Welcome to the Bishop of Wellington.

Feilding Star, Volume XVI, Issue 236, 5 April 1895, Page 2

Welcome to the Bishop of Wellington.

A very pleasant social gathering was held in. the Assembly Rooms last evening, when the J?i«>-nt Reverend Frederick Wallis, the newly appointed Bishop of Wellington was, with his wife, introduced to the parishoners of this district, a very large number of whom were present. The stage of the Hall had been very prettily decorated with pot flowers, i nikau palms and bunting 1 of various colours, while at the back of the stage a banner was hung with the inscription "Welcome to Feilding." Vr fiaybittle's band was in attendance and rendered some very enjoyable music at intervals during 1 the evening 1 . It may not be out of place to here give a short biographical sketch of his Lordship. He is a comparatively young man, being- only about 40 years of age, of a genial and cheerful disposition, and having- a very pleasant address coupled with an entertaining- manner, which at once gives one a most favorable impression. He wiis formerly Dean of Gouville and Caius' College, Cambridge, and had been for nine years Examining Chap- ' lain to the Bishop of Salisbury, who accompanied him to the Colony, and assisted at his consecration. '1 he Bshop of Salisbury, it miwht be mentioned, was the first Bishop of the English Bench who has yet visited the Australian Colonies, 'ihe Bishop of Wellington is no mean scholar, havicg; taken the doublefirst at his University, where he was one of the mosc popular Proctors Cambridge has ever known, which is saying- a good deal. His Lordship having taken his place on the stage — accompanied by the Rev. Innes Jones, and Messrs H. L. Sherwill (Clergyman's Churchi warden) and Chas. Bray, senr. (Parishioners' Churchwarden) — the Rev. Innes Jones said it jiave him ' great pleasure to say a few words ' ot welcome to the newly appointed ! Bishop and his wife, and he was I sure he was expressing the sentiments I of all Church people in this district when ho said that he thanked God > their prayers had been answered in J having one so good sent out to them ; from the Old Country to be their ! Bishop. Church people mlist do ) their duty in backing him up in his i work, and by so doing they trould ) materially assist him in his labours > ihe Rev. Innes Jones concluded by J saving that it gave him much pleast ure to welcome to Feilding their new r Bishop, and lie was sure that when they knew him they would all love h ; m. [ Mr Bray then read an address to L tlie Bishop as follows : — (l To our 5 Right Reverend Father in God, Fred- \ crick, Lord Bishop of Wellington — | Right Reverend and Dear Sir : On be- , half of the parishioners of the Feild j ing Parochial district we desire to j congratulate your Lordship on your ) promotion to the See of Wellington ; ) and on this, the occasion of your first f visit to Feilding, we beg to tender to 7 your Lordship and Mrs Wallis a hearty welcome, and sincerely pray that the all-wise God and Father I. whom we serve may pour down upon I your dear wife and yourself the riches f of his grace, and grant you wisdom L and strength for the fulfilment of your - episcopal duties. Signed on behalf of ■ the parishioners of the Feilding Paro- : chial district, this 4th day of April, ' 1895.— -Hugh L. Sherwill, Clergyman's Churchwarden, Charles Bray, ; Parishioner's Churchwarden, Alan ) Innes Jones, Vicar," ) His Lordship, on rising, was greeted J with applause. He could not tell his f dear friends how deeply he had been t touched by the warm welcome which t had been extended to his dear wife and ) himself by the parishioners of this dis- ! trict, which was exemplified by the way > in which the hall had been decorated ) and by the address which had been pre- ! sented to them. It bad not at all been i an easy matter for him to settle as to ' whether or not he would accept this work ; he had consulted several before doing so, including the Bishop of Salisbury. He was now very glad that he l bad come to New Zealand, and thank- ■ ful that he had to work in common with , such kind and devoted church people. He had met with much kindness whereever he had yet been, but no welcome had been so hearty as that extended to ; him that night. He had thought it would take him months and years to know the i people and be thoroughly at home, but he felt that he already knew and loved them, and this was due to the warm and affectionate welcomes which had been extended to his dear wife and himself wherever he had been, and he thanked God that his work had thrown him amongst such warm-hearted and devoted church people. His Lordship referred to the good work which laymen had 1 done in the country places, and other I matters in connection with church, work and after again thanking those present ; for their kindness resumed his seat ' amidst applause. j While the Bishop was being introduced ' individually to those in theibody of the ] hall, musical items were at intervals given by the following ladies and gentlemen, viz., Miss A. H. Fry, song, "Whispering Breeze"; Mr Treseder, song, " The Last Muster " ; Mrs and Miss Macarthur, duet, " Oh that we two were Maying " ; Miss Diamond, song, 11 Star of Bethlehem " ; Rev. Innes Jones, song, " Out on the Deep." Refreshments being dispensed, the gathering terminated by singing the " National Anthem.',