ASSISTANT CURATE DISMISSED

Hokitika Guardian, 16 April 1920, Page 2

ASSISTANT CURATE DISMISSED

FOR SERMON ON CHURCH reform. AUCKLAND, April 12. Following on t-Re delivery of a SOT, mon dealing with Church reform, Cm vestry of Saint Sepulchre’s (Auckland) recently asked for the resignation ol the assistant curate, the Rev Jasper Ca der and the reverend gentleman, whim declining to relinquish the position by Easter as required, preached Ins farewell sermon last evening. After the service' it' is stated, a petition was drawn up, by members of the emigre nation protesting again?t the dismissal of 'the assistant curate, but th. f was withdrawn at the request of Mr Calder, who prefered to regard the incident as

closed. , Mr Colder, who it will he reniembeileff, St. Matthew’s a few months ago after a petition had been sent to the Bishop praying that he snould be made the successor of the lato vital, took up his engagement as assistant curate of Saint Sepulchre’s in December. Ar „ At the invitation of a reporter, M Calder explained as follows tlie circumstances leading up to last nights farewell sermon: “I was engaged to go to Saint Sepulchre’s as assistant eura e at a salary of £5 a week from early December until April, when it was contemplated that I would go to America. Everything went well until the Sunday just before Lent when I preached a sermon urging th a ± the Church authorities should take the congregations into their confidence in the matter of chuick reform. On that occasion I delivered n straight-out and earnest address. A . few days after this I was informed by ' the vicar (Rev. W. A. Keny) that the ’ vestry had decided to dispense with my services. The matter was referred to the Bishop and both the Bishop and the vicar informed me that I must leave at once. I declined and pointed ' put that the vestry had no power to discharge me, at the same time strenuously denying ally disloyalty to the Church of England. After discussion the Bish- ■ op decided that the vestry had no power [ to dismiss me, and incidentally hp ad- * mitted that the principles of the sprj mou were sound, but said that the ei ‘ticism should have been voiced in the 1 Synod instead of in tlie pulpit.”