ARCHBISHOP OF SYDNEY

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 76, Issue 83, 8 April 1933, Page 7

ARCHBISHOP OF SYDNEY

DR. MOWLL APPOINTED THE ANGLICAN DIOCESE. SYDNEY, April 7. The Synod of the Anglican Diocese of Sydney elected by a substantial majority the Right Reverend Howard W. K. Mowll, D.D., Bishop in Western China, as Archbishop of Sydney in succession to the late Dr. Wright. THE VACANT SEE. April 4 will be a memorable date in the history of the diocese of Sydney, for on that date the Synod will meet to select a successor to thv' late Archbishop Wright. The vacancy has been widely discussed, and the most notable '. development has been the demand by a large section of those associated ivith ( the Church for a man with evangelical leanings. The High Church section has also been particularly active, but seems most unlikely to succeed in its object. There is every indication at present that the final choice will fall on Bishop Mowll, of Western China. Two hundred churchmen attended a special meeting on Monday night, and they decided unanimously to give their support to his nomination. Among those who will be considered for the appointment is Dr. J. W. Hunkin, Archbishop of Coventry, and it is generally considered that he will carry the vote of the modernists and possibly that of some of the high churchmen. The fact that he Tvas associated with Bishop Barnes in tho book called “Lib- . eral Evangelism,also that on two occasions he submitted papers to conferences of modern churchmen, and that he is opposed to eucharistic vestments may cause some high churchmen to refrain from voting for him. The names of Bishop Kirby, Administrator of Sydney, of Bishop Mowll, of Western China, and of Dr. Gilbert, of S’. John’s College, London, will also be considered, and it is regarded as of the utmost significance that such a large section has agreed to give its support to Bishop Mowll. Of Bishop Mowll it is said: “He. is a splendid man of great, physique and outstanding mental qualities, and would be widely popular.’’ His selection would be intensely popular with the missionary section of the Church, and also with the very powerful evangelical section. After a meeting of the Sydney Diocesan Reform Association the spokesman of that body said:—“We have come to the unanimous decision that , our new chief should bo, evangelical.’’ The whole diocese, it was said, possessed an evangelical tone and tradition; it was not their purpose to change that tone, and it would be wrong to change it. The meeting macle a demand for a full and free discussion of all the nominations, so that they could be certain of securing a pastor wtio would be able to give a lead on the great public questions of the day, who would help to solve the many intellectual problems, and would wisely guide the young people’s movement, so that the Church could take her true position in the spiritual leadership of the life of the nation. The Right Rev. H. W. Mowll has been bishop of Western China since 1926, and was assistant bishop for four years prior to that. Ho was burn in Dover, Kent, in 1890, and was educated at King’s College and Ridley Hall, Cambridge.. He was tutor at, the Wycliffe College, Toronto, from 1913 to 1916, a professor in 1916-17, and dean of the college from 1919 to 1922. To reach his home in Western China from the nearest commercial centre. Bishop Mowll has to travel 1500 miles by steamer up the great Yangtse-Kiang River, and then on foot for JO days. His diocese is about the size of France, and contains about 70.000.000 people. Bishop and Mrs. Mowll visited Wellington in July, 1931, du ’ ’g th' course of a tour of New Zealand.