EEGEPTION OF BISHOP N ELI GAN.

Gisborne Times, Volume IX, Issue 900, 26 May 1903, Page 2

EEGEPTION OF BISHOP N ELI GAN.

Per Press Associat.i >a. AUCKLAND, last night. Bishop Neligan was accorded a public reception on Saturday night. 'J'he Governor welcomed the Bishop on I t hall of the colony ; Bishop Neville, on behalf of the Church of New Zealand . and the Mayor on behalf of the citizens. Addresses were presented. The Roman Catholic Bishop wrote a sympathetic letter. Bishop Neligan made an eloquent and striking speech in reply. In thanking the Ministers’ Association, he expressed the hope that he would he aide to co-operate with other religious bodies as far as possible, hut he said ■ lie cause of real unity was not forwarded by pretending that there were no real differences between the Anglican Church and other denominations, lie was not a parly Churchman, hut he believed the Anglican Church was sufficiently comprehensive to include both High and Low Churchmen, provided they were loyal Churchmen and Kept within the limits fixed by the Prayer-hook, and those limits were surely wide enough. lie did not believe in clergymen becoming partv pcliticians. lie was convinced that bt doing so they would weaken their s[iritual influence. Still. they .'lould, of course, exercise their full lights as citizens. For himself, he uid not care so much whether a man iic voted for belonged to this partv or that so Jong as he was an upright man. a man oi honor, with clean hands and pure heart. The Bishop was heartily applauded on concluding hiv address, which created a mostLvorablc impression.