ADDRESS TO THE BISHOP OF NELSON.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume IX, Issue 106, 5 May 1874, Page 2

ADDRESS TO THE BISHOP OF NELSON.

It had been intended to present Bishop Suter with an address of welcome on his return from England at a public meeting, but various cause? had occasioned its being postponed so frequently that it was at last determined to present it privately, and tbis was done last night, there being present the Revs G. H. Johnstone, R. J. Thorpe, J. Spear, W. Rutherfurd, and the members of Ihe vestries of Christ Church and All Saints'. The Rev ■ G, H. Johnstone who was in the chair, having opened the proceedings with a few appropriate remarks, the following address was read by Dr Scaly:— To the Right Rev Andrew Bubn Suter, D.D., Bishop of Nelson, Hew Zmlanl. Right Reverend Sir — We, the undersigned, on behalf of the clergy and laity of thi« portion of jour Diocese, beg to offer to your Lordship a hearty welcome on your return from England. It affords us great pleasure to see you and Mrs Suter annnjtft us once more, and we trust that in addition to . the good services you have rcn'ered to the church during ycur brief stay ia England you have been refreshed and cheered by your visit to old friend, and scenei. We tike this opportunity of assuring 3 onr Lordship tint we thoroughly value the kind'y feeling you have always shown for all members of tha community and your unflagging interest in every kind of good work, and it is our heartfelt wish that you may long be spared to bs the Bi>hop of this Diocese, the interests of which we are well assured are ever uppermost in your mind. Once more bidding your Lordship and Mrs Suter welcome ti these Bhores, we remain, your Lord»hip's faithful servants. — (Here 'ollow the signatures ot the clergy, and the churchwardens ol the various parishes.) The Bishop, io acknowledging the address, mentioned that one of the impressions received in his visit to England was that tbe intellectual, social, and theological claims on a clergyman were far greoter in the colony than at home, tbere was a greater demand on their talents, and without wishing to flatter any, he could truly say that, taking numbers into consideration, the clerical work done here was above the average Tt was truly a gratification to him on returning to England to see that his work there in London had not been in vain, but was bearing fruit, and this made him all the more anxious to come out here again, and make use of the experience of the past six years. Ho could not, however, conceal from himself or the lay members of the Church, that the difficulties of our position as a self-reliant church were only just beginning, and he was ready with them to grapple with these difficulties. Hitherto grants or temporary endowments had been relied on, now the question to be solved was, how many church members are required to adequately support a ministry which should be at once spiritually and intellectually qualified for its work. Tbe Bishop thanked the deputation lor their kind references to Mrs Suter; he was not at ell surprised that they had thought it right, when referring to the diocese, to include her in their expressions of welcome, and he was sure tbat had they heard tbe descriptions of Nelson which she had given to friends in England, tho most enthusiastic admirer of Nelson would be satisfied.