FAREWELL

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1106, 20 April 1911, Page 6

FAREWELL

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TO BISHOP AND MRS. WALLIS. LARGE GATHERING OF CHURCH PEOPLE. A PRESENTATION. A formal farewell, and yet a farewell that was more of the nature of a. regretful parting with a personal friend was • said to the Anglican Bishop of Wellington (Dr. Wallis) and Mrs. Wallis by a largo gathering in the Sydney Street Schoolroom last evening. There were representatives of congregations in all parts of tho Wellington and suburban parishes present. When the Bishop and Mrs. Wallis arrived, a. little after eight o'clock, they were conducted to the platform in the .schoolroom, which was tastefully adorned with flowers and shrubs. An instrumental selection was played by a string bijnd, and without any delay the Bishop's Commissary (Archdeacon Fancourt), who has been identified for so many years :with the life of the diocese, rose to address the gathering. The Commissary's Address. . Speaking on behalf of all sections of the church in the diocese,- Archdeacon IFancourt said he had a few regretful .words of farewell t.o say to Bishop and Mrs. Wallis. "This is an occasion which one knows has been coming for some time," lie said, "but that doesn't make it !any easier.,or render it the less sorrowful to us.' We are on the eve of losing you,-my lord, and Mrs. Wallis, after the many years yo'u have spent in this diocese, •where you both have sought in every way to do what God has set before you, and ;has given you power to do. We look back upon the lives of both of you during tho sixteen years you have been among ;us, and see that they have been very strenuous lives. Neither of you has spared yourself. Each of you according to the powers that God ,has given you has tried to advance the cause of the true religirfn of, God, and He has been pleased to prosper your work." The speaker pictured the increase that had taken place in the diocese since the Bihsop had been hero. The supply of the Church had been corresponding to tho increase in the population under his lordship's leadership and inciting powers. In this respect he alluded mostly to the country districts, with the work of which he himself was chiefly familiar. It was in the country most of all that one saw the influx of population and' the growth of new places. Ho referred enthusiastically to the missionary pioncerin S work of the clergy in these districts. In Wellington al?o lie could see a very great advance. The number of clergy in proportion to the population was larger now than when tVo Bishop arrived here, and this fact was greatly due to his Lordship—not only because he had had ths courage to face the problems, but because he had been an excellent leader, and had inspired others with the same hope as himself. (Applause.) "A True Father in God." This applied to the clergy as much as to the laity. They had found him not 'only a nilcr, but a guider of men, and a Bishop who had been a true Father in God—a Bishop who had won tho love and regard of those clergy over whom he had been placed, and of the laity also. (Applause.) It was this that had helped on the work, and had given courage and endurance to others; and also enabled his Lordship to attract good men from tho Old Country. They owed him a great debt of gratitude for this, but a greater for.the way he had worked himself. (Applause.) "I know, as probably no one else knows," declared the Archdeacon, 'what your Lordship's work, anxieties, and fears have been in- connection with the diocese; and I want to say that you have been constant in trying" to do "the utmost." They-all knew how real the trials and how arduous the duties and anxieties had been of the past sixteen or seventeen years—the causes,' in fact, of his Lordship now being about to leave them. It was with <|uiet sorrow that they now thought of that cause. "It is not .that you are going Home because you think-, you have given sufficient portion of your life to :the Church and the work here, but you are going Home because in the Providence of God your life, health, and strength may bo spared and restored —that you may rest for some time. Tf you remained with us, doing the same arduous work of the last two years—work that has caused mo utter astonishment and sometimes alarm—we do not know what might be tho consequences." .Therefore,'though they grieved greatly at his going away, they felt it would be for his good. . .■■'.'

To Mrs, Wallis. Archdeacon Fancourt then said he also wanted to apply the same words to Mrs. Wallis. She had done a great work— with wonderful energy and power—and dad won many ardent workers round her. Many works in this district, especially St. Mary's Home, would stand as a witness to tho good she had done, and other women also. Finally, Archdeacon Fnncoitrt wished them' god-speed and a happy and safe voyage. The Diocesan Chancellor. Sir. V. V. Martin, Chancellor of the Diocese, spoke on behalf of the, laymen. On their behalf ho gave a hearty endorsement of all that the Commissary had said. They all knew only too vreil how hard the Bishop had worked. He had not been content to follow in ready-made paths, but had struck out in new directions and opened up new avenues of Y,l-,, Thcy ,vcro vcr >' sorr J' imloed that illness was the cause of his having to leave them, and they trusted the voyage, would do much towards restorin" h i m ,v , hcalt , h - of the duties of a Bishop, he referred to Hie difficulties Bishop Wallis had had to meet in tho strong opposing ideas of many laymen By tho clergy of the diocese hi's Lordship had been well and loyally supported. 1 our Lordship s memory," he said in conclusion, "and that of Mrs. Wallis will remain long with us, and your nanie is indelibly written iii the history of the Church of this country. Wo hope you will have many years in the Old Country and carry on the work which we all know you so greatly love." (Loud applause.) A Presentation. Archdeacon Fancourt then asked his Lordship's acceptance of a framed photograph of the last meeting of (ho synodfi'" a'fo of a draft on an English bank! Ho did not know what to procure for you, said Archdeacon Fancourt, "and as if will be so much easier to procure things in England, we thought it better to ask you to accept a draft and for you to make whatever disposal of it you choose in the Old Country. (Long applause.) It represents a great many donations, and many contributing to it are those who have been confirmed -by you Many who love you have part in it." (An. plause.)

Mrs. Jones, wifo of the Ecv. Joshua Jones, of Hutt parish, also handed Mrs. Wallis, from the wives of the clergy of the diocese, a bank draft. The Bishop's Reply. Bishop Wallis, who was received with prolonged applause, said ho was very grateful to those who had spoken so kindly and to those who had made him the present. He could assure them the money would bo spent in some grateful remembrance of their kindness to him. "What is dearest to my heart," he proceeded, "is the constant affection I have met with from all in the diocese." He could assure them that when first he had been invited to ,come to New Zealand he had tried tj find some excuse that would enable him to decline. He had known no one, practically, out here nt the time, and he had loved his work very much among his undergraduates' at Home. Now he was more thankful than words could express that he had come. (Applause.) Ho was thankful that ho had been able to do something towards building up the Church in a new land, and to help to make the nation good and pure as well as great. (Applause.) He was going away from his work with a very sad heart. "I am leaving friends very dear to me, and work that I Jove very muen. I have been with a very splendid set of clergy, headed by Archdeacon Fancourt. It was he and Mr. Sprott who first met me when I landed in New Zealand, ami they gave mo promises of their help. These promises thpy have kent right through." His Lordship referred to the work of the clerer in the back countrj .

parishes, work that was a continual selfsacrifice, jounieyings very often over many miles of difficult roads to address a little congregation in a tiny church. It was work for conscience sake. "It is a great thins to haye a share of work for .sixteen years with men like. that. How can 1 also speak of the co-operation of the laymen of the diocese? .... I was told before I came hero that the life of a colonial Bishop was one of the happiest a man could live, and now I have experienced it." He would also like to say something about one who had been 'anion? tho best of his workers—in fact, was the best—Mrs. AV.illis. (Loud applause.) She wished him to thank those who had made her tho present. (Applause.) Must Not Fall Behind. Speaking of the work he left behind him, his Lordship said .there remained much to be done. In Wellington itself more churches were greatly wanted. "Wellington," he said, "is going to become a .great city, and tho Church must not fall behind." They required to enlarge, their conception of tho duty of tho Church today in permeating the civil' and moral life of the community with the love of God. They must bo active—must go out into the highways and byways to bring men in. They must'.also be more missionary in spirit both in regard to this country and abroad. Two excellent organisations, the Church of England Men's Society and the Immigrants' Reception Society, were helpful and promising movements. "Go forward," said his Lordship in conclusion, "certain that God is with us, conquering and to conquer, In that spirit I hope this Church will do its work for many years to come; and with a very thankful heart for these proofs of affection you have given me, I wish you farewell and good luck in the name of the Lord."

The opportunity was then taken by those present of savins; good-bye to Bishon and Mrs. Wallis. . "

Among Hie clergy present were:—The Rev-. T. H. Sprott (Sishop-elect), -Archdeacon C. C. Harper, the K«vs. Joshua Jones (Hutt), A. M. Johnson (St. MaTk's), W. H. C'ompton (Wellington), R. Young (Carterton), G. Steplierreon (Pongaroaj", and J. G. Bartlett (Wadestown).

The amount of the draft presented to the Bishop was .£260. '