"I'M THE BISHOP."

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1960, 3 October 1888, Page 2

"I'M THE BISHOP."

A pernaal of Bishop Oowie's " Our Last year m New Zealand " will remove not a few false impreßsious about the colonies. It teaches that the Colonial Oharoh 1b still essentially missionary m its chiraoter, offering few prfzjs to the cleric The Bishop of Auckland often warm Hume readers against thoughtlessly sending men to New Zealand, for Instance, without some knowledge of the kind of duties expected of them. He narrates the follow Ing story, whloh it will be seen is to the point : — " Mr A came from England to be ordained by Bishop Patteaon, when the headquarters of the (Melanealan) Mission were at Kohlmarama, a few mile j from Auckland, on the coast of our land-looked harbor. Soon after his arrival m Auckland he hired a boat to ttke him to the mission station. There, to his surprise, he found no wharf, and had to wait m the boat until aomeone oould be got to carry him ashore through the water. In response to his shout, a man fa a fltnnel shirt and trousers at last waded out from the shore and ' gave a back* to the new comer, landing him dry on the bsach In answer to ioqairies for the Bishop's palace (!) a small building ok bi by was pointed oct, and to a further queatlon of « Where ia the Bishop V the man with tuoked-op flannels eaid, ( I'm the Bishop.' This experience was somewhat disconcerting ; but worae followed, Next morning the members of the Misaion Bttfi went to their several duties, some of them being engaged In putting up a poatand-ratl fe\ioe> round a paddock. To this employment the new-comer waa told off, and he soon discovered that it did not agree with tbe softnoan of hia hands. Thereupon he had an Interview with Bishop Ptttteion, and requeated to be informed what hin ordinary duties would be if he retrained with the Misaion. The Blßhop said, • All I can promise you is that I will not aek you to do what Ido not myßelf.' " The young man immediately decided not to be a Molinsalan missionary.