THE LATE BISHOP G. A. SELWYN.

Samoa Times and South Sea Gazette, Volume 2, Issue 94, 19 July 1879, Page 3

THE LATE BISHOP G. A. SELWYN.

" Tlic now Bishop was a young man for.that office, yot not too young tor the Hpeeial work that was set before him. Ho was about .'!:! years old. Of an athletic frame, a cultured mind, and apostolic zoul, lie was well gifted for his position. He brought with him several clergymen and students, and he took up Ids Hrst abode at the Waimate. He had with him a largo and valuable library; for this he litted up a room in a spat-ions stone building at tne Korikeri, 10 milos from his residence, over a rough, hilly patehway; but it was only a ' constitutional ' before breakfast. He was a lirst-i-liiss pedestrian. Few couhl equal him )■: threading forests, scaling mountains, nr swimming rivers. In his palmy days he did not care to ride, even when there was n road for a horse. It is said that on one occasion, whuu the Bishop of Newcastle was visiting him. they took a short journey together. It was over a plain. Selwyn was on foot, the ether on horseback. The latter, cantering forward. was brought up at the bank of a broad Htruain. Not knowing the ford, he waited fir bis companion. ' Follow me,' cried Selwyn, as he dashed through the river, souaawlut to tie.' surprise of his tight reverend brother. There was, I think, a flight asceticism about liishop Selwyn. which longer experien.-o rubbed oil'. Certainly he taxed his iron constitution to a severe degree; for a quarter of a century he laboured like an appstlo, His published journals, never exceeding the truth, read almost like romance. They must'j bo without judgment, or feeling, or both, who oan withhold Osteom ' for his work's sake,' howevir 'in might differ from bis views. . . . Throughout his whole career be embodied in his own example the sentiments contained in bis lirst charge to his clergy in 18r7: ' You have heard alien ly the definition of the Vcuorablo Bedo, that the episcopate is a title not of honour, but of work ; and in that spirit I trust to he enabled to exercise my office And again; ' pray in tlui namo of our cruciliud Master that we lnay never here (tisoiiss the question, " Wlfieli shall ba the greatest!' It is to be hoped tlmt the title of a " dignitary " of the Church will never bo heard in NonvJZualand. If 1 designed the offal '>f at hdcacon to be n mere peacock's I. ill •:, to distinguish' one clergyman tboju bid brethren, I', would not offer It to the acceptance of | any one who had borne his Master's cross in retirement and self-denial in the I mission Held. Xo earthly ilignily, either in Church or State, euu emul the moral ;

grandeur of the leathern gridk and tl ■■ raimenl of camel's hair, or i' forth with mt par r scrip, .-111,? y. • lacking nothing/ Tlie UUli..ps di .••'•■ - ■ latitude 3S. south a mistake in his Ictl >rs put in extended to latitude :..:. north insti ul | south. This !...'( i'. :i ;,.„.: ~, ..; J "lien tie- mistake was discovered, he would 11 it allow it 10 lie rectified,regard- \ jug it in Uing liods providence "'that j ha.l given him this great estent nf ,ii.,. : cese. In aliltle ie»soi, t1... Undine, I, tbari -2-2 tuns, whi I, i Mievc !,•■ navi- ; g»ted him ' I hj vi-.iti I many ..;' the ' South Sea and so 1'..-,,., t;„. i Mcli -iin Mission, for the eon-,: ~;' which he afterwards concentrated a man us singularly gifted us |, u «... ;„, 115 ..j, ilevot.il—the iiK.rtyre.l and lamented! Pat tenon, who i-> now sncoeedeil bv Selwyn's oldest son. By many he was said to be imperious ambitious* designing. ! I can only say that if he was iuipcriotis, he was also kind ; if he was ambitious it was io do good, and he was ready to ! divest himself of power as soon as others could he found to shave authority with h'.m if I'.: whs ! - it iv-.s 11 t f.... . himself, but for tho interests of the' Church on whose altar ho laid down his gifts, his fortune and his life. Hut with all thai was excellent he did ,„,t escape censure. He iiiodo mistakes, for he was fallible. Plans that were somewhat visionary melted into thin air; and in some we]|. :u ,t dibits to do good he was misunderstood, and at. times misrepresented This was especial the ease during the unhappy war. He had misfortune to incur blame from both sidei: but there was no room to call in question his stern integrity his moiid eoiua ~ or his good intentions."—' Liulier's V. .'v Year.-, in New Zealand."