MAORI BISHOP IS CONSECRATED.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18627, 3 December 1928, Page 6

MAORI BISHOP IS CONSECRATED.

IMPRESSIVE CEREMONY AT NAPIER CATHEDRAL. P«r Press Association. X A PIER, December 2. The Rev Frederick Augustus Bennett was endowed with the office of Bishop of Aoteroa at St John’s Cathedral today, in the presence of a large assemblage of Maoris and Europeans. The consecration was performed by his Grace the Archbishop of the Province (Dr Averill), assisted by six Bishops of the province. It was an impressive ceremony. It was unique in Church of England history, in that both races joined to witness the consecration of the first Maori Bishop. This feature was emphasised during the singing of the hymns, which were sung in both tongues at the same time, with perfect harmony. Grouped on one side of the churcfh were Maoris, and on the other Pakehas. between which a spectacular procession of choristers, clergy and bishops proceeded to the places allotted. The Archbishop, assisted by the Bishops of Wellington and Christchurch, conducted the early part of the service. Archdeacon IT. Williams preached an inspiring sermon in both tongues. . The bishop-elect was presented by the Bishops of Waiapu and Wellington, and Mr Bennett made his declaration. The Litany was said in Maori, led by the Rev Pine Tamahori. The examination of the bishop-elect by the Archbishop followed, and then Mr Bennett donned episcopal robes, which was followed by prayer and the consecration of the bishop-elect and the presentation of a Bible. The Sacrament then was administered by the Archbishop, assisted by the Bishops of Nelson, Waiapu and Dunedin. ARCHDEACON WILLIAMS’ SERMON. In the course of his sermon. Archdeacon Williams said: “We are met together here to-day to assist by our prayers in the consecration of our brother, who lias been appointed to an office new to us in New Zealand, and having features of undoubted novelty, that of suffragan bishop, whose work will be confined mainly to ministering to members of the Maori race. The step we are taking is a momentous one for the Church, and benefit or disaster will ensue according as our acts are agreeable with, or in opposition to, the principles or her foundation gospel, first preached to the Maoris by Samuel Marsden on Christmas Day, 1814. ■ Eleven years of toil and deferred hopes were necessary before the first convert was baptised. Then followed fifteen years of rapid progress to 1840. during which the whole Maori race accepted, nominally it may be, Christianity, but in another twenty-five years disaster came. Fighting over the land question caused the defection of large numbers, and that wound has not yet been fully healed. In the meantime the Church has continued patient work, and in recent years there have been signs of marked improvement, but it must be admitted that even yet the assimilation of the Maori into the organisation of the Church has not been complete. The Maori has undoubted gifts springing from the Holy Spirit,, which should play their part in the enrichment of the Church. Means are required to bring them into play. “Three years ago General Synod, after much consideration, evolved a scheme for the constitution of a complete Maori diocese, with a Bishop, Pakeha or Maori, at its head, but there were difficulties in making the appointment, and the scheme accordingly was modified in the direction of having a Maori appointed as suffragan to the Bishop of Waiapu, and free to work among Maoris elsewhere also, on the invitation of other bishops. We believe the Church has. in the steps she has taken, been guided by the Holy Spirit, and we have the right to expect continuance of that guidance, but it devolves upon us to have a right view of the matter.

“We must not consider that this appointment is being made merely as a ; convenient arrangement which will ease t the dioceses of the responsibility of ’ maintenance in a satisfactory condition : of their finance in regard to Maori work, and relieve the bishops of the North Island from the burden of visiting re- ; mote portions of their dioceses to minister to the Maori, nor should we regard it as a gratifying compliment to our Maori brothers, enabling them to see one of themselves in Episcopal dress performing episcopal acts. Still less is it intended as an empty honour con- ; ferred upon you, my brother, who have , been called to this high office. You have laid upon you the grave responsi- ; bilities of strenuously preparing j'ourself by self-discipline, by prayer and by study of the Scriptures that you may be able to lead, to instruct, to correct your people, and to protect them from all erroneou.s and strange do’Ctrines, contrary to God’s Word. This is, indeed, a weighty matter, and you can only succeed by using to the full all the gifts which God has given and will give you through His Holy Spirit, and by looking through and beyond the details of your work to the ultimate aim of your ministry. You are hoping that God may be pleased to use you as His instrument to bring about a great spiritual revival in the Maori race, that there may be more communicants, more candidates for ordination, wider and deeper personal religion, and a whole-hearted zeal for the church, under which ancient tribal jealousies may give way to brotherly emulation in the building of beautiful churches and in liberal contributions for their maintenance and support of the clergy. But these are mere details, and your success in them will be but ar empty dream unless you have behind you tine prayers uf the whole Church, Pakeha and Maori, bishops, clergy and laity, all of us with yourself concentrated upon the one high aim of the Church and her ministry, that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, Whose is the glory and the dominion for ever and