MELANESIAN MISSION

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 380, 14 June 1928, Page 13

MELANESIAN MISSION

NEW BISHOP NAMED RIGHT REV. F. M. MOLYNEUX DR. STEWARD’S SUCCESSOR Historic associations are re newed in the naming of the Right Rev. F. M. Molyneux as successor to Bishop J. M. Steward, Bishop of Melanesia, who is resigning in August on account of ill-health. Bishop Molyneux, who is at present assistant bishop in the diocese, has an hereditary connection with the Islands of the Pacific, his great grand-uncle, Robert Molyneux, being master of Gaptain Cook’s ship, the Endeavour. Molyneux River in the South Island has been named after him. Cable advice has been received by the Primate, Archbishop Averill, that Bishop Molyneux has been unanimously chosen at the Diocesan Synod, which opened at Siota, in the Solomon Islands, on May 30. A delegation from Melanesia will be sent to meet the bishops of the Province of New Zealand, with whom the final selection rests. The final selection will probably be made by the bench of bishops of the Province of New Zealand in Wellington in August. Bishop Molyneux was consecrated in St. Paul’s Pro-Cathedral, Wellington, on August 9, 1925, and left New Zealand shortly afterwards to join the Melanesian Mission as assistant bishop. This appointment was made necessary by the fact that the responsibility developing upon Dr. Steward had become far too heavy. Born at Bransgore, Hampshire, in 18S5, Bishop Molyneux is the son of the Rev. F. E. Molyneux, rector of Martyr Worthy, Winchester. He was educated at Stoke House, Slough, and Rossall School, and later at Keble College, Oxford, and C-uddesdon Theological College. He graduated B.A. in 190 S and M.A. in 1913. His or-

dination as a deacon took place at Ripon in 1909, and as a priest in 1911. DU ST IN G UIS HED WAR SERVICE During the war, Bishop Molyneux served as a chaplain in Mesopotamia, acting in that capacity at the British General Hospital at Basra, and later at Bagdad, where he became very popular with the troops, by whom he was known as the “vicar of Bagdad.” Mention of his distinguished services was made in General Maude’s despatches, and in 1918 he was awarded the M.B.E. Returning to England after the war, Bishop Molyneux was appointed vicar of High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, in 1919, leaving that post in 1925 to become Assistant Bishop of Melanesia. With the exception of two years’ curacy at Watford, the whole of Bishop in the service of the mission. Steward’s ordained life has been spent The retiring bishop was educated at Radley, and he graduated a B.A. at Magdalen College, Oxford, in 1890 ; later going to Ely Theological College. He joined the Melanesian Mission in 1902, and in 1919 succeeded Bishop | Wood as Bishop of Melanesia.