Ecclesiastical.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXV, Issue XXXXV, 8 December 1903, Page 2

Ecclesiastical.

VISIT OF HJSJiei' NF.LTGAN

'IW public nieuling held in Hie Theatre Uoyal qii Monday evening in connection with the Diamond .Jubilee of •'Tlic founding of thu Anglican. Church in Taranuki, was verj r well attended. Mr Clement Covelt occupied the chair, and with kim on (jhe platform were His IJondship Bishop Nelfgan, Archdeacon Cole, a.u'J Alessrs Hy. Brown and W. H. tikin-ner. Tl»e meeting opened by Hinging the old hymn " O, (iod, our Help in Ages Fust," and alter that the erred was said, the Lord's I'rayer and Collects repeated alter Archdeacon Cole. Alter another hynin, the Chairman addressed the galhcrmig. In the first place he jiointed out that he was not there ou his own merits—that was well known—but he felt proud of the honour of presiding that evening. He referred to the occasion they were congregated to celebrate, and remarked that it was well to have these marks in history —times when one could look twek thankfully on the past and look forward strong in the hope, that the work of the next sixty years would be oven more worthy of celebration ttan those which had passed. Without progress the church might just as well lA' "snuffed out." The Bishop had said there was too mueh butter amongst them. Certainly many were wrapped up in the butter industry, some dreamed of ironsand, others oi great tourist trallic, whilst theie were those who believed in ■poultry as the only source of wealth. (Laughter.) But even amidst all this there was, in Devon-street, the sign " Slop ! Look out for the engine!" Loo.k out' for the «ountry train. Instead of doing so, and taking interest in Hue spiritual welfare of th« people in the country districts, they were all looking- towards St. Mary's. That was night in its way, as that church was a credit to New Plymouth, aavd la the man who was the first to commence the erection of a stouo church in Now Zealand, and. in the poorest province of the colony at-that time. Beierring to the necessity of some scheme for carrying the Uospol into the country districts, where he knew that people had no facilities (or worship or religious instruction, lie would warn tihe'Bi,shoj> thtvt the people here would, wish for little interfeivicp from the Standing Committee in Auckland. In other words they would like to wash their own baby. (Laughter.)

Another hymn was sung, fti'ter which the Chairman called on Mr VV. 11. Skinner, who read a very interesting paper on the foundation Wild growth of the church in Taranahi,

(We shall reproduce this history in a future issue.)

Mr Henry Brown was the next speaker, and he related the progress 01 tte church from 1859 onwaids, sipttt.king of things which happened si ace his arrival in the province. In18i>9 the population was about 2500, and half of this number belonged to the Church of England i'here were then three parisUes-St. Marys, Hell Block, and Oinat-a, and three clergymen. In 1860 the Atoori war broke out, and i«uii(t»ora left the district, amongst, -those beinw Kev Wolia-slon, of Bell Block. The late Archdeacon Govett and the late Kev Henry u. Brown remained in charge oi the district, and added to their duties those of chaplains to the troops. After the war many military beitlc-numts were forim-d uew country opened up, and the population, largely increased, without any new cicigyman being, appointed. Consequently tlie residents of outlyin* districts were unable to receive re-li-g-mus instruction or to attend worship with any degree of regularity owing to the large and scattered districts, ami the indifferent roads l'hus tliey dropped out of regular church-going habits, and the harmlul influence of this was felt now as the youth, of tl w £ day were paronts or families in the back districts now and, having, perforce neglected religious duties in their youth were now anything but diHgwl in attending public worship, instructing, their childien in the Christian faith, or taking any steps to have them taught. He passed on to the seventies, when Wiuitura and Inglewood were made parochial districts, and down to later years, mentioning, the erection of climiclies at Stratford, Okato, Lopperton., Tataramaika, Tikorangi and Urenui. in 1890 the total population of the Tananaki district was 19,101 people, and of these 9132, according to census returns, were Anff.icun Church members. This was now mm-osod, and still there was the dearth of ministws. A few men had to sorvu a very large district, extending i ßo , m jjew pi ymoul . h some oO or 00 miles inland from Stratloid, whilst the Inglewood minister h«id to officiate at Matau, 33 miles from Iris church, and the clergyman from Waitara was responsible for administering to the spiritual wants Of people 70 miles away from his church'. It was quite evident that t» do this the all-airs of their own parishes muvt be neglected. More men were wanted to preach to these people. He dealt at length with the hardships of the 'buckblock setters who were people of indomitable fortitude and patience, full of "grit," and were the flower of our population. it was a shame that no provision was made for attending to tlieir siwrituial wants. This was tending to product* in the backWocks a race of lwathen—peopie who were not instructed in the truths of Christianity. j|„ <,oncli>ded with an unreal apinml to the people of .New il,\ mouth to assist in sending missionaries amongst baekblock settlers or he .said, •• How shall they hear without a preacher ; and how shall they preach unless tnoy be sent ?" ihe Bishop spoke at great length preiacmg ivis general remarks with a complimentary reference to the great interest in church matters which was *ii«Jila.vo«| by the laity i„ AVw w ! mouth, us indicated by the fervour of .Messrs Govett, Skinner, and pated to speak as tlvuse had done t'liere was reason to be sanguine of >K d thank! £■ J, clt fcrettt in Ks ohce, and asked that God would give him grace to become tt WO X S;, < ,: ,1 ' U , t ' «'Wch could -i educe such men, l t was a nrivi 'W» lor him to share in these 'com memorntiou services, and lw Mi i *>■ ( '"ring his work Z the 01 he had looked at the eariv col onml church life as one of tin,« Uq.ion'o I Cl ,,efo '' Ul ° ir «- ; a «Mvenru\Vdir^ui himsuif ' ment for l,i„,.af UUe I'nuselocal new. a ?, tmiUxi the i«--ullv denied ,?,'•■ "* " 10b " t to allow \i'l, ' 101 huV1 "S reused dietedUn tfe •u".*"" V,Ce l ° beto '- hence ti,., , Q tJ,at s, xty reai-K in nee the pecnile of \i. u . nf - tuls "oukl -be „,. O [J ™Y" i'lymouth teritv M„ i, "auieaial for p o g>church public feeling in m Xcose! awl aj'pealetl | or Mn i te d w # m in

devouring to send preachers into remote districts. He referred to the Siustentation Fund recently established for the clergy, and intimated that subscriptions would be acceptable. Heferring again to the missionary scheme 1h- said the idea was to gel young, earnest, healthy and active men, unmarried, as Itinerant clergymen. Tliese men. Ih' thought, won Itl have to he procured at first from lOn-gland. He referred to the vacancies- ui St. .lolm'K College in Auckland, und to the foundation of the dirls' Church High School, where they would give the best education iron North Cape to the Bluff. He furtlter dealt on the trials of backblock settlers, and concluded by relating a touching' anecdote of the late African war, which he made applicable to his subject. The vai ions addresses were most heartily received and attentively listened to. Alter singing the National Anthem, the Benediction was pronounced by the Bishop, and the proceedings terminated.