SETTLING DOWN

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 716, 16 July 1929, Page 9

SETTLING DOWN

TRUCE IN WAIKATO DIOCESE IMPROVING THE FINANCES (From Our Own Correspondent) HAMILTON, Monday. Anglican Church affairs in Hamilton have again settled down to a period of comparative quiet which in the past has proved so misleading to those who believed all trouble was over. Synod has met and dispersed with, no indication having been given to the public concerning the movement urging the removal of Bishop Cherrington from office. At Synod sessions there was a fairly large attendance of the public and not one of the onlookers could claim tx-uthfully that Synod was whole-heartedly supporting the hishop. Most of the opposition comes from laymen in districts outside Hamilton and who rarely come into contact with his Lordship and are thus given little opportunity to “bury the hatchet” or effect some sort of compromise. In Hamilton the general impression among leading Anglican churchmen is that there is no real line of demarcation between the parties as there was a year or so ago. Some go so far as to say that both parties have sunk their differences and are working strenuously with the bishop to revive finances and recover lost ground. There is no doubt that controversy today—if any exists—is based purely on personal grounds. One hears little or no talk about “ritualistic practices,” “Romish tendencies,” etc. Two years ago the so-called “low church” party opposed Dean Barnett because he was alleged to have Introduced “high church” formula into the cathedral services. When the quarrel which had existed between the bishop and the dean became public property most of the "low church” supporters sided with the deau. Many of these churchmen have now apparently grown tired of factional strife for nothing much is heard of them. The local branch of the Church of England Men’s Society, founded last year with the support and approvaLof the bishop, has been a great factor in promoting peace and harmony. Local churchmen of various shades of thought have become members and are working amicably together, although it is stated that the dean regards this body as an organisation whose aims are more material than spiritual. So far as is known the action between the bishop and dean is still set down for hearing at the Supreme Court opening here at the end of the week. So far as Hamilton Anglican affairs are concerned, bitter feeling and harsh words appear to belong to the past and the only severe drawback to progress is the lack of clergy owing to financial conditions.