ALL AUSTRALIAN ANGLICAN ASSEMBLY, 1934.

Waiapu Church Gazette, Volume 25, Issue 2, 1 February 1935, Page 3

ALL AUSTRALIAN ANGLICAN ASSEMBLY, 1934.

BY THE BISHOP OF CHRISTCHURCH.

Readers of the Gazette may be interested to have some account of the All Australian Anglican Assembly, which was held m Melbourne m November of this year m connection with the Centenary Celebrations, and at which I was asked by General Synod to represent the Anglican Church m New Zealand. I crossed over to Sydney with Archbishop and Mrs. Mowll and Archdeacon Johnstone on their return from the Consecration of Canon Hilliard, and went on to Melbourne by train, being met at Melbourne Station on November 6th by Archbishop and

Mrs. Head and the Rev. Eric Thornton, who organised and * acted as Secretary for the Assembly. The next morning, November 7th, the distinguished English visitors, Bishop David of Liverpool and Canon Barry of Westminster, arrived from Adelaide. Archbishop Head and some of his clergy formally welcomed them at the train, and we proceeded straight to the Cathedral, where the Archhishop with his two guests gave thanks for their safe arrival and journey. The Cathedral at Melbourne is a stately building with three spires m yellow sandstone to Waterhouse's design, facing the main entry to Melbourne by St. Kilda. The three spires have only recently been completed, happily m time for the Centenary. Inside, the building is spacious and lofty, and full of dignity, while a most commodious Church House with an Assembly Hall, Registry and vestries has been erected m close communication with the Cathedral. The Assembly was timed to coincide with part of the Prince's visit, so that visiting Bishops were invited to the Garden Party at Government House on November 7th. The formal opening of the gathering, at which most of the Bishops of Australia and many clergy and laity gathered took place at 12.15 p.m. on Thursday, November Bth, when Archbishop Head delivered his inaugural address. After the address the Bishop of Liverpool publicly presented his message from the Archbishop of Canterbury, and I presented the messages from the Province of New Zealand and from Christchurch Diocese. The regular programme of the Assembly was that addresses on religious and social subjects were delivered by selected speakers at 12.15 p.m. and 1.15 p.m., to suit the dinner hours, while two other addresses were given m the evenings. The numbers who attended were a sign of the interest aroused. Between the morning addresses we had two examples of a form of devotion called a Colloquy, a scriptural meditation m which several clergy take part representing different characters. Between the evening addresses choirs from various churches sang anthems. m the afternoons the clergy were meeting m conferences to discuss

questions of ecclesiastical interest; the findings of these conferences are being published m the Melbourne Church of England Messenger. On two afternoons m three succeeding weeks, after Evvensong at 4.45 p.m., Canon Barry delivered . his Moorhouse Lectures m the Cathedral to quite remarkable gatherings. Canon Barry is one of the men who has a real gift of "phophecy," and the publication of his lectures will be looked forward to eagerly. The lectures dealt with the relation of the Church to the problems of the day, and they combined much learning with, shrewd criticism and some humour. On the Thursday evening, November Btn, an open meeting of the Australian Board of Missions was held at which I was asked to give a short address, which I was glad to do as a New Zealand representative, dwelling on our fellowship m the Melanesian work and m our Mission to the Pacific, and also recalling the great work of Bishop Sadlier, who came to New Zealand from Melbourne, m the founding of our New Zealand Anglican Board of Misisons. The Saturday afternoon should have been a time of recreation, but it turned out pitiably wet. That was, however, of little account compared with the urgent need for a fine day on the Sunday, when the Memorial Shrine was to be dedicated. Happily the clay held up, for some 300,000 people gathered for the formal opening of the Shrine by the Prince. Most of the visitors' were preaching m various churches, and so did not see the ceremony, but we gathered m the afternoon for the great Anglican Open-air Centenary Service m the grounds of the Melbourne Grammar School. The Bishops, who had robed m the Cathedral, drove m a series of cars with Chaplains to the grounds, where they formed m procession with representative boys and girls from different Church of England Secondary Schools as their respective escorts. The Bishops took up their positions on the open roof-balcony of the new Hall, and Archbishop Head conducted the service; the Bishop of Liverpool delivered the address, and massed choirs, conducted by Dr. Floyd, and supported by the Salvation Army Band, led the singing. I was

asked to read one lesson, and was also honoured with four Chaplains and an archiepiscopal place m the procession m virtue of representing New Zealand. It is estimated that there were from fifteen to twenty thousand people present. In the evening I found myself preaching at two churches and was glad of the respite of a lovely drive out to Arthur's Seat near the mouth of the harbour on the Monday afternoon, following on a civic reception by the Lord Mayor to visiting Bishops. The Assembly continued on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, and the final addresses, on Thursday evening, November 15th, delivered by the Archbishops of Sydney and Brisbane were most impressive. Dr. Vowll dealt with the race question as affecting Missions, and Dr. Wand with the question of Reunion. But, indeed, the level of the addresses' as a whole was very high, and some of them, especially m the social and economic sphere, daring and provocative. They are being published m the Melbourne Church of England Messenger, and I feel sure that some of them would be well worth reprinting, if permission could be obtained. The Closing Service of the Assembly was the Holy Communion on Friday morning, November 16th, when Archbishop Head celebrated, and Bishop Crick, of Ballarat, preached. I was asked to read the Gospel, as representing the Sister Church m New Zealand. On Sunday, November 18 th, I had an interesting experience. After a morning sermon, and an afternoon address to a Methodist P.S.A., (which had asked Archbishop Head for a Bishop to address them) I joined the Bishop of Liverpool, and wei were driven out to Ballarat, where he preached at the Cathedral Church, while I preached at St. Peter's. On the Monday we travelled by Service Car to Bendigo where we went down a gold mine, received a civic reception m company with the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Liverpool, and each gave an address at an evening service m the Cathedral Church. I was glad of these additional opoprtunities of telling the people something of our New Zealand Church, and, m Ballarat, of telling them of

Archbishop Julius, their former Archdeacon. Jt appeared, too, that we had a link with Bendigo, for Bishop Sadlier had once been a curate there. I have already recorded my impressions of the high value of the addresses delivered, and of the remarkable gathering of Church People who attended the Assembly and also the Moorhouse Lectures. Let me add one or two more impressions of my visit. Melbourne m one hundred years has grown to such a size that it is not so very far short of the total population of New Zealand. The Church Life gives one the impression of solidity and vitality, and of resources for advance. Especially striking is the part which the Church of England plays m Secondary Education. Not only is Trinity College an important factor m University life, but Geelong and Melbourne Grammar Schools are outstanding members of a constellation of schools for boys and girls. I cannot help feeling that it would be a happy thing if we m New Zealand could be m closer contact with the larger life of the Church m Australia, and if Church leaders on either shore were able to pay more frequent visits across the Tasman. This feeling was only intensified by a visit which I paid to Dr. Mowll after the close of the Assembly when I had the opportunity of seeing some of the clergy of that Diocese, and discussing with them some of our common problems. I was specially struck with the wonderful social and evangelistic work which is being done by Canon Hammond, and by the success of his scheme for providing homes for the married unemployed out m the country. Altogether I felt that the visit was a great experience, and I specially appreciated the privilege of being allowed to represent the Anglican Church m New Zealand. CAMPBELL CHRISTCHTJRCH.