THE BISHOP-ELECT OF WELLINGTON.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1072, 10 March 1911, Page 6

THE BISHOP-ELECT OF WELLINGTON.

HIS VIEWS ON PRESENT-DAY PROBLEMS. [By "Spectator."] Now th.it the Anglican Synod has chosen a New Zealand clergyman, in the person of the liev. T. 11. Sprott, to 1m the new Bishop of Wellington, and if as is hoped, lie. decides to accept tho position, it will become the duty, and will also be (ho pleasure, of every Anglican clergyman and layman to rally enthusiastically around him, .and so assist in justifying to the world at largo the selection of one of our own clergy for the highest post of leadership in tho Church. The position, of bishop in tho Anglican Church is one of great influence and great responsibility, lie is something much more than a mere president of the Synod. The law of tho Church, by which "ili-.ng can be done by Svnod without l. sanction of a majority of each <, iho Oiveo orders—

bishop, clergy, and laity—voting separately, practically gives the Bishop the power of veto; but on the other hand he can make no changes without the consent of the clergy and laity. Tho Bishop may also be regarded as a connecting link between the diocese and tho Anglican communion as a whole—an important factor in maintaining unity in fundamental principles among a federation of independent and self-governing churches.

Unity and Independence. The Bishop-elect of Wellington cau lie relied upon to do his utmost to preservo this.balance between unity and independence. Though he has taken a leading part in the General and Diocesan Synods in favour of amending tho fundamental clauses of the Church Constitution, in order to complete the self-governing powers of the Church of the Province of NewZealand, ho would probably bo the first to oppose any proposal that would weaken the legitimate bonds which bind the Church of this Dominion to the Mother Church of England, and the other branches of the 'Anglican communion. He simply wants the Church of New Zealand to have the power to adapt its services from time to time to meet the special needs of the people of this country.

Church and State. Though ho lias liad a distinguished University career, and has since kept abreast of the best thought of the age, it would be a great mistako to regard Mr. Sprott as a sort of detached religious philosopher,, standing aloof from the evcryday soeial life of his fcllow-iucn. Those who reallv know him are well aware of the deep'interest he takes in all tho great political and social movements of the day. Though not a party politician, he has very definite opinions on Imperial and colonial questions, but be takes good care not to convert his pulpit into a party platform, feeling that men of all political views should bo able to meet together for public worship. Still he recognises that the Christian Church cannot stand neutral when great moral issues are at. stake in national life, and his pronouncements on such questions always carry great weight in the community, even among those who do not wholly agree with thein.

Imperialism, Mr. Sprott is an Imperialist, but not of the jingoistic type. lie believes in "the interdependence (or good and evil of man upon man in a community of race, a race not being a.congeries of isolated atoms, but a veritable, organism." But within this solidarity tliero must be room for national distinctions', and he holds that Imperialisms, whether nolitical or ecclesiastical, which 'have sought to unify mankind by weakening or obliterating national characteristics, have invariably failed. The unity ot mankind, he thinks, will come, not by tho forcible suppression of difloroneo, but by tho growth of a brotherly spirit among free and mutually serviceable peoples. "National defence,' hu writes, "should not spring from a blind instinct of self-preservation, but from tho conviction that the nation has been called of God to do a service, which it alone can do in the world. And the same conviction will curb the spirit of wanton aggression uiran the life of any other nation. Other nations, too, have, their God-given functions, and the weakening or destruction of auy of tliem can only delay the progress of the race towards its

The Higher Criticism. As an exponent of the new learning in its bearing on religious faith and conduct, Mr. Sprott has few equals in NewZealand. He is a courageous seeker after truth, and frankly accepts the evolutionary theories in science and modern methods in biblical criticism. Yet ho can sympathise with the feelings of the older generation,- who sometimes feel I hat the very foundations of religion are being undermined by the ruthless criticism of the most sacred things of which so much is heard at tho present time. Mr. Sprott recognises that from-the point of view of literary and historical criticism the Bible must be treated liko any other book, but ho also contends, with the late Dr. Jowett, the famous Master of Bolliol, that when interpreted like any other book by the same rules of evidence and the same canons of criticism, it will still lomiiin unlike any other book. Mr. Sprott believes that the gains resulting fi-uti, modern methods far outweight the losses.

Hard to Labol. Many people will be anxious to know lo what school of thought in the Church Mr. Sprott belongs. Tie is very hard to label, and would doubtless object to labelling himself. In Wednesday's issue of The Dominion, before the election took place, it was stated that the choice would probably fall upon "a man whose sympathies would be sufficiently bread anil liberal to embrace the best features of all parties, and who, if asked to label himself, might, reply, in tho words of a former Dean of Manchester, that he was a High, Low, Evangelical, Broad Churchman." This description seem* to iit Mr. Sprott's position very well. 110 boliovo* in an impressive, dignified service, and knows Ihe (rue value of ritual and symbolism in their proper place. Ritual for the mere purpose of show does not appeal to him—it must bo meaningful, not meaningless.