THE PRIMATE ON THE LAMBETH CONFERENCE.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1528, 10 January 1879, Page 3

THE PRIMATE ON THE LAMBETH CONFERENCE.

Last evening a largo number of tho clergy and laity of the diocese, met in the Provincial Council Chambers, for the purpose of congratulating His Lordship the Bishop on attaining his seventy-fifth birthday, and also of hearing from him some account of the late Lambeth Conference.

The chair was occupied by the Hon. H. B. Q-rosson.

The Chairman said ifc gave him great pleasure to take the cha ; r on the present occaasion when they had met together to celebrate the seventy-fifth birthday of His Lordship the Primate. He had had the pleasure of welcoming the Bishop on his first arrival in the colony twenty-two years ago, and among all present there was not one who more cordially congratulated the Bishop than himself on the present occasion. A good deal was often said about the value of honest labor, and he would ask them whos9 labour had been attended with more advantage than that of their Bishop. [Applause.] It was true that he had himself enjoyed advantages that did not fall to the lot of many men; for he had lived to see in many instances the fruits of his labour. He had been engjgad in advancing the interests of every good work throughout the country, and had, eince his arrival been actively and usefully engaged, although there was a great field of work still untrodden. Still with these disadvantages there was abundance to support earnest workers, such as his Lordship, in what they had to do. [Applause.] When the Bishop was going to attend the last Lnnbeth conference, many people had thought he would servo a better purpose by remaining among them. He (the speaker) had been induced to modify his opinion on that subject, as after reading the reports he was inclined to think it was a very groat advantage to them that his Lordship had attended the conference. [Applause.] As other gentlemen liad to speak, he would not loi.ger detain them. An apology was here read from Mr H. S. Smith, who regretted that he could not bo present through sickness. The Very Rev. the Dean moved the first resolution as follows:—"That this meeting desires to offer hearty congratulations in the name of the clergy and laity of the diocese to the Most Rev. the Primate on the attainment by him of his seventy-fifth birthday, and earnestly trust that he may continue for many years to enjoy that health and vigour with which it has pleased Grod to bless him." He had hoped that their chairman would have moved the motion, but that not being the case, he himself had moved id with the greatest possible pleasure. All things being equal, they should regard long life as a blessing —and for a man to grow old in the midst of hia friends. If it wa3 a privilege and a blessing to serve God, then that ble.=sing and that privilege should be the greater when long life was given in which to do so. Looking back more than twenty-two years of his Lordship's residence among them he could nob remember any one serious illness that hp had had. That was a very rare thing, and therefore they might well congratulate his Lordship on the health and vigour that had accompanied all those years of his life. There was only one complaint they could make, and that was that he always got better when he went away from them—though perhaps it was that it was the prospect of meeting them again that made him so well when he came back to his home and his people. [Applause.] His Lordship had also enjoyed another blessing, for he had. iived to Eee fifty—aye, scores of grandchildren growing up around him. [Laughter.] When his Lordship celebrated his golden wedding-and it could not be many years henco—the scene would indeed be a patriarchal one. As there were several other speakers to address them he would not longer detain them. He would again read the resolution. [Loud applause.] The Hon. C. 0. Bowen Epoonded the resolution, and said there was not a man in the room, whether he was a churchman or not, who would not most heartily agree with it. Many of them could recollect the time when the Bishop first came among them—what a black look-out there was, and what a good effect the cheerfulness of the Bishop had upon the people, and served to relieve that black look-out. The Primate had taught them that no one who had done well for hia Church and his people had a right to talk about having spent the best years of his life. Taking however the years of his Lordship's episcopacy they might safely pay they were the best of his life. [Applause.] On the present occasion iney Were especially glad to meet him, because he hud just returned from a meeting of members of the Church cf their Father ; and they wore also glad to welcome him, because ha had returned in as good health as when lie left them. [Applause,] As they no doubt were anxious to hear from his Lordship somo account of the Lambeth Conference, it would be impertinent for him to detain thorn longer, but in conclusion he would, if he might bo allowed, add his congratulations to Mrs Harper upon the present occasion. [Loud applause.] The motion was then put and carried unanimously. Hi 3 Lordship the Bishop sud he felt deeply for the kind wishes they had expressed. It was no doubt a great thing to find himself there in the midst of his work and his people at the age of seventy-five. He must take into consideration the good health, and strength he had always enjoyed by the bl ss-

ing of Q-cd, It was little more than twentytwo yenrs since lie came to the country. He attributed in a great measure hits s, r ood haalthto.tho very duties he had had to perform —duties very different from those \s hich would have to bo performed by a home Bishop. The open-air exercise and travelling he had hud, he had no doubt materially contributed to hio good health and strength. The responsibilities of a .Bishop were no doubt very great, bu' one thing Lad greatly lighlcßO-;', them, and that waa the very great ;wttiix.:w;> and consideration lie had received, from the clergy and laymen of tho diocese. No ony could fail to see how much anxiety was take i off, his mind by this assistance, To this, to

a coraidcnibln degree he attributed his good health and s'.rangth. The chairman had referred to his g ■[■ gto attend the Lambeth Conference, and hud stated that at one time he had thought he would hare done more good by remaining in his diocese. He himself felt this to aceita;aextent,butat the same time he had considered it necessary to do the work on behalf of the Mother Church, and respond to the call of (he Archbishop. Another reason he wished to go home was to assist in working out the views of the late Bishop Sflwyn, who wished the Church of New Zealand to remain a part of the Union. On those grounds he had felt no hesitation in taking the long journey ho had done to the mother country ; and he had not regretted it, and thanked God that he had lived to return among them in her.lth and strength. [Loud applause.] Ho c uld not sit down without thanking them for the good wishes shown on that evening by all present, but also of thanking those persons who had contributed towards the expense of his journey to England. [Loud applause.] The Venerable Archdeacon Harper moved the following resolution:—"This meeting, feeling a deep interest in the main object of his Lordship's recent visit to England, and thankful for the good providence of God, which brought together a hundred Bishops from all parts of the world to consult for the good, ! of the Church, atLambeth, under the presidency of his Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury, thankful also for the unanimity which characterised the assembly, and for the results, so far as they have been made public, desires to hear from the Primate himself some account of the consultations in which he took p irt and of the benefits likely to be derived by the Church at large, and more especially by the Church of New Zealand and Churches similarly situated." He would not say much on the subject of the resolution, except to refer to the ignorance that had prevailed at home as to the needs of the Church of New Zealand. Until the colonial Church grew up it was not thought that the Church was a great spiritual corporation which could not be confined to the four corners of Great Britain, but must also extend to her colonies. At the first conference in 1867 Bishop Selwyn had strongly urged upon those present the necessity of a spiritual unity of the Church, and made a most eloquent speech in defence of such unity. That conferenco had led to a very great deal of good, and the question was now looked upon with great interest throughout the world. Many differences existed among the various bishoprics of the world which these conferences did much to abate and improve. He would, in conclusion, move the resolution he had just read. [Applause.]

Mr H. J. Tancred seconded the resolution. He had looked forward to that meeting with great interest, as it could hardly fail to be interesting to hear from their Primate his impressions on the Lite conference and the unity of the Church, after his long journeying. It would be very interesting to hear about the manner in which the American and Colonial representatives met the English Church Bishops on English ground. The motion was then put and carried unanimously.

His Lordship then proceeded to give a resume of what had been done at the Lambeth Conference, and the effect it was likely to have upon the Church of England in general, and the colonial branch of that church in particular. The Chairman thanked the Bishop, on behalf of those present, for his very interesting address. Mr Fredk. Hobbs moved the following resolution—" Having regard to the duty incumbent on the churchmen of the diocese to place the Bishop, as soon as possible, in possession of a central church, independent of local and parochial obligations and wants, and to the many advantages which may be anticipated from the full operation of the Cathedral system, this meeting i 3 of opinion that new and vigorous efforts should be made without delay for the completion at the earliest possible date of the Cathedral."

Seconded by the Ven. Archdeacon Dudley, and agreed to. The Eev. Mr Paige moved the last resolution, as follows : —"That this meeting recognises the services already rendered by the C .ithedral G-uild in fostering public interest in tho work of building the Cathedral, and in contributing materially towards its erection, expresses a hope that it will extend its operations, and put forth yet more zealous exertions in the same cause."

Mr J. GL Hawkes seconded the resolution, which was then put and agreed to. On the motion of >.he Dean, a very hearty vote of thanks was given to the chairman. His Lordship then pronounced the benediction, and the proceedings terminated.