THE VICAR OF ST. MARK'S.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1313, 16 December 1911, Page 4

THE VICAR OF ST. MARK'S.

INDUCTED BY THE BISHOP. Tho Her. G. P. Aslccw was last night inducted as vicar of St, Mark's by tho Anglican Bishop 'of Wellington (Dr. Sprott), at a well-attended Eervico in St. Mark's Church. Archdeacon Fancotut, Archdeacon Harper, tho Rev. A. M. Johnson (who lately left St. Mark's to beconio vicar of St.. Paul's), and other clergy took part. Tho Bishop, preaching from Ephesians ir., 18-1'), said that night opened a now chapter in tho history of St. Mart's parish. They were welcoming the successor of one. who did a most strenuous, faithful, and fruitful work in St. Mark's. The new vicar came as a stranger, but strongly am) warmly attested by thnso in tho Old Laud and tho Mother Church, who had known him intimately aud had known his work. The Bishop" asked the parishioners to respect tho individuality of tlio new vicar, letting liini do his work in his own way, to respect, his time so as to loavo liini enough opportunity for study and prayer, and to give him active personal help, encourage him personally, and assist hini with their prayers. NOT A POLITICAL PARSON. In conversation with a Dominion interviewer, Mr. Askew classed himself as a definite churchman of niodorato views, lie thought there was very, very littlo difference between tho kind uf scrvico they had had at St. Mark's while Mr. Johnson was vicar and that which ho had been accustomed to in his own church at Ingrow. Even were it otherwise, ho was not one to endanger essentials for thu sake of what he regarded as non-ossen-tialsnor would he make changes without tho eoniidence of tho parish. If people expect politics from the pulpit of St. Mark's they will he disappointed. "My practice," said Mr. Askew, "has always been to leave polities out of tho pulpit. I am a minister of tho Gospel, .purely and simply. I recognise that the people I minister to represent all shades of political thought. My churchwarden in my Into parish was a strong Conservative, and the people's churchwarden was an equally fervent Radical, 1 and wo had Socialists with us as well. As a minister of religion, I steered quite clear of anything political. I don't mean to say I have no political opinions of ui\ own. I should not be worth much if I had not, bnt my duty to the people is to minister in spiritual things, and therefore politics must be put into the background. I do not want to be known as a political parson." The questions of No-Licenso and Notional Prohibition were also raised by the interviewer, but Mr. Askew said that the position in New Zealand in theso mattery was new to his experience, and he felt that it would not lw right for liini at present to take any line on questions concrning which men in nil sincerity differed so widely. He doubted wlir'tl'.er if v.ould cvw t,o wini to n'.y himself with any party in this matter, lie thought it would bo enough for 1 im if he eould do liis work faithfully an a parish priest in tho largo portion of the city committed to his care. Tho vicar and Mrs. Askew aro at present the guests of Bishop and Mrs. Sprott at Bishopscourt, Kellmrne, but will move into St. Mark's Vicarage as soon as possible. They will be welcomed at a social on Monday next, when the Bishop will bo present. Tlio now vicar, who only arrived in Wellington last Wednesday, was for live and a half years vicar of lngrow. JCe'ghlo.v, Yorkshire, and prior to that, was stationed at Blackburn and at bradford.