PARISH OF CHRIST CHURCH.

Wanganui Chronicle, Issue 12840, 11 December 1911, Page 2

PARISH OF CHRIST CHURCH.

INDUCTION OF NEW VICAR

Rev. Herbert Reeve, M.A., late of St. Sepulchuro's, Auckland, who has been appointed vicar of Christ Church, Wanganui, in succession to Yen, Archdeacon Jacob, arrived in Wanganui on Saturday. He was inducted into his new offico yesterday morning by Dr. Sprott, Bishop of Wellington. There was a large congregation present, and the impressive service of the Church of England was followed in a reverent spirit. Mr T. C. Webb presided at the organ, and tho choir was well represented.

The Bishop took as his text Ephesians vi., 18 and 19 "Praying always with all prayer and supplication of the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; and for me, that utterance may bo given tome, that I may open my mouth boldly, to niako Known tho mystery of the Gospel." In the course of his sermon, the Bishop said they were to-day entering upon a new chapter in the history of the parish of Christ Church, Wanganui. They were welcoming amongst them tKe successor of one who. had for somo years done strenuous work in tho parish. Ho wished to say a few words on what ho thought were the chief duties of a people to their minister. Tho word "duty" seemed a hard ono to use in this connection, but he trusted and believed that what had in j tho ordination service been called "duties" would bo regarded as "privileges," both by minister and congregation. "Ono of the first duties to a stranger amongst you," continued tho Bishop, " is to respect his individuality. God has not made any two of us alike, and it is by these differences that the interest of" human life is maintained. No two of us possess exactly tho same gifts or qualities or dispositions or tempevament. That shows that God has somo particular work for each one of us that no ono els© in the world can do in exactly the samo way. When 1 ask you to respect tho individuality of him Who is now your vicar, I mean that you will leave- him to do his work in his own way—that you will not expect him to bo a copy or an echo of another man. He could not be a copy of any other man; he could only be a caricature. You will let him do his work in his own way, so that that temperament, that disposition and those gifts which God has given him may bo exorcised to the best advantage. Then I would say, respect his time, so that he may at least spend some time every day in his study. I don't think this is a superfluous reminder. We are living in an'ago. of feverish activity, and we are apt to think that a man is not working unless wo have perpetually before our eyes somo tremendous expenditure of physical energy. And yet I believe there" never was a time in tho history of the Church when a minister so much needed some period oi quietness for study and thought. Our Church requires that our ministers shall study and think. She does not mean her ministers to be mere machines or phonographs. We are in a transition stagepolitically, socially and religiously. You shall not examine history without seeing that where there has been political and social unrest there has also been religious unrest. The three things aro inextricably bound up in each other. You cannot divide human life up into 1 watertight compartments and keep religion "but. Tho task is to harmonise tho whole. In the rush of new know- , ledge, we do not, perhaps, see for the I vnomenc how it can harmonise with the ( old, and'soiao of us jump to the conclusion that there can be no reconciha-. tion of the two. Ministers of the Churchare set up to bo, helpers of the people j this regard as wejl as in other things. So your new 'vicar must be' 'able, by prayer and thought and study, to see tho fundamental, harmony' between, the old story of the Christian revelation and tho newer knowledge ■we are. getting now. So I hope you will give your vicar ' timo in which to study the Bible and all other studies. He should be able thus to help any young man who, in , tloubt or difficulty as to religion, ism) danger' of fbeing ■''swepi^'oS -hisfeeti:-'; It is better ,that' your vicar should be able to do that than to enlighten your afternoon tea. Not that I suggest he should stand aloof from your social life, but the other is the most important." Bishop Sprott continued by emphasising tho importance of the parish of Christ Church, which should become one of tho greatest in New Zeaalnd. It was beyond the strength of one man, and tho Bishop would be overfed to hear that the parish had made liberal provision for an assistant. Ho appealed earnestly to tho congregation to assist their vicar in every way. They shpuld offer their prayerß constantly on his behalf, and by words of appreciation cheer him in his daily work.