THE ANGLICAN PRIMACY.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 528, 8 June 1909, Page 8

THE ANGLICAN PRIMACY.

.. _ 1. . • . . PROPOSED ARCHBISHOPRIC. (STATEMENT BV CANON MACMURRAY , . (11l TKI.KGUiI-a.-srECIAI. C|. IIIKSI'OKOINT.) ! i ■ Ausliland, Juno 7. Referonccs have been made in a telegram from Wellington to the matter of the primacy of the Anglican Church of New Zealand, it being suggested. that tho primacy should be permanently attached to tho Sce'of Wellington, nnd that, tho bishop of that diocceo should assume tho title of Archbishop of Wellington and Primate of Now Zealand. With a view to obtaining an Auckland opinion, a "Herald" reporter interviewed tho Rev. Canon Mac Murray, of St. Mary's Cathedral.

Canon Mac Murray stated that he was the Auckland representative on the commission which met in Christchurch a week ago, and which commission was appointed by tho General Synod to inquire whether it was expedient or practicable to constitute one of the existing sees of the Church of Now Zealand as tho metropolitan sec of. the province of New Zealand; whether it was expedient that tho title of primate should bo altered aiid that of' archbishop and primate be substituted; and whether any improvement could ho made in the system at present in force of electing the primate. "The Wellington telegram ', stated," toCanon Mac Murray, "that a majority of the Auckland representative:: on the General Synod were prepared to sink all local differences and looking at the question from a national standpoint were willing to support the -proposal that the primacy should bo permanently located at Wellington. This is inaccurate r.tid- misleading. The Auckland members of the General Synod have not been elected, and therefore no one as yet knows whether or not a majority : of them will be in favour of a fixed metropolitan see." Continuing his remarks, Canon Mac Murray said that at the' sittings of tiie commission ho proposed that the question "was it expedient to constitute a metropolitan see?" should bo first considered on certain grounds. apart from ajl local considerations, and if it was agreed that it was expedient that the commission should set itself to the problem of finding some practicable scheme by which the suggestion. might bo carried into effect. The commission, however, declined to separate the question of expe&ency from that of practicability.' - ■ Ho, as' the Auckland representative, said that if it was clearly shown that it would be helpful to the work of the church to have a fixed centre of provincial church life, he believed that Auckland would waivo the great claims it undoubtedly had, and which were based on history and sentiment, in favour of .'Wellington, because of its central position, and because of its being the seat of Government. Tho commission,- added Canon Mac Murray, reported adversely on the proposal whether it was expedient and practicable to constitute one of tho existing sees as the metro-' politan see, ho being the only dissentient. With regard.to the question whether it was expedient that the title of primate .should bo altered to .archbishop and primate, Canon Mac Murray said that he had stated that if a central metropolitan see was adopted which gave fair promise of more effective organisation and work centred round the, metropolitan Bee, then he would riot bo unfavourable ,to tho proposal that the primate. should be ■styled archbishop, bnt if there was no effort to perfect the organisation and increase tho effectiveness of the church, then he objected to a title which was merely decorative. Tho commission, however, had adopted the proposal, ho again dissenting. . .' On the question of whether improvement .could bo made in:the method of-electing the primate, tho commission recommended that ~at the election of primate there should'only bo' one ballot, and- if 'as tho result, of thai ballot no bishop received a majority of each order,.then tho senior bishop should ,bo declarcd primate. He (Canon Mac Murray) was .again the only dissentient to this resolution.

CLAIMS OF CHRISTCHURCH. "THE ECCPSIASTICAL ATMOSPHERE. , . , JBI TCLUdlul-K— SI-BCiAL COHItESI ONDENT.I Christchurcii, Juno 7. Commenting on the article in Saturday's Dominion regarding the Primacy, tho "Prc6a" says:—"Wβ think that a very 6trong case is made out both in favour of the change of, title.and of attaching the archbishopric to one particular See. ■; We feel compelled, howover, to join. Jesus with tho suggestion that Wellington should bo selected, for 'this honour. Curiously enough,' the writer in The Dominion assumes that Wellington and Auckland are the only dioceses to be considered in this connection, and ho. hints pretty broadly at an alliance between Wellington and Auckland at the next'sitting of tho General Synod with a view to securing the coveted honour for Wellington." It is not a little remarkable to note how completely the writer leaves Christchurch out of his calculations. From the point' of view of historical associations, surely tho Anglican settlement of Canterbury has claims little, if at all, inferior to those of Auckland. For geographical position everyone must admit that _ Wellington stands unrivalled, but there is little difference for all practical purposes between' Wellington and Christchurcb/ in this respoct. Besides, the greatest example cited by The Dominion writer ought to have convicted him that it is not necessary that the primatial. See should .bo either the political capital or. geographical centre of any country, otherwise the' primacy of AH England certainly ought to be attached to the See of London, rather than-to that of Canterbury. But there are many other practical considerations in favour of Christchurch, which far outwoigh tho slight advantage of geographical position. possessed by Wellington,. Tho latter is an impoverished diocese, with no cathedral churcji, no cathedral organisation, no decent residenco for its bishop. Its so-called pro-cathedral,; the Church "of St. Paul, at; Thorndon, is : an antiquated wooden structure, about on a par with-the old church of . St. Luke's, Christchuroh, which has been pulled down to make room for a more fitting parish church. Contrast all this with the Church in Christchurcli, its rich' endowments, its noble Gothic cathedral, its complete organisation of Doan and Chapter, its fine .cathedral choir —those may bo more or less material, considerations, but they are considerations which cannot bo overlooked. Even the question of tbo Episcopal residence and the Episcopal income cannot be ignored by those who look at the matter with practical eyes, and in both these respects Christchujch is better off than Wellington. ■In fixing upon a primatial Seo for New Zealand wo want historicar.associations,- tho ecclesiastical atmosphere, and tho means of carrying out the work of an archbishop, and surroundings of dignity, efficiency, and completeness, both as regards building and'organisation.. If those premises bo admitted there cannot bo any doubt tl.-at the diocwo of Christchurcli should be the Primatial See of Now Zealand." .