FIFTH BISHOP OF NELSON

Waiapu Church Gazette, Volume 24, Issue 12, 1 December 1934, Page 3

FIFTH BISHOP OF NELSON

CONSECRATION AND ENTHRONEMENT.

The impressive service of the consecration of the Rev. William George Hilliard, M.A., as fifth Bishop of the Diocese of Nelson, followed by the enthronement ceremony of the new Bishop, took place, morning and evening m the Cathedral Church of Nelson on the Feast of St. Simon and St. Jude, the twenty-second Sunday after Trinity. The historic site whereon the the Cathedral stands has witnessed no more impressive ceremony, nor have the precincts been graced by a more complete assemblage of high dignitaries of the Church m New Zealand. At the consecration service the beautiful Cathedral was thronged with devout worshippers to witness and take part. The Primate of New Zealand, the Most. Rev. Archbishop A. W. Averill, D.D., conducted the service, assisted by the Most. Rev. Archbishop H. W. K. Mowll, D.D. (Archbishop of Sydney and Metropolitan of New South Wales); the Rt. Rev. Campbell West-Watson, D.D. (Bishop of Christchurch), the Rt. Rev. C. A. Cherrington (Bishop of Waikato), the Rt Rev. H. W. Williams (Bishop of Waiapu), the Rt. Rev. F. A. Bennett (Bishop of Aotearoa), the Rt. Rev. T. H. Sprott, 0.8. E., D.D. (Bishop of Wellington), the Rt. Rev. W. A. Fitchett (Bishop of Dunedin). Clergy frcm widespread areas were present. During the singing of the Introit which opened the service, the procession, led by the choir, entered the Cathedral, followed by the lay members of the Synod, the lay readers, the Registrar of the Diocese and the Church Advocate, the visiting clergy, the clergy of the diocese, the members of the Cathedral Chapter, the archdeacons of the diocese, the Dean (the Very Rev. P. B. Haggitt), the Bishop -elect attended by his chaplain (the Yen. Archdeacon Kimberley)

the Bishops of the Province attended by their chaplains, the Archbishop of Sydney attended by his chaplain (the Yen. Archdeacon Johnstone), the Chancellor of the Diocese (Mr T. E. Maunsell), the chaplain to the Archbishop bearing the Primatial Cross, the Archbishop and the Archbishop's chaplains. The bright colours of the robes of the high dignitaries mingled with the black and white of the many other clergymen made the procession, as it slowly moved forward, a most impressive sight. After the singing of a hymn, the service of Holy Communion was proceeded with to the end of the Nicene Creed, the Epistle being read by the Bishop of Waiapu, and the Gospel by the Bishop of Waikato; then the sermon, preached by the Most. Rev. the Archbishop of Sydney, preceded by the the Bidding Prayer and the Lord's Prayer. (We hope m our next issue to publish extracts from the Archbishop's sermon. — Ed.