BISHOP OF OXFORD'S RESIGNATION

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 228, 20 June 1919, Page 2

BISHOP OF OXFORD'S RESIGNATION

LEISURE FOR STUDY AND WRITING The Bishop of Oxford (Dr. Gore) has announced his intention to retire from his Bishopric, his resignation to take effect from July 1 next. The reasons nhich have led (o this decision are, contained in the following letter to tho Archbishop of Canterbury:— My dear Archbishop,—! am writing to tell joiv that I have decided to resign Hie See of Oxford. My main motive is the conviction which has been growinj in me for some time that tho best way in .which I can use tho rest of my iif<> for the Church and other causes in which I am deeply interested is by seeking such leisure as would enable me to do serious study and to write something better than "little books," and I hope to have. tho opportunity of more continuous preaching and speaking than my present position makes possible. As you know.very well, being Bishop of oiich a See as this leaves one no chance of such leisure. I have had 17{ years of being a Bishop, and for me, at least,,that is long enough. I used to discuss the matter with my predecessor, Francis: Paget. We agreed, that there was no obligation upon us to continue being Bishops till we were decrepit. His life was cut short, nlns : ! but I hope ho approves what I om doing. "I know I shall be told that it is wrong to resign in such critical times for the Church, and I can quite believe that when 'soriio anxious debate is taking place in Convocation or tho Lambeth Conference, I shall havo a bad moment of doubt whether I am justified in being absentj>y my own act. . But I have faced tiTe question as well as 1 can, and very often; and I am convinced that I am right oh tho whole. Tho crisis, I feel sure, in the Churolf will continue, and, indeed, perhaps, become more acuta for years to come, and 1 believe that I can servo the causa of reconstruction best by getting- time for thinking, studying, wrltttig, and preaching. I am not, of course, in any sense resigning my ministry, but only ono kind of "administrative office, which in our enormous dioceses, with all the attendant -pork on central committees, give no opportunity for these tilings. Moreover, my resignation does not imply any hind of weakening In my allegiance to the great principles for which tho Church of England stands, but. only thi) choice of what is, 1 liu'nlr, the better way of serving, them. I must add that while tho main motive for resigning my bishopric is what I have described, the choice of the moment is partly duo to the decision of the Representative Church Council a few weeks ago about tho future franchise. I am convinced that, in abandoning the present _ basis of' franchise, which includes Confirmation, we have sacrificed principle to the desire for larger numbers on our roils, and that JargolV for tho soke of maintaining the "national" position of the Church. I blow this does not represent your point of view or that of' others of my friends, who gave their vote for the N baptismal franchise. But it represents,. I think; the effect of the voto on the whole, and, it leaves me in a very embarrassing position. I- cannot fight against a movement towards autonomy for the Church to Which for many years past [ have largely devoted my life, but I cannot any longer cordially co-operate with, the movement, now that it has placed jtself on what I think is bo falsa a basis. However, as I say, this iB uot my main motive.

I do not want to lay any sharo of the responsibility, oil you. I know yon have formally to consent by accepting the document of resignation, but you cannot force. a man to continue- in any office which lie. has conscientiously decided to resign. I propose to sign the document' as 6oun as I have heard from you, and to announce the fact in the "Diocesan Magazine" for April, hut to ask you to accept it and make it effective on July 1, after which date I desire to be free. Perhaps I need not 6ay that I dp not propose to ask for or take any "pension. Yon,know how grateful I feel to yon for all your kindness/and'generosity to me ovor sir many 'years.

Yours affectionately'and dutifully, ■ .'- ■ • ■ C. Oxon,