AFTER NINETEEN YEARS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1113, 28 April 1911, Page 5

AFTER NINETEEN YEARS.

: « REV. T. H. SPROTT. RESIGNS. FAREWELL ADDRESS AS VICAR OF ST. PAUL'S. In his address at tho annual meeting of parishioners of St. Paul's, Thorndon, last 'evening the vicar, the Rev. T. 11. Sprotl, taid an event of tho year was one which chiefly, though by no means exclusively, concerned tho dioceso—tho resignation through ill-health of Bishop WaUis, who, for sixteen years had presided over it. Ho need not tell them how stronuoua , was his Lordship's work. But as one of • hi> examining chaplains ho had the honour and privilege of being somewhat •. closely associated with one department of his work, lie could testify how anxious tho Bishop was to secure a high standard of qualifications in the clergy and he thought that their clergy roll to-day', showed how well ho had succeeded. Hβ was sure the heartiest good wishes went. with him and Mrs. Wallis to thoir new. ; sphere of lil'o and work. ' i Another event was one that closely con- j corned himself, but also the wholo diocese, and St. Paul's parish. Ho referred to tho exceeding honour paid him by tho Diocesan Synod in his election to tho office ~ of Bishop. Hβ recognised with much heart-searching how great tho trust his s fellow-churchmen had thus been willing to extend to him. He was speaking to friends and thoy would believe hith when \ ho said that tuough tho position was a : great one, his acceptance of it was not ' therefore a matter of course. It had. • caused him great anxiety, an anxiety which still haunted him. Conse- \ quently he was determined by t the simple fact that the Synod ■' not without prayer, and deliberation, and ( after what no believed was a full and frank discussion elected him. Last week\ the commissary had been informed by' the Acting-Primate that tho election had , been confirmed by the Standing Commit-, tees of the other dioceses, Accordingly | on Monday last he had resigned tho cute' of his parish. ... He wished to say that in this wholo matter there was tor Mrs. Sprott and himself no happier thing than that iu the change which in the Providence of God had come to them they would not' really have to say farewell to St. Paul's,Here two-thirds of their married life— two-thirds of his ministerial life, for he had married in haste and had not repented at leisure—had been spent. Hero they had experienced some of the great changes and chances of life. Here, iu joy and in .sorrow, they had experienced un- j failing sympathy—sympathy always at. hand when most needed. Here they had 1 always had heartiest co-operation and' readiness to follow any lead, and if there was not more progress to show after nineteen years of work, the fault was not in the slowness of the people to respond. The fault was—he would not say "ours," for he could not associate Mrs. Sprott with any failure—the fault was his own. "Though, then, this is the last annual meeting of St. Paul's I shall bo privileged to preside over," continued Mr. Sprott,, "I do not say 'farewell. , I hope often to i worship in the old church. I hope my successor will sometimes ask mo to preach in it. It erases, indeed, to bo) my parish church, but it becomes niyi Cathedrnl-church, and I shall still pos-1 sets rishts in it. ; But, as presiding to-' night for the last Time, I wish to ex-. press my deepest, gratitude to all who,! during the past nineteen years, have helped on the work of the parish—in the vestry,' the Sunday school, tho Tjnakori Road children's services, the choir, the Dorcas Society, the various guilds, classes, and associations. Of "These helpers, some who, , when I came here were leaders, have passed, to that world where •■'■ ',3Vork never can bring, weariness "For work itself is lo've •lY."Ofjhers have scattered , *) the Oldiand or to other parts of New Zealand. Some few are, I am glad to say, still with us and still helping. But of all of these I shall over think with' gratitude. ■••> • "Who my successor is to be I do not know. ■ But wo can entirely trust. the nominators, as well parochial as diocesan, to make a wise choice. What I should! like you to do for my successor, whoever he may'be, I can put into a very fewwords—treat him as you have treated me. It is not likely that a successor can be found who will enter on his newduties sooner at tho earliest than August. As I, long before that date, shall have entered upon my new duties, it follows that tho parish must bo put in charge Of a locum tonens. I am trying to fijtid a clergyman suitable to undertake tho temporary work. I have not yet succeeded, but as soon as lie shall be found I propose to put him in charge." ■Mr. Sprott added h6 was glad to be able' to hand the parish over in a fairly sound' financial condition.