THE NEW BISHOP OF WELLINGTON.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XIV, Issue VI, 9 February 1895, Page 133

THE NEW BISHOP OF WELLINGTON.

CONSECRATION AND INSTALLATION CEREMONIES (BY OCR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.) ALL’S well that ends well—and after much and long unpleasantness, and some bitterness and ill feeling, Wellington has secured a Bishop who, one can now scarcely doubt, will become exceedingly popular. Bishop Wallis is quite a young man. He speaks with clear distinctness and has a pleasant voice and good delivery. The same cannot invariably be said of all bishops. He is not a

very fluent speaker. His young wife will, perhaps, be the most universally liked of the two. She is quite an affable, pleasant, ladylike and good sort of Christian. The consecration service was held in St. Paul's ProCathedral, Thorndon, on Friday forenoon. This is a large and unfinished structure containing many very excellent stained glass windows, and seating, I should say 1,100 persons. Tne admission was by ticket, and I know hundreds of people who were unable to secure orders. At 10.30 a m., the building was packed, not an available seat being observable. One could not but notice that the majority of the vast congregation were ladies. Ladies, somehow, love bishops almost as much as they love the ‘ Milingtary.’ But there were also many of our leading citizens present, anJ, strange to say, not a few working men, who quite surprised me by the evident and deep interest they took in the proceedings. These lasted until nearly one o'clock. Although by no means so imposing a ceremony as the enthronement of a bishop in the Roman Catholic church is, the service was, on the whole, impressive, although, perhaps, it might have been shorter. There was a printed programme for the occasion, and the church officials had made such admirable arrangements that one could almost hear a pin fall, as the people took their respective places. Lady Glasgow and family and Mrs Wallis, attended by Major Elliott, were present in oue of the front pews. There was also a contingent of Melanesians from the mission vessel, Southern Cross—some twenty, I should think, who were accommodated with seats close to the pulpit. The choir entered the edifice shortly before 10.30. It consisted of St. Paul’s choir, with the addition of a quartet from each of the other Wellington Anglican choirs, the musical arrangements being under the direction of Mr Robert Parker, the Cathedral organist. Mr Parker had arranged the following musical service : —lntroit, Psalm 68, sung to the eighth Gregorian tone ; Communion service, Stainer in F throughout; Litany, Barnby’s arrangement (sung by the Rev. Mr Sprott and the choir); Anthem (after sermon) • How lovely are the Messengers ’ from Mendelssohn’s • St. Paul;’ Anthem (while the Bishop retired to robe), • The Lord be a Lamp unto Thy Feet,’ from Benedict’s • St. Peter.’ The ‘Veni Creator’ was sung to an old church melody, plain song. The choir sang admirably. The Rev. Joshua Jones led the procession, acting as Master of Ceremonies. Deacons—The Revs. Fitzgerald and Harrison, Tere and Jenkins, Booth and De Castro, Young and Tisdall. Visiting Priests—the Revs. Windsor and Fitzgerald, Mac Murray and Webb, St Hill and Purchas. Diocesan Priests—the Revs. Harper and Russell, Chapman and Davenish, Cameron and Ernera, Pineaba and Arana, Davis and Yorke, Hermon and Aitken, Harvey and Innes Jones, Kay and McLean, Waters and Williams, Ballachey and McWilliams, Coffey and Dasent, Archdeacons Stock, Dudley, Govett, and S Williams. Chancellor—Mr W. H. Quick. Bishops—Bishop Cowie (Acting Primate), of

Auckland ; Bishop Mules, of Nelson ; Bishop Williams, of Waiapu; Bishop Julius, of Christchurch; Bishop Wilson,

of Melanesia ; Bishop Neville, of Dunedin ; the Lord Bishop of Salisbury. The Rev. Dr. Wallis, Bishop designate. Chaplain to the Bishop-elect, Ven. Archdeacon Fancourt ; chaplain to the Bishop of Melanesia, Rev. A. Brittain ; chaplain to the Bis bop of Waiapu, Rev. St. Hill: chaplain to the Bishop of Nelson, R»v. T. B. McLean ; chaplain to the Bishop of Christchurch, Rev. W. Dunckley ; chaplain to the Bishop of Dunedin, Rev. R Coffey; chaplains to the Bishop of Auckland (Acting Primate), Revs. Mac Murray, Beatty, Sprott; staff-bearer, Rev. E. Cowie ; chaplain to the Bishop of Salisbury, Ven.

Archdeacon Towgood. Then came Psalm Ixvii, the Communion service, and the sermon by the Bishop of Salisbury.

This was a written discourse principally instituting a comparison be tween St. Paul and St. John. The most intellectual man of the two was, undoubtedly, St. Paul —St. John was the more human, and therefore the more loveable. There was a good deal of thought and erudition in the Bishop of Salisbury’s lecture, but one cannot say that he is at all an eloquent preacher. And some of the things which he said may very reasonably be questioned. He spoke of the love of our generation, and especially in New Zealand, for ease and comfort. I dare say we would all like ease and comfort —if these were obtainable. Even the savage has inclinations that way. But ease and comfort can’t be obtained without money, and other contingencies not always, nor often, to hand. The rich even who are so few) can’t get very much of ease and comfort, after all ! They have their troubles, and even their embarrassment of wealth prevents them from being altogether comfortably happy. On the other hand the teeming multitude haven’t anything like ease and comfort: never will have: never can have. The competition in trade, and in labour, and io all sorts of businesses and professions grows keener and more relentless every day — and where can ease and comfort be, under such circumstances ! It seems to me that in these days, men, instead of having ease, are altogether ill at ease. The prevailing feeling isn’t one of repose, but of umest: and evensupposing that all was well with us in this life, the unrest does not disappear, even then ? Tne last time I had an hour to spend in an armchair, in solitude and quietness, I took a book, and resolved to be

supremely contented and comfortable. The book which I happened to get into my hands was Wynyard Reade’s ‘ Martyrdom of Man.’ Read it: read it if you have even £7,000 a year—and say if after reading that awfully true book you can enjoy ease and comfort ’ The Bishop of Salisbury, also, seemed to attribute an ignorance of the Bible to the New Zealand youth, and said that this ignorance was due to our State School system. Now I don’t know that our youth are more ignorant of the Bible than other youths are: if they are, their parents and Sunday-school teachers are at fault. I went myself to three different and very excellent schools in my time—l can very safely affirm I never heard the Bible even once mentioned in any of them; they taught classics.

nothing else ! There is a good deal of arrant nonsense about this Bible in State School business. His Lordship concluded bis sermon by a feeling reference to the early missionaries and Church of England pioneers of New Zealand, some of whom (for instance, Bishop Selwyn) have attained a wide world celebrity. *To have taken in hand,’ he said, ‘one after another of the self controlled Christian lads of the Melanesian mission, and to have trodden the decks and entered the cabins of the mission vessel, Southern

Cross, as he had done yesterday, would alone have been worth the journey to this land. Whatever might be the late of the Maori and Island races, whether they were to die out or to survive, at least they would have the edification of the example of individuals of the race, and of what the early missionaries had accomplished for them.’ In an admirable peroration, his Lordship commended to the people the new Bishop, who was about to take up his charge among them.

After the sermon there was still a long ceremony to get through. The anthem * How Lovely are the Messengers,’ was splendidlyjsung, and then the new bishop was presented to the Primate, the authority for the consecration being read by Dr. Quick, the Chancellor, and then the Bishop made the declaration of obedience, after which followed the Litany and some hvmns, with the anthem * The Lord be a Lamp unto Thy Feet ’ and • Veni Creator,’ when • the laying on of hands ’ was duly performed. The • questioning ’ of the new bishop had taken place some time before — it was a quite satisfactory examination. He said be was ready to strive and drive away all erroneous and strange doctrine —a big undertaking in these times ! And when asked if he would show himself gentle and charitable and merciful to poor and needy people, and to all strangers destitute of help, he said he would do so by God's help.

Very good. But although New Zealand is a land flowing with milk and honey, I am afraid even a bishop will find it rather impossible to do a great deal for the poor, and for those strangers and desolate people * requiring help. ’ They are innumerable—and this, I always say, should not be so, in such bountiful islands as ours are, and with so few people in them. I did not wait for the communion service. lan not at all good enough for that holy sacrament. I wish I was— I can say no more. At close on one o’clock every bod y

went home and had a lunch, not unmingled with thoughts on theology. And I dare say, on the whole, the ceremon r had done them good, and softened their hearts and judgments to some extent. There was quite as great a crowd at St. Paul’s at 8 p.m. the same evening, when Bishop Wallis was installed. At the hour named, the choir entered the church and took their seats, followed shortly after, during the singing of hymn 393, ‘ Rejoice ye pure of heart, by the clergy and bishops. The Chancellor (Mr W. H. Quick) read the deed of consecration, after which the newly-consecrated Bishop made the declaration, in which he promised * to respect, maintain and defend, as far as in me lies, the rights, privileges and liberties of this church and diocese,’ and to ‘ rule over the diocese with justness and charity, showing myself in all things an example to the flock committed to my charge.’ The incumbent of St. Paul’s the (Rev. Mr Sprott) afterwards intoned the evening service. The Ven. Archdeacon Fancourt read the first lesson, and Mr Coffey, of St. Mark’s,

the second. The Psalms were the 84tb, 123rd, and 150th, the praises and responses were by Tallis, the canticles by Trimnell in F, and the anthem, ‘The Earth is the Lord’s,’ was also by Trimnell. The soloists were Messrs W. Warren and J. Prouse. The musical portion of the service was under the direction of Mr R. Parker, and Mr T. Tallis Trimnell presided at the organ. For an offertory he played an andante by Henry Smart. Everybody was anxious to hear the new Bishop’s discourse, wbicb followed. It was delivered in a clear and distinct voice, which, I understand, was beard perfectly well in the most remote parts of the building. There was no quaintness, no originality about the address of the Bishop of Salisbury, neither was there either about the utterances of Bishop Wallis. I have an idea that Bishop Julius is the only bishop at present in Oceana who occasionally says things that startle one, or provoke a smile. But Bishop Wallis' address was very argumentative and learned. It was the sermon of a thinking man. You would not care, I suppose, to publish even a bishop’s whole sermon in the Graphic, but here is an extract which will convey very well an idea of the

style and manner of the man :— * Dare we gird onr loins to seal? this awful height ? Nay, have we a desire to make the ascent ? Earth is very dear to ns ; we cling tightly to old friendships, old interests, old occupations ; they do not, we know they cannot, satisfy onr needs, bnt they have become parts of ourselves, we may not part with them. For we are bnt men, not angels ; we earthbound sinners are not strong enough to climb so high, to spend all our days in the snow-white purity of onr Maker’s holiness. So men have

cried, so men must always cry, until they have learned the blessed lesson that before earth is bidden to rise to heaven, heaven has come down to earth. Jesus Christ has translated the nature of God into a language which men could understand, and understanding it, have longed to bear again. The glory of God has been seen in the face of Jesus Christ, and we have loved the vision He has lived a man amongst men, entering fully into human life,-and exalting, not destroying it. With human hands he has wrought among ns "in loveliness of perfect deeds,” and every deed has manifested the Father. A life perfectly divine, yet perfectly human; a life which men and women can love, and long to copy. “He be made man.” it was written centuries ago, “ that we might become God,” that we might become, as St. Peter has said, “ partakers of the Divine Nature,” transfigured, yet not losing our old selves ; not unclothed, but clothed upon ; human beings still, each with his personality unaltered, yet one with God, because one with Christ.’

After this sermon—which occupied an hour in delivery—the benediction was pronounced, and the immense assemblage dispersed. The writer of these lines is perhaps too much of a Britisher. ■ Rule Britannia ’ stirs emotions within him. When ‘ God Save the Queen ’ is played he rises quite proudly, and thinks of that wonderfully clever and good Royal lady, whose real merit will only be fully known after she is gone from amongst us. As for the Church of England service—he knows every line of it off by heart. But for years he has been driven by want of faith ont of all Christian latitude and longitude, and at this moment is in the strange country of Erewhon. Yet, when bis time comes to go hence—as come it must—he would be glad that some Church of England minister was by, when the horrid thud of earth fell on the coffin, and would repeat the words of Job : • Man that is born of woman hath bnt a short time to live, and is full of misery. He cometh up, and is cut down like a flower ; he fleetb as it were a shadow, and never continneth in one stay.’ Even a bishop can tell us no more than this—or can give us any more consolation than we can get from those terribly true words I