NO NEED TO WORRY

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 810, 2 November 1929, Page 18

NO NEED TO WORRY

CHURCH IN ENGLAND CLERICAL VISITOR’S VIEWS Despite the criticism which has been levelled at the Church in England, Archdeacon G. Mac Murray saw a good deal which was most encouraging. He returned by the Rangitiki yesterday afternoon after spending nine months abroad. “Of course, I found things altered from what I knew them, but the services were very well attended in the parish churches,” said the archdeacon. “One thing which gave me anxiety was that since the war there has been a great failing off in the number of men coming forward for ordination. The Church has nothing to fear if the number is kept up.” Archdeacon Mac Murray said that the revised Prayer-Book had given the authorities a good deal of anxiety, but he did not see any reason for worry. The new prayer-book would require some slight modifications, which he thought would be agreed to. Nothing, however, would be done until after the Lambeth Conference next year. Talking of Bishop Barnes and Dean Inge, the archdeacon said: —“Bishop Barnes has a following of highly educated men and I think that both he and Dean Inge, in their different ways, are men who have a message and are giving that message to the world. The message is not being understood properly. “Bishop Barnes is a very scientific man and his battle is to bring the teachings of modern science and the church into harmony. Dean Inge delights in saying smart things.

“There is no doubt that the attitude of the people generally is different from when 1 lived in the Old Country, but I am not a pessimist about England. There is a wonderfully wholesome spirit which is the dominant factor. Of course, there are a lot of careless and idle people, but one feels that at bedrock the English people are sound and that the country will come through her troubles.” Archdeacon Mac Murray said that he found everywhere the most kindly feeling toward New Zealand. Wherever he went he heard good accounts of the New Zealand soldiers and not one syllable against them. During the war they had left a very fine impression behind them in England. Although the archdeacon went to England for a holiday, he executed some business dealing with the Dilworth Trust Board, of which he is chairman.