go ; ” -th them and their litle daughter. • ■ Theo. :